Whenever I get the chance to photograph the little kids I once knew all grown up, it never stops feeling special. There’s something a little surreal about it, honestly. One minute they’re running around as kids, and somehow, without asking anyone’s permission, time keeps moving and they’re suddenly standing in front of my camera as young adults.
That was exactly how I felt during Avery and Izzy’s session at Jalama Beach. Young love has its own kind of charm. A little nervous, a little giggly, and occasionally a little unsure of what to do with their hands. Honestly, that’s one of my favorite parts. The awkwardness never lasts long. Once people realize they don’t have to perform for the camera, they start relaxing into themselves.
Jalama gave us all the good things that evening. The wind, the soft light, the sound of the waves, and plenty of room to wander. Beach sessions have a way of slowing everything down. People walk a little farther, laugh a little easier, and before long they stop thinking about the camera altogether.
Some of my favorite images from the session happened in those in-between moments. The quiet smiles. The shared laughter. The way they naturally drifted closer to each other without thinking about it. Those are the moments that always feel the most honest.
Watching them together was a good reminder that photographs don’t need grand gestures to be meaningful. Sometimes the story is simply two people enjoying each other’s company on a windy evening at the beach.
I’m grateful Avery and Izzy trusted me to capture this chapter of their story. And if we spent the evening laughing, wandering along the shoreline, and having a genuinely good time along the way, that’s absolutely a win in my book.
Thank you, Avery and Izzy, for letting me document this sweet season of your lives.
