This shoot was all about connection.

It wasn’t about the location, the ‘vibe’ or even the light (… yep). This shoot was about Jamie and Chris, their affectionate, sweet and joyful love for each other.

We have to be honest – we weren’t very excited about shooting downtown in the blazing afternoon sunlight. We, like all (honest) photographers, much prefer to shoot in soft light (give us early morning or golden hour!). And for us we’re much more drawn to shooting in the mountains where the scenery gives a ton of options.

Stripped back, just us and the glaring sunlight and some white buildings, it becomes even more about the couple. Connection is everything. Focusing on the connection between Jamie and Chris was, and is, the ultimate point of the shoot. Their connection is deep, forged through months of long distance.

Chris is from a tiny town in Northern Ireland (where Athena still says is one of her favorite places in the world), and Jamie is from Seattle. They met through an internship at the City Church in Seattle, and decided their love and future together brought more joy than the pain and longing of 4,500 miles.

Enjoy the insane beauty of their love (and pin away!)