All you need is love.

I love love.

I love being loved and giving love, no matter the relationship - family, friends, significant others or strangers. And unlike a lot of people, I love being around people who are in love with each other, and show it. PDA doesn't bother me - kiss on! A little more love in the world won't hurt nobody.

And I love how love can come in different forms. It took me being in the relationship that I'm currently in to realize that love isn't a cookie cutter shape, and that everyone has their own way of loving - their own "love language" - that they tweak to accomodate each relationship in their life.

On Easter Sunday, I shot Ashley & Del's engagement session in Aiken, SC. Engagement sessions are starting to become my favorite type of shoot, not only because (duh) I get to interact with couples and hear their love story, but it's when I can be my artsy-est. It took them a little bit to warm up to being over-the-top affectionate for the camera, but the best images I captured were the ones when they were just being themselves. They had me laughing so hard at their little bickering back and forth, just to get a rise out of eachother. I captured many geniune & loving smiles at each other, and you just can't fake that. Ashley & Del: I wish you nothing but the best in creating your future together. You two don't need a over-the-top display to show that you love each other - y'all just know, and that's freakin' awesome :) 

I also had a photoshoot recently of Madison, the 3 year old daughter of my childhood best friend Katie. She is the cutest little girl that I've hung out with in a while. I couldn't believe how mature and she is for her age, and her vocabulary - wow. I know Katie is so proud. Obviously the pictures below show how gorgeous and fun she is, but I wish I would have captured more behind the scenes moments when Madison would interact with her mommy. Though I'm not a mother and haven't developed that type of love for something I created out of love, I know Katie feels that Madison is the best thing that has happened to her and that she would give her life to Madison, unconditionally, for the rest of her life. And that's powerful. Katie, I know you know you're going to have your hands full when she gets older, but I also know with the amount of love you have for Madison, you're looking forward to every minute of it.

Love is all you need.