When Danin asked me if I would trade photo sessions with he and his wife Tracey, I wanted to throw up. I think I even told him that. The nerves that surrounded the idea of shooting a photographer whom I completely respect and whose work I am often enamored by just.. well... made me want to vomit. It isn't the first time a photographer has asked me to shoot them, but I do believe it is the first time that I have agreed and actually did it.
Shooting on new territory is often intimidating, I even feel like I get stagnant because I choose to shoot at the same places, at the same times, in the same soft light. I shy away from change or what's new because its not comfortable and I don't KNOW i will kill it. With Danin, I had complete faith/trust in the locale because he knows what he is doing, and so I didn't necessarily feel intimidated by it, and when I arrived, I was actually inspired by all things new. And if the 30 minutes or so that I was there taking in the sights and sounds wasn't enough inspiration, this guy and his beautiful wife show up and are just perfect. PERFECT.
Danin brought a playlist (i'm going to bug him for it and insert it in this blog) and Tracey brought her infectious, genuine smile and honest personality and the weather, well-it all just set me on fire. I heard their story, their pet names for one another, their jokes, that Danin was once in a rap duo, saw his dance moves, fulfilled his heel-click dreams, watched Tracey love on dead fish, wander into the Gulf without fear during a lightening storm and so much more. They joke about how they can't be serious, but there is one thing they are serious about, and that is their love for each other. I can't manipulate people to look at one another the way that they do, or react in perfect, genuine ways to the banter between us all. I can try my hardest to capture their love, which I did and I only hope that they are as happy with their photos as I am of the ones Danin shot for me. Thank you both for trusting me with your story. Here are some of my favorites.
