When I first learned from Sara that she had been with her husband for nearly two decades and they had never in all that time had any professional photos taken together, my jaw hit the floor. From that moment on, I was determined to provide them a session that helped make up for that by capturing a multitude of scenes and various looks. It “upped the ante” so to say. Even though we couldn’t travel back in time to document the many milestones of their lives together, I could document this current chapter and show how their love for one another continues to endure.
I got to work planning locations and thinking about ways to customize the session that would be totally unique and different from a standard portrait shoot. One of the things we were excited by early on was getting some dark and moody aesthetic shots at a whiskey lounge. Sara herself is an exceptional bartender with a passion for trying unique drink recipes and sharing them at gatherings. Both her and Brandon enjoy going out to eat, sampling new cuisines, and making memories over a good meal.
Enter Duluth’s Whiskey Project: A cozy gem nestled in the Lincoln Park neighborhood of Duluth. The establishment is part whiskey lounge, part restaurant, and all vibes. I’d visited the location for the first time the previous fall and was looking forward to coming back the next time I came to town. It was a no-brainer that this was the perfect place to start Sara and Brandon’s session.
We started around 4p.m. on a Saturday afternoon and snapped a few photos at our table while we chatted over a round. Luckily for us, at the time there wasn’t anyone enjoying the lounge furniture which meant we were able to grab some shots near the fireplace and on the leather sofas.
As we moved throughout the space, I tried to work quickly and avoid being disruptive to the business as much as any one photographer can. I placed the couple at the end of the bar, intent of capturing a few cute shots of them date-night style, cheers-ing drinks and admiring one another. The staff at Whiskey Project was absolutely phenomenal and accommodating! One of the bartenders even came over and asked if we’d like her to clear up some of the clutter so it wouldn’t be in the background. I cannot say enough good things about how welcoming they were, and it made for all the difference in the final photos.
Next, it was time for our second location. Brandon is a total car guy and bought a shiny new Dodge Durango awhile back. I wanted to give him a moment in the session with a killer shot that showed off his car along with his beautiful wife. The timing couldn’t have worked out better—over the lift bridge we went and pulled off for a quick moment with the famous landmark behind the couple. After a quick outfit change (in said roomy Durango nontheless), we transitioned from the dramatic dark outfits, to something more light and airy.
At this time of the day, the sun was hot but it still made for some gorgeous shots by the waterfront. Even though we didn’t spend a lot of time in this location since it was to be a quick stop off, somehow we got an amazing variety of images in the surrounding area as we walked the streets nearby. Special shoutout to the homeowner who came over to say hello and gave us permission to photograph in the beautiful garden that she painstakingly cares for!
Last, but certainly not least, we headed ten minutes down the road to Park Point beach which was to be our primary location. Duluth weather didn’t disappoint us on this early fall day. What began as a gloomy, overcast afternoon, ended with stunning skies and a colorful sunset.
Sara and Brandon could have fooled me that they’d never had photos taken before by how modelesque they both were by this point in our session. We walked, explored, and laughed moving from the many scenic areas of Park Point getting loads of poses with background greenery and the harbor-facing shoreline until we took to the sand.
As a special bonus, we did some experimenting with oversized sparklers on the beach while the sun was sinking. Lake Superior winds being what they are, there may or may not have been a small casualty with a burn mark on Brandon’s crisp white dress shirt while we were trying to light our first one (sorry Brandon!).
I think we had about three false endings where either myself of one of them said some variation of “we probably have enough” and then I’d see something else photo-worthy, or the two of them would look at each other real cute, and I’d be snapping the shutter button again. As we made our way back to the car, we paused for one final sparkler set now that night was settling in and I think this was such a fun way to close out the session.
Sara and Brandon drove me back to my car and we returned to Whiskey Project to celebrate a successful photoshoot with dinner and drinks. Over the few hours we spent together, I got to hear about how their relationship started and some of the curveballs life has hit them with throughout the years. This couple is the definition of resilience having gone through a cancer scare at a young age that seems to have only made them closer as a couple. Hearing some of their story and seeing how they came out the other side stronger was truly inspiring and I am so honored to have been asked to take portraits to celebrate their 19 year milestone.
The gallery below is a sampling of some of my favorite moments and I had a difficult time narrowing down the selects on account of how many great pictures we captured.
Sara and Brandon, I absolutely LOVED my time with you both! I’m so excited to keep cheering you on for years to come. Here’s to the next 19 years and beyond, filled with beautiful moments, unforgettable memories, and so much love. It was such a privilege to witness your connection up close and capture a little piece of your story!
