Athens, Georgia is not a place I usually end up (THWg, go yellow jackets) But the State Botanical Garden of Georgia is a reason I’ll come back over and over. Besides being gorgeous, it’s free to enter, open to the public, and absolutely stunning in the right light.

When Sam and Jeff described what they were looking for, the words warm, golden, and cinematic came up pretty quickly. They had spent their first date in these gardens so we built the session around a picnic date feel. Unhurried, celebratory, just the two of them in a beautiful space. 

We met in the late afternoon and spent the next couple of hours wandering. No rigid shot list, no rushing from spot to spot. More like tagging along on a date and documenting it as a professional third wheel.

My approach with every couple is to give a prompt and let them fill the space naturally. I'm not putting people into poses so much as finding the angles and adjustments that work with the light and look honest on camera. Every couple moves differently, holds each other differently, takes up space differently. The goal is always to make the images feel like them, not like a pose they were told to hold.

With Sam and Jeff, that was easy. Their love is warm and a little goofy and completely genuine, and it came through in every frame.

The gardens gave us so much to work with and everything feel soft and romanticl. I leaned into wide shots throughout to let the landscape breathe and give the whole gallery that cinematic quality they were after.

By the time the light faded we'd covered most of the property and barely noticed.

Sam and Jeff — your love is the easiest thing to photograph. Can't wait for the wedding!

Straight from the source:

Hannah was INCREDIBLE. She was so fun to work with and made the whole process feel fun and magical. She made the whole experience worth every penny spent. Our pictures are my new most precious heirlooms. I cannot begin to express how much I think you should hire her for all your special moments.

Location: State Botanical Garden of Georgia, Athens, GA

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