Clearly, one of my favorite things to do in this blog is to talk about beautiful things, especially beautiful things we can find in Cville. And while this is a beautiful thing that you can't buy or sell, I think it's still deserving of a spot in Simply Cville. I'm talking about love (pause for Gag reflex/the simultaneous clicking of the small X in the top, right-hand corner of your screen). However, if you're willing to indulge a hopeless romantic, please read-on.
As an aspiring, part-time photographer (purely a side hustle outside of my world of UVA/academia), I recently had the opportunity to shoot photos of my good friends Allison and Ethan. Allison and Ethan came to Cville in Summer 2008 for Allison's Masters program (which she completed this past spring, Go Girl!) after a fairytale courtship at Appalachian State in North Carolina, where they met as Student Ambassadors. Ethan works in Development at UVA, and I'm beyond thrilled to have them here as full-time Cville residents, post-UVA graduate school craziness. Along with our good friends Tara, Ray, and Sarah, we were all united over a fateful Labor Day weekend UVA football game that quickly transpired into both a friendship, and into me hosting an impromptu cookout for 10 that evening, which lasted until 4 in the morning. The rest is history. Ethan popped the question to Allison last December, and they are currently engrossed in the process of planning their dream wedding in North Cackalaky in April 2010. How great is that?
In my short time as a "wannabe" photog, I've had the opportunity to take a lot of pictures of different people and different events, and the one thing I've learned (well, one of the things) is that both the pictures and the experience are so much better and more fun if you have a personal relationship with the clients on the other side of the camera. We spent the Saturday going to some of Allison and Ethan's favorite places in Cville, from picking peaches at Carter's Mountain to eating Splendora's Gelato on the Downtown Mall. I had a great time, and they were just both such great sports and so much fun to work with. It really felt like we were just hanging out, and there happened to be a camera there. The whole day was simply, so Cville.
In my short time as a "wannabe" photog, I've had the opportunity to take a lot of pictures of different people and different events, and the one thing I've learned (well, one of the things) is that both the pictures and the experience are so much better and more fun if you have a personal relationship with the clients on the other side of the camera. We spent the Saturday going to some of Allison and Ethan's favorite places in Cville, from picking peaches at Carter's Mountain to eating Splendora's Gelato on the Downtown Mall. I had a great time, and they were just both such great sports and so much fun to work with. It really felt like we were just hanging out, and there happened to be a camera there. The whole day was simply, so Cville.
The Best Part? (you do realize, there's always a best part, right?) They have this amazing love between them, they are truly each other's best friend. It's the kind of love you can't fake, make up, or even try to duplicate. Let's face it, y'all. There's a lot of crazy, unfortunate crap going on in the world, but I look at these two, and I have no worries for them, whatsoever. I know they're going to be just fine with whatever life and the universe decide to throw their way. How do I know? I just know. And if that doesn't give a true love-seeking, optimistic bachelor hope, well then, I don't really know what does.
The Lesson: The best house on the block isn't always the biggest house, or the house with the best furniture. It's the house filled with people, laughter, and you guessed it, Love. My Grandmother always said the best table is the one surrounded by family and friends. You can't just surround yourself by beautiful things. You have to surround yourself by beautiful people (and I'm not talking in sense of Super Models and looks). It can't be all about club chairs, Jonathan Adler Lamps, wall paper, and ampersand paperweights (you're welcome, Sally). You have to surround yourself with beautiful people who care about each other and who make this crazy thing we call life a little easier, a little more fun, and simply, a little better.
Cheers,
Ed
if you are interested in working on some "trash the dress" pictures, i have a dress that i can semi trash (not really). no swimming in ponds or rolling around in the grass.
ReplyDeleteThanks for this, Ed. I was having a moment of irritation with the economy and having only one income in my household at present (know of any job openings at UVA?) and life in general, and this made me stop my petty sulking. Maybe I don't get to get a new car or new clothes or anything from my ever-growing list of CDs and DVDs, but at least I have Love. Husband, family, and friends. (or, as someone i know once sang, "little ditty 'bout jack and boraaaaasssh...")
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