Thursday, September 29, 2011

my brother and his girl.



A couple weeks ago, on a day that was hot and beautiful, when I felt like death...


I took engagement pictures of my brother Benjamin and his girl, Rebekah.




At the end of the day, I figured everything I had taken was pure, unadulterated garbage. But since I take such an inappropriate number of pictures, some did turn out/make me happy/make me laugh. Do please politely overlook the hidden mounds of truly wretched photos that clog my picture folders. Much appreciated.









Taking pictures of two people instead of one = five times as hard. Don't do the math, just trust me. 


Especially when the two people are talking/laughing/flirting/snorting at each other. Weird faces galore. 





You know how sometimes you're taking pictures and you're so in the zone--you push everyone around, you're bursting with gorgeous pose ideas, you know exactly what you want, the light is perfect, you're in control, empowered, on fire. 



Yeah well. That never happens to me.


I do get in the zone sometimes. But only when there's really no reason to be taking pictures. Once "official photo shoot" is spoken, gut-wrenching disaster rears its ugly head.


But life goes on. Botched photo shoots and all.


At least I had one thing in my favor: awesome and attractive people. 





Several of the pictures, despite their drastic-impropriety-if-sent-in-a-wedding-invitation qualities, make me happy inside, just because they show what a pair of goofy and spectacular people I've got in my life.






Like I said: goofy.





Having gotten up at ungodly hour to (try to) catch the sunrise for the above photos, and aforementionedly feeling like death (not to be dramatic or whiney, which means I am, but don't judge me. it was pretty bad), I hung out at my friend Hadley's house all day, before meeting up with them again to catch the sunset light. Watching Step Up and eating donuts (no, it didn't help my stomach feel better but YES it made my soul feel better), and lazing around for hours was remarkably restoring.


Did I mention? He's getting married in a month and fourteen days. Leaving me alone to brave the cold, harsh world. Abandoning me emotionally. Turning our family into a paltry four instead of it's former glorious eight.


Naw, it's all good. Just don't judge me if I weep inordinately a little for a week or so.





Incidentally, they actually did end up sending out a few in their invitations. I think this was one of them.



Remember the laughing? yeah. ahem.



Me: "be serious! gosh! um. don't flare your nostrils bro."








Ben. Special talents include: being a total creeper.


And being a noble statue. With flared nostrils.






They really like each other. It's pretty cool. :)


If you want to know more about these people, you can check their engagement story, complete with lots of other pictures of them. :)



And the whole thing was completely validated for these pictures. If I hadn't gotten any others, I wouldn't be that upset--these make me very, very happy.





The brute and his girl.



Again: creeper.





Rebekah's turn to be creepy...





The hick girl. And her boy.





43 comments:

  1. Awwwww! These are so cute and fun! I love them!

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  2. These are awesome!!! Beautiful couple! :)

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  3. these are darling! <3

    they are the furthest thing from crap. <3

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  4. haha your pictures always give me a smile :]

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  5. Those photos are the last word in gorgeousness, Polka-Dot! Your brother and his girlfriend seem to be a perfectly lovely couple. Half of the pictures were just plain beautiful, and the other half were beautiful and super-funny. (Gotta love the superhero-couple shots!)

    Oh, and if I ever get engaged, I'm calling you to be my photographer. :)

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  6. She is just adorable!

    Haha, you said they really like each other... I'd hope they at LEAST like each other ;)

    Very beautiful pictures, dear <3 They are a sweet couple!

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  7. What a lovely couple! They are going to be madly in love for the rest of there lives :))
    -Jocee <3

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  8. They are absolutely adorable!!!!!!!

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  9. Awwww I LOVE THEM! so cute together!!!!

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  10. This had me laughing out loud. =) How fun, and sad, and silly, and happy... and entertaining! Especially the one where Rebekah looks like she's gaping at his arm... ahahaha.

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  11. Lovely engagement pics!! Wanna take mine? ;)

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  12. aww... awwww!... AWWWWW!!! I was like crying the whole time I read this.... sigh... i love weddings!!

    God bless them both!
    Grace

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  13. Gorgeous!!! I cracked up at the "noble statue". And the superhero poses were great :) Well, they were all great, but those were just... hilarious, in the best possible way :)

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  14. Those pictures are lovely! Rebekah is so gorgeous! The "brute and his girl" poses were all my favorites. <3

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  15. These are great. Your brother can make quite the faces.

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  16. Cute collection of photos - despite everything, it looks like you had a nice "photo shoot." =D

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  17. you don't give yourself hardly enough credit! those photos are soo gorgeous and well-taken :) lovely job and what a lovely couple!
    ~India

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  18. I wish we could request which one we would get in the invites--I'd take the one with the dopey shrugs, right above "Yeah, well that never happens to me."

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  19. Those are such fun, cool pictures. They are such a cute and funny couple... these pictures definitely made me laugh. Their personality comes through, in these pictures too.

    ~Stephanie

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  20. aww...these are awesome. Your a fantastic photographer! She is gorgeous too.

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  21. these are fantastic! love to ones against the brick wall! :) Rebekah is gorgeous!

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  22. I love these photos! They are so beautiful, happy, natural- well they're awesome! :) xx

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  23. They're so stinken cute!!!
    And those pictures are beautiful.

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  24. Wow. I think you got plenty of good pictures. I like the superhero poses. Very hilarious!

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  25. Awww! they are such a cute couple :) I know how you mean its hard taking pictures of two people :P I tryed to get pictures of my old sister and her boyfriend the other day :P lol it was hard to get one where they didn't look really weird xD
    These are really good photos!!

    ~Lily bellefluerphotography.blogspot.com

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  26. Oh.My.Goshness. This post just totally made me super happy. They are so ADORABLE!!!!!!!!!! EEEEEEE!!!!!!!! I just love the super hero pictures. I love them all. PICTURE LOVE!!!

    And I cannot.cannot.cannot WAIT for the wedding!!!!! :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D

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  27. My goodness I love these. Really any engagement pictures will make me happy, and these made me double happy. :) And I officially think your brother looks somewhat like John Mayer. ^_^

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  28. They are so adorable. And their kids are going to have awesome hair, just sayin'. ;)

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  29. I love these, the lighting is GORGEOUS! Of course, so is that lovely couple... and the wonderful photographer :)
    Okay, so I just love everything about this. The end.


    I think it's awesome that your posts are longer... mine are always taking up whole pages!

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  30. ohmygoodness, that photo shoot looks like FUN. for serious. and you are NOT a bad photographer, Susannah. believe me :)

    but the brute and his girl photos? cracking.me.up! they look like so much fun to be around.

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  31. ca-uuuuuttttttte. LOVE the pictures girl!

    love, rach.
    www.so--hi.blogspot.com

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  32. omg, they're a perfect couple! you're an amazing photographer : )

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  33. Gorgeous photos - I think I like the silly ones the best. :)

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  34. Holy moly, these photos are absolutely stunning! The lighting, the boldness, the black&whites, EVERYTHING! Yeah, your photography never ceases to amaze me, dear Polka Dot! Handsome man, gorgeous lady.'Nuff said.

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  35. Oh, stop beating yourself up, girl! These are AMAZING. Definitely wedding invitation worthy. Even the creepy ones are wonderful in the way they show their personalities. :)

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  36. Ahh!! LOVE, Love, and, did I mention, LOVE?! Ahh!

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  37. Love those pictures! Your brothers fiance looks so sweet. It looks like it was a very fun photoshoot :)

    http://www.laurensweetnothings.blogspot.com/

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  38. Yeah, they're basically the coolest people ever. The girl's family sort of adopted my family as their cousins. We're pretty close.

    I'll be at the wedding!

    Good pictures and awesome post!

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  39. It's perfect. They make an absolutely adorable couple!
    Hahaha. They are both hilarious! It sounds like its difficult to control them, even for pictures.

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  40. Oh man, I LOVE the one of him showing his muscles and her face is like 'Oh, what big arms you have, mister!' lol, cute!!!

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