Chadlee & Steve’s Spring Engagement Session

Hello Hello! Boy OoOo boy these blogs and engagement sessions have really lit a fire inside me and I needed it! Six months off was nice…but it didn’t do much for my creative soul. I’m one who thrives on being busy and needing to have a plan, be organized, and create a nice to do list to check off. Give me a bunch of free time and no purpose? Disaster (if you follow me personally…you know about the whole sourdough rabbit hole I fell down last month). ANYWAY…I’m so pumped to be back to photography and blogging and all the things. If you’re new here, WELCOME! If you’re not new here, welcome back and ENJOY! Chadlee and Steve’s engagement session is live on the blog right now and I can’t wait to tell you all the stories and show you all these beauties! Thanks in advance for reading!

So, lots and lots of back story to tell but I will try to give you the short-ish version. I’ve known Chadlee basically since she was born. Her brother (Hi, Scott!) was one of my very closest friends growing up…I do believe we first met when we were four years old and attending the local youth church group. I always was one to get along with the boys more than the girls so Scott was my “go to” friend for all fun things, no drama rama, and all the laughs (he’s even more high strung and eccentric as me if you can believe it)…even through high school! He was even a groomsman for my husband in our wedding. Fun, right?! Well, Chadlee was along for our growing up ride too and even though she’s quite a few years younger than me, we have a TON of mutual friends! So yea…Chadlee and I go way back in all the ways. I got to meet Steve this day. I technically saw and “met” him at a wedding last fall but really didn’t get to chat. So, this day we shook hands and without even thinking…I went full on “Hannah”. Looking back, I’m sure glad Steve has an outgoing personality because I was FULL energy Hannah and he immediately laughed and rolled with it from the moment we took the first photo. They also take a fabulous photo together too so I was extra excited RIGHT out of the photography gate! Ok…that wasn’t so short. So, here’s some pretty photos!

…and we did laugh…A LOT!

We went right into more difficult posing too…because, why not?! So, I had them dance and spin and man…we learned a lot of about Chadlee and Steve’s hands. The ONE thing I can honestly say (and I have permission to share this…) is that they sometimes don’t know what to do with their hands. And we had some really great laughs over it!

AND they were so much fun they told me they wanted the outtakes too so I was sure to include them in their gallery! SO, here’s the outtakes! Weird hands…flying feet…you name it. We kept laughing which made this one of the MOST enjoyable sessions!

Then, we moved right over to this little spot which is one of my favorites! THIS was when their true personalities came out and they got all lovey and I got to squealing! That bottom one (below) is absolutely one of my favorites!

Then, we went out to this beautiful location. It’s prime time Spring and I’m finally here for it! Chadlee said she worked out at this location for years and never knew this flower field existed! And that light really did say…”I’ll give you the GLOW!” I LOVE the glow!

Easy to photograph is an understatement! I was booked when Chadlee asked me about her wedding. Sadly, the wedding I originally had booked was cancelled and now these two will be off in Tenneesee looking AMAZING without me this fall. WAAAAAA. BUT…I told them to channel all their Hannah-isms, posing…and to share all their wedding photos! I can’t WAIT to see them!

Before they did an outfit change. We did some sitting photos per their request. Sitting photos are not easy so we had some more laughs trying to get into a comfortable posing position. NAILED IT!

Steve said he felt weird about his legs (it was the way I had positioned him originally) and when I told him not to worry I’d chopped them right off…Chadlee got a chuckle out of it!

THEN, while they were changing, I took one ring shot that matched outfit #1 and THEN…had the vision to take a ring shot that would match the second outfits! That way they can pair them up in a nice collage if they wish!

SEEEEEEE?! We moved on to a more relaxed feel and a grunge, brick kind of look. Is that what you’d call it? I don’t know. I never ever was fashionable or trendy! You tell me!

We were racing the light but that sure didn’t take away from these moments! ANOTHER favorite of mine (below)!

Ughhh…I like these too! It’s a good “problem” to have! I can’t decide! I can’t wait to see their favorites!

I’m always (ALWAYS) a bigger fan of color but these black and whites got me too!

Alright! Pop Quiz time! You Hannah Barlow Photography couples will KNOW! What’s the “problem” on this photo below?!

If you said “dead arm”…you would be correct! And just like the rest of this session, they let me roast them…they laughed and even played into it all to give me some very amazing “outtakes”…if you’d even call them that! I apologized profusely for just being myself…not holding back…totally picking on them but man oOooO man it was this a great time! I know they had a great time too because you simply can’t make these moments up! Nope!

Authentic joy for this session! No faking it until we make it!

Then, as the sun was setting, I put them over in this little nook and MAYBE these are my favorites now!

It’s the “creepy kiss” posing prompt here (below) and they NAILED IT TOO! It’s just so crazy how life brings you full circle. I’d never have guessed when I was a wee little thing that in 30 years I’d be a photographer and photographing Chadlee and her fiancé! Life is crazy! I love it!

We danced some more to finish off their engagement session. The whole valley could probably hear me cheering them on!

The whole valley also probably heard us laughing and yelling when Steve dipped her the wrong way. I can’t quit giggling because this was so much fun. As you can see over there on the right (below)…they ended up nailing it! AHHHHH!!!

I hope you enjoyed this blog!! I wanted to spend extra time at this session and make this blog extra special because there’s something always so bittersweet to me when I know this will be the one and only blog! Chadlee and Steve, thanks for choosing me to do these for you and thanks for making it SUCH a fun night!

Happy Friday, everyone! Have an amazing weekend!