Listening to Ryan Bingham this evening. Makes me want to get in the car and head west. The Northern California desert, Flagstaff, Southern New Mexico, West Texas. If you don’t miss it you’ve never been there.

One of my greatest hits…as summer winds down I think of summers past. Soft breezy days on The Gulf, Little One running around, everything peaceful and easy. And so we look forward to old friends and new Little Ones in the not too distant future.

Jason through the years.

I sat down with Jen and Joe early this evening to go over their book. I really love getting another look at past work. I came across this photo of Jen as she began her processional. I love this photograph. Think of all that has happened that has led to this moment and all that will follow. The processional…just a sliver of time.

1 AM still working. The season is in full swing. Lots of engagement sessions over the past several weeks. Tonight I came across this excellent image. Excellent because of the elegant depiction of Adam and Alexis in synch and in love. Thanks guys, more to come.

I’ve been busy this week. Haven’t we all? I am at the end of a furious effort to revamp my main web site. I am very excited about the site and look forward to going live pretty soon.

I had considered making a few changes to True Romance. In the end I decided to leave it as is. The truth is that I AM a hopeless romantic. I am cynical about many aspects of life, but not love. Love and romance takes effort. Sometimes we take for granted those we love the most. No big secret there. My biggest failings are the times when I do take those closest to me for granted, or say the hurtful thing.

In the end True Romance gives me a space to remind myself, on the days when I am thoughtless, to pay attention. And besides, I really do watch those movies, and I really do get sentimental watching that AT&T ad. And you do to.

So I have some excellent weddings to share with you and several engagement sessions and an awesome new forum (the main site) for some very cool wedding photography.

For those of you that make a habit of stopping by…thank you very much.

Don’t forget to grab your partner and dance this weekend.

Laura and I have a fancy bunch of friends. Some of these friends make very brief (too brief) appearances for a very short (too short) period of time. Such are Alyssa and her daughter Sasa. In from Europe for a week or so, we caught up with them (and Christine, who is patiently awaiting her daughter’s return from camp) for breakfast this morning. Sasa spent a few minutes conversing with Laura in French recounting her Paris adventures and then graciously allowed me a few photographs. And then we climbed a tree.

Anybody can be a cynic. Need to take a stand? Take a stand for Romance. Grab your partner and take a stand for Love. The cynics are everywhere…not me baby. There’s a summer rain outside and I’m going running. And Laura and I will spend the evening together. Make it a great day folks.

And this one looks good too.

I am always up early on Sunday. Saturdays are work days for me but I still get up before the sun. Wonderful wedding last night in the city, big fun had by all. Hopefully a slow day today with Laura before we jump back into the world tomorrow. True Romance doesn’t have to be fancy, and it doesn’t take too much effort. Just picking up my socks can be a romantic act. We all fall short sometimes in our efforts to show we care, but diligence can be it’s own reward. So…be diligent in love today.

I made this series of photos a few years back when Sophie and her family were visiting us before they moved to Perth, Australia. How can you not love this sequence? These images get to the heart of what I do. Sophie has a little sister now and in a sort few months laura and I will get to run run run like geckos with two cute little girls.

Eric Clapton and his band made perhaps the best record ever about unrequited romance and heartbreak. Layla and other assorted love songs was released in November, 1970. Clapton had fallen hard for Patti Boyd, the wife of Beatle George Harrison, and his desperate passion for her is all over the record. This is music that will last forever.

The legendary Bobby Whitlock and Eric Clapton perform Bell Bottom Blues in 2000:

Long time readers ( I know you’re out there) may recall my affection for this movie. Yes it is based on a ridiculous premise, but I have always been a fan of at least the idea of time travel plus the cast includes Mark Ruffalo as a good-hearted photographer who gets the girl in the end. I am not even close to the demographic the producers were aiming at, but I love it just the same.

Two wonderful weddings this past weekend. Two from Saturday are featured on the front page this morning.
On Sunday I spent the day with Rachel and Josh and their families. Like any True Romantic I got teary eyed during a particularly raucous section of the hora as I photographed the bride dancing with her mother, the groom dancing with his father, the groom’s mother dancing with her mother and hundreds of guests circling around and around. A memorable transcendent celebration.

The word today is exuberance. Get to it. And be like Scout and Jem and walk like an Egyptian.

Good Morning and thanks for checking in. I have been trying to post that AT&T commercial. You know the one: The guy sees the girl on the subway and changes his ticket, they meet and live happily ever after. Love the story. The lesson…aside from the pimping of AT&T…is that life can change in an instant. Really…any second CAN be the second. Romance is where we find it, and if we look hard enough we can see it everywhere. Even in an AT&T commercial.

Big weekend ahead…two great weddings.

Thanks again for the time…see ya soon.

A creative proposal is important.

Bogart and Bergman and the essence of romance. Casablanca is always on everyone’s list of top romantic movies. And no wonder. The constant threat of danger, unrequited love, selfless heroism. If you have never seen it, do so, and soon. Here’s looking at you kid.