It took us awhile before we came across the site. A 75-foot tall structure made of marble with sculpted figures outlining the walls. It is a burial site dedicated to the 15 pioneers of aviation. A shrine erected to honor the dearly departed. Damaris, at first, was against the idea of shooting here, since her grandfather is buried somewhere near this very same place.
“I no longer believed in the idea of soul mates, or love at first sight. But I was beginning to believe that a very few times in your life, if you were lucky, you might meet someone who was exactly right for you. Not because he was perfect, or because you were, but because your combined flaws were arranged in a way that allowed two separate beings to hinge together.” - Lisa Kleypas”
There are instances in our lives when you meet a person for the first time, and you have no idea why you crossed paths, but you just know there is something that the universe has in store for the two of you. We met Venus at a nursing facility back when we were still living in San Diego. She worked the graveyard shift while my wife worked the evening shift. She was a kind, sweet person with a pleasant demeanor.
I was in the common room, setting up my equipment when I heard a guitar being strummed gently in the other room. As a music lover and a guitar enthusiast myself, I’m usually quick at dropping whatever I’m doing everytime I hear someone playing the guitar. Either to see what kind of guitar they play or start a conversation to see if we both listen to the same artists.
We finally arrived at the desired location. I stepped out of the car and walked toward where my client was standing. Jeffrey, looking a bit pressured, was trying to decide which outfit he should wear first. “Yeah, you gotta wear the gray sweater first.” I reassured him. I then peeked over the rear window of his car. To my surprise his back seat was filled with props and items that are all intended to be used for the shoot. I knew then and there that this was going to be a great session.
We were invited to dinner by Tuan and Maria the night before their esession. Either to calm their nerves or to get to know us better. Nonetheless, we talked and laughed over Korean BBQ and some good red wine. Listening to Maria and Tuan recall their past was amusing. Each person had their own version of the story to tell. Despite Tuan’s version being a little bit more on the comedic side, you could still see the sincerity in his eyes.
The air was cold. The ground. Mushy and wet. After what seems like, 500 Days of Summer in Los Angeles, The Pacific Northwest finally embraced me with it’s first glimpse of Fall weather. And I was more than happy to accept. For some people, Autumn marks the season of melancholy. Leaves begin to fall, fruits wither in the ground, and dark gray clouds replaces the blue skies of summer.
“I love you without knowing how, or when, or from where. I love you simply, without problems or pride: I love you in this way because I do not know any other way of loving but this, in which there is no I or you, so intimate that your hand upon my chest is my hand, so intimate that when I fall asleep your eyes close.” — Pablo Neruda (100 Love Sonnets: Cien sonetos de amor)
