This portrait session is very special to me in so many ways. It’s not often that I get to pull out my scrapbook and scan in old pictures. (Ok, yes stalkers, I have now done that twice in the last couple weeks, but it’s a rarity overall).
So let’s start with Yury. I’ve known Yury for just about forever. We ran in a gang (and I use that term VERY loosely) of summer camp misfits back in the early 90s. It was not at all like the Breakfast Club, we fancied ourselves to be a sassy version of Saved by the Bell. Who knows what we were thinking?
I’m not exactly sure when I met Gala, but she was the most wonderful person – so caring and embracing of everyone she met, I loved her from the start!
In 2000, I found myself going to the same college with Yury and one day in UNIX class (seriously,we took antiquated UNIX in 2000?) he asked me if I would shoot his wedding. Honestly, I was totally insane to say yes to it. I had never shot a wedding before : I owned a Minolta Maxxum 7000 FILM camera circa 1985 with 2 lenses and a flash that worked whenever it felt like it. And did I mention that I had never shot a wedding before?
But, yet, on a freezing cold, snow flurry-full December 16th, 2000, I found myself with a dozen rolls of film shooting wedding portraits. Yury & Gala were actually my first Big Reveal couple – we took all of their pictures together before the ceremony, literally running around Addison and trying to stay warm while Yury’s brother ushered us around in the ‘limo’.
Here is my favorite image of the day … SOOC (Straight Out Of Camera, gotta love film!)
And a picture of me with the happy couple!
And then that brings us to last Friday, when Gala and Yury visited me along with their two kiddos during their short trip to Dallas. Not that I really needed a particular reason to shoot, but Yury had just turned 30 and they hadn’t had family pictures EVER. It had to be done.
So I present to you – Gala, Yury and family … 9 years later …
Family hug!
I can’t believe I didn’t say YES faster to shooting their wedding! I ♥ you guys.