Months before Grant asked me to be his prom date, and years before Kharen met Jim, she and I rode the bus together. High school is a funny time: you meet lots of people, become friends with some, and keep it touch with far fewer afterward. Kharen and I were acquaintances who lost touch, and I couldn’t have been more flattered when she reconnected with me to tell me that she’d gotten engaged and that they wanted us to take their engagement pictures. Grant and I enjoyed meeting up with Kharen and Jim a few weeks back, wandering around a bit of downtown South Bend and ending up at a tree-lined park just bursting with fall color.

Kharen, you’re so pretty! Grant’s favorite:

Going through the photos, what stuck out to me was the way Kharen and Jim look at each other. One look and the other would smile, which in turn makes me smile. I love seeing how the presence of another person can make the other so happy.

It seems like the fall color was so fleeting this year, and we really only had bright yellows and oranges for this one session. Thanks, you two, for being so willing to get down on the cold ground (and near all the mosquitos!) for us! I think this is my favorite:

Jim and Kharen, we really enjoyed your session. Happy holidays and happy wedding planning!