Five years ago, Kelcey realized that she needed more design in her life. So the Little Rock native pursued a MFA at the Maryland Institute College of Art in Baltimore. Kyle, on the other hand, attended the University of North Texas to nab a pair of degrees in biology and cytogenetics. Somehow Kyle found his way to Maryland and it was there, in Baltimore, that Kelcey finally met Kyle. As transplants from the south (As a true southern boy, I argue that Texans and Arkansans are not southerners) Kelcey and Kyle had few connections in the Mid-Atlantic. So when K&K met, it was only natural that they became fast friends. But it wasn't their "southern" claim that truly endeared them to one another. DnD did. That's right, Dungeons and Dragons (and video-games, art. design, and fantasy/sci-fi stuff). Years later, Kelcey moved from Baltimore to St. Louis and Kyle followed soon after. Ever since, the couple has lived peacefully in Missouri with their two cats. Like so many other couples, Kelcey and Kyle decided to make it official. But for Kelcey and Kyle, no ordinary wedding would do. Nope. The quirk flowing through their veins wouldn't allow it. Kelcey and Kyle decided to elope to Japan. Six months prior to their wedding date Tokyo, I got the following message from Kelcey: We are looking for a photographer who will take our photos on our wedding day. What we're looking for is just photos of us together in Tokyo. Portraits. Lifestyle shots. A street session. Unlike a typical wedding ceremony which would require hours and hours and thousands of photos, and loads of ceremony, assistants, lighting etc, we only ask for a few hours of your time. Maybe just walking the streets of Tokyo. Kelcey's portrait inquiry was a photographer's dream. She had offered more than six months advance notice to ensure that I had availability and had articulated a vision for the portrait session. I could tell that Kelcey and Kyle were perfectly match for me as clients. Needless to say, I jumped at the opportunity to serve the couple here in Tokyo and was honored that they would ask me to spend some time with them on their wedding day. I began planning a portrait experience that would be the perfect compliment to their civil ceremony. Fast Foward Six Months Kelcey and Kyle popped out of Kundanshita Station right on time. The late afternoon glowed with warm hues and Kelcey and Kyle's smiles only added to the ambient light. Our first stop was Chidorigafuchi, a green space smack in central Tokyo. I selected the spot for one specific reason; the sakura trees just outside of Kundanshita station were beginning to bloom (more than any other place in Tokyo). While the cherry blossoms were nowhere near full bloom, I was happy that there were enough pink and white pops of color to give Kelcey and Kyle a taste of what was to come. We then moved inside Chidorigafuchi, stopping to make some images that would offer subtle hints that Kelcey and Kyle were in Japan. The humungous wooden doors and imposing stone work of the Imperial Palace grounds are impressive and made for some stunning shots. Moving on, we leisurely strolled along Chidorigafuchi's pathways, utilizing every last second of the afternoon's light. Even though the light was fading, Kelcey and Kyle kept grinning. It was obvious that I wasn't finished with K&K quite yet. We had another hour or so before the couple's dinner reservation so we hopped on a train and headed into the neon-thick of Tokyo. We popped out at Shibuya to explore the world-famous scramble crossing. It was amazing to see Kyle's eyes light up, accented with highlights from the neon signs blasting off of the buildings that surround the intersection. Our last shot of the session was there in the middle of Shibuya crossing. Sure, many couples have their photo made in this intersection. But there are few who have the opportunity to pose for that image within hours of their wedding. What an awesome way to legally start a life together. In the end, I had such a great time with Kyle and his bride and was honored to be selected as their honeymoon photographer in Japan. Their happiness was infectious and the collection of images we made is a perfect representation of our evening together. Are you thinking of documenting your special day in Tokyo or anywhere else in Japan? I would be honored to be your photographer. Contact me today to learn more about my services or to reserve your session. More Couples Photography On the Blog
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