Jason and Kaitlin | Cave Point County Park Proposal

It was half an hour before sunset, and Cave Point was still shoulder-to-shoulder bustling with people. I stood on the bluff, eyes scanning the crowd, until I locked sight with a young man in a jean jacket. His name was Jason. Without speaking a word, we asked each other “is that you?” Still silent, we both agreed that it was.

There were too many witnesses around so we switched to Plan B. Jason led his girlfriend away from the commotion and down a secluded trail. I followed the couple, trying to keep them in sight but remain undetected. They paused briefly before she turned around and saw me.

No big deal. There are lots of people here; I’m hidden in plain sight.

A few seconds later she looked over her shoulder mid-stride, saw me again, and tried to hasten her steps. My cover was blown, and she resisted as Jason tried to lead her towards an open bluff; years of watching CSI had taught her that this was the end. The world would go dark after swift push and a splash in the lake…

I have never photographed a funeral, a job firing, or a natural disaster. Although these events can be life-altering and worth remembering, they aren’t pleasant in the moment nor do we find pleasure reliving them through photographs; we describe them with words like “horrendous,” “terrible,” “tragic,” and “worst.”

Instead, I photograph people’s “happiest,” “best,” and “brightest” moments. I regularly find myself at weddings, proposals, family vacations, and 80th birthday parties. I’m the anti-Grim-Reaper and leave “joy” in my wake. The moral of the story? If you see me with my camera, get excited for something awesome and know that I’m not a murderer.

I’m SO SORRY for the scare, Kaitlin, but congratulations on your engagement :)