As photographers, it's always a shot in the arm to have clients that want to do something that might be a little daring. Just as the draw of a dare devil is a combination of the thrill of novelty and the exhilaration of a dangerous plan coming together, our creative instincts are always piqued by clients who want something out of the ordinary, and who are willing to work alongside us to pull it off. Janelle + Danny have been just that couple for us, with a personal style that somehow made hard light on a black sand beach in suits and gowns make sense.

The overarching motif of our interactions with Janelle + Danny has been one of collaboration. We ultimately got to suits and gowns on a black sand beach from them wanting to be a little glam, and a little daring, even if the attire doesn’t really make sense for the location. This might sound like a bad idea, but if you’re trying to make a statement and evoke a little drama, that decided turn towards impracticality helps get you there.

Evidenced by these photos, mission accomplished. While they might have made it look easy, getting to the beach was a steep 10 minute hike down about a 150ft elevation change. At the bottom, even though the sun was beautiful on the south-facing beach, it became frigid with the slightest hint of the sun waning towards sunset. Nevertheless, Janelle+Danny were nothing short of pros, somehow able to heat up in the cold evening. In retrospect, we should have known they were going to be great that evening. When we first met them, they told us about their international adventures, after which they cut together a highlight reel of their time living it up that they shared with us.

This type of worldly experience was probably what allowed them to easily navigate the less that comfortable conditions on the beach. It was also obvious that they were all-in on the difficult location, and very into each other, which made our job the simple task of finding some nice light, in a nice scene, and then clicking shutter button.

As good as these guys are with whom to work alongside, they are an even better couple, and we can’t wait for their wedding this fall!