Sarah + Zach’s Summer Engagement Session at Lake Springfield

Some people just have “it,” that intangible, magnetic, look-at-how-they-fucking-adore-each-other energy. For Sarah and Zach, it’s loud, joyful, messy, and heartfelt in the most beautiful way. They share the kind of love that makes you stop mid-photo and go, “Okay, damn. You two are CUTE.” It’s quite honestly the kind of love that reminds me why I pick up my camera in the first place.

Does it help that Sarah is my best friend in the entire universe? Maybe, but that’s beside the point.

We spent a hot summer evening running around Lake Springfield together. Just three little freaks, a camera, and an El Camino. This session reminded me of everything I love about being a photographer: laughing until our cheeks hurt, turning random a random Midwest hillside into a Vogue-worthy photoshoot set, and capturing connection in its most genuine, wholesome form.

Some couples need a little coaching to ease into physical touch during a session. Totally fine. No biggie. Used to it. I’m a pro. Sarah and Zach?? Bitch, these two were clinging to each other (in the best way), as if separation for even two seconds would be tragic. It’s soooooo clear they are deeply in sync, physically and emotionally. Their energy is magnetic and effortless, with that buzz you get around people who are actually in love and not just playing the part. You can’t fake the giddy anticipation in Sarah’s voice when she talks about marrying Zach. And you definitely can’t fake the way they hold onto each other between shots like the world might fall apart if they let go. I could cry just thinking about it. But I won’t. I have a whole blog post to get through. NEVERTHELESS, SHE PERSISTED!

Okay, level with me: when your fiancé builds his own vintage car and wants to bring it to your engagement shoot? Immediate yes. Zach’s El Camino is this both gorgeous retro grit and something out of an old romance film. It instantly elevated the shoot from “cute engagement photos” to “these two are fucking cool… and also engagement photos.”

OBVIOUSLY, Inspired by the car’s vibe and the early-summer light (even though it was cloudy this evening, but nothing I haven’t worked with before), I leaned into a film-inspired editing style for this session. I’m talkin’ crisp whites, rich greens, buttery highlights. Boom! Instantly a timeless, clean aesthetic that has juuuust enough grain and grit to keep it interesting. I wanted it to feel like a memory you found in your grandma’s photo box, except your grandma was hot as fuck with a great sense of style (ask me how I really feel about Sarah… I’ll tell you the exact same thing and more).

And then there’s the dress. Sarah wore a tiny, white lace dress that was all FLIRT. I told her she looked like a sexy doily that came to life in the Beauty and the Beast’s mansion when all the little household objects come to life. She didn’t like it. As her best friend, I’m morally obligated to stand by it. And I do.

There’s something sacred about photographing your friends, especially the ones you just click with. I’ve known Sarah for not even a year, and she’s rapidly worked her way RIGHT to the center of my heart. We’ve talked about shit that matters, shit that doesn’t matter, and she understands me in a way that I never knew I needed to be understood (I always tell her this, but… Taylor Swift has a song about that). So, photographing her and Zach felt less like work and more like documenting a chapter in a book I already know by heart, even after such little time.

But being friends also means a whole different kind of vulnerability. As a photographer, you’re asking people to be seen. You’re basically saying, “Trust me to show the best parts of you—even the parts you’re unsure of.” When you already have trust and history, the results are even more magical. As seen here.

We weren’t just making pretty pictures—we were telling their story. And we were doing it together. Like how besties do.

Shall we talk about the elephant in the room? The world feels kind of upside down right now. Everything’s heavy. Hope can feel like a luxury. But love? Mama, love is still here!!!! It’s still choosing someone every day. Still crying happy tears in a county clerk’s office because “oh my fucking god, this is really happening.” For example, when Sarah and Zach got their marriage license, they cried. Not because they were nervous, but because they were overwhelmed by joy. I think that’s what I love about being a love photographer: helping couples (and my friends) hold onto that joy, even when the world feels utterly FUCKED.

One of my main priorities is to ensure that these sessions aren’t just about the photos (though we’ll definitely make sure you look hot). I prioritize anchoring yourself to a moment when the only thing that mattered was each other. No emails. No deadlines. Just you, your person, and some tall grass that may or may not contain ticks. It’s fine. Don’t worry about it.

Okay, so let’s talk about the weird stuff. The “my face does WHAT when I laugh?” or “wait, what do I do with my hands?” moments. I’ve been there. I’ve had every kind of reaction in front of a camera, so trust me, you can’t throw me off. Nobody is “too awkward” for photos. There was a time at the beginning of the shoot where Zach and Sarah leaned in for a kiss, and I said, “Hey, Zach, remember how you love her? Can you, like, touch her?” Because he was overthinking and getting in his head about “where do I put my hands???” Well, pal, where do you usually put your hands??? Do that. I’m not afraid to call you out (nicely/funnily) because it gets the most natural, comfortable result.

Here’s the thing (and please always remember this even outside of a photo session): vulnerability is your superpower. Vulnerability is literally the spark that makes photos feel like you instead of a lame, boring Pinterest board. My job is to help you get there and meet you in that space with a camera in one hand and maybe a can of bug spray in the other because I’m still itching from those bug bites.

Sarah and Zach laughed through the whole session. At each other, at themselves, at me, at the sheer mosquito doing recon on their ankles and wrists mid-kiss. That laughter made the serious moments hit harder, too. You can’t have intimacy without trust. You can’t have trust without some giggles.

Whether you’re planning a big wedding or a backyard bash, here are a few quick tips to keep in mind for your own session:

• Dress in a way that feels like you. Wear the outfit you’d wear to slow-dance in the kitchen. Or, y’know, a spicy little number that makes your fiancé say “DAMN.”
• Bring something personal. A car, a blanket you got at the thrift store on your first date—anything that adds context to your connection.
• Say yes to weird prompts, PLEASE. If I tell you to take a big sniff out of your partner’s neck, please trust the process. The results may shock you! See here:

Fifteen days from now, Sarah and Zach will say “I do,” and I will be weeping into my cute jumpsuit I got specifically for this wedding. But I’ll also be filled with that warm, gut-deep pride that only comes when you witness two people building something absolutely fucking real.

If there’s one thing I’ve learned from photographing these two, it’s that love doesn’t have to be polished or Pinterest-perfect. It just has to be yours. To Sarah and Zach, thank you for trusting me and letting me boss you around in a field, for enduring bug bites and back sweat, for being a beacon of what goofy, genuine, ride-or-die love can look like. I quite literally can’t wait to see you get married.

And to everyone reading—if you’re looking for an engagement photographer in Springfield MO (or beyond), someone who gets what it means to capture not just faces but feelings, hi. I’m Chelsea. I’m here for the weirdos, the romantics, the big laughers, and the ones who cry at the courthouse. Let’s make something timeless together.