The more I photograph portraits, the more I’ve come to love how unique every photo session is. This was taken on a sunny, chilly and very windy evening this winter in Montana. We decided to drive around, scout out some good photo locations and snap a few shots in the process. After only a few minutes out of the shelter of the car, we realized just how windy it was that evening. But we brought our cameras, and I couldn’t bring myself to leave without taking at least one photo.

I wasn’t expecting to come home with a handful of great photos, but I was pleased to see how the few quick shots turned out. A perfect example of how every portrait shoot is different. The angle and quality of light, the unique expressions and perfect moments. How a wildly windy day can make for a photo that depicts just that. That’s the beauty of outdoor portraiture. Unlike an iconic landscape on a sunny day, you never quite know what you’ll capture, but you can be sure it will be unique to that person, that place and that moment.

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Kendra and David are a beautiful, outgoing and enthusiastic couple. They’re wonderful people to be around simply because of the energy the give off. They clearly have a zest for life that many of us can learn from. Needless to say, they’re always up for a hike or an outdoor adventure, and we recently had the pleasure of having them spend the weekend with us in Bozeman.

On our pre-Super Bowl hike, it was obvious that David was much more shy in front of the camera then Kendra, but we wanted to get a shot of both of them. Not a smiling “look at the camera… ok … cheese!” type of shot – but one that really captured their personalities, their playfulness and their relationship to each other.

They clearly have a zest for life that many of us can learn from.

When the light was right, and after everyone had a chance to warm up (both in front of the camera and behind it), we paused for a quick shot. Angel must have blurted out something funny – right on queue – and all I had to do was capture the moment at 1/1000 of a second.

The moment I captured was a perfect representation of Kendra and David: Smiling, laughing and loving life. David, slightly shy and slightly out of frame, and Kendra, center stage and seizing the moment.

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Last week, our good friend Matt Gawronski came out to spend a couple weeks with Angel and I in Bozeman, MT. Matt is is one of those natural athletes – hockey, soccer, snowboarding, ultimate frisbee – and an all-around charismatic guy. As a fellow outdoor enthusiast, we obviously enjoyed several mountain hikes together and, of course, lugged our camera gear along the way.

We didn’t have anything specific in mind to photograph, but refused to be caught without a camera. A few miles in, and I spotted the shot. The late morning light was coming through a quiet grove of lodge pole pines. It was illuminating off the surrounding snow, which acted as a giant reflector, perfectly balancing the light on Matt.

There is simply no substitute for good, natural light.

There is simply no substitute for good, natural light. You can control it all you want in a studio, but nine times out of ten, it can still be identified as a studio shot. I love how this photo captures the perfect light we experienced, and how it is a great representation of Matt – an outdoor, active lifestyle enthusiast. And a great smile to bring it all together!

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