She lifted her big warm eyes and fixed them on the camera, she held on to her smoldering pout for a just a few more moments before crinkling her nose and giggling at another one of Chris’ bad puns. This was pretty much how the entire session went; Serious – Shoot – (Wake up Stella) – Shoot – Pun – Giggle – Shoot; all the while myself and my horse wrangler husband, Weston erupting into fits of laughter as Chris made some funny comment, sometimes at Jasmine’s expense! We always enjoy the relaxed vibe we cultivate at our sessions but my cheeks were seriously hurting from this one!

Now virtually inseparable, the couple met at work. Chris is a paramedic and Jasmine an EMT. Although the work can be stressful, with long hours leaving them struggling for down-time, when they are not working they enjoy time together at the gun range or binge watching ‘Heartland’ on Netflix.  Aspiring cowgirl Jasmine, who also rides in her free time says that after their weekend together making new memories at the Ranch, she could easily see herself in this line of work. My guess is that true gentleman Chris would likely be happy anywhere, so long as he could bring his and bourbon and collection of old pistols with him!  

What fascinated me more is how relaxed they were around horses. Chris who had never ridden a horse before their visit, handled Stella like a pro and Jasmine’s tender connection with all horses was undeniable. Other than sneezing chewed up grain all over Jasmines beautiful white dress before we even left the barn; Stella’s performance was well, “Stellar” (another pun for you, Chris). Equipped with a sturdy body and gentle nature, Stella has had been carrying around kids and their parents our trails for years, so when Jasmine requested a black horse, we knew it was Stella’s time to shine! We took a break about half way into their session, little did we know that this would turn into yet another amazing opportunity to capture Jasmine bonding with some of our newest foals

Unlike many young couples in the early stages of their relationship, Jasmine and Chris had already experienced a photo session together when they won a mini-session at a friend’s wedding. Of course they took full advantage of their good fortune yet always felt that they were missing out on part of the experience due to the spontaneous nature of their prize. That’s when I knew that we were the perfect fit! I knew that I could deliver an unforgettable experience and a unique opportunity to capture this time in their lives during their stay with us at the ranch. 

We connected immediately when we talked about the importance of portraiture, aside from photo booth shots currently displayed frameless in her Louisville, KY apartment. She wanted more than just a “couple of selfies in frames from Hobby Lobby”.

During their consultation and planning calls with me, it was clear that we had a lot in common. I literally drooled over Jasmines’ bedroom Rustic-Chic decor as I envisioned the framed portrait that would hang over her bed. Jasmine an I have the same dream of building our own homes someday and (like me) she loves to hunt for antique and unique pieces to decorate her space. She doesn’t know this yet but I may be calling on her to help me decorate our future home!