I honestly don’t know where to start with sharing the beautiful, tender love story of Nick & Anna. It is truly epic.
I met them in person for the first time at a little coffee shop on a rainy Portland day Thanksgiving weekend 2015. As with any meeting of people you’ve known only on the internet, I was full of nervous butterflies. Would the same connection exist in person as we had found through words and photos on the screen??? As soon as we met those fears subsided, as I was completely awash in the wonder of witnessing their big, effervescent love. It had the giddiness and rightness that reminded me a lot of when I fell fast and madly in love with Rob. It felt electric and warm and made me smile big.

Their love story is no ordinary love story. It is like a wonderful ride – magical, fast moving with lots of turns and twists. You can read more about it in this wonderful blog post over on Yes and Yes. At the time of our photo session, Nick & Anna were newly engaged and gearing up for Anna to make a big move with her daughter to Canada to become one big family with Nick and his 4 kiddos.

Also at the time of our session, Nick was living as a woman. It feels tender to bring this detail into this story because honestly this session had nothing to do with gender and everything to do with LOVE and lust and spirit and connection and joy. But after chatting a bit with Nick I decided to talk about it. Because, in his words “I feel like most things in my life are about gender. I’m cool with that. The way the world feels right now, telling my story, showing people love, its all I can do. Its how I can make a difference.” And I agree… the world needs to see Trans people living and loving. Trans people need to see happy trans people. You can read more about Nick’s transition here on his blog, The Very Best Man.

Love is love is love is love, my friends. And wish for each and every one of us to feel the kind of passionate connection that these two have at some point in our lives!

 

You can see more of Nick and Anna and their big amazing blended family over on my pal Tara Whitney’s blog, and my other pal Dana Pugh photographed their beautiful wedding.