Impromptu Libby Hill Anniversary Picnic! [Richmond, Virginia Photographer]

Today, a lesson in bravery, inspiration… and an honest blog post with a sweet story and an anniversary picnic 🙂

Sometimes you just happen to be in the right place at the right time. And for the first time, you see something that strikes inspiration – involving people, real life strangers that you’ve never met before – and instead of wishing you talked to them and regretting being too worried they’d think you were a crazy person, you actually did it for once! If you know me, like really know me, you know this is kind of a big deal. I’m deeply an introvert, trying my best to fake extrovert, and the past few years I’ve finally started to successfully figure it out 🙂

It’s one of those weird things that happens when you’re a photographer or an artist. Some of you know what I mean. You’re doing your thing and see something or someone that makes you want to stop and go talk to them (because they’re just screaming to be photographed!) This happens to me all the time when I’m out and see, say, a super adorable couple or mom and her kid laughing and having fun. Everything in me wants to go up to them and ask if they want their picture taken. Usually I don’t have my camera, so it feels a little sleazy handing out a business card to someone who didn’t ask for it. So I never do it. And always wish I did! So many regrets…

Well, this time was different! I was at Libby Hill Park, finishing up this super sweet maternity session and as we were walking back to our cars, saw this adorable couple setting up a picnic as the sun was going down. We both had the same reaction – Oh my gosh, how sweet are they?! So we commented as we walked by, told them how we wished our husbands would have picnics with us, laughed and she told us they were celebrating their 4th wedding anniversary.

We congratulated them and continued walking. I wished my couple goodnight, loaded everything into my car to leave and sat there for a moment dying to go back and talk to these people. A million thoughts go through my head that look something like this – they’ll think I’m a weirdo, I don’t want to bug them, they deserve privacy… but they are in a public park… she was super sweet, I feel like we had a connection, though brief, they might like a photo, they seem so nice, I think they’ll be cool if I go back and say hi… I mean, I have all of the settings ready on my camera… just do it for once dammit! So now you all probably think I’m a little crazy. It’s so silly when I write it out like this. But it is so so real you guys! 🙂

This story is getting long so I’ll wrap it up! I took a deep breath, shook off the nerves, grabbed what I needed, put a business card in my back pocket and made my way back to them. With a polite, “Hi again, so sorry to bother you two, but I just could not resist coming to ask if you’d like me to take your photo, because this is just all too sweet!” And to my surprise, she was SO excited and started moving things around to make the blanket look pretty for the photo. Then of course I was SO excited! I spent a quick five minutes chatting, snapping pics and going on my merry way!

It felt so good to do this, as small as it might be to some. They didn’t expect to get photos of their super sweet anniversary picnic. I didn’t expect to find the courage to finally ask strangers to be photographed. I was seriously pumped on the drive back home, immediately called my husband because I couldn’t wait to tell him how great it went. If you know him, you know he’s the complete opposite. Super extroverted, talks to all of the people, everywhere, all the time. But he gets that it’s not that easy for me 🙂

Aside from facing a fear, I’m just so happy to have captured these moments for this couple. The way he looks a her was full of admiration and I could definitely feel the love. Such a good sport!

Congratulations on your anniversary Liz and Alex, and thank you so much for letting me come up to you like a creeper and take your photo! You made my night 🙂   

The cloudy, yet beautiful and peaveful view of the James River from their perfect picnic spot.

One last note, their food smelled ah-mazing! Compliments of the Dog and Pig Show, which I am definitely checking out soon!

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Thanks for stopping by! 🙂

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