Ben and Nicole have been in my life for almost three years now, and I must say, the relationship I have with each of them is quite interesting. Ben enjoys being entirely socially inappropriate around me – doing things like grabbing my butt and grazing my nipple – solely for the sake of making the situation awkward for those around. And Nicole and I…well…our relationship has always been, just, interesting. We know how to push each other’s buttons well, and sometimes, we exercise that knowledge, for better or for worse.
Nevertheless, I owe them both for this shoot. The day I shot this, I was somewhat mentally distracted, so I wasn’t exactly ready to coach these two in their modeling. But I was quite amazed at how simple and easy they made my job. The reason these photos turned out as well as they didn’t wasn’t my coaching, but rather the outstanding relationship that these two have. The best part about these two, for me, isn’t just where they are now in their relationship, but also how far they’ve come.
I first met Ben at a student group that he and I are a part of, called Utenited. And just a few months later, I met Nicole on a visit here from California, where she lived at the time. Shortly thereafter, she moved out here – not for Ben (as some say), but for Utenited. (If you’re curious about Utenited, check out utenited.com for more info.)
Since then, I’ve watched the both of them grow and mature in their relationship over the last three years, and it’s been so much fun. The two of them have such a unique dynamic to their relationship that serves to gently and lovingly encourage each of them to grow as an individual, and to grow deeper in their love for the other. I can’t say I’ve seen more than a few relationships quite like theirs. The degree to which they both care about and love the other person is truly extraordinary. Sure, they have their moments like everyone else, and they have to work through those. But it’s the incredible love that these two have for each other that helps them push through those moments.
