As a photographer, I often tend to visualize a scene before me based upon its possibilities, rather than what might be seen by the average person. Oftentimes, it seems my mind’s eye views the world with an optimistic tilt, coupled with a panoramic view that can lend itself to epic proportions.
When you stop and think about it, those same qualities are often the ones found in my couples as they anticipate the vast possibilities of a future life together.
When you combine the two, many times, you have magic . . . . . .
Over six hours of travel brought me to meet Lauren and Andrew at a location like none other. Hailed as ‘The Living Dune,’ Jockey’s Ridge at Nag’s Head is the tallest active sand dune system in the Eastern United States. As with life itself, the shifting winds here are constantly reshaping the dunes, refining their surfaces, and leaving behind a vast array of true magic that is viewable to all who open their heart and soul.
It is here also, that one can sometimes find a unique treasure known as fulgurite. A fused quartz, fulgurite is a glass tube which is created by lightning striking sand. Fragile, but sturdy, these objects occur in a flash, but can last for thousands of years. While the object may look like an ordinary rock, the true beauty is on the inside — the part you can’t often see.
While we didn’t notice any of these unique shapes during our session, I couldn’t help but think how the workings of nature can be so interweaved in relation to our own lives. As Andrew and Lauren walked up the vast sand dune, her dress blowing in the breeze, their connection and movement were effortless. Just like the dunes upon which they walked, I knew their magic together would soon become timeless.
Advice from a Sand Dune: Soak up the sunshine, Stay loose, Keep moving, Embrace winds of change, Make positive ripples, Don’t get carried away, Show your true grit. ~ Ilan Shamir
Something tells there’s more magic in store . . .
