I should be editing. But instead, I’m taking my break to go eat a big bowl of ice cream blog this sweet homecoming for you!
Y’all know how much I love homecomings. Like, LOVE. Day, night, whatever, I’ll be there. When Abigail messaged me to let me know that she was SURPRISING her fiance at his own homecoming- I was just so excited!
Well, lucky us, her homecoming happened to be at night. Outside. On Cooper Field. Normally these are my absolute favorite homecomings to shoot but tonight was different. There was an forecast for an icy 30 degrees, with rain & possibly snow as well.
Sweet clients of mine, if you didn’t know- I am a Floridian and I am a BABY when it comes to the cold. Like, ugg boots and coat in 65 degree weather. Which shows, again, how much I love homecomings.
So, the night of Miss Abigail’s homecoming, I packed up gear (covered in various plastic bags to try to avoid rain getting on it, put on my goose down coat, gloves, hat, long johns (yes I sure did) and went out to wait!
Fellow photography Lindsey (of Lindsey McAlpine Photography) and I met our sweet clients about an hour before the guys were supposed to arrive. The last hour has to be the slowest, most dragging hour of these girls lives.
Some of the best expressions I have the privilege of capturing happen at homecomings. There is so much laughter. Anxiety. Fear. Love. Happiness. Relief.— so many emotions all wrapped into a few moments.
After waiting close to an hour, we finally received news that they were on their way,
Look at her smile as she saw the buses for the first time- knowing that her soldier was getting into formation just behind them.
The crowd shouts to move the buses and they quickly drive away. I love night homecomings because they seem to almost come out of the darkness into the lights onto the field. She could not keep her eyes off the soldiers walking towards her. She didn’t need to see her soldier, it was enough to just know he was in there, somewhere.
A quick prayer is said over a screaming crowd. At this point, all cold is forgotten and all Abigail is waiting for is her soldier to be dismissed.
The seconds tick by and finally they are released to their families. We quickly began the search. No words are needed to explain the moments they are reunited <3 Needless to say I think he was surprised.
These are the moments I live to capture. Freezing, snowing, hot, cold, if I can be at a client’s homecoming, I will be. These moments make everything worth it.
Welcome Home Soldier!
