Tattooed Couple Session in Portland, OR | Raven + Galen

We can trace our friendships and the depth of our contacts like a rapid changing heartbeat. The people we hold close constantly evolve as our lives jump from one path to another, state to state, moment to moment. I first met Raven when we were barely 14 and finding ourselves amongst mutual friend groups and overlapping high school theatre performances. More than a decade has passed and as Raven and I sat on her couch, sharing homemade cocktails and looking back on it all, we see the heartbeat pattern of the friendships that have come and gone. Yet somehow, 15 years later, we sat amongst her belongings in Portland and questioned how our friendship blossomed amongst so many withered memories. It's a beautiful thing, no matter how it came to be, and our heartbeat timeline is still strong. So we take these opportunities to speak about important things and lean on each other the way any friend of 15 years should be able to. We spoke about our jobs and the future we see, or simply can't envision yet. We shared stories that connected us as humans, by expressing equal love for our partners, through hardships and moments of bliss. It curious... how far apart we can live, how distant our paths have taken us, and how connected we can feel through our stories and moments of vulnerability.

his kisses felt like coming home,
after a lifetime of being lost.
- k. azizian

FOREST PARK | PORTLAND, OR

The summer sun rose earlier than we could, but the shade of Forest Park allowed us to enjoy our walk instead of chasing the morning light. We took our time and Galen spotted different creatures amongst the fallen trees and identified them with ease. We stopped to admire the lush trails and an owl caught our eye and humbled us with it's presence before taking off and leaving us once again alone on the trail. We reached what is known as the 'witches castle' and let ourselves fall into the the in-between moments that made this shoot so magical. We danced around the fallen structure and found comfort in the shade of the forest canopy. Their romance blossomed in the shadows and we found ourselves sharing an honest moment together.

This day served as a firm reminder.
We shared comfort that we found within each other and I was reminded why I love to photograph people in love.