The sky looked unreal.
Painted in layers of pinks and oranges, it stretched endlessly over Chicago like someone had turned the saturation all the way up. It was one of those sunsets you wish you could pause time for. The kind you want permanently engraved in your memory because it feels too beautiful to be real. Warm. Vibrant. Joyful. Like cotton candy with just a little too much food coloring.
And there we were, standing on the North Ave Beach Pier, watching it all unfold together.
It felt like the perfect ending to an already perfect evening with Abby and Brad. Chicago decided to show off for them, gifting not only its iconic skyline but a sunset worthy of their Florida roots. We stood there longer than we probably meant to, quietly admiring the glow, soaking in the moment. Somehow it felt like forever and not nearly long enough all at once.
And honestly, that feeling perfectly sums up what it was like spending time with these two.
Running around Lincoln Park and along the beach felt like stepping back into the summers you remember from childhood. Carefree. Easy. Full of laughter and movement and the simple joy of being present. There was no rush, no pressure, just the quiet intention of making memories together. Even Brad, despite his strong dislike for sand between his toes, eventually kicked off his shoes and chased Abby along the shoreline like it was something he’d been doing his whole life. Abby laughed, the wind catching her hair as they ran, and in that moment it was impossible not to smile watching them. They made it look effortless.
That’s who Abby and Brad are. Easygoing. Warm. Quietly joyful. A little more reserved in the best possible way, the kind that tells you they know each other deeply and keep one another close to their hearts. They have a calm presence about them, the kind that makes conversation feel natural, like you’ve known them for years instead of hours.
As we walked and talked, they shared pieces of their story, including some past hardships that shaped who they are today. What struck me most wasn’t the difficulty itself, but the way they spoke about it. With gratitude. With perspective. With a genuine appreciation for the life they’ve built together on the other side of it.
This session was beautiful because of the skyline, the sunset, and the golden light dancing off the water. But more than that, it was beautiful because of Abby and Brad. Because they reminded me that life isn’t about avoiding hardship. It’s about facing it with your person beside you. It’s about choosing joy anyway. About finding beauty where you stand and recognizing the blessing of having someone to walk through it all with.
Life is too short, too unpredictable, and sometimes too hard to do anything but lean into the joy when it finds you. Sometimes that means pausing to admire a painted sky. Sometimes it means kicking off your shoes and running through the sand even when you hate the feeling between your toes.
Because beauty really is everywhere. You just have to know how to see it.
Abby and Brad, thank you for the blessing that is your story. Thank you for allowing me the honor of photographing you during your first trip to Chicago and for bringing a little bit of Florida sunshine with you in that unforgettable sunset. Cheers to many more years of laughter, happiness, and a forever kind of love that always ends the day admiring the sky together. 🤍
