I can’t tell you how much I love these images. Okay okay.. I’ll try. I love these images a lot. A lot a lot. A LOT A LOT! (Yeah… I’m quite the wordsmith these days, eh? a lot a lot!)
I don’t have a lot of friends… never really have. I’ve moved so much in my life… SO much! When you’re the new kid people don’t like you. So… I’d cling on to one friend. I can tell you who it was in each stage of my life. Elementary school: Mindy. Middle and high school: Corrie. College: Mike. Now that I’m all grown up… I’m learning to have more than one friend. However, I still keep my circle very tight. It’s my nature 😉 (mom & aunt karen… did you laugh out loud at that??).
You see, because of all of the aforementioned moving… I think I became a pretty good judge of character. When I meet someone that I know I’m going to adore (which is rare)… I hold on… and I hold on very tightly. When I met Gail two years ago… I held on.
They’re soon moving on to the next stage of life. You know… the “thinking about makin’ babies” stage.
Gail and Nick just got back from Europe 🙂 Why did they go to Europe? Because 1. Gail is obsessed with travel and 2. she didn’t want to be one of those women who, after they have children… wished they would have done more. 🙂 That doesn’t just pertain to Europe. If Gail wants to do something… she does it… and she does it with her whole heart. So many of us are big talkers… not Gail… she’s a doer. Man oh man… I envy her.
All that being said… Gail wanted to commemorate who they are at this stage in their life. Here’s an excerpt from an email while we were brainstorming ideas:
“What I’m most looking forward to is just having photos of the two of us cuddling up/snuggling, loving on each other at this time in our lives. I mean, it’s probably the last time we’ll have photos of just the two of us. I realize how few photos we have together so I’m just looking forward to having a visual of our love. When I think of that, I think of the fields we’d hike through when we first started dating, the place close to his parents we’d go to be together. Outside. His favorite place in the world.”
So, that’s exactly what we did. 🙂 Blog readers, meet gail+nick and let me introduce you all to Nashville, Indiana. 🙂 
I processed these images 100% to match Gail and Nick. That probably doesn’t make sense to anyone but me. If you knew them and were at this session with me… you’d understand. 
See that quilt? Gail’s grandmother made it for her for their one-year anniversary. It’s been sitting in a box because she didn’t want to mess it up. So, she decided that that day was the perfect day to bust it out. Nick looked at her with an “are you out of your mind?!” look and said, “Are you sure you want to just lay it on the ground?! It’s going to be grass stained!”
“Yes! If it happens to gets a grass stain, it will remind me of this day. furthermore, grandma would much more appreciate it being in these photos rather than being in a box!”
I’m paraphrasing here… but, you get the idea. 🙂 She hopes to make the quilt a part of all future photo sessions when they start a family… you know… a tradition. How perfect is that?
Oh, and… Nick was right… it did get a little grass stain… but, just a tiny one. Adds a wee bit of character, right? I hope so…
Sorry Grandma… 🙁
I shot this session all by myself. 🙂 I’m getting better at it but CERTAINLY not 100% (more on that later). 
When I shot this image… I just knew it was perfect. Gail, you are so beautiful. so SO beautiful. 
Maybe you knew this… maybe you didn’t… but I have some pretty serious ADHD. I’m kinda famous for just leaving equipment behind. That’s usually not a big deal because Mike is always RIGHT there behind me picking up all of the crap I’d leave behind. He’s SO unbelievably patient with me (if you’ve been photo’d by us… you know exactly what I’m talking about!). So, because of my bad habit of leaving $$$$ things behind… I gave Gail and Nick the responsibility of making sure I had all cameras and lenses accounted for at all times.
See this field? Well… this photo doesn’t do the size of it ANY justice. IT WAS HUGE! We walked alllllll over it. SOMEWHERE along the way, I sat my camera bag down with TWO $$$$ lenses. and… you guess it… I LEFT IT!!!! RIGHT after I took this photo I realize that it’s gone. Gail takes her eyes off of me for just a minute and look what I did?! OHHHH SHIZZZZZ!!!! I’M IN TROUBLE!!!!! So, we started canvasing the field. See the height of this grass? Yeah… needle in a haystack! WELLLLL….after abotu 20 minutes… Gail to the rescue… she FOUND it! If I hadn’t been such a sweaty mess… I’da left a big ol’ sloppy kiss on her cheek! RELIEF!
Yes yes yes… while I’m capable of shooting without Mike… it’s much easier for me when he’s there. Why do I sometimes shoot without him? Well… because if we ever decide to have children… we’ll have to adjust fire and I’d photo most sessions alone. So, whenever given the opportunity, I try it out. 🙂
Though I know Gail pretty well… I embarrassingly hardly knew Nick. They live about an hour and a half north of us… so there’s just not too many opportunities to hang out. Here’s what I knew about Nick before the session: 1) Gail absolutely adores him. 2) he’s handsome. 3) He was a groomsmen in megan+josh’s wedding that we photographed in September 2006. 4) he’s a government reporter for the Muncie Star Press. 5) He’s a fraternal twin. 😀 
After the session…. I knew exactly why Gail is so absolutely head over heels for Nick. They’re absolutely perfect for each other. 
Oh, and on our way home I got to meet Nick’s parents. 🙂 I made quite the first impression (They raise cattle on their zillion acres of land… one thing led to another to another to another and badaboom badabing… I start talking about the craziness that is a certain part of a pig…. let’s just say it’s strangely large…. as in… SHOCKINGLY large. Did I REALLY just say that?! REEEEEALLY?!!? WHAT THE HELL WAS I THINKING?! This is the craziness that comes out of my mouth when I’m sleep deprived. There is zero brain to mouth filter… and I mean ZERO! Anything that is said while lacking sleep can not be held against me, k? k. WHEW! By the way, Hi Mr and Mrs. Werner 😉 
MAN OH MAN am I proud of this session! Seeing the images makes my heart swell… and a wee bit jealous. I want this of me and my Mikey. Someday… sommmmeday… 
Yes, I climbed a tree. 🙂 Here’s another piece of Bobbi trivia: when I was a kid I was a pro tree climber. I could climb REALLY high… So high that a neighbor kid once climbed one with me and got stuck. A firetruck came to rescue him. I’m too big now to climb the kinds of trees I used to. Maybe someday I’ll ask Mikey to take a photo of me in a tree to show you my mad climbing skills 😉
This makes me laugh. They kept referring to it as “our first house” to someday show their kids. So, of course we had to get a photo in front of it… American Gothic style. 🙂 (Just for the record… it’s an abandoned house… and in no way, their first home 😉 )
…………………………….
nashville, ind.
gail+nick | married 10.07.06 | home • muncie, ind.
gail | media relations manager • photographer | hometown • harlan, ind.
nick | journalist | hometown • nashville, ind.
…………………………….
Gail, thank you for always being such a good and loyal friend to me. I, along with the others in your world, are lucky to know you.
Nick, you’re the best. I love how much you love Gail. 😀 SO great spending the evening with you and meeting your parents. Now, you’re stuck with me… I’m holding on…
Much love to you friends. Much love.
~bobbi+mike ❗ + ❓
Nick had the longest arms of the three of us… so, by default… he took our photo. 🙂
PS. how is my hair SOAKING wet while Nick looks fresh faced and ready for dinner?! OH! That reminds me of a funny. About an hour into our session… Nick to Gail, “am I sweating on you as much as you’re sweating on me?!” HA! 😀
❗ + ❓
gail + nick. you guys are great. the photos are beautiful. and bobbi you are brave to do this without your dear mikey 🙂
OMG! Omigod Omigod. I feel lucky to call Gail a friend and these photos are perfection when it comes to them. Gail You are FREAKIN’ STUNNING and Nick just as handsome as ever.
Absolutely amazing – love everything about it! You’re right, Gail is one of those friends you hold on to:)
These are fantastic! Love the look of film you have here!
there’s something different about their photos.. i can’t pinoint it yet.. but different. good different. love.
So gorgeous!! Wow! Love Nashville 🙂
Although I’m not as avid a follower as many people who look at your site, I’ve seen just about every session you’ve shot now for the past year to a year and a half and I have to say this one takes the cake. So gorgeous…and even though I don’t know them, I can tell you captured them perfectly! If I were Gail, I would be crying right now.
P.S. My dream is to have Y-O-U take my picture with my husband like that someday. You rock Bobbi!!
Love them all!
Love all of these! Nick + Gail are so cute!!!
I’ve always been a one friend kind of girl myself. I can totally relate to what you had to say about that. These images are wonderful! I follow Gail’s blog too–so I feel like I know a little bit about her–you know, in a blog-stalkerish kind of way. I grew up near Greenville, OH. That’s not too, too far from Nashville, IN (the Hancock County one).
Bobbi, these are beautiful! You did such a great job! Gail and Nick, you guys are gorgeous!
love, again!
Hey I’ve seen these people before. Good work Bobbi, these feel so rich. Love the reading one on the blanket.
these are perfect. 🙂
Gorgeous. GORGEOUS!!! I HEART Gail!
Yeah yeah yeah!! Gail + Nick are hottttties. You did great flying solo Bobbi. 🙂
Perfect.
this whole session + couple + photographs are so gorgeous!!
Bobbi these are awesome and beautiful and inspirational all at the same time! I could look at them all night! What a lovely couple 🙂
As an earlier commenter said, if I were Gail, I would be crying right now too! I would LOVE to have photos just like this of my husband and I…these are just so beautiful, so real. Love them all! Gail and Nick, you two are so cute! What adorable children you will have!!! Oh my goodness!
Abso-LUT-ely lovely. Great job, Bobbi!
awesome shots! I love her red tunic in the first photos…where did you get it??!?
these are AMAZING!!!!! YOU are AMAZING!!!!!! um, can you do a workshop?
WOW! Bobbi!! These are AMAZING! You are so talented! SO beautiful!
Yay! More Ball Staters! Was so excited to see this session as I went to school with both (a long time ago 🙁 …) Anyways, fantastic photos as always Bobbi!
When I saw this go up on twitter I couldn’t wait to get home to see what beauty would be up on the blog.
Everything is gorgeous!! Gail, Nick, the fields, your friendship. All of it is so beautiful. A treasure.
You captured them perfectly… 😉
Gail, you are so incredibly GORGEOUS!! These images are beautiful…I know they will be treasured. Love the quilt, and that first b&w in the field.
mmmmm gorgeous, dreamy, and romantic! bobbi, you’re the coolest. and you look super beautimous in the self pic!
We LOVE THEM!!!!!!!!!!!!! THank you Bobbi, thank you, thank you, thank you.
So so so great. We can’t thank you enough!
Gail, you are absolutely stunning in these images… as soon as I saw the sneak peak on facebook, I knew I was going to adore this session! Beautiful couple, gorgeous light… Bobbi – you are A-MAZING.
I love these. I love that Gail is a doer and reading more about them on your blog. So great.
Absolutely GORGEOUS! Had a blast getting to know you both better over the weekend.
Oh, GAIL! These are wonderful. You guys are so cute together and these photos capture you perfectly! I am so happy for you and Nick to have these photos. You will treasure these for so many years will never regret having a session for the two of you!
AMAZING! Gorgeous! Bobbi-you are so so talented!
So beautiful! The photo world is so small. Gail and I converse over email all the time, so I was so delighted to stumble upon your blog today. I saw the names Gail & Nick, then I saw Europe and then I saw Gail and it clicked. Too funny!
You did a fabulous job! They are so cute! The images are filled with so much love, beauty and softness. You did a great job capturing the romance in their relationship, yet a playfulness that is so genuine and sweet.
Can you come to Cali and shoot me and my hubs?
i couldn’t agree more that these are two very special people! and, i LOVE how you ‘processed’ them – it totally fits, you are right!! you took some fantastic shots, bobbi; they are just beautiful. i think my two favorites are: the first one of the post, the one gail has as her profile pic, and (yes, AND, i can’t stop…:)) them cuddling in a field, 4th from the bottom. YOU ARE SO TALENTED!!
love it !
Bobbi does it again- captures Gail, an enticing enigma of a woman – both a writer and an artist- with stunning accuracy and insight. I just love these. And Bobbi, I love how much you love my friend Gail. 😉
Such great color in this post! Makes me feel like I’m out in the field with you guys.
Super awesome job!
You’re amazing Bobbi and it shows everytime you pick up a camera 🙂
HEART HEART HEARTTTTTT. ahhhhh!
Ever since that Halloween post on Gail’s blog, when I see pictures of her husband, I think Don Draper. 🙂
Bobbi – these images are amazing – so intimate and beautiful. And it doesn’t hurt that both subjects are stunning. It’s hard to pick a favorite! You did a wonderful job. I hear you on leaving gear behind. I nearly forgot my 85mm at a bride’s house last weekend while shooting alone. And don’t get me started on reflectors. We’ve bought like three this year.
I love these Bobby! They have so much SOUL in them. 🙂
Thanks Becky & Naty! 😉
STUNNING! These photos are so Gail and Nick!!!
You are so right! You totally rocked this! In my opinion its one of your best. 🙂
Gail and Nick, you two are so ADORABLE. Great session to commemorate this period in your lives!! So excited for you two, and all that is ahead. You guys are such a great couple. 🙂
You two are truly amazing.. LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE… It is so refreshing to look at such a fun, upbeat blog..
Absolutely stunnig photos and gorgeous couple!
i have been a long time fan of your work….. I always love your photos, but that black and white of them sitting int he field is SO crazy amazing. it made my heart swell and i caught my breathe—and i don’t even know them. (i look at tons of images a week from different photographers, and it isn’t often i have that emotional of a reaction to a photo–i adore it!)
These pictures are beautiful. It captures these two so well. I love them to death and I am so happy for Gail to have these photos, it just shows how much love they have for each other!!! Awesome job!!!! I’m so proud to have you as a sister and brother-in-law.
Love to you all!!!
Karin
p.s. Nick you are always a trooper with whatever Gail wants to do!! Way to go!!! Big points for you here..
THese photos just make me so happy. That first one is like out of a storybook. : )
Gail and Nick are such a wonderfully warm and real couple. Knowing you guys spent the afternoon (evening) doing this makes my heart smile.
So glad these guys have captured this time of their life. The next step will be here before they know it!!!
Oh and of course, they look so beautiful!!!!! Can’t wait to see you guys again!!!!
I know we can’t shoot apart – I think Alyssa could – actually, I KNOW Alyssa could, but it’s so much easier when it’s the two of us. And, as weird as it sounds – now that we have Murphy and another one on the way – it’s the only time we have alone together…the shoots. Huh, maybe that is a bit fucked. We go through a lot of babysitters, which sucks.
Anyway – this is one of the sickest shoots I’ve seen from you. Clearly this couple GETS Bobbi and you thoroughly got them, for sure. You are awesome.
oh wow. these are just so gorgeous.
[…] SEE THE FULL POST OF OUR PHOTOS AT BOBBI+MIKE’S BLOG […]
you did an amazing job bobbi!!
I LOVE these images of Gail and Nick. If we ever make it to Indiana, we wanna be in front of your camera. So amazing. Tree climbing, lens loosing and all! LOL!
WOW!!! I love every single one of these pics! Absolutely amazing!
you captured them perfectly! love me some gail!
I’m in love! <3 These are some of the best photographs of a couple that I've ever seen … pretty much … yeah, in love!
I adore everything about this shoot. You guys are blasted amazing.. 🙂
LOVE these images… wish I had some of me and my honey.
Bobbi, these images are amazing!! I want pictures just like these someday!
[…] Does she have a killer smile or WHAT? She also was totally rocking the whole “feather in her hair” trend. After we hugged and first started chatting, I was all, “Wait…is that…is that a feather?” It was so teeny tiny and barely there that I just loved it! This was such a quick session (an hour+ of chatting followed by a “Oh shoot, we better get a move on before we lose the light“!) When Emily changed into this dress for a second spot she’d found for us to shoot, I gasped. See, I love polka dots. And navy blue. And her boots. And that truck. And this light. Okay, I’m shushing now ….. Overheard by me during this session: “Girrrrrrllllll….stop being so CAAAAAUUUUUUUUUTEEEEE!!!!” This whole set of images is so lovely to me but I am over-the-top in love with this black and white. Maybe one of my favorite portraits. Ever. And it was perfect straight out of camera too. And to end on — this sweet girl brought her grandma’s quilt along. You know, I like a girl who thinks of her grandma when she does a photo session, seeing as how, well, I kinda did the same thing […]
ohhhh, bobbi and gail, these are BEAUTIFUL!! i know i should do the same with my husband but i perpetually hide BEHIND my camera. 🙂 goal for 2012. thanks gail!
Hi Karen, You knew this time would arrive soon enuogh – I wish you all the best with the challenge ahead of you – finding that balance! I know you have been eagerly preparing and waiting for this course to start – I hope it’s everything you hope it to be. You’re forever amazing me with how much reading you fit into your busy life. May the simple pleasure of reading find space in your weekyl routines too..