Justin and I have known Jon for just over ten years. We met back when we were all graduate students in Cornell’s MFA writing program – Justin and I in poetry, Jon in fiction. Together, we’ve seen each other’s highest highs and lowest lows, so trust us when we say there have been no better years than the ones Jon has spent with Monica. When they started dating, it was obvious that Monica’s wit and self-assuredness were a match for Jon’s (which is saying a lot). Add to that the fact that she’s brilliant AND beautiful and we were very clear from the beginning that he had to LOCK THAT DOWN.

And he did. And we were beyond excited, especially when they asked us to shoot their engagement session. Together, the four of us retraced their courtship in San Francisco – beginning at the Hidden Garden Steps, which are right next to their first apartment. From there, we walked up to the aptly named Grand View Park and looked out at all of the different spots in the city that they've spent time in. After sunset, we drove back to Jon and Monica's home and snapped a few final portraits in their SF living room.

It was a great day, a great shoot, and it made us all the more sad that we can't be the ones to shoot their wedding in August. It's my fault, really, for timing the birth of my second child within days of their wedding.

Congratulations on your engagement, Jon and Monica!