Oooooohh where to begin with Jake + Claire. Can I rave on them enough? They love hard, dive fast, and act fearlessly in pursuit of their dreams. They met each other on Oahu after independently moving here from opposite corners of the mainland. (Jake came by way of Army deployment following dreams of becoming a pilot, and Claire chose a college far from home in the spirit of adventure) They met each other by chance, and they met me brand new. Just a month into dating they entrusted with their first photos together. They were all in at the start – respect.

We met at sunrise on their favorite beach, in neighborhood they’re starting to build their life together in. Sunrise sessions come with a pretttttty early wake up alarm that can deter most, but Jake + Claire didn’t blink an eye. They’re the kind of couple that’s always down for an adventure (watching stories of them both free diving in the ocean with turtles is now a frequent occurrence on my Instagram!) and they showed up pumped and eager to follow my lead wherever creativity struck. In the end, we had the beach, and the most GORGEOUS soft golden light, all to ourselves to play in. Seriously, scroll all the way to end and tell me your heart doesn’t completely melt at how the sun is streaming through the clouds down on these cuties.

Documenting Jake + Claire’s very beginning was such an honor, and I can not wait to see where life takes these two fearless lovebirds. Love you guys!

✨ Fun Update: It’s been over 2 years since this photo adventure and I’m happy to say that Jake + Claire are still going strong!

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