Some Stranger Sessions leave you with butterflies. Others leave you with a new friend—and, honestly, considerably less pressure about what to wear on a second date. 😂

Derek and Susan’s session was fun from beginning to end. Susan arrived with the best attitude—open, playful, and ready to roll with whatever slightly awkward thing I asked them to do next. Derek brought his wonderfully outgoing personality and made conversation feel easy from the very beginning.

Both were incredibly sweet, genuinely interesting, and so much fun to photograph. There were stories, playful moments, and so many laughs that I’m fairly certain I laughed almost as much as they did—and I was supposed to be working.

Now, did Cupid show up and deliver a dramatic, movie-worthy romantic spark? Not exactly. Apparently, he had other plans that evening.

But something genuine still happened.

Two strangers showed up, took a chance, enjoyed each other’s company, and walked away having found a friend. Sometimes chemistry says, “This could be a romance.” And sometimes it says, “You are a delightful human being, and I’m really glad I met you.”

I don’t consider that anything less than a successful Stranger Session.

Not every meaningful connection becomes a love story. Sometimes it becomes a friendship, a wonderful memory, and a story worth telling.

Meet as strangers. Leave with a story.

— The Lived Moment