Love Project - Masumi

I wanna talk about the first time I felt really loved. For me, it’s more on a repetitive basis I feel like. I think it was when Chadsen and I were dating, maybe about a year into it. I actually came from a family that basically, to put it short, I don’t feel like I knew what it was to really be loved. It was just an extremely dysfunctional family, my parents divorced maybe a year after I got married, and my brother got deported. 

It was just a huge mess, and so when I met Chadsen, he was like the polar opposite of my parents. He was extremely loving from the very beginning, and I think the first time I felt really loved by him, it was a time when I was having a huge breakdown. I get a lot of anxiety, and I think it was a time where there was just so much chaos in my family.⠀

And my mind was nuts, I was just so emotionally unstable. I was angry, I was crying. I was getting anxiety attacks. I was constantly thinking, “He’s judging me, he’s judging me, I can’t control myself, I’m going nuts,” and I remember he hugged me, he just told me, “I accept you for how you are and I love you for that,” and it wasn’t just once like that, we’ve been married for about four and a half years and it’s just constantly repeating like that.

Yes, I still get my anxiety attacks and all these mood swings and I get nervous about everything, but he always encourages me to do what I want to pursue in life. There have been so many times where it’s literally just like that. He just takes me in his arms and says, 'I still love you, I love you how you are.'"⠀

Pentax 645n -400TX+2 - Find Lab

Welcome to the Love Project. I give someone 3 prompts to choose from (all relating to love), they answer one prompt, and I photograph them (with b&w film) while they answer. Come back every week for a new story of love. If you would like to participate in this project, and I really hope you do, then email me at photographyhill@gmail.com to set something up.

Love Project - Andrew

So when I first started actually falling in love with Allie, I guess, we had talked quite a few times prior to that, but when it really ended up happening, I was in Alaska and she was in New York. For some reason, being that far apart made us realize what we were finally starting to realize about each other, and we texted back and forth every chance we got. 

I was on a cruise so I was in and out of service, but there was a time when we were talking that I ended up watching the sunset for the two of us. Obviously she wasn’t there to watch it so I was describing it to her.  I ended up buying a ring for her, not a wedding ring, but just a ring, and brought it back. 

I think it was within 24 hours after she got home, we ended up just going off and talking. We had a little spot near her house where we would go and it was the middle of a park in the grass. We were talking and that’s about when I realized that I’d fallen in love with her. I told her, and I kissed her, and it freaked her out a little bit because she wasn’t quite there yet. Between all of that and leading up to it, I knew I could love her prior to that, but right around then is when I figured out that I did.

Pentax 645n -400TX+2 - Find Lab

Welcome to the Love Project. I give someone 3 prompts to choose from (all relating to love), they answer one prompt, and I photograph them (with b&w film) while they answer. Come back every week for a new story of love. If you would like to participate in this project, and I really hope you do, then email me at photographyhill@gmail.com to set something up.

McCausland Family

When this couple contacted me about portraits, they wanted their two dogs included. I was super excited because I love working with dogs. We met up at their favorite park to walk the dogs and had a calm morning documenting their love.

You can book your own family photography adventure by contacting me here

Love Project - Grady

There is a picture of me when I was about 3 years old.

I was in red corduroy overalls standing there with a puffed up chest and a really proud face. My mom was kneeling next to me and looking up at me. She looked so proud of me. I don't know what the story is behind the picture. I don't know what she was proud of or what I had done, but when I look at it I see a picture of my mom loving me.

It's a picture that, even thought I don't even remember the specific experience, I look at it and think I was a blessed kid. I had a mom that loved me so much. I felt like I was the most important thing in the world to her in that moment.

That is one of my first memories of feeling loved, even though I don't remember that exact experience. Looking back at it, I can take that and see that I was so happy and so proud in that moment in that picture.

Pentax 645n -400TX+2 - Find Lab

Welcome to the Love Project. I give someone 3 prompts to choose from (all relating to love), they answer one prompt, and I photograph them (with b&w film) while they answer. Come back every week for a new story of love. If you would like to participate in this project, and I really hope you do, then email me at photographyhill@gmail.com to set something up.

Knight Family

Can we talk about how sweet this family is?! They exude love. It was magical to spend the morning with them at a Portland waterfront park and photograph how much they enjoy each other's company.  

You can book your own family photography adventure by contacting me here

Love Project - Kristie

My friend actually told me I should marry him. I should go to church and listen to the speaker with the yellow tie and see if my heart went “pitter patter”. I suppose my first interaction with my husband was similar to Elizabeth Bennet meeting Mr. Darcy. He was kinda a jerk. My friends and I entered a huge cultural hall full of people. We grabbed some snacks and went to sit at the only table available. Actually only half the table was available. After we sat down all the guys already sitting on the other side scooted to the table next to them. Since I only knew Grady, as my friend had pointed out Brother Kerr’s son, I thought he was kinda a jerk. I don’t honestly remember what other friends were also rude, so I guess they are off the hook.

But thanks to a wonderful mutual friend I became acquainted with Grady. I suppose I fancied myself in love before, I’m kinda a romantic. And I love with my whole heart. But he is simple the best. I love his big heart and smile. His willingness to follow The Lord. I love being around despite the fact that he can be a jerk sometimes. I suppose he’s just really good at being snarky. 

And the love we share is amazing. We both don’t think it was fate or destiny that we fell in love. It’s a choice. And a choice we choose again and again. I love being around him. We can talk for hours, and sometimes we do. And as we have been married for almost 15 years it’s amazing to see our love grow. I remember the romantic love stage. I mean, he’s a hunk so it was easy to fall for him. And he always makes me laugh. It’s one of my favorite things. But as I have watched him care for our children and our marriage, our love has grown and deepened. It’s truly such a remarkable thing to have someone who knows all your weakness and short comings and yet they love you constantly. He is faithful and kind. And as we strive to come closer to God and thus essential closer together, our love is made stronger.

What a blessing it is to feel so loved by someone. And to love them with your whole soul. I think my favorite thing in the world is when we are in the temple (a sacred place in our faith) and he looks at me with such adoration. And I know our love is forever. He always looks the most handsome in the temple. And second is when he’s serving our family. 

Love is such a humbling thing. And it’s an action word, something that I have always strived to work on in our marriage. They say true love is the anxious concern over some one’s well being. And if you are going to be stuck with someone for the rest of your existence I’m glad I picked someone who makes me smile. 

Pentax 645n -400TX+2 - Find Lab

Welcome to the Love Project. I give someone 3 prompts to choose from (all relating to love), they answer one prompt, and I photograph them (with b&w film) while they answer. Come back every week for a new story of love. If you would like to participate in this project, and I really hope you do, then email me at photographyhill@gmail.com to set something up.

Houpt Family

The last time I was in Arizona, I had the pleasure to photograph this expectant momma and her family at my favorite park in Phoenix. It was a while lot of fun climbing, chasing, and laughing in the desert.

You can book your own family photography adventures by contacting me here

Tasha and her Boys

Once upon a time, Tasha and I lived in the dorms together at BYU. We had dance parties and other college shenanigans. I was really excited when she reached out to me when she came to Portland to visit family. This was the first time meeting her boys, and I quickly fell in love with their energetic little personalities. We spent the afternoon exploring, laughing, and dancing. It was absolutely an afternoon well spent.

You can book your own afternoon of photography adventures by contacting me here

Love Project - Janae

When I first met Seth, I had just had a brain tumor. It was two weeks after I had the tumor removed. I was on this spiritual high. I felt really close to the Lord. When you come really close to death like that, you feel really connected to the afterlife and to your Creator. I had never really been blessed with a really strong connection to anyone, especially a member of the LDS church.

When I came back to school, my roommate had a friend that had just come back from his mission. She wanted me to be her wingman, so I went with her to meet this guy. I thought I was just going to be a buffer for her and this guy, but I became completely smitten with this guy’s roommate. We went and got Oreo pizza. It was literally the first night I met him, and I knew immediately that I was going to marry him. He was so adorable. He had been home from his mission for 7 days. He was this soft spoken, sweet guy. He was telling me about his niece and nephew, and about teaching little kids how to swim when he was a lifeguard before his mission.

I remember walking back from Domino's Pizza thinking, “Oh my gosh! I have to marry this boy! He is the most precious human I have ever met in my life!” Three years later, we finally got married. It was really endearing and sweet, and I was smitten.

Pentax 645n - HP5+2 - Find Lab

Welcome to the Love Project. I give someone 3 prompts to choose from (all relating to love), they answer one prompt, and I photograph them (with b&w film) while they answer. Come back every week for a new story of love. If you would like to participate in this project, and I really hope you do, then email me at photographyhill@gmail.com to set something up.

Love Project - Kim

My first love was David Gangi. I met him in first grade. I knew it was love because he chased me around the playground and would tag me. He wouldn’t tag any of the other girls.

That is why I knew he was my one and only truest love in first grade. We tried the chasing thing in second grade, also a lot of love.

Then in third grade, tragedy struck. The boundaries of our school district split, so he went to a different school. It was devastating to me. But I always remembered him.

In sixth grade, we went to the same school again. His mom taught Spanish class, so of course I took Spanish class to be closer to David Gangi. Alas, he never remembered me.

Pentax 645n -400TX+2 - Find Lab

Welcome to the Love Project. I give someone 3 prompts to choose from (all relating to love), they answer one prompt, and I photograph them (with b&w film) while they answer. Come back every week for a new story of love. If you would like to participate in this project, and I really hope you do, then email me at photographyhill@gmail.com to set something up.

Love Project - Marisa

I immediately thought of when I was in Jicin, which is a city in the Czech Republic. It was spring, and I had been working in the city for a while. I had been serving there for 4 months.

I had just recently been feeling pretty depressed about a letter that I had gotten from home that didn't really make sense - it was vague and not clear. I prayed and felt peace and so much love.

After that, everyday I was in the city, and when I was out in the country, I would feel so much love.

I would go on these buses between Jicin and two other cities and I would look out the window and see fields and fields of sunflowers and I would feel so much love. I would go a different way and see these gigantic, vast fields of poppies and feel so much love.

It was kind of indescribable. With every small beauty of the earth around me, I could feel God lifting me up in love to overcome these feelings of confusion, depression, and disappointment that had recently come from reading that letter.

Pentax 645n - HP5+2 - Find Lab

Welcome to the Love Project. I give someone 3 prompts to choose from (all relating to love), they answer one prompt, and I photograph them (with b&w film) while they answer. Come back every week for a new story of love. If you would like to participate in this project, and I really hope you do, then email me at photographyhill@gmail.com to set something up.

Love Project - Kymber

I first met my husband in high school, in our junior year. The first time I saw him, I knew there was something special about him. Like any high school girl, I was nervous and totally afraid of the cute boys two rows over.

We were in class together a semester and a half, and then it came time for the Sadie Hawkins dance. I had planned on asking another boy in our class, and I put together this big way to ask him during class. My teacher was in on it and it was this big deal.

The day before I set to ask him, I stayed after class to talk to my teacher to make sure everything was good to go. All of the sudden, I this feeling that maybe I should ask Michael Rudd to the Sadie Hawkins dance instead of Kyler. Before I could even totally think the thought through, the words were coming out of my mouth, and as soon as the words were coming out of my mouth, I was trying to shovel them back in. He was this cute boy that I had a big fat crush on and there was no way he would go to the dance with me.

We left it at my teacher was going to put together the whole way I was going to ask Michael Rudd to go to the dance with me and I had no idea how it was going to happen. The thought of asking Michael Rudd to Sadie Hawkins was so stressful. I showed up to class the next day, and like I said, I had no idea how it was going to happen or how it was going to go down, but it happened.

We were doing a PowerPoint to memorize scriptures, it was in Seminary, and the teacher clicked to the next slide and it wasn't scripture mastery. It said, "Michael Rudd, will you go to Sadie Hawkins with me? Love, Your Biggest Fan." I wanted to melt into my seat. This was real life, this was happening, and there was no way backing out now.

He ended up finding my name on the ceiling fan above me. We went to the dance and the rest is history. He has loved me better than anyone could ever love me ever since.

Pentax 645n - HP5+2 - Find Lab

Welcome to the Love Project. I give someone 3 prompts to choose from (all relating to love), they answer one prompt, and I photograph them (with b&w film) while they answer. Come back every week for a new story of love. If you would like to participate in this project, and I really hope you do, then email me at photographyhill@gmail.com to set something up.

Love Project - Michael Rudd

I really felt loved, especially by my wife, a few months ago. I was going through a difficult time in my life where I was really struggling health-wise.

I didn't know what to expect. I didn't know what my plans were. We were going to Disneyland. It's 6 hours to Disneyland from Arizona, so for the whole trip there, I was sick to my stomach about how I felt about my self.

And that continued over the next few days, which if you know my wife's love for Disneyland, it could have pretty much ruined the trip for her.

Just throughout that time I felt her love and support for me. We didn't ride any rides, we just sat down and talked about how I felt.

We where at her happy place, a place where she would spend everyday if she could, and she took the time to care about me and my feeling instead of just enjoying herself.

Pentax 645n - HP5+2 - Find Lab

Welcome to the Love Project. I give someone 3 prompts to choose from (all relating to love), they answer one prompt, and I photograph them (with b&w film) while they answer. Come back every week for a new story of love. If you would like to participate in this project, and I really hope you do, then email me at photographyhill@gmail.com to set something up.

Love Project - Matt

When I first fell in love, it was on our first date. We went to Kneaders, got cheesecake, ate by the window, laughed and just had a good time. It was like that saying goes, you know when you know.

From when I first met her, I thought, "She is the one - the one I want to spend the rest of my life with." From then on, it just went uphill and just keeps on going. I really love her.

Pentax 645n - HP5+2 - Find Lab

Welcome to the Love Project. I give someone 3 prompts to choose from (all relating to love), they answer one prompt, and I photograph them (with b&w film) while they answer. Come back every week for a new story of love. If you would like to participate in this project, and I really hope you do, then email me at photographyhill@gmail.com to set something up.

Love Project - Elise

The first time I felt really loved by my spouse was before we got married. There was one night when I was super busy and we had just started dating.

I told him that we probably couldn't hang out that night and he wanted to hang out with me anyway. He asked, "Can I just come over and watch you eat? Can I just come for 10 minutes? I don't care how long it is. Can I come see you?"

In that moment I thought,  "He is different than everyone else. He actually wants to spend time with me. He really, really cares about me."

From then on, everything was just as easy as that and I always felt that love.

Pentax 645n - HP5+2 - Find Lab

Welcome to the Love Project. I give someone 3 prompts to choose from (all relating to love), they answer one prompt, and I photograph them (with b&w film) while they answer. Come back every week for a new story of love. If you would like to participate in this project, and I really hope you do, then email me at photographyhill@gmail.com to set something up.

Love Project - Camille

A time I felt really loved was actually the first time Jacob asked me to date him exclusively. I had come from a lot of abuse, past conflict, and issues. I didn't think I believed in love and relationships again.

He insisted that we go out for frozen yogurt after I got out of a really late class. We had gotten touchy-feely for the first time the night before, and we had been friends for so long that I thought he was going to tell me off. Instead, when we met up, he said "Hey we got touchy-feely last night. I just wanted to talk about it tonight. Are you ready to date exclusively?" I said 'okay,' but it wasn't quite okay.

I hadn't opened up about how I had been abused, divorced, really mistreated. I had a lot of baggage and scars and I didn't really know if I believed in love again. I went through all of it (He now refers to this as the 2 hours I tried to talk him out of dating me.). I just sat there crying and sharing all the deep dark secrets. He just sat there, put his arms around me and just listened. When I was done I said "So that's why you don't want to date me."

He just gave me a hug and said, "Ok. You didn't answer my question. Do you want to date exclusively?" I said, "You don't care about all of that stuff?!"

And he said, " My dad's been divorced and remarried. Everyone told my mom not to marry him, and they are so happy and have 10 kids together. My best friend married an older woman with 2 kids, and everyone said that was a bad idea, and they are super happy. I've learned that love isn't defined by past experiences. So there you go. I don't care. Do you want to date exclusively?" Ever since then, I've known what kind of person he is.

Pentax 645n - 400TX+2 - Find Lab

Welcome to the Love Project. I give someone 3 prompts to choose from (all relating to love), they answer one prompt, and I photograph them (with b&w film) while they answer. Come back every week for a new story of love. If you would like to participate in this project, and I really hope you do, then email me at photographyhill@gmail.com to set something up.

Love Project - Jacob

We were are at Camille's parents' house. We decided to have a date night there. I think we made dinner, she would probably know better than me because she always remembers those details.

After that, we built a fort out of couch cushions and blankets. We turned on '500 Days of Summer,' which is a really mushy movie, and watched it in the couch cushion fort.
 

It was a perfect moment to look her in the eyes and say "I love you."

She looked back at me and said "I love you, too."

And it just went downhill from there, or uphill, if that is what you think means good.

Pentax 645n - 400TX+2 - Find Lab

Welcome to the Love Project. I give someone 3 prompts to choose from (all relating to love), they answer one prompt, and I photograph them (with b&w film) while they answer. Come back every week for a new story of love. If you would like to participate in this project, and I really hope you do, then email me at photographyhill@gmail.com to set something up.

Love Project - EB

Jackie and I met a long time ago when my family made the move from Oregon to Arizona. I don't recall the specifics of our first encounter, but it was obvious she was a hot shot and a force to be reckoned. She had a contagious laugh and a smile to melt your heart. In a subtle way, she lead the pack and rolled through life with ease. 

Rumors circled that she liked me and I liked her. It remains a mystery why she picked me over the line of guys at her door. Jackie is a heart breaker and always will be. Lucky for me, she chose to take--instead of break--mine. As the years flew our love grew, and the rest is water under the bridge.

Pentax 645n - HP5+1 - Find Lab

Welcome to the Love Project. I give someone 3 prompts to choose from (all relating to love), they answer one prompt, and I photograph them (with b&w film) while they answer. Come back every week for a new story of love. If you would like to participate in this project, and I really hope you do, then email me at photographyhill@gmail.com to set something up.

Love Project - Jacquie

I fell in love with Jake so quickly and so easily. We actually first met in a roundabout way online and spent the first month getting to know each other over the phone, but I kind of knew I already loved him then, before we had even met in person.

What solidified that I most definitely did love him though, was when he took me with him on an annual hunting/camping trip that he and his grandpa did every Labor Day.

We were about 2 or 3 months into our relationship, and I think we both already knew we loved each other but neither of us had said it yet. The trip started with an 8-plus hour drive, which was so fun because it gave us hours upon hours to just be together and talk and learn more about each other. We had a good time listening to music and sharing our favorites with each other too.

Camping with him, his grandpa, uncle, and cousin showed a side of him that I hadn't yet seen. He was totally in his element and he knew so much about the mountains and the hunt, and seeing him be so happy and passionate about something was endearing. The fresh air, pretty views, campfires, and watching him chop wood helped too. It was the first time we had had several days without real life, or even cell service, to get in the way of us getting to know each other.

After that trip, I had a lot more clarity about where I saw our relationship going. It was only two weeks later that he told me he loved me, and of course I said it back! 8.5 months later, we were married.

Pentax 645n - HP5+2 - Find Lab

Welcome to the Love Project. I give someone 3 prompts to choose from (all relating to love), they answer one prompt, and I photograph them (with b&w film) while they answer. Come back every week for a new story of love. If you would like to participate in this project, and I really hope you do, then email me at photographyhill@gmail.com to set something up.

Love Project - Ryan

One time, I went to my grandfather's funeral, so I was out of town for a few days. When I came home, Beverly, my wife, had put out a big sign or hanging letters, or maybe it was a sign. Now I can't remember, but the important part was that is sad "Welcome Back, Ryan! I missed you! I love you!" 

I just remember that is made me really feel loved because I knew she was thinking about me when I was gone. We were still pretty new in terms of being married back then.

 It was exciting to come home and realize that she was excited for me to be back rather than what could have been the opposite, as in "Oh, man! I had all this time alone and now it's coming to an end." That was a good thing for me.

Pentax 645n - 400TX+2 - Find Lab

Welcome to the Love Project. I give someone 3 prompts to choose from (all relating to love), they answer one prompt, and I photograph them (with b&w film) while they answer. Come back every week for a new story of love. If you would like to participate in this project, and I really hope you do, then email me at photographyhill@gmail.com to set something up.