Li Ward photographer of pets and weddings. Fat Orange Cat Studio is a fresh and candid boutique photography service in Boston, Massachusetts.

Jen is a wedding photographer and a professional stayer-behind-the-camera-er. Even if you manage a snapshot of her, she’s still behind the camera. But for a few hours one afternoon, she gamely quelled the butterflies in her stomach and stepped in front. Just because she was afraid. Afraid of what, we will never know, because as soon as she stepped in front the camera was like GIRL RUN AWAY WITH ME TO MEXICO.

We started in the Boston Common, weaved our way through Beacon Hill, chasing the light, stopped at the docks on the Esplanade and ended at the Commonwealth Ave Mall just in time for twinkling tree lighting. Afterwards I discovered about 99.9% of all the photos were shot into the sun. The only reason it isn’t 100% is because the clouds rolled in towards the end. I was about to apologize for all the backlighting, but you know what, screw you! I love backlighting okay? Especially these days when the sun has been few and far between. Luckily Jen likes backlighting too, so as long as we’re on the same page, it’s all good.

The first image here was the very first shot I took, as I was taking out the camera out of the bag. I could see the whites of Jen’s eyes. So to ease ourselves into the shoot, I fired a sneaky peeky without looking into the view finder. They don’t always turn out, but it’s fun when they do.

Jen should get in front of the camera more…

Several months ago I met wedding photographer Abby Christensen of Abby Lorenz Photography over a round or two or three of drinks. We talked photography shop and life stuff, and basically hit it off like gang busters. As a graduate of the New England School of Photography, Abby is in cahoots with all sorts of people in the photography field, so I was very flattered and honored when she asked if I would take portraits of her and her husband Caleb, in celebration of their 6th year anniversary. 6 years since they first started dating, not when they got married.

I was on the phone with a co-worker that morning and told him I had to skedaddle early for a shoot and he asked, “What kind of dog this time?” And I said, “Ha no dog, two humans.” He said, “What’s the occasion?” And I replied, “They want to. Just cuz.” And he was like, “I don’t get it.” Sigh. This coming from someone who had no photos taken at his own wedding. Anyway now I’ve been calling these sorts of non-wedding, non-engagement, non-pet shoots “Just Because” shoots. You can come up with any reason you want, or none at all, but we’re doing a shoot…just because.

The scene was Davis Square in Somerville, where Abby and Caleb first set roots when they moved from the Midwest to the Northeast. We started off with some oversized beers at Mike’s – where we ALMOST forgot we were there to do a shoot and not to get sloshed – and roamed about from there.

By the way, Caleb is a physicist. He takes atoms, splits them apart and turns them into Smurfs. He might as well have told me he was an X-Man, as my eyes widened in fear and awe.

A very happy six years together, and here’s to sixty more!