AMBER + DAVID | One Year Anniversary at an Airstream Airbnb in Malibu, CA

I’ve built a strong relationship with Amber and David. I photographed them when they were engaged, and I filmed their wedding in Chicago. They’re some of the chillest, most down-to-earth, and straight-up coolest clients I’ve ever had. Amber is an art teacher and David is a tattoo artist… When they reached out to me nearly a year after their wedding to do some anniversary photos in their wedding attire, I immediately thought: “This isn’t going to be a normal anniversary shoot. This has to be something special.” So, I called them and asked to go somewhere in the southwest states. I hesitantly asked, “haaave you ever been to L.A.?” Turns out they’d been dying to go there for years. So without any convincing, they simply said “Eric, we trust you and your artistry. Whatever you’re thinking, we’re down.” They’re literally THE dream clients. They had the same mentality when I worked with them the previous two times, but this just floored me. It was such an honor to have so much trust from them, even with my outrageous dreamer mind. So, I ran to my computer and scoured Airbnb for locations in and around L.A. It wasn’t long before I found a fully furnished Airstream trailer, perched on the Malibu mountainside. I (as well as Amber and David) were immediately sold. This is the story of the Malibu Airstream Anniversary (surely one we will all never forget):

Downtown Los Angeles, CA.

Driving up the coast to Malibu.

Earlier in the day, back in L.A., Amber questioned “Does the Airstream have electricity?” And with some research and investigation, we confirmed. When we arrived at the Airbnb, we promptly basked in the Malibu sun, indulged in the breathtaking views, and gawked at the flawless design of the trailer. It wasn’t until an hour in that we decided to start getting ready for the shoot. Amber went to plug in her curling iron. No power. Okay, I guess we just need to turn the electricity on. David flipped the switch. Nothing. Okay, no worries, there’s a solar panel on the deck for backup. Let’s go turn on that battery. Dead. So, without hesitation, we jumped in the car and drove down the mountain to the next Airbnb. Thankfully, the kind folks there let us use their master bathroom to curl Amber’s hair and do her makeup, all of which we knew would take at least an hour and a half. It was clear that we were all panicking a little bit since we had already lost so much sunlight.

It took a while to button Amber’s dress since we didn’t have a crochet tool. Only 30 minutes until sunset. At this point I’m putting on a brave face and staying laser-focused to make this a pleasant experience for them. And you know what? They were freaking champs. I’m so happy that this shoot wasn’t 3 years ago, where this scenario would have given me an aneurysm. Instead, after years of experience photographing weddings and dealing with countless scenarios of craziness, I took a second to breathe, understood that there was nothing to worry about, and knew that we were still going to enjoy our time. And we did just that. And it was beautiful.

As the sun passed below the horizon, I wanted to give Amber and David a second to take in everything that was happening. We traveled over 2,000 miles to go on an adventure that they could fondly recall for the rest of their lives. Yeah, the scenery was epic. Yeah, the Airstream was insane. But what we all cared about most was that this was something they would remember. A reflection of what marriage meant. An actual journey. Something so nostalgic that they could look back on it years from now and remember this time, when they traveled to the place they’d been longing to go for years. They got to do it together.
They wrote notes and shared their admiration for one another, talking of all the love they’ve experienced over their first year of marriage.

I think the photo below is my favorite image of the whole set. It’s my favorite for three reasons:
1. It perfectly encompasses the wanderlust and adventure of the trip.
2. I see a metaphor of searching and yearning for unknown beauty together.
3. It’s imperfect (out of focus, motion blur, dark). Just like life. Just like love. Just like marriage.

We caught the last rays of light just as we found the coast.

The next morning:

Since it was dark by the sea the evening before, they wanted to go back to the coast to see the rocks and cliffs, to take in all the Pacific had to offer. It didn’t disappoint.

When I took their engagement photos, I captured this insane photo, next to Lake Michigan, and a handful of birds flew in formation over their heads. When it happened again, we all lost it. One of my favorite memories as a photographer. It was a perfect exclamation point to a magical two days. Amber and David, thank you thank you thank you for allowing me to be an artist, and trusting my vision for these photos. I hope that these images bring nostalgia to you and your family for decades to come. Love you two.
-Eric

Special Thanks:
EMILY ROSE : Emily provided faux (yes, faux!) flowers for this shoot, and they couldn’t have been more perfect.
AARON BEAN : Helping film these two days! I promise I’ll edit the footage soon.
MANGO STREET : For letting Bean and I sleep on your floor.
Also, here is a vlog that I made while on the trip in case you were curious: THE MALIBU AND MANGO STREET DREAM

 

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Dude! You are killing it. The atmosphere and everything in this shoot is so great!

Eric, these are SO beautiful. Not just the light and the editing, but the emotion that clearly emanates from this fabulous couple. 🙂

So beautiful Eric! Every single moment