Real Couples // Peoria Riverside Engagement: DiAnn & Lauren
/This session was so incredibly special to me. DiAnn & Lauren just radiate love! We met at Grandview Park in Peoria, Illinois to start their session, then moved on to downtown near the river walk and finished at sunset across the river at a small beach in East Peoria. I usually prefer to have one or two locations for a session, but this one was calling out for more. I can't explain it, and I'm really glad I listened to my artistic instinct — because the evening progressed from adorable to sweet to magical. At one point, I directed them to forget I was there and have an intimate conversation. Lauren tells me they need to use their hands for this. That was exactly my point. DiAnn is deaf. The intimacy of their conversation just blew me away — the depth of their love for one another was the most poignant during this part of the session.
Words and photos by Shanna Aitken
Get to know Shanna Aitken: Hello! I'm Shanna Aitken. I am a full-time photographer based out of LaSalle-Peru, Illinois. I bought my first "real" camera in 1998 for a photography class in college. I am the LaSalle-Peru TuesdaysTogether leader for the Rising Tide Society, which promotes community over competition among small business owners and creative entrepreneurs. Outside of photography, I am passionate about a lot of social issues, including gender equality and body positivity. I'm always working on something - but I have a personal project working with victims of sexual abuse and assault that means more to me than anything in the world. My artistic style has been described "like the atmosphere before a storm." I look for gorgeous light wherever I go and like to play with moody shadows. I love exploring new places and finding unique locations to photograph.
