Jack & Bobbie | 50 Years Together

A few months back I was contacted about photographing Jack and Bobbie to celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary and I knew from the beginning this would be a photo shoot to remember. Just off of the pre-holiday season I had been in a photo shoot frenzy of families and had been itching to get a couple in front of my camera. And then here they were, the most adorable couple that had been loving and honoring each other in marriage for 50 years. During our time together I learned a lot about Jack and Bobbie. The first time they saw each other was in the lobby of their office building and Jack had a black eye (from a car accident on the way to work). Their first date was an Ohio State football game. Their son Brad, who was in town for the holidays, hasn't missed a Christmas with the two of them in his 47 years of life. And according to Jack the secret to longevity (he is 89) is gin. Followed by the secret to a lasting marriage being taking care of each other (a.k.a. Bobbie is Jack's at home care giver and makes him a drink with gin every afternoon). These two were a true delight and it was quite fun to see them loosen up as the shoot went on. We finished up with Bobbie making Jack (and I) a gimlet giving me the recipe secrets all along the way. Start things off with Booth's gin and add Rose's Sweetened Lime Juice for the best combo. Keep the gin in the fridge so that it pours like oil. Shake and serve it up in a chilled glass.

As Jack and Bobbie sat down together at the kitchen table in the late afternoon light and raised their glasses to toast, just one day away from 50 years together, I couldn't help but have a sense of sheer admiration and love for these two. And I couldn't help but think about all the other couples I know in my life that are weathering through the thick and the thin, for better or worse, working their own way to 50 years and beyond and celebrating all along the way.