Libby & Hermann got married on January 9, 2011 at a friend's home in the French Quarter. The ceremony was small, with only a few close friends and family. The home, like many in New Orleans, was being remodeled and so there were plenty of interesting backgrounds inside to work with; some fully finished beautiful rooms with ornate furniture, and some rooms in various states of completion with cracked plaster patterns on the walls.

Libby is my Jivamukti yoga teacher. I met her last winter as I studied yoga at Swan River Yoga. She is a true yogini with a petite frame that  is strong yet incredibly flexible. She sings kirtans with a powerful deep voice, yet speaks with sweetness and wisdom.

Upon returning to New Orleans in December I told her that I have decided to become a Jivamukti yoga teacher. Along with all of my teachers at Swan River, she has been very supportive of me in this decision. With their guidance & inspiration I started the NOLA Yoga-Photography Project to help me fund my Jivamukti teacher training. The project entails me photographing yoga practitioners doing asana (yoga postures) around New Orleans in exchange for sliding-scale donations to a fund to help me finance the course. Later in the year the project will culminate in an exhibit of the photos at the Swan River Mid-City Studio, which Libby is a part-owner of.

I am also photographing other subjects and events as part of the project, to allow for people who may not want photographs of themselves doing asana, or who may have other photographic needs. Libby graciously asked me to photograph her wedding as one of these alternate possibilities. I had been hoping to find a New Orleans wedding to photograph so this request was a blessing for me on many levels, not the least of which was being able to share this special day with my beloved teacher so intimately.

I did not meet her man Hermann until the day of the wedding. He turned out to be every bit as sweet and charming as I would have imagined. The three of us braved the cold howling winds and rainy skies to venture into the courtyard for some photos after the ceremony. Hermann proved to be quite talkative during the photo shoot, and I had to have the couple keep kissing to quiet him down. They didn't seem to mind.

Later in the day the party opened up to a larger circle of friends, and many familiar faces from my yoga classes began to fill the house. I am sublimely astounded to be so completely surrounded by this amazing community here in the Crescent City. I hope that the images I capture will capture some of the beauty and wonder of these people, and of this place. As I move ever closer towards becoming a yoga teacher I give deep gratitude to all of you, and to the universe for opening this path for me. To Hermann and Libby, may your love grow the deepest roots to sustain you through this lifetime. May you find an abundance of heart, wealth of spirit, and may you discover all the treasures of self through loving one another.

This last photo I took back in March of 2009 after I interviewed Libby about yoga and veganism for my Vegan Radio podcast. The episode turned out to be one of the best, and was also a wonderful way to get to know my teacher better! This photo brings back happy memories for me and I couldn't resist posting it here.