Military homecomings are crazy. Anyone who’s ever experienced one will tell you that. They are wildly unpredictable– the dates and times are constantly changing, and a bunch of them happen all at the same time but in different locations for different units. You never really know what’s going on until the marines are walking off the buses and into the arms of their loved ones. But homecomings are also filled with joy and excitement and love, which makes the time and energy so worth it as a photographer.

This particular homecoming was super last minute for me. I was baking cookies and wrapping gifts, preparing to head north for Christmas and connected with Kendall, whose photographer could no longer make it. I’m so glad that our paths crossed and I could capture these moments for her. The timing was still unpredictable (we may or may not have camped out in her car for an hour or two to make sure we were there in time), but the marines ended up arriving just after sunrise, which gave us the most gorgeous creamy light for Kendall and Joey to be together again, finally.

I can’t think of a better way to start a day.

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Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune / North Carolina homecoming photographer