This particular morning was a special one. I had been going through a sort of rough patch and had pulled an all nighter leading up to this.
Instead of heading off to bed to get some rest before my next shift at work, I had decided to grab some breakfast and go out on a photographic adventure. I don't really know what compelled me that morning, but I knew I had to go out and take some pictures. Perhaps it was how the fog hung low in the streets, or maybe I just thought I would luck out with some cool foggy sunrise photos of the ever-changing Nashville skyline. Whatever it was, I'm glad I did it.
The location I decided on that morning was Love Circle. I’m not sure of the details on why it came to be called this, but I can take some guesses. It has some great views of the city and is actually pretty accessible. On a sunny afternoon, you can see numerous people setup atop the hill with blankets, books, and picnic supplies. With this particular view of Nashville, it makes for a good photo opportunity and there have been many proposals and wedding related photoshoots. It’s a neat little spot and it has become quite popular over the years.
I arrived at my destination just in time. Because it was a spur of the moment thing (and I had stopped for breakfast), I was a bit worried that I would miss the sunrise. As I pulled up to park, I was surprised that there really weren’t any other vehicles around. I took a sip of my coffee, grabbed my camera, and headed up the hill.
As I made my way up, I took a few test shots and made sure my camera settings were how I wanted. When I got to the top of Love Circle, I only saw two other people. They appeared to be a young couple. Being as early as it was, I thought that they might be sharing a personal moment, and decided to keep my distance out of respect. I walked around and took some photographs, waiting for the pair to clear from my shot of the skyline. I finally turned around to see if they had left, but they hadn’t, and what I saw was too breathtaking not to capture.
On Love Circle, there is what appears to be a windmill and power generator of sorts. What surrounds this little shed-like structure is barbed wire fencing. So, when I turned to face the pair, I saw two silhouetted figures holding each other in an embrace, with a fog obscured Nashville Skyline in the background and barbed wire fencing in the foreground. Seeing as I couldn’t let this moment escape, I began photographing the scene.
I knew I was taking a risk. These people obviously didn’t want to be bothered, given the timing that they were out at Love Circle together, but it was too beautiful and I felt so much of what they might have been going through. After I had gotten a few photographs, I decided to go to them and introduce myself. I shared with them the pictures I had just taken and asked if I could take a few more. They agreed and we shared our contact information, so that I could get their photos to them later.
At this time, I didn’t know these people, and truth be told, I still don’t. This morning that I’ve just shared with you is both the first and last time that I have occupied the same space as this couple. Sure, we follow each other on social media and we’ve gotten to know a little about each other through it, but it isn’t the same thing as interacting in person. Those things I have learned through their social media have really only reinforced my original opinion of them that was created in our chance meeting.
What I saw in those photographs I took, I’m not sure that I’ll ever be able to capture again. I could be wrong, and could also be assuming too much, but this moment felt deeper than a simple early morning photo outing. In the first photograph that I took, it appeared as though they were locked up behind barbed wire fencing. They were caged in with the city skyline and the skyline itself was shrouded in a dense layer of fog. Although the scene seemed grim, the sun still showed through, and this queer couple maintained their embrace. This was absolutely breathtaking to me. It almost felt that it was so much more than a coincidence. From this image, I got the feeling that perhaps others didn’t know about their relationship. They were trapped in with a society that clearly couldn’t see how much love they had for each other. Even standing on top of Love Circle with arms around one another, and welcoming the new day (in a sort of proclamation), the city still stood in gray uncertainty. But, the bright morning sun broke through the fog and gave a breath of hopefulness.
My impression of this couple is an extremely positive one, and I find them truly inspiring. I got the sense that these two had felt and known pain, abandonment, and abuse, but they loved each other and would fight for what they had. There was also an absolute respect and trust between them. I felt their positivity, and their excitement for the future. I look back on that foggy morning often. It brings me hope for humanity, and joy in knowing how right these two are for each other.
After talking to them a bit about writing this post based on the experience that morning, I learned that they too had been going through some troubled times. One of them had recently been diagnosed with a chronic illness and had been up sick the entire night before, just as myself. In an attempt to help her ill partner see through the struggles, she drove her counterpart out to Love Circle to enjoy a beautiful sunrise. It was a stunning morning, and all three of us cherish this moment equally, as it was a beacon of hope through tough times. Our pains may have been different, but perhaps that was the subconscious connection that I had with them.
Although they no longer live around the area, I still keep in touch with these two and have recently found out that they are to be married in August. <3