Today marks the beginning of a new series! And since I’ve already planned out the first 29 installments, I’m pretty sure this one will last longer than the Wine Wednesday series :).

A few months ago, I blogged about an epiphany I had regarding my style, branding, artistic leanings, etc. The realization that I’d been dressing, shooting, and stylizing my brand after the cooler version of myself that I thought I was supposed to be, rather than who I actually am, was such a turning point for me! It’s been so freeing to be able to really embrace things I actually love, rather than things I see everyone else loving. So in celebration of all the things that make me ME, the “Everyone Loves A Classic” series was born! First up on the series: black and white photographs. And not just any kind of black and white photographs- specifically, black and whites in New York City.

To me, there will always be something so intoxicatingly romantic about New York and the timeless beauty it holds in US history. It’s crowded, it’s always busy, but it’s where everything EXCITING happens! When I think New York, I think post-war 1940’s, I think Macy’s at Christmas, I think of Tiffany’s, of sophisticated, elegant fashion, and of that iconic sailor + nurse kiss in Times Square- I think of what I’ve always heard called the “good old days.”

And then there are black and white photos. I’m very selective about which of my images I convert to b&w because I just LOVE color so much that an image really needs to scream “PLEASE CONVERT ME!” for me to do it. But New York? New York was made for monochromatic photographs. I don’t care how modern the Big Apple is, there’s something about the city that will always hold retro, old-world charm to me.

Perhaps this is why nearly all of my favorite images from our anniversary session with Justin & Mary are black and white. Because they were shot in New York City, and because J&M have such an iconic style, these images will never grow old to me. I will never tire of looking at the canvas in our living room, or of the prints hanging in my office. All of which were taken in New York City, and all of which are in black and white. Even just being in New York City for our session transported me back to a time when movie tickets cost a quarter, when all the cabs were yellow, and when malt shoppes reigned supreme.

Happy Tuesday! All images by the incredible Justin & Mary.