Woman Pays Tribute to Her Departed Fiancé with a Powerful Underwater Photo Shoot

Janine story of hope - Del Sol Photography

The crushing blow came just 52 days before her wedding: Janine, a blushing bride-to-be, unexpectedly lost her fiancé. The grief was unimaginable, but she didn’t let it conquer her. Instead, after taking some time to grieve, she got in touch with Matt Adcock at Del Sol Photography and asked him to help her move on and rediscover the beauty of the world around her.

What followed was an incredibly powerful ‘trash the dress’ photo shoot full of symbolism: a cleansing shoot that has helped Janine to make her peace with the past and embrace the possibility of a bright future.

When we spoke with Adcock, he told us that, for years, he had been in the business of celebrating new beginnings; which is what made this project both special and difficult for him. “[Janine’s request] shocked us,” he told us. “I was immediately trying to envision how I could bring some of her dreams to life and used the shoot to touch on fantasy and imagination.”

What he came up with was a stunning underwater shoot in her wedding dress. “She told me that she felt a strong connection with the element of water, for its cleansing and purifying qualities and the sense of freedom she felt while swimming,” he writes on the Del Sol website. “I knew that the natural aquatic wonders of the Riviera Maya would offer great comfort and would be the perfect vehicle for her healing process.”

A lot of planning by the Del Sol team and some help from the generous people at Dreams Resorts later, Adcock was ready to put this idea into action. Here are the photos they captured:

Janine story of hope - Del Sol Photography

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Janine story of hope - Del Sol Photography

Janine story of hope - Del Sol Photography

Janine story of hope - Del Sol Photography

Janine story of hope - Del Sol Photography

Janine story of hope - Del Sol Photography

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Janine story of hope - Del Sol Photography

“This is by far the most emotional I have ever been while working on a project,” wrote Adcock. “I am humbled to have been able to meet and work with Janine and am inspired by her words and her courage in sharing her message of hope.”

And the sharing has been one of the most rewarding parts. Before the shoot, he spoke with Janine about the possibility that this would go viral, and they agreed that the project could have a wonderful impact beyond the healing she was seeking.

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As for that healing, Janine told Del Sol that the photos had the desired effect:

At the end of the day I felt so accomplished and I felt more alive than I have ever felt since May 1st. I really felt that Johnny was smiling down at me and finally giving me closure that I can live my life in a positive way, but never forgetting why I was here. I want to move on and explore the world. I want to meet people who I can share that with. After the shoot I felt like all this was possible.

To find out more, or if you’d like to see higher resolution images, head over to Del Sol’s blog post by clicking here. And if you’d like to see more of their wonderful work, you can visit their website or give them a follow on Twitter and Facebook.

(via PopSugar)


P.S. In case anybody is wondering, the dress wasn’t actually trashed, hence the quotes around ‘trash the dress.’ It means a great deal to Janine, and so “it has been cleaned and restored to pristine condition for [her] to treasure.”


Image credits: Photographs by Matt Adcock/Del Sol Photography and used with permission

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