This couples adventure engagement session around Smith Rock State Park was SO much fun. Our day was jam packed and full of some of their favorite activities. Incorporating the special and shared aspects of a couple's relationship makes the photos so much more meaningful, which helps to create a session that feels more like "hanging out" than a photoshoot.
Nate + Grace are truly one of a kind. They're both such kind, passionate, and adventurous people. Merely being around them is a fulfilling experience- their lust for life is undeniably contagious. They met in Hawaii when they worked together as scuba dive instructors, and the rest is history. Right now, Grace is actually training to become a pilot (ummmm bad*ss much?) so, a few days before our session, I get a text from her with an aerial image of Smith Rock from the plane. Talk about advanced location planning! I was so stoked.
These two people mean the world to me, and getting to capture their love story is something I feel deeply privileged to do.
To kick off our adventure engagement session, we stopped by the famous Deschutes Brewery. We opted for the tap house, which is situated in the middle of downtown Bend, and en-route to our following locations. Nate + Grace insisted that I try the famous Black Butte porter from Deschutes. I’m hooked, and have been looking to find some here in Texas ever since.
It's lucky that Nate + Grace are total extroverts, because we had a bar full of people eager to cheer them on and make them laugh during our shoot! We had a blast, and the results from all the hoots & hollers made for some of their favorite photos.
Next stop: the breath-taking Smith Rock State Park! Most people don’t think of the dry dry desert when they think of Oregon (did you catch my Mario Kart reference?). While it’s hard to beat the gorgeous lush forests on the Oregon Coast, I think Smith Rock deserves a moment of fame too.
Ending our adventure in the most epic way, we set out to take some photos under the stars. We were under the impression that Smith Rock closed after sundown, so we headed to The Oregon Badlands Wilderness, where there’s no time restrictions for visitors- hint the “badlands wilderness” part. It was just as cool as its name alludes to.
After closer inspection, I found the gates to Smith Rock State Park do stay open at night! Eager for more stargazing, I went back the following day to the same location we had their engagement session to take some long exposure star shots. This long exposure was a 20 minute capture, and made for a lovely way to commemorate this special location and their appreciation for stargazing.
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