As an Elopement Photographer based in Shenandoah National Park, one of my specialties is creating 2 Hour Hiking Elopement Timelines. Not only do I enjoy helping couples make them, but I have also become a bit of a self-proclaimed pro!
We had to postpone this shoot by a day because of the rain, and when I got on location early to scout, it rained so much so quickly that it was flooding. There was no phone service, so calling Mercy to let her know to turn around wasn’t happening. It stopped raining minutes before she arrived, and we had a beautiful sunset with fog joining us for the shoot. It was magic, and so was she.
Rae and I met quite a few years ago in a dance class, then she moved to Michigan, where I photographed her last year on the Sleeping Bear Sand Dunes! This year we met up in Virginia, it my Shenandoah National Park, and working with Rae always turns into magic! We started in the forest, because I remembered how much Rae loved the woods in the Michigan sand dunes. Then we made our way to the sunny mountains.
Rae wore an outfit that I have stocked away in my client closet, so if you aren't sure what to wear, this dress will fit nearly anyone, can be tied in anyway, or used as a skirt!
Epic portraits like this, catching the wind on the top of the mountain, running barefoot in the woods, and just feeling wild and free are my absolute favorite.
Let me start by saying how grateful I am for having an incredibly inspiring and creative friend who is ALSO a photographer. Clare is based in Minnesota and also travels for weddings, and she is my confidant, my 24-hour therapist, and the one who helps me get the creativity flowing.
We worked together to style this shoot for the relaunch of her photography business - Madeira Creative. You can find her whole blog post here : Madeira Blog Post
This was one of the best weekends of my life. We roadtripped up to northern Minnesota, to Duluth, and met up with our GORGEOUS ROCKSTAR model Emilee who was a freaking trooper. We woke up at 4:15 on Saturday morning, made our coffee to go, and went to the frigid, windy coast of Lake Superior. In-between shots, Emilee would put on her jacket, ear muffs, and winter boots - then wrap up in a blanket, and we'd run back to the car and sit in the heat for a bit, then go back out in the cold for a few minutes more. We did this for almost 4 hours. It was faaaaantastic.
