Hello and happy Friday, y’all! I hope you have been staying warm this week during the arctic vortex. I have been staying nice and cozy indoors except for my one hour of hiking time in the mornings. If I skip out on hiking, it throws my whole day off! So even in the extreme cold weather – single digits – like we have had here this week, I still go out. With a few more layers on than usual, of course. I’m sure I looked like a waddling penguin, but who cares?
Speaking of being freezing cold, today’s blog post is about a session I shot in the mountains of Alaska. A while back I wrote about my trip there in a post which you can read by clicking here, and today I am going to be sharing about the couples session I shot for R and T. I have had the privilege to photograph them a few times before, but this was definitely my favorite session of theirs to date. There is just something about being in the foggy mountains, freezing my booty off, and capturing cozy, snuggly moments that really makes me love this job I get to do.
Before the Session
As soon as we decided to go on the Alaska trip, R and I talked about doing a session there. I mean, how could we not? And while I definitely had a certain vibe in mind for the session – moody, foggy, cozy, mountain-y – we did not have a specific location picked out before we got there.
Our trip was split into two main locations – Seward/Kenai Fjords National Park and Healy/Denali National Park. We decided that the Healy area more matched the vibe we were going for, so that’s what we planned for. Once we arrived in the area, I started keeping my eyes peeled for possible locations. And wouldn’t you know, I spotted this location while we were driving down the highway. After checking a few different apps to make sure that it was on land that was open to public use and that it was not inside of the national park (since we hadn’t applied for a permit), I knew we had found our perfect location. If you are interested in reading a little bit more about my location scouting process, I wrote a blog post about it! Click here to read.
As far as outfit considerations went, it was so cold that there wasn’t too much decision-making in the process. Being Michiganders, they are very used to cold weather, and luckily their warm coats fit the vibe. I am literally obsessed with R’s Cotopaxi puffer.
During the Session
After taking a wrong turn on the trail, we finally made it to our spot. Believe it or not, where we took photos was probably only a couple hundred feet from the highway; it seemed like farther to us at the time because we had to hike straight up a hill to get there. But man was the view worth it! I absolutely love the way the mountains fade into fog in the distance, and the colors of the foliage were still so beautiful even though we were there just past the peak fall colors.
Because I knew that it would be cold up there and we would not be able to take our time as much because of that, I did something that I don’t usually do before sessions: I made a list of specific shots and techniques that I wanted to be sure to implement during our session. But I actually found it super helpful and will be implementing at least a partial version of it going forward. I like to leave room for spontaneity and creativity during the sessions I shoot, but there have definitely been shoots that I have walked away from scolding myself for forgetting to try out a new photography technique that I had been really excited about. But that was not the case with R and T’s session in Alaska!
I had also asked R to take a few photos of my husband Keith and I after I finished up with their photos. I will include a few of those photos at the end of this post – she absolutely killed it!
After the Session
Because we were still on vacation for a few days after I took these photos, I had to wait until I got back home to start editing them. But once I started, I completely fell in love with each image! Couples sessions will always be my first love when it comes to photography. Taking pictures that radiate the love two people have for each other is so so so special for me, and I will never take it for granted.
Final Thoughts
I love getting to relive our Alaska trip when looking at these photos. To me they are more than just pretty photos. When I look at them, I can smell the cold wind that rushes through my whole body. I can hear R’s laugh. I can feel the tiny drops of condensation on my face. And, as with every session I shoot, I hope that when you look at these photos you can feel, even just a little bit, like you were there with us.
I also wanted to just throw out a quick disclaimer for anyone who may be thinking that in order to have beautiful photos, you have to travel to an epic destination. I specialize in finding the magic wherever we are doing your session – whether we are at a state park, frolicking around your small home town, or in your kitchen. Yes, some places are inherently more beautiful than others, but you, yes you, are the magic. Not the location. So if you want beautiful magical photos to hang on your walls or send to a relative who you don’t get to see very often or even just to look at on your phone when you need a pick-me-up, send me an inquiry. We’ll make it happen.
*All my blog posts contain a selection of images that I’ve taken. If you are interested in booking a wedding or session with me, I am more than happy to send you a full gallery upon request!
I’m a wife, a dog mom, a foodie, a wanderer, a registered nurse, and a couples/intimate wedding/elopement photographer … and this blog will cover it all! If you enjoyed this post, first of all thank you, and second of all please follow me on Instagram + Facebook and sign up for my monthly newsletter to get exclusive wedding planning advice and access to all of my new (and old) freebies! If you have any questions about elopement photography, my journey from nursing to photography, or my time spent as a full-time RVer, drop a comment and I just might write a blog post answering your question (but I definitely will)!
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