Mission Trails Engagement Session

Mike and June spend a lot of time hiking and climbing so a Mission Trails Engagement Session was the perfect fit for them. We started down in the valley where there is lots of greenery that lights up beautifully as the sun shines through it. From the moment I took the first photo, it was clear that Mike and June love to laugh and have a good time with each other. I love to see that because it means that on their wedding day we are going to get some really fun wedding photos too.

The next location was the Mission Dam, this was a much easier location that was practically flat. It made it easy for them to pose for photos and they got relaxed enough to just hang out and enjoy each others company while I figured out my shot. One of my favorite moments during the shoot was when I told them to hang out as I found my angle and caught them taking in the view while standing on the damn.

The rock climbing area of the park is hard to get to in nice clothes, but I still wanted to get some photos that showed the rock climbing area of the park. I found a small trail that showed off the entire valley perfectly including the peaks where they go rock climbing.

The best part of engagement sessions is watching couples get more confident in front of the camera as the session goes on. By the end of the session, it was almost as if I was not even there. Those are the best photos because the photographer is removed from the photo and the connection and love of the couple are the strongest elements in the photo. On their wedding day, it will be that much easier to take their portraits, since they have already warmed up to being themselves in front of the camera.