For Couples
A couple of weeks ago we had the amazing opportunity to travel to Portland, OR with Chan and Jam for their adventurous and epic engagement. Of course we took some time for ourselves, but we cannot get over just how hospitable these two are.
From the moment we met up from a 6AM wake up call, they were immediately warm, generous and excited for the day we captured. Chan and Jam are avid hikers and take the trails you see in the blog almost every weekend. Their thirst for the outdoors and the clean air pulled these Long Beach natives from California some years ago and I think they are true Portlandians now.
The day started out in the car with a long drive through very well maintained roads (that was surprising) up to a secret spot of theirs that had these awesome grand waterfalls. But to get there was steep, slippery and studded with moss. We had to be careful not to fall as we navigated the terrain with 50lbs. of gear and them with their clothes. The best part (and most dangerous) was the tattered rope we had to climb (see my vlog at the end of this post) to get down this slope. I thought it was super fun.
It was around 8AM that we got to photographing these two and Kevin and I were just stunned. We both have never seen or been this close to a waterfall ever. It was definitely a moment to remember.
As the mist blasted our camera gear and our now chilled faces, the adrenaline of seeing the photos Kevin took, kept everyone warm enough to push each shot to the fullest. Great photography isn’t just the eye of the person holding an expensive camera; it’s always a collaboration of great clients as well. By the end of this portion we all had numb fingers and toes and were fully satisfied with the experience we had all gone through.
Moving on from there; we took a break to munch on a snack provided by our thoughtful clients and get back to normal temperature. And then as I always love, Chan and spotted a location that wasn’t her first choice; but fulfilled her wishlist of photos.
I love that. Engagements are often about stumbling upon something serendipitously and saying “wow, that was better than I planned!”
That place was the lumber yard you see about midway. Sure, the workers were scratching their heads at why there were a bunch of kids photographing against some of last year’s inventory; but we took some awesome shots and jammed our way to the last location. Taking about an 1 hour drive up to a mill from the gold panning days of the Gold Rush, we finished off the session with a stroll through the old yet well maintained relic and enjoyed the most of the day without anyone else to worry about.
Portland is a treasure trove of nature and there was little to get in the way of creating epic shots and telling a more intimate story. Thank you so much for being such gracious hosts to Kevin and I and we can’t wait for your wedding.
Much love,
Kevin and Megan
