Epic First Look With Erin and Chris
Erin and Chris planned to get married at the Alta Lakes Observatory on August 4, 2018. We discussed details and talked through doing a first look at the property they were building a house on. I suggested another approach, and Erin being so wonderful, loved the idea. It involved driving a bit and hiking up a steep ridge without much of a trail, carrying all their clothes and things for the session. They were game!
We found a good rock outcropping that made for a perfect changing room for both of them. With careful guidance, we worked together to get them situated on the top of this rock outcropping for their first look. Given the lighting conditions, I was anxious for them to get dressed and ready to go, as light beams continued to shine through the partly cloudy skies, illuminating Sunshine Mesa and Wilson Peak in the distance. I did everything I could to ‘rush’ them without screaming, “PLEASE HURRAY! THIS LIGHT IS AMAZING!” It is possible I yelled this or other things to hurry them along. Needless to say, we made it work, and the light beams stuck around long enough to capture some of my favorite photos to date.
After utilizing the epic light, we ventured on up the ridge, using the craggy mountains as a picturesque backdrop. I am always amazed at the different viewpoints and perspectives you can find if you get off the beaten trail. We had a blast running around and finding different compositions to play with. I had been up here once before to scout the location, so had some ideas in mind, but like any photography session, new ideas seem to come out of thin air. And up here, around 11,000 ft, the air is thin!
We stuck around until the light slowly vanished, soaking up the views of the San Juan Mountains and the surrounding Telluride area. I absolutely love sessions like this, regardless of whether I ever see light like that again. Photographing elopements and couples around Telluride and getting to deliver a lifetime of memories in photographs is something I cherish every single day.
Erin had mentioned wanting to hang a photo from the session above their bed, so we agreed on a panorama. All said and done, the last photo is one we worked together on and now resides above their bed in their home in Telluride, Colorado.
For more information on the Alta Lake area, see the links below:
https://www.telluride.com/activities/alta-lakes
https://www.visittelluride.com/play/activities/alta-lakes/