Michelle + Will | Glen Canyon National Recreation Area | Lake Powell Engagement Session | Utah Adventure Wedding Photographer

When Michelle and Will first reached out to us to do their adventure engagement session, they suggested Horseshoe Bend in Page, Arizona because they wanted a stunning overlook, but they were a little worried about the crowds. We went back and forth on a few ideas and decided to do sunrise so we'd hopefully beat the rush of tourists (busses start arriving at 9am). Then, Callen and I were exploring a new section of Utah just on the other side of Canyonlands National Park from Moab and came across this amazing area with slot canyons, unique formations, towers, and an awesome overlook with views of the Colorado river as it starts to form Lake Powell. The best part? We saw a total of 3 other people the whole time. We snapped a few photos and sent them to Michelle to see what she thought! She and Will were on board and trusted our judgement, so we move the session to Glen Canyon National Recreation Area. 

We were in Oregon two days before their session and it was honestly surreal to drive from Lindsay + Heath's snowy mountain engagement photo session to the warm Utah desert for Michelle and Will's session! Sometimes I'm still in awe at how awesome our job is :) We got to the Rec Area a little bit early with plans of scouting out a nearby slot canyon for the first half of their session but once we got there some storm clouds started forming and we made the decision to forgo a real slot canyon since they can get really dangerous when there is rain anywhere nearby. We found an awesome slabby sandstone area with interesting formations and great colors and I was so stoked when scouting to find a tiiiiny little slot that was about 10 feet deep and just two little chambers. It honestly looked a little pathetic in person, but I knew the photos would be amazing and I'm so glad Michelle and Will trusted my photographer vision yet again! Those "slot canyon" photos are some of my favorites from the day!

The session ended up being almost too perfect with moody storm clouds and warm summer wind. As a wedding photographer, I spend a lot of time reassuring people that blue bird skies aren't necessarily the best and that shooting in overcast light, occasional rain, and strong winds almost always adds an amazing dynamic to the photos. This was definitely true with Michelle and Will's session. I love how much variety and depth there is in these photos thanks to a combination of moody weather, amazing clients, and some creativity in my photography! We ended the day watching the last bit of light off another nearby overlook, sipping wine, snacking on chips + salsa, and talking about everything from rock climbing to wedding planning. Like I said, I'm not sure it could've been more perfect. 

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The Hearnes Adventure Photography is run by Abbi and Callen Hearne, a husband & wife wedding photography team with an emphasis on adventure. They live on the road as full-time nomads in their big white van, allowing them to serve a large portion of the western US including California, Utah, Oregon, Washington, Arizona, Colorado, and Wyoming. They believe love is the greatest adventure and strive to create photos that are epic, romantic, true, and timeless.

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