It shouldn’t be too difficult to believe that these two were interested in an engagement session that involved some adventure. Samara is a triathlete and Brett… well Brett loves motorcycles.
We agreed to meet in early August at the Abiqua Falls trailhead just outside Scotts Mills (which doesn’t have a gas station just in case you wondered) and hike down together. Getting to the trailhead is notoriously difficult since many GPS units will take you anywhere except where you need to be, the access road is barely marked and gets extremely rough, oh yea and the tailhead isn’t marked either. Good luck. If you can find it and if your vehicle can handle it then you’ll be rewarded with a serious hike down to the creek that leads you to the falls (medium-high difficulty). I found this hike to be extra challenging with my messenger style camera bag. Pro tip: Use a backpack when shoots involve hiking instead of your regular bag. Bring only the gear that you need to reduce weight.
We stopped along the trail whenever the sun broke though the dense trees and I instructed Samara + Brett to climb over logs and up large rocks, “…now cuddle.” They were real troopers! Once we were down to the creek it was time to get out feet wet. More climbing over logs and up on to large boulders it was painfully clear just how low the water level was and we anticipated a less-than full display once we reached the falls. But that didn’t dampen our spirits! It actually made it easier for us to get to some pockets around the creek that would have otherwise been inaccessible.
There was only one other small group at the falls when we finally reached it. Indeed the water pouring over the cliff side was less than we hoped for, but it was still an epic sight! Abiqua falls and all of its grandeur really brings out the romance and it wasn’t difficult at all to get Samara + Brett to snuggle up. Since I made them wade out into the splash pool it seemed only fair that I do it too, plus it would give me a perfect perspective of them gazing up at the falls. They were a little nervous about me being in the water with my camera, but I was more worried about getting my butt wet as I crouched down to get the water-level view.
After we hiked back out to the road we took some time to enjoy the golden hour in a fresh set of clothes and some tall grass. It’s difficult to image that these two settings are in the same-ish location. …that’s the beauty of Oregon!
I can’t wait for Samara + Brett’s summer 2017 wedding!
Newly engaged? Congratualtions!
I’d love to talk over coffee (or skype) and hear about your wedding day vision. Contact me for a consultation and full booking details. …tell me your love story.