Sometimes being directionally challenged has its perks especially when you stumble upon places like this.

Whenever people ask me how I find my locations, I pretty much just have to tell them that I get lost all the time on my way home from other shoots.

I’ve shot out in the Columbia River Gorge so many times, and so I try to mix it up with the directions that I come home, to see if I can find any new spots to shoot at. 

When Morgan and Neil requested to shoot their engagement photos in the Columbia River Gorge, I pitched the idea of Beacon Rock State Park. I thought I’d never shot there before, but I had seen enough photos on Google to have an idea of what it would look like. And then I offered Government Cove as a second location so if the first photos turned out bad, I know I could fall back on something I was familiar with.

We met up and had some wine, and chatted, and loved on their sweet golden retrievers, my favorite dogs, then went into the field and we frolicked through flowers.

Neil often sings to Morgan, so he brought his guitar and they had a sweet moment on the dock together with Beacon Rock towering in the background.

We then made our way over to the Oregon side of the Gorge, just a heads up it will cost you two dollars per car to get over the bridge, and ended at Government Cove with a champagne pop, whimsical engagement photos, and the happiest of hearts.

I was already counting down the days until their wedding which ended up being absolutely stunning. I’ll check it out here to see what I mean. These two do not skip out on the details, and I feel so fortunate to have been their photographer for such important life moments!

When I say I’m not here just to take a photo and leave, I mean it, so if you’re looking for an experience like this then let’s make it happen!