4:30 AM. My alarm goes off earlier than a typical morning. There’s an excitement in my chest that wills me to climb out of my warm bed at the early hour. After braiding my hair back and brushing my teeth, I prepare a hot coffee for the drive ahead. I gather all of the camera gear I laid out last night. After the car is packed I head west for I-40. The drive is curvy but familiar to me, winding through the North Carolina section of the smoky mountains.
A little over two hours later I’m in the heart of Pisgah National Forest, making introductions with Logan and Halli. These two embody the spirit of adventure. Our shared love for the outdoors brought us together here at the waterfall’s pull off, at the crack of dawn. I’m especially excited to meet their sweet black lab mix, Evie. She seems just as anxious as the humans to get out of our cars and explore.
The morning light painted the river in hues of gold. We had it completely to ourselves, setting the stage for an amazing experience. Halli and Logan were completely willing to embrace the elements, even plunging into the freezing cold pool at the bottom of the falls.
Halli and Logan’s love shows through the camera, and the resulting photos are nothing short of ethereal. We had a lot of fun trying a variation of different poses. Some are rather close, reflecting the intimacy of the moment. Other times I walked far enough away the couple couldn’t even hear me over the roar of the rapids. I observed their relationship at a distance, capturing the natural tendencies between the two of them.
Time flew by and an hour and a half later we came to a finish. We all took one last look at the beautiful waterfall, now dotted with tourists, and said our goodbyes. I am SO happy with the way these photos turned out, and I already can’t wait until my next session in Pisgah National Forest.
Thank you Hallie and Logan for trusting me to capture your sweet relationship.
Thanks for reading, and stay tuned for more behind-the-scenes fun and stunning captures from future shoots.
-KM
