Rocky Mountain National Park Engagement Session
Shelby & Zach first contacted me wanting some really memorable engagement photos in the Rocky Mountains. They regularly travel together & on one of their trips out to the Estes Park area, they got engaged at Dream Lake in Rocky Mountain National Park. The mountains, especially the Rocky Mountains in Colorado were a special place for them both. I always love when couples choose a special location for engagement photos. It makes the photos & the experience even more special & memorable.
Waking Up Early for Sunrise in Estes Park, Colorado
We had to get up early to not only drive, but also hike in the dark to catch sunrise. I brought snacks & coffee for us all to help us get energized before the hike up to the lakes in Rocky Mountain for their sunrise engagement session in the park. I always bring headlamps for walking along the trails in the dark. You probably don’t want to drain your phone battery & it’s good to have your hands free so you can catch yourself if you stumble.
As we were going up the trail, everything was still dark but we could see some intense sunrise colors coming through the clouds. We took some engagement photos in the early morning hours with the headlamps & the colors of the sunset in the clouds.
Engagement Photos in Rocky Mountain National Park
After hiking for a while in the dark, we arrived at some of the higher lakes in Rocky Mountain National Park. While Shelby & Zach got changed, I watched the sunset change colors & took some photos of the landscapes. A lot of times when photographing couples, I take photos of the landscapes & also give those photos to them just in case they want to print them for photos on their walls.
We hiked around to some different spots around the lakes in Rocky Mountain & the great thing about such an early sunrise time was having these popular places all to ourselves. It was early summer but there was still ice hanging around in the lakes which made for a cool element in some of the photos. Shelby & Zach brought some dress clothes & more casual clothes for their engagement session in Rocky Mountain National Park. This way they could get a variety of engagement photos.
These lakes in Rocky Mountain National Park are popular, but if you go at sunrise or go in winter, you can have these beautiful areas all or mostly to yourself!
My fiancé and I live in Texas, but got engaged in Rocky Mountain National Park since it has been such a big part of our story. I knew the moment we started planning I would love to have pictures that captured our joy of hiking & adventure but still wanted the nice dressed photos. Not knowing where to start, how we would get these great photos, or when the best time was to get the colors I wanted, I did some research on Instagram. That’s when I found Malachi & I’m SO HAPPY I did! From the first time reaching out, he was quick at responses, clear about pricing, best times to go (for us it was sunrise which I highly recommend), he allows as many changes as time permits, & asking us questions that would help him capture our personalities.
– Shelby & Zach
The day of, he picked us up promptly at 4am, when we got to the trailhead he had headlamps, iced coffees & bars (a thoughtful touch as we were consumed with remembering outfits), & guided us at our pace while keeping an eye out for the sunrise and getting the photos we now LOVE! Malachi is a really cool, easy to talk to, chill guy which made the whole thing less awkward & more fun. He directed us when needed, laid in freezing snow to get the perfect shot, & provided us with pictures we will cherish forever. If you’re considering an adventure engagement shoot or adventure elopement, I could not recommend Malachi more. It was an experience we’ll never forget!
