Engagement Photos East Rim Grand Canyon National Park
It was so fun to meet an adventurous couple like Aundrea and Blake. Originally we even thought about trying to take some rock climbing photos but I decided that the variables were too great to risk the portrait session so we decided on Lipan Point on the east rim of the Grand Canyon for this engagement photo session.
Its getting harder and harder to get away from the crowds at Grand Canyon but we were able to get a few really amazing photos above and slightly below the rim. We worked with a bit harsher light and we were lucky to get a little bit of clouds. Clouds help improve the quality of light. Light at Grand Canyon can often be harsh if you cant diffuse it. I try to look to the natural landscape for what I need and also “seeing” the available light and shooting in the harshness that can exist here.
It was fun to look to the landscape for different posing ideas. Coming from a lot of studio experience, I am always looking to let poses become more genuine and natural, life like. I am always proud and happy to understand posing enough to move the pose in the light so that it works as well as it can in the available light field. I can’t imagine working without this well seasoned posing experience.
I do remember an amazing workshop that I took from Cliff Mautner, what feels like a million years ago. And I love knowing that I can “see” the light wherever I am. I love being freed from large cumbersome lighting equipment and showing what it really is like to be there, where I am, instead of creating an ideal lighting environment. I feel free to be creative and authentic in my approach.