Mount Laguna Engagement Session – Brigette & Brian

When Brigette told me that she wanted to something a little more adventurous for her engagement session, I was all in. We tossed around several ideas, ultimately deciding to climb a mountain. She wanted rocky sweeping views, so I set to work scouting and found this gem of a location right here in San Diego County.

We met up in Mount Laguna and hiked out past the Pacific Crest Trail to this gorgeous hillside. And yes, Brigette hiked in her dress. The sun was setting, and it was getting cold fast. The wind was blowing so hard that I could barely hold my camera steady, and tears were streaming down Brigette and Brian’s faces. However, I knew we were getting some spectacular shots. After spending some time out on the hillside, and after some deliberation about whether we should carry on in this wind, we continued to make our ascent to the top of Garnet Peak. For a few minutes, as we bouldered up just below the peak, we were sheltered from the wind, and thought this would be no problem. But as soon as we emerged atop the mountain, the wind whipped even harder, making it difficult to stand. We found ourselves above the clouds that had blown in, and looking down onto the desert floor below. We only spent a few minutes at the top, but it was breathtaking.

We turned around and started our climb back down in the twilight, headlamps lighting our way. Our noses ran, and fingers froze, and we giggled all the way back about what a memorable adventure this photo session had turned into, and chatted about life, travel, and family.

Although their photos turned out pretty great, the best part of this adventure was connecting with my clients on a deeper level, and building new friendships. I know I will be a big crybaby at their wedding because now I am all in.