Training for an adventure photography session!
Okay, guys, it’s January and I feel like the whole world is talking about training so I thought I would too! Haha, but don’t be freaked out! The definition for training is “the action of teaching a person a particular skill.” And today, my friends we are going to train for an adventure photography session!
I love when my couples want to turn their engagement photo session or elopement into an Adventure Photography Session! This may sound a bit daunting, to freaking train for a session but rest assured you’ll have stunning photos and an incredible day hanging out with me. And I’m here to help make this “training” as easy as pie! The best way to “train” for an adventure photography session is to first prep for the adventure at hand, and then prep for the photography session.
So let’s first off start with what I mean by TRAINING!
Okay, so I in no means mean that I want you to train like you would for a marathon or triathlon! Because lord knows I wouldn’t complete either one of those in a timely manner, I might be able to finish a sprint triathlon but that’s about it! LOL! I just want y’all to be prepared so TRAINING just means preparation to me!
Okay, so let’s say you and your beloved choose an adventure of hiking to an alpine lake. I’ll work with you to pick out the perfect hike! We will take into account what mileage we’re doing as well as how much vert we will be doing. For Y'all to be comfortable we must choose a distance you have previously completed so your body at so isn’t tortured for hours to get to the spectacular mountain feature. We can do a bit of workout but I don’t want anyone yakking. That’s not good for photos! Sorry, but you sea level folks might not be able to complete certain hikes in comfort. Then, we’ll figure out the timing of the hike based on sunrise or sunset. Then your homework starts as you prep your pack for the adventure.
If we're hiking to an alpine lake…
We’ll be needing to wear layers, boots, poles and have that perfectly packed pack. We’ll bring all of our stuff for hiking that is seasonally appropriate and needed for the trail we’ve chosen. This often includes a map, compass, poles, micro-spikes, gloves, hat, water, extra socks and shirt, snacks, sunscreen, micro puff and, of course, a beer.
In high school, I was the president of the camping club (yep, I’m a cool kid! LOL). We knew packing up your pack was the hardest part of some of the backpacking trips. So we would pack up our items together two nights before the trip. As a rule of thumb, you place the heaviest items in the small of your back and the lightest items at the top of your pack. And you place the snacks in easy to access spots! But, I’m not going to be toooooo worried about your packing skills, since most of my couples are outdoor pros. Therefore, I usually learn a thing or two from them!
But remember, this isn’t just a hike, we’ll also be prepared for a photo session which means packing a dressier outfit, a little makeup for touchups, and any accessories you want in your photos. You might also want to get your nails and hair done ahead of time. Because Lord knows, I love details! You may also want a casual outfit, or you can wear nice hiking clothes you want to be photographed in, which is what I recommend. You can also think about any other little sentimental pieces you’d like to bring like love notes, books, or photos.
My number one goal is for y’all to have fun!
It’s just us hanging out on a mountain hike to an alpine lake and then taking some pictures along the way and when we get there. It’s super relaxed and fun - just be ready to do a silly dance with me! So you might want to train for the silly dancing too!
A few photographs from hiking Mt. Bierstadt in Colorado.
