Recently, Justin and I visited some close friends in Idaho. We spent several days camping near Sun Valley, ID, and then spent the rest of our time in Boise. During this trip I knew we needed to fit in a photoshoot and explore Idaho, and AJ and Jonathan were game for anything.
We started in Downtown Boise doing some casual photos at JUMP, and then they changed into their bridal attire. I knew I wanted to combination of urban and nature. Idaho has a ton of open spaces with fields and hills, but I knew for this shoot I really wanted to find a rocky area that was different from the usual landscapes I shoot at in Los Angeles/Santa Clarita, CA. My friend, Peter, ended up finding this spot by searching for rock climbing areas near Boise, which was brilliant. It’s called Black Cliffs, and it worked out really well for a few reasons— AJ and Jonathan had just moved to Boise last year and got to explore a new area of Idaho that they weren’t familiar with yet. Plus, It fit the vibe perfectly—we wanted these photos to have an outdoorsy, boho, yet almost edgey feeling to them. If you’re looking for a stunning location for your engagement or bridal photos, or even an elopement, let’s go here! It would be perfect for sunrise or sunset. There’s easy parking, and very minimal hiking to get stunning photos.
AJ and Jonathan wore their wedding clothes, but we added a couple of unique twists. I had just bought this wide brim hat in Hailey, Idaho at an outdoor market, and realized it would be so cute for AJ to wear with her wedding dress. Her dress is from Anthropologie’s BHLDN line, and it was so sleek. We contrasted that with her Blundstone boots and it was a vibe.
I highly recommend doing a bridal shoot on a different day than your wedding. It gives you the freedom to really get creative with your wedding portraits, enjoy the process, take your time, and not be constrained by a day of timeline.
Want me to shoot your wedding or schedule a photoshoot? Let’s make it happen!
