The Session I Couldn't Have Planned

Back when I was still dreaming about starting my own photography business, before I really understood what it meant to be a photographer, I used to think I'd be able to plan every session out in my head and have it go exactly the way I pictured it. I'd close my eyes and run the whole thing like a little movie, for myself. I'd picture exactly where I wanted them to stand, her hand resting just so on his chest, him looking down at her instead of the camera. I'd picture the light hitting them at the perfect angle, golden and soft, not a single harsh shadow anywhere. I'd picture the whole session running smoothly from start to finish, easy and natural, like they'd done this a hundred times before.



Now that I'm running a photography business, I laugh at how I used to think I could make a session run exactly as I pictured it, because that's not how life works, as much as I'd like it to be. If I tried to plan everything ahead of time, there wouldn't be any room left for life to surprise us, like the weather turning on us in a way I never could have planned for, no matter how much I try to control it. This session with Logan and Jamie is a perfect example. It challenged me to think on my feet and didn't leave much room for planning at all. I can't wait to tell you all about it. But first, here's how we all ended up here.

How We All Ended Up Here

I didn't meet Logan and Jamie until I showed up at this location, and you're probably thinking, "Why didn't you know them, and how did you get them to show up there anyway?" It all started when Alison and I got to talking about a new location we wanted to test out, a beautiful castle we'd scouted out together the week before (you can read all about that adventure here, it's a good one). As a Colorado engagement photographer, I'm always looking for new spots like this one. Alison mentioned she'd asked a friend of hers if he and his fiancée would model for us, since she wanted a few more couples on her portfolio, and she'd ask if they were okay with two photographers there too. I was so glad they were up for giving us the creative freedom to try something new.

A model call is a fun way of saying we ask people we know to step in front of our cameras so we can practice new poses and try out new locations, without the pressure of a paying client. I still take these seriously though, they're where I get to slow down and study the light and my poses, so when a real client's in front of me, I'm fully focused on making sure they're having a good time and feel comfortable.

10 Percent Chance

On our way to the session, about an hour and twenty minutes away, we noticed it was raining up in the mountains. I looked over at Alison and said, "Hey, did we check the weather for this location?" She pulled up her phone and said, "It says there's a 10 percent chance of rain at 7, which is when we're starting." We looked at each other, and she said, "I think it'll be fine." I said, "Alrighty, let's go."



Once we arrived, we parked in the same spot as last time, but quickly realized it was too far to walk to where we wanted to start. Erin tagged along with us again, and she asked, "Want me to move the car a little closer so we don't have to walk so far?" (You'll read later why I was so thankful she made that call. It turned out to be a lifesaver.) While we got our cameras out and figured out exactly where to start, Logan and Jamie showed up.

Breaking the Ice

The first ten minutes of any session can feel a little uncomfortable, and this was no different, since it was the first time I'd met Logan and Jamie in person. I'm sure they weren't quite sure what to expect either. I introduced myself, and we got right into posing for their engagement session.



Within a few minutes, Alison asked, "Remind me how you two met again?" They looked at each other and laughed, and Alison said, "Oh, I bet there's a story there, please tell." Logan looked over at Jamie, laughing, and said, "I knew she had a boyfriend at the time because I saw it on Instagram. Then I noticed she was single, so I DMed her and said, 'I see you're single, do you still want to be?'" Jamie buried her face in his shoulder laughing, and we all cracked up right along with them. "Wow," I said, "that was pretty smooth."

The First Raindrop

That's when I felt a raindrop land on my shoulder. I glanced up at the sky, back down to my viewfinder, over at Alison to make sure I wasn't stepping into her shot, then back up again, half expecting it to pass. Another drop hit my arm. Then another landed right on my lens. I kept shooting anyway, one eye on the clouds, watching them shift from a soft gray to something heavier and darker by the second. We pulled the umbrella out and got some cute shots of them underneath it, focusing in close on her ring, the drops picking up speed against the fabric above their heads.

The sound of it hitting the umbrella went from a light patter to something a lot louder. Before I could even say anything, it wasn't a few drops anymore, it was pouring. I yelled, "Quick, run to the car!" and while everyone else took off toward it, I turned around and ran the opposite direction to grab my camera bag and a blanket we'd brought along just in case. By the time I circled back around, everyone else was already piling in, but when I reached the driver's side, the door was locked. I stood there yelling, "The door is locked! The door is locked!" while Erin fumbled around trying to find the right button.

I'd barely gotten myself inside when Jamie suddenly said, "Wait, our clothes are still outside!" So I went back out, running through the rain thinking, this is so much fun, grabbed their things, and turned back toward the car. I looked like I'd taken a shower, my hair completely soaked, but thankfully our clothes were just damp.



Once everyone was finally settled, we all sat there laughing, like we couldn't believe that had happened.

That's the moment I was so glad Erin had thought to move the car closer earlier, because if it had still been parked where we'd originally left it, we would have all been drenched by the time we got there, and the session probably would have ended right then. I looked at Alison and asked what we should do, and she said, "Hopefully it won't last long."

Golden Hour with a Colorado Engagement Photographer

Only a few minutes later, I looked over and said, "Okay, I think it's stopped, are you ready to try again?" We piled back out and got right back into the session, not knowing if the rain would start up again. Then, quiet raindrops showed up once more, and we asked Logan and Jamie if they were still okay with continuing. They were all for it. As a Colorado engagement photographer, this kind of unpredictable light is exactly what I chase.

That's when I noticed a real shift in them. The awkwardness was gone, and it started to feel natural. They eased into the posing more easily, their smiles got more genuine, and this is my favorite part of any session, because that's when I start getting excited.

The sun was getting low by then, almost sitting right behind them, breaking through the clouds with this huge warm light. The rain was still hanging in the air, so you could see little drops floating around them in some of the photos, lighting up Jamie's hair and turning the whole field warm and golden. You could feel the warmth of the sun and the coldness of the raindrops on Logan and Jamie at the same time. Erin was right there too, holding the umbrella under our cameras to keep them dry, kept saying, "This is good, the lighting looks awesome."

That's when Alison and I fell into this little unspoken dance with each other, every so often one of us asking, "Am I in your way?" and the other saying, "Nope, you're good," then walking right in front of each other anyway, laughing it off and shooting right through it. It felt like we were reading each other's minds, and the whole time, Logan and Jamie kept cracking each other up between poses, their laughter catching right as I clicked the shutter.



At one point, looking through the viewfinder, I had Jamie looking one direction and Logan looking the other, both of them lost in their own little moment. I don't know why, but that shot has stuck with me ever since. I could feel their connection so clearly in that moment, even though neither of them was looking at the other.

Running in the Rain

That's when it started to rain again. I felt a raindrop on my shoulder, then another, and I looked up at the sky and laughed, because here we were again. "Quick, run to the car!" I yelled, the same words as before, like déjà vu.

But this time, instead of running with them, I ran behind them. And that's when I got one of my favorite shots of the whole session: Jamie's hand resting on Logan's lower back as they ran, both of them laughing, neither one thinking about the camera at all.

Once the rain stopped again, we all climbed back out, hoping this was the last time we'd have to make a run for the car. Thankfully, the rain stayed away, and we were able to wrap up the rest of the session, the best light and the best couple we could've asked for on a model call.



And it got me thinking, the way Logan and Jamie ran through that rain together, hand on back, laughing the whole way, that's kind of how their whole relationship looks from the outside. If they can run through the rain together like that, side by side, I have a feeling they can run alongside each other through anything life brings their way too.

Time to Head Home

After we wrapped up, we said our goodbyes, and Logan and Jamie thanked us for our time, telling us they'd had so much fun. Alison, Erin, and I were all relieved to hear it, because sometimes you can't quite read what your couple is thinking, and there were a few moments out there where I caught myself thinking, gosh, I hope this is as much fun for them as it's been for us.

Once we climbed back into the car, Alison looked over at me and we started laughing, then went in for a high five. That was so much fun.



As a Colorado engagement photographer, moments like this are exactly why I do this work, and as I drove back down the mountain, I felt so thankful I'd let go of trying to plan how a session should go. Logan and Jamie didn't have to say yes to a model call with a random photographer, but I'm so glad they did, because everything unfolded exactly the way it was supposed to.

If reading this made you want a session full of real laughter, a little unpredictability, and photos that actually feel like you, I'd love to be the one behind the camera for it. Whether it's an engagement session, a family session , or just because, let's chat about what your day could look like. [Book your session here / Reach out to get started].

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