Lydia and Brandon Couples Shoot in Zion, Utah
Zion has been on my bucket list for quite a long time. I had already fallen in love with Snow Canyon State Park about an hours drive from Zion National Park and just outside of St. George. But Zion National Park is a completely different beast. It’s not the open landscape that I was used to seeing in Arches National Park, another favorite in Utah. It actually reminded me a lot of Iceland with its sheer cliffs and magnitude. The scale of Zion is hard to describe. The roads narrowly wind under cliffs 1,000 feet high with miniature goats climbing across the ledges. Okay, how did that goat get up there? You feel a little enclosed and I definitely had to rethink my sunset times for this portrait session. But I loved being here in the winter. The snow against the red rock was absolutely gorgeous.
I met Lydia and Brandon the day after I had climbed Angel’s Landing, one of the scariest hikes I’ve ever done with it’s ladders, icy cliffs, and sheer drop offs. This hike is considered one of America’s deadliest. And so I opted for an easier hike for Lydia and Brandon, although the views of the snow-covered valley below were equally spectacular. I’m so excited to have clients as excited about adventure as I am. These two braved the cold and snow covered paths in their wedding attire. Actually, Lydia made the change into her dress about halfway up the trails behind a bush.
The fresh powder over the red rocks made this Utah scene pop with contrast. Lydia and Brandon had a nice little moment on an overlook towards the end of the hike. I kept expecting a brachiosaurus to walk through the background or something. Seriously, the whole scene looked so prehistoric and like nothing else I’ve photographed. It’s a good thing Lydia brought a furry blanket because the wind began to pick up through the valley. When things got a little too cold, we hurried down the mountain and headed to my favorite Mexican Restaurant in downtown St. George. Thanks so much Lydia and Brandon for being troopers. It was great hanging with you two.
Josh Hartman – Travel Elopement Photographer
Follow my adventures at instagram.com/joshhartmanphotography
