There’s a magical quality to sunsets that makes them the perfect backdrop for romantic moments. As a photographer, capturing such moments is a privilege, and few places offer a more breathtaking setting than the Rio Grande Gorge Bridge in New Mexico. Recently, I had the honor of photographing a truly special proposal at this iconic location.
The Rio Grande Gorge Bridge, standing over 650 feet above the Rio Grande River, is one of the highest bridges in the United States. It offers stunning views of the rugged landscape, with the river cutting through the canyon below. At sunset, the entire scene transforms as the sky bursts into vibrant hues of yellow and orange, casting a warm glow over the surrounding mountains and cliffs.
Jake and Cleo’s love story is one for the ages. Having met during a hiking trip in New Mexico, they wanted their proposal to reflect their shared love for adventure and the natural beauty of the state. Jake planned the proposal meticulously, choosing the West Rim trail as the spot where he would ask Cleo to be his forever.
The resulting photos were nothing short of magical. The warm, golden light of the setting sun bathed Cleo and Jake in a soft glow, highlighting their emotions. Each image tells a story of love, commitment, and the beginning of a new chapter.
Kath and Brian are visiting Taos from New York City and wanted some photos with the mountains. We had a beautiful overcast sky and the mountains were on their best display. I loved that this couple wore hiking boots with their dress-up gear (they hiked the South Boundary Trail the day before)! We took some traditional photos and some more casual photos with the landscape and some local art. By the end of our shoot the sunshine was out and it felt like a Taos summertime again!
This was a fun morning engagement session with a couple that has a new home in Taos! It was fun to use different spaces around Chasity and Bil’s new home. The mountain views are so inviting out on the mesa, with or without the fire-season smoke! This couple will also host their September wedding at their house with wedding guests coming from all over the United States. Congratulations on a wonderful engagement!
Smoke from the Hermit’s Peak and Calf Canyon wildfire played with the light at this early morning wedding near the Rio Grande gorge. The brides-in-blue were excited and giddy to finally tie the knot. Dan Jones officiated the elopement and two big-horned sheep watched the women state their wedding vows.
Deanna and Wyatt were stuck in New Mexico when the entire country shut down due to Covid in May of 2020. Forced into backcountry camping, these two to completely fell in love with Carson National Forest and the beauty of northern New Mexico. They decided to travel back to Taos this summer to discover some new places and revisit some places that were closed the first time they came through. And that’s when Wyatt proposed to Deanna…and the wedding planning began, for a New Mexico wedding! This destination wedding will take place at Shady Brook in Taos Canyon in July of 2022!
We shot some pics at the future wedding site at Shady Brook, and with the sign that welcomed them to their future wedding venue. Afterwards we popped over to a nearby campground and had a great hike up to the popular cave of Taos Canyon. The trail was quiet and cool and the forest was lusciously green after the six weeks of recent monsoons.
Congratulations to Deanna and Wyatt and cheers to their upcoming New Mexico wedding!
For a dark, windy, winter evening, we rocked this engagement sitting and captured some amazing engagement photos. These women came to Taos from Portland, Oregon for a pandemic-getaway. They rented a house out on the mesa and they had their own little private courtyard complete with sculptures, prayer flags, and a labyrinth. We were able to use the photogenic design also incorporating the endless sea of sage and the Sangre de Cristo mountain range too. Congratulations to these women and their happily ever after, in progress!
