Holy mother of lights.
Miranda and Davis are one of our 2020 couples. Their actual venue is in Oakland (also in the Redwoods), so we thought an Adventure Session out here would've been the perfect fit for them.
This past Saturday, Moe and I packed all three kids in the car, loaded up our Jeep Wrangler with enough gear and food to last an entire week on the road, and set out for Big Sur. We made a few small stops along the way, but we knew that we needed to visit Limekiln (the location we would be shooting these two at the following day) to scope out the scenery. Once we got there, the Ranger informed us that due to Covid-19, they were only allowing 10 cars in at a time. This certainly put a damper in our plans as we had originally decided to meet at 4 to shoot. I got on the phone with Miranda once service returned and we adjusted our plans to make sure we were one of the first cars to enter the park. And as it turns out--it was absolutely perfect.
Our kids (who are seasoned hikers and adventurers) were ecstatic about all the creeks we had to cross to get to the waterfall. The hike itself is less than a mile long, but there are a lot of crossings that would require younger children to have help. Olivia, our 7 year old, did just fine, but Thalia, our 5 year old, needed Moe to carry her. I had Isabella strapped to my chest, so she was safe & sound.
If you're planning a Session in the Redwoods, be mindful of the lighting. It was very dark (despite it being early morning), and with this area having a lot of sea fog, the sun wasn't always out to play. We circled back on Monday morning and it certainly wouldn't have given us the same effect had we shot another day.
What I love about our process is that we will literally disarm you. If you can't tell, we LOVE to laugh. If you met Miranda + Davis, they would tell you that they are not "picture people." In fact, after we shot their holiday session, Miranda went on to say this about us: "Lana and Moe are the best! We did our family photo with them in November of 2019 and did they have their work cut out for them. I get super nervous and stiff when getting my photo taken... I don’t know how they did it but the photos are fantastic! We got engaged in February and immediately hired them for our wedding in November 2020."
The truth is this: unless you're a model, EVERYONE gets nervous in front of the camera. We're very fortunate to have worked with individuals and couples who have vibed with us (and therefore trusted us). As a result, we are able to deliver them the kinds of photos that we love--emotive, in a photojournalistic way. If you're curious about shooting with us, send me a message! I'd love to walk you through the process & created timeless memories for you & yours.
Love (always),
Lana & Moe