Cozying Up at the Airbnb
It's not often that we get the opportunity to photograph a Joshua Tree honeymoon, so when we were put in touch with Meghan and Nico by way of our dear photographer friend Jenna Solich, we were extra excited. We started out with Meghan and Nico cozying up in their Airbnb in Desert Hot Springs. We hadn't met them before this day, having traveled by way of Pittsburgh and married the week prior. But Meghan and Nico are the type who are so endearing that they make you feel like old friends. They emit a love and warmth that we felt radiating off of them throughout the entire shoot.
Making Our Way Into The Park
Next, we made our way into Joshua Tree National Park, stopping first at an open field scattered with Joshua Trees and shrubs dried by a hot summer sun. It wasn't long till we heard the choir of yipping coyotes echoing through the open plains off into the distance. The sound was a sobering reminder to just how far off into the wilderness we were.
Skull Rock
We ventured further into the park until we reached our sunset location, Skull Rock. Meghan lead Nico up through the rocks and up onto a very tall boulder looking out over the fields. Nico held Meghan as they sat, switching on and off between admiring the views around them and the view of each other's eyes.
There is a softness, an earnestness to their love. There was no discomfort in the vulnerability of being photographed by two strangers. Possibly this was due to having been photographed so much at their wedding the week prior. But part of me says this roots from a deeper place, from a genuine comfort with each other. They don't mind looking in each other's eyes for minutes upon minutes because they've done it a million times before. Because what they see in each other's eyes is home.
Keys View
Once the sun fell behind the mountains, we milked the last twilight hours and eventually ventured up to Keys View. It was night by this point, but the moon shone so bright we could still see each other illuminated by its light. The scene was surreal -- glimmering city lights below, then remnants of orange sky kissing the mountains like an aura, quickly fading into purple, then black night. The sky was littered with endless stars, and the milky way shone clearly, despite the city lights below. We stood there, just talking amongst one another while embracing the stars.
Surrender, and Thank You
There's something beautiful about the surrender that inevitably happens when you venture far off into nature with only goals of observation and creation. It's akin to meditation, having no agenda other than creating art with a loving couple and embracing your surroundings. Yet another humbling reminder for us how lucky we are to be able to call this our "job." It's never a job, and working with amazing folks like Meghan and Nico is a testament to that.
So thanks Meghan and Nico, for staying out with us afterwards and reminding us what it's like to stay up until 3am. Thanks for trusting us to capture your love, and for sacrificing the last day of your Joshua Tree honeymoon to spend it with us. We're so grateful we get to call you our friends!
Play the song below and dive in, because their love is just like an 80's movie happy ending. (Queue freeze frame of fist pump into the air).
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