I was out on a shoot last night. It was an epic outdoor’s shoot at the top of a mountain. And before you ask, why yes, it is a little early in the year to be doing mountaintop shoots. And yes, it was cold. And windy, too.

But when life gives you rain, or cold, or snow, or wind or whatever, you can choose to walk away, abandon the idea, cancel the shoot, or you can embrace the chaos, you can have fun with it. You can accept the fact that hair is going to be blowing into her face half the time and say “that’s awesome.” You can smile and laugh and dance and sing and have fun with it. So I told her to go out and be as active as the wind: to jump around and have fun and play. And she did. And, while there are lots of ridiculous outtakes, every once in a while, everything came together and we got a moment of pure magic:

Some photographers will take a model into the studio, shoot them against a green screen, then photoshop the background in. It make everything perfect. Precise. Boring.

Me? I’ve discovered that the experience of taking photos is an experience. The photos themselves are merely reminders of that time you and that crazy photographer took photos in the pouring rain and you decided to take off all your clothes and splash in the mud puddles. Of that time you drove to the top of a mountain in winter and nearly froze your buns off, but it was so much fun! It was an experience.

Because perfect, precise pictures in a studio with a green screen? Can be beautiful. But you won’t be telling stories to all your friends about that time you stood in front of a green screen for an hour. But when you put in the time to get to the top of a mountain (even if you can drive all the way up, as in the photos above), or walk to the base of a waterfall, or do a shoot in a sun-mottled forest on a perfect spring day? These are the things that make memories.

If you want to make some memories, but are nervous, it’s okay. We understand. That’s why we take the time to talk to every potential client. To answer questions. To set expectations. To find out about what makes you tick and jazzes you up. If you want to have that conversation, fill out our no-commitment consultation form.