Zion National Park

so I am heading out of the country in just 16 days to shoot my first wedding on the year in Mexico! and I just realized I haven't shared my photos from my Utah trip yet. I know. I'm a slacker.
so back in November I attended a workshop with the awesome kick ass photog phenom Brooke Davis Johnson of Blush Photography. Just the thought of workshops normally freaks me out. I mean, sitting around in a classroom with a bunch of stylish bubbly ladies sounds painful. Brooke's workshop was suuuper laid back though. We sat around a campfire and her hubby Tavis hooked me up with some delicious Utah beer (it may have been like 11 am but hey I'm a Wisco girl. totally acceptable.) There were only 5 of us who attended so it was nice and intimate. We spent the first half just relaxing and talking about everything from our personal lives to our biggest fears in business to social media. After shooting in the afternoon we went back to the campground and ate and drank (more) bourbon under the stars. It was fantastic. now I'm going to overwhelm you with workshop pictures. eat your heart out.

shooting in direct sun might be my new favorite thing...

so besides learning a bunch of new ish, I did some adventuring. because how are you gonna go to Utah and not?! this was my first time doing any sort of back country hiking. My shoulders and feet ached afterwards. I froze my butt off on the ground in a really small tent one night. I got all sorts of sweaty and gross during the day. and honestly it was on the happiest times of my life. Zion is breath taking. literally. most of the time I just looked around me barely able to breathe or form sentences other than "oh. my. gosh."

yes. yes I was creeping on this adorable old man. I hope I am still out exploring the world when I'm his age.

at one point during the back country hike I was all tears. I was so overwhelmed and grateful that I am physically and financially able to travel. I realized just how small and insignificant I am. And yet how strong and powerful I am.

If you go to Zion I highly highly suggest staying at Ponderosa Ranch. Super affordable, clean, comfortable, and free breakfast! everything from old school camp sites to huge pimped out condos.
The last night in Utah, the stars were insane. So even though I had no tripod and we were extremely exhausted from hiking and I had never done any night photography before, we went out and did the damn thing.

so.. come to find out... November in Zion is pretty chilly. On our way out we stopped at The Narrows because duh... it's the place to be. The plan was just to see it because the water was way to cold to actually walk through. Then I saw this bad ass lady above hiking through the Narrows with a baby on her back!!! so you know what happened next...

you've got more than money and sense my friend
you've got heart
and you go in your own way
what you don't have now will come back again
you've got heart
and you go in your own way