Picture this: It’s the early morning hours, the darkest before dawn. You set out in your car for what looks to be the dark unknown. With each passing minute the sun starts to make its way closer to the horizon, and the sky begins to slowly fade from a deep black to a dark blue. The excitement builds. Silhouettes of giants begin to appear against the night sky as you drive further into the darkness. You eventually reach your destination as the sky lightens and silhouettes begin to shift to recognizable objects. Giants. Rugged ridges of Earth ascending high into the sky. The next chapter of your adventure unfolds as the hues of darkness brighten toward an unforgettable sunrise in the mountains. When you make plans for a Rocky Mountain engagement, you get to experience this and much more too.
I remember the first time I saw the Rocky Mountains. As a Native Floridian, I’ll admit that I literally cried. It was one of the most beautiful sights I’ve ever laid eyes on. I’ve since spent more time in the Rockies than I can count, and hope to eventually move out there one day. There is just so much awe and wonder to behold out there, and if you know then you know! If you’ve never been, then you need to add it to your calendar ASAP.
Jeni + Victor set out to the top of the Rockies in Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado way before the sun came up to meet me out there before sunrise. They braved the cold for some epic imagery and they’re absolute troopers for doing so! I guess after you live in Colorado for so long you get used to the cold ;-P
We began our adventure during what’s known as the blue hour — that’s the half hour or so before sunrise, when the sun is still below the horizon. The sky is a deep blue and the landscape is suffused with a soft blueish light. Just like how I capture the trueness of any weather, the blue hour lends itself toward a more blueish tone in my photographs. I love how distinct it is.
Even more beautiful than blue hour is the experience of witnessing alpenglow. Ugh, the literally heart-wrenching beauty of alpenglow. It’s the reddish glow seen near sunset or sunrise on the summits of mountains, and happens as the sun is justttt below the horizon line, illuminating the mountains opposite to the sun’s direction. Even if you’re not a morning person — and I am definitely one of those people — I strongly encourage you to add this to your bucket list as well.
It was such a wonderful morning getting to experience blue hour, the alpenglow, and a majestic sunrise deep in the Rockies with Jeni and Victor that day. I love how much it added to the variety in their photos too. I cannot wait to be back out in Colorado to celebrate their intimate sunset wedding in 2022!
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