Solar Rose Co.

04/05/2022

"Outdoorsy" elopements and engagement sessions are obviously my jam, but...

Seattle engagement sessions are surprisingly fun.

There's something delightful about switching from organic, irregular lines to something straight and rigid like the city. Keeps me on my toes, and I like that.

For something like an engagement session, which do you prefer: city or wilderness?

03/29/2022

Risking Instagram's wrath by posting another horizontal image because LOOK at this jewelry.

Lisa and Page flew in from the southwest and brought these beautiful stones with them. The most lovely pops of colour on what turned out to be a cloudy, Seattle day.

I'm all about unique jewelry and accessories. The big client guide that all my couples receive is always being updated with new vendors and brands and cool s**t, and I think I need to find some jewelers who specialize in turquoise...

03/15/2022

This was Take 2 of an engagement session.

Our original plan had been to head out east of Seattle to a waterfall, but the entire highway got shut down, leaving me sitting at 0 mph instead of romping around said waterfall.

We rescheduled, and there wasn't a waterfall this time, but these two only had eyes for each other anyway.

03/11/2022

We are too far out from wildflower season for me to be checking for wildflower updates.

And yet...

Wildflowers in the mountains up here in Washington are one of the best parts of living here. You'll find them blooming at slightly different times of the year, depending on the weather and the elevation. They don't last forever, but they add so much to the views when they're around.

Mountains and alpine lakes and forests are pretty.

Mountains and alpine lakes and forests AND wildflowers? Better.

You can usually find wildflowers across the state from April to August. Again, depending on where you are (eastern WA has a different climate to western WA). And when you do get to see them, remember to Leave No Trace by sticking to the trail. Don't crush or pick the flowers, and they'll keep coming back every year for all of us to enjoy 🌸🌻

03/08/2022

You know why I don't often post on Instagram, right?

Ok mostly, I can't be bothered and truly don't remember that I should be posting regularly.

But that's also the issue: I *should* be. There are so many rules and suggestions for small business owners. Do this, don't do that, write these captions, post this many times... And "tHe AlGoRiThM" means fewer and fewer people will see your work anyway.

Kind of hard to enjoy any of this under those conditions... I'm not good with restrictions.

So I'm trying something else, and I'm going to post whatever whenever, maybe a few times a week. To prove I'm still here and hopefully get to know you all better, to show you what elopements can be like and what eloping with me is like.

And we'll see how that goes 💕
..I feel like I've made posts like this before, so I guess it's still on my mind! What do you think about it all?

03/04/2022

How do you elope somewhere popular without dealing with crowds?

For some places, it truly isn't possible, and I'll be very upfront with you about that. I'd rather you know and plan accordingly rather than get your hopes up.

(You know those stunning photos at Taft Point in Yosemite? Beautiful images, but what you don't see is the literal line of people waiting their turn to take photos there. Some people are ok with that, but if it would ruin your overall experience, I'm not going to recommend a spot like that.)

For plenty of locations, though, it IS possible. I can never guarantee that you won't see a single human, but I can significantly improve your chances. Here's how:

1. Elope on a weekday
Most people have weekday jobs, kids in school, etc. So the weekends are the most popular days for hiking and exploring outdoors. Tuesdays are way less busy than Saturdays.

2. Elope at sunrise or sunset
The average person isn't going to start hiking at 4 am for sunrise views at the top. Sunset is similar, but not to the same extent. People will still be out toward the end of the day, but most of them don't want to hike down in the dark.
This photo is from a popular and easy to get to spot here in northern Washington, but I got there just after sunrise and only saw a handful of other hikers.

3. Elope in the shoulder or off-seasons
For a place with "weather" and "seasons" (not looking at you, California), it makes sense that more people are out and about in the warmest, driest parts of the year. You're rolling the dice with the weather if you elope in winter, early spring, or late autumn here in WA, but if you're cool with that (...haha, "cool"), the trails will be a little more empty.

4. Take a longer hike
The shorter and easier the hike, the more people will be on the trail. Simple as that.

There you go, top 4 tips for avoiding people. Pick and choose whichever work for you 😊

03/01/2022

Do you know what I haven't done in a while and miss doing?

Engagement sessions.

I love an engagement or adventure session. I suppose I don't advertise them too much, as most of my limited time is taken up by elopements, but they're still very much available!

I have some spots in the schedule over the next few months. Not many, but some--let me know if you're interested and we'll make it happen 🙌

10/08/2021

SR542 at Bagley Lakes is officially closed for the season, friends!

The DOT has assessed the recent snowfall at the end of SR542 and the road to Artist Point is now closed for the season at the Bagley Lakes Trailhead at mile 54.7. There is no longer vehiclular access to Artist Point, Lake Ann Trailhead, the Austin Pass Picnic Area, or Heather Meadows Visitor Center. The only open restroom in the area is the one at Bagely Lakes Trailhead.

A Northwest Forest Pass is not required in the Heather Meadows Area when services are reduced. There will not be regular maintenance of the restrooms and there will be no garbage service. If you are planning a trip be prepared for winter conditions and be considerate of other visitors and wildlife and pack your trash home.

09/02/2021

Hello, happy September, we're all still q***r over here 🌈

One of the most important things to me as a photographer/outdoorsy person/human being is not being a dick to the planet.

Overall, climate change is going to wipe us out before it destroys the planet entirely. She's going to be just fine once we're gone.

But in the short term, and for specific places, we need to think about our impact while we're out and about adventuring if we want to continue to have nice places. This is especially true for elopements and small weddings, which can involve a little more than the average hike.

Think about it: one person's impact doesn't seem like much. So you stepped on a few flowers. There are LOTS of flowers, and they grow back, right...?

It's not just your boots, though. People follow other people, and the idea that "well if THEY did it" is...rampant. One set of footprints leads to 100 leads to 1000, and before you know it, that place where you said your vows doesn't allow photography anymore, restricts permits, or closes down for conservation efforts because it's been overrun.

By people acting like dicks.

I'm not trying to keep all my favourite places some closely guarded secret written down in a wee book that I demand to have cremated with me (although that's almost appealing). I'm just saying that in order to have nice places to go to, we need to collectively agree to act like we give a s**t.

With the location lists that I make for my couples, I also send a "Leave No Trace" guide. I'm pretty stoked on it. It lays out all the ways you can ENJOY getting married in the outdoors, not a bunch of party pooper rules.

I'm also Leave No Trace certified! I took a course on LNT specifically as it relates to photographers (and you can too, photographer friends; the fee goes right to LNT.org! Message me for more info ).

This is longer than intended but I have a lot of feelings.
TLDR: let's all get along and stop being dicks to mother nature.

08/31/2021

What should you wear to your wedding?

"Whatever you want," sure, but that's not super helpful, so let's get a wee bit more specific:

For starters, I want to say up front that I know this particular aspect of planning can be daunting for some, and I get it. Presumed gender roles and safety concerns can be present across the wedding industry in general, but getting bodies involved is an extra layer. I have PLENTY of recommendations for awesome, inclusive outfitters, so definitely message me if you need some tips.

As you're thinking about outfits, remember that there’s no quota that says each couple getting married must put one person in a dress and one person in a suit. You’re allowed to express yourselves in whatever way you see fit. If you aren’t sure, take a look around Instagram, Pinterest, Mr. Google, and keep an open mind.

Dresses and suits are both excellent choices (and there are so many kinds!), but there are also skirts, kilts, “costume” pieces, and so many more. All in a full spectrum of colours, patterns, and cuts.

Wear what makes you feel amazing.

Another thing to consider is how physically comfortable you are in your clothes. I mean that literally. You’re likely going to be moving around a lot, especially if you’re getting married outdoors, so make sure your outfit doesn’t restrict your movement too much!

My photos rarely match my captions because I truly can't be bothered (sorry), but these two are so appropriate for this topic. Absolutely blown away by how amazing they looked. Most of those outfits and accessories were hand-made, too!! I'll have their story up on the blog soon so you can enjoy the details in all their glory.

08/28/2021

I was in the middle of typing "Hello, haven't shown my face in a while," and then I realized that that is not my face, it's the back of my head again, and I am sitting on a rock. Again.

I added a collection of photos to my website (solarroseco.com/about). I'm not ashamed and will continue to do this because it's a part of who I am now.

Anyway. August is winding down but the work isn't (September is going to be my busiest month in business, ever), and I'm grateful for that. And you. And cameras. How is it basically September.

08/26/2021

Vendors part 2! We're talking about more vendors who you can hire for your elopement, and why they're rad--in no particular order.

(Scroll back to my previous posts if you missed part 1 and my vendor rant)

5. HAIR AND MAKEUP ARTISTS: Sometimes the same team/person, sometimes different folks for hair/makeup. Even if you're good at doing your own hair and/or makeup, the work that these pros do LASTS. I'm talking hiking for miles, sun/mist/fog, hours and hours, and your hair still looks great. Your makeup hasn't smudged. Some even stick around to do touchups if necessary, so you don't have to worry about a thing.

6. VIDEOGRAPHER: Video communicates something different from photos, and more are more couples are booking videographers for their elopements! If you find someone whose style is more similar to your photographer's, your day will go more smoothly, and if the idea of yet another camera in your face stresses you out, I offer wee highlight films as an add-on, no extra human involved.

7. CATERER: Fun fact: caterers aren't just for big events! Tell me how this sounds: you come back to your AirBnB/cabin/etc. after a day of hiking and breathing in the mountain air, you've just gotten MARRIED, and there's a freaking private chef setting up a beautiful meal just for you. ...!!

8. ADVENTURE PROS: I've always said you don't have to be adventurous to elope, but if you are, hiring the pros will make your day way better. And safer. 4x4 drivers, helicopter pilots, whale watching crews... They can all make your day magical, and they're always stoked to be involved in someone's wedding adventure. (Seriously every adventure pro I've encountered has been a gem of a human.)