The North Shore. I could think of a thousand excuses why I would need to venture that direction, so when Tori mentioned it was her dream to have her engagement photos captured on Minnesota’s North Shore, I cleared my calendar and headed east before the sunrise for a Sunday session.
I pulled into Betty’s Pie’s parking lot and saw a young couple tangled in sweaters and shoe choices. I knew they were my pair 🙂
I tossed my camera bag in their vehicle and we headed north on Hwy 61. We had some plans but no plans at all… and that flexibility yielded some amazing images. I learned about Ryan’s awesome proposal, Tori’s disgust for chicken wings, and their mutual love for musician Jon Pardi. I was also enamored by their admirable career choices and their love for exploration. We worked our way north, stopping along the way to take in the the gorgeous peak fall color. Our final destination was Lutsen Mountain. Tori and Ryan treated me to a ride on the Summit Express Gondola and we were off for a ride to the top! The color was breathtaking and I think we all felt like it was a pretty once in a lifetime afternoon to have warm weather, perfect color, and great company.
At a time of my year when every day of my calendar is spoken for, I felt oddly free being (stranded) on top Lutsen Mountain with two strangers, turned friends. We enjoyed a beer and I knew I was blessed to capture a relationship rich in love, shared interests and adventure.
