Wedding Photography… The latest adrenalin sport!

Angie & Leo’s Wedding adventure up Bluff Knoll.

I love my couples and getting myself into completely and utterly ridiculous situations like this is what I absolutely thrive on. For me combining my love for adventure and photography… well there is nothing better. Thanks to the team for not turning around, and Anglie & Leo for their amazing morale and ability to think warm thoughts despite Mother Nature doing their best to stop them.

Angie & Leo are having a traditional chinese wedding in Perth. They wanted some wedding photos which reflected them a bit more… Something which involved a big early morning adventure hiking up Bluff Knoll, WA’s highest mountain in time for sunrise. So they got in touch… Obviously I jumped at the chance! I am always looking for adventurous couples to photograph, and have been longing to do a wedding adventure up Bluff Knoll for ages.

I drove down to The Stirling Range Retreat campsite the night before, which is the campsite at the bottom of Bluff Knoll. There is no other accomodation for miles, so anything more luxurious than the back of my car was completely out of the question.

I arrived at the campsite late evening. Angie and Leo were already set up. They had both managed to drag a few willing sherpas along for the ride too. We got up at 3am and our hike began around 4am. Little did we know what lay ahead. We were just pleased that it wasn’t raining. However as we got higher and around to the other side, it dawned on us how terrible the weather actually was. We were literally having to crawl so as to not be blown off the mountain! At one stage when I was in front and all I could hear was the howling wind, I did wonder if I was the only one who hadn’t turned around. We got to the top in about an hour and 15 minute, and it was perishing and dark. And when it got lighter (No there was not a noticeable sunrise!) we realised how foggy and wet it was. But the main thing was the cold. Oh my goodness! I had lost the feeling in my fingers, despite two pairs of gloves.

Angie & Leo were very quiet as they mentally prepared themselves. And I jumped around a lot so that I was physically warm enough to work. I knew that when it started, I would have to be very quick. I devised a little plan, directed Angie and Leo beforehand as I knew they wouldn’t be able to hear me. We did a little bit at the summit and then moved down the mountain where it was a tiny bit more sheltered and bearable. I think the images speak for themselves here. Yes it was definitely challenging but the wild weather makes these pics. Something I’ve been dreaming about for ages. We walked back down the mountain, passing many hikers as we went. Little did they know what lay ahead of them.

When we got to the bottom, it felt so unbelievably calm. So Angie slipped her wedding dress back on and we got some beautiful portraits with Bluff in the background. Both Angie and Leo looking so seriously dapper, you would have never known what they had just endured.

These two have certainly got some wedding shots which are going to be very different from their actual wedding. They probably got a bit more than they bargained for!

I love combining my sense of adventure with my photography. And am always keen for couples who want to join me on this ride. And if it’s not possible on your wedding day, then how about doing it on another day? Then the world is your oyster. Get in touch. x

Check out another of my adventurous shoots right here… Megan & Shane