Engagement Session at the Antelope Valley Poppy Reserve and Tehachapi Mountains Photographed by Joe Latter

Sometimes you meet those clients that just feel like you should have been friends with your whole life. That’s the way it went down when I met with Taylor & Taylor (yes, 2 Taylors) about their upcoming wedding. I’m not sure we even talked about their wedding much but more about life and the outdoors. Turns out that both Taylors are avid archers and have a ranch in the Tehachapi Mountains a couple hours outside Los Angeles. Being an archer myself (hence, my logo) it was a perfect match and an obvious setting for the upcoming engagement session. My idea was that we would shoot at the Antelope Valley Poppy Reserve on Saturday till sunset then the ranch at sunrise the next day. The Poppy Reserve had been on my bucket list for engagements for a while now. The Taylors were up for it so the schedule was set. Anyway, turns out the recent heatwave pretty much demolished the recent poppy bloom. So we jumped in the truck and off we went on a poppy hunt. A short drive into the hills and we found the perfect location.

After a successful first shoot, a brisket burger and a bottle of original Coors it was off to bed then up again before the sun. This time we would be gaining light instead of losing it so had to work in reverse order. I’m so thankful that my career requires me to be in some of the most beautiful locations at sunrise and sunset with some great people. PS. Digging Taylor’s wedding boots.

Now that the sun was a little to bright for “pretty” photos it was time to bust out the bows. No hunting today but we did have a little shooting contest. I hate to admit it but Taylor (guy) outshot me…or did I let him? Probably not.

I’ve got a few hundred engagement sessions under my belt and I would have to say that this ranks up near the top of my all time favorites. Thank you so much to my great clients T&T and can’t wait for the wedding.