Family | The Great Saltair — Salt Lake City, Utah

Being a travel photographer is outrageously fun and something I’m obsessed with doing. I love to travel (airports are one of my happiest places) and there’s just something about being so high in the air and looking over the clouds and mountains that makes my heart sing and just thank God for the joy and beauty of creation.

This past weekend, I came out to Idaho to take engagement photos for the lovely Emily Long and her fiancé Tiegue. The closest airport to Rexburg, ID (where they live) is actually in Utah — Salt Lake City Airport. However, the drive to Rexburg from SLC is still 3.5 hours. There’s a fairly expensive bus that can take you up to Idaho, but I reallyyy didn’t want to take that.

Instead, I reached out to one of my lovely friends from home, Hannah, who now attends a grad program in Salt Lake City. If you don’t know Hannah, all you need to know about her is that she loves Jesus and lovesss camping and national parks. She’s spent many summers working for various national parks out west (and Blue Ridge), and is an outdoors and climbing woman.

I reached out to Hannah, knowing she was in SLC, and asked if there was any chance whatsoever if she would be down to drive me 3.5 hours up to Idaho and then possibly back to Utah after the shoot. Honestly, I didn’t think it was going to work out at all. Her program is busy and this, at least to me, was quite a long drive.

But then, out of the blue, Hannah responds with a huge yes and helps me plan the trip and all the details — honestly, it all happened so fast, but I was unbelievably thankful for her help (seriously, this trip wouldn’t have been possible without her!). The day after Emily got engaged, I ended up booking my flight up to Utah!!

Hannah ended up recruiting a couple of her friends to drive with her up to Utah to drop me off, and then the three of them drove off to Wyoming to go camping for a couple of nights. Incredible right? But if you know Hannah, not surprising at all. She loves camping.

Anyway, I decided to spend my time well in Salt Lake City, and do a shoot out by the Great Salt Lake. I reached out to the Ottesens, a sweet, sweet family with the two cutest children. Emilee and Dave were so unbelievably kind and fun, and we had the sweetest time together at this beach. The only downside was the shoot was at noon, which meant the sun was not really kind to us. However, the photos were still beautiful and I’m so glad I got to hang out with this sweet family!

Check these photos out! We loveee Utah!