Tattooed Couple Session in Anza Borrego State Park | Tawnee + Luis
Goodness me, this day was so good. We got to the town of Borrego Springs around noon to find the only coffee shop listed was closed and the owners had “gone fishing” in the middle of the California desert. So we did the next best thing and headed to a fudge shop across the street and proceeded to stock ourselves up with things we really didn’t need. But there was coffee, so one necessity plus lots of fudge. We spent the next 4 hours driving back and forth through this little sleepy town, and saw dozens of their famous scrap-metal sculptures. From the sea serpent swimming through the sand, to velociraptors hunting us in a pack. Most were larger than our truck we rented just for this occasion.
We met up with Tawnee and Luis at the trailhead and parked their car off to the side. We weren’t sure what we were getting ourselves into, but we knew the route online echoed the signs stationed in the sand. 4x4 vehicles only. We got the truck, check! But did the truck have 4x4? It’s a rental car... so… no. But if any of our cars were going to make it, it would be that truck. So Corey let a little air out of the tires and we piled in, turned on some music and tried not to pay attention as he let the trucks speed and momentum keep us going on our desert path. We made it to the vantage point we were aiming for and found some cars with far less capabilities than our own. And a man in a walker. So basically, a man in a walker and his minivan also made it out to our vantage point. Perhaps we were lucky because the rains had moved through a few days before and compacted the loose sand? Maybe that minivan had 4x4? I won’t question it but I suggest everyone be prepared if you make the drive yourself.
Tawnee and Luis are expecting their first little babe in 2019, so we treated this like a celebration and a moment of freedom before their lives change and their love story evolves. We had a freaking blast and I’m so thankful for these two kind, thoughtful and fiercely in love human beings! We watched the sun lower in the sky and the shadows deepen through the badlands laying before us. There’s a small chance we drove to Mars that day, and I’m okay with that. Because these photos are out of this world… HA! You love it.
From Tawnee:
We were so honored to have our love captured by Paige & Corey. They dropped a pin in one of the most breathtakingly beautiful locations in California, Anza-Borrego. Their directions were easy to follow, and once we met up, we all piled into their truck, and headed out on our off-road adventure. The views of this 'mini grand canyon' were epic. Their sense of direction and guidance paired well with mother nature's backdrop. They knew what looks they wanted to capture, how to guide the placement of our hands, and were quick to drop hints like, 'kiss her on her forehead' or 'snuggle into his arms' which made us feel at ease. After viewing the photos, you can tell that our love really speaks for itself. The natural ambiance, the comfortability of the shoot, and their 'eye' for naturally capturing us was magical. We could not be more excited about our photos, the mood they captured, and the overall experience working with this rad couple. As soon as we were coming down from the views and the experience, our photos were quickly turned around! Before we got our final product, they dropped little teasers and were just as excited as we were! This shows that they really love what they do, and cannot wait to share that with their couples. There was nothing forced, nothing stressed, or nothing rushed. They kept it raw, natural, and let their creativity tell our story.
