engagement session at bonticou crag in mohonk preserve / hudson valley new york wedding photographer

I’m a huge advocate of engagement sessions with my wedding clients for many reasons, but most importantly, it gives us a chance to get to know each other, and gives couples a low-pressure opportunity to get a feel for my process/shooting style. This way, when I show up on your wedding day I’m not just a stranger with a camera (lol) – I’m a friend you’ve spent time with (or hiked a mountain with!) and you know exactly what to expect when on the big day 🙂

Chelsea & Ryan are active hikers, so when they decided on Bonticou Crag as their engagement session location, I was thrilled! I’ve had the pleasure of hiking this trail at Mohonk Preserve in beautiful New Paltz, NY many times, and it’s one of my absolute favorite views of the Hudson Valley. We began our afternoon session with a leisurely hike through the woods, and stopped along the way to get a few casual photos in hiking attire. We arrived at the crag about an hour later, and after a quick snack and change of clothes, we explored the mountaintop. This afternoon in May was particularly windy – perfect for epic, flowy dress shots! We decided to take a different loop back down the mountain, and stumbled on a gorgeous meadow where we took a few more fun/casual photos before ending the session as the sun began to set behind the catskills. I enjoyed every minute of this ~3 hour adventure session, and I cannot wait to photograph their Grandview Poughkeepsie wedding this fall! Here are some of my favorite photos from their engagement session – enjoy!