Adventure Engagement Session at Buffalo Mountain
As I write this blog, I reflect back on the past few years. I moved back to America from Haiti in 2017, and since then, I have been continually developing my brand. When people think about the word ‘brand’ they sometimes think of Nike or NBA or even Papa Johns… haha. These names bring up experiences, emotions, memories, maybe dreams for the future. A brand is so much more than just a name or a business. A brand is how you feel when you use that product or watch that team, or eat that food.
So, I have been developing my ‘brand’ as an Adventure Wedding Photographer here in East Tennessee and beyond. In 2020 I shot over 60 weddings and engagement sessions! In these shoots, I brought more than just pretty photos. For some couples, we got out of our comfort zone to make the most incredible photos possible.
Engagement Session at Buffalo Mountain
When booking a session with me, you can expect some hiking, enjoying the outdoors, and sometimes even getting really wet… Just like Carlie and Hunter did in their October adventure engagement session at Buffalo Mountain in Jonesborough, Tennessee. Mt
After they booked me for an engagement session, we had a planning session where Carlie asked if I could find a place that had a waterfall and a splash pool deep enough to swim in. I knew of a spot on the mountain that (to the knowledge of the closest landowner) had never had an engagement session shot there before. So I was super excited to get to the falls! I was excited about the adventure of hiking up to this waterfall, but also to be able to create something completely unique and not previously done before!
The only problem was, I knew that the falls were on top of the mountain, but I didn’t quite know the way to get there. The old trail had not been maintained for decades and was virtually non-existent! No problem. Carlie and Hunter, although not experienced hikers or outdoorsmen, trusted me to lead the way.
Only after crossing the cold mountain stream on a fallen tree, scaling the eroded trail up the side of the mountain, and pushing our way through some pretty thick rhododendron groves, we came to the waterfall. It was like a scene out of a movie. The fall colors, the large smooth rocks, and water converging from all directions to form the holler that we had just trekked through.
Carlie and Hunter may have gotten more than they bargained for by following me up the mountain, but once we reached the headwaters, it was totally worth it! They mentioned to me once we had reached the bottom of the mountain that this was the “most adventurous thing that they had ever done.” And you know… I am so glad that they did it with me! The photos turned out incredible! One of their photos was even my number one ‘liked’ photo on Instagram in 2020 (889 Likes).
So just like the brand that I am building, I want my couples to be able to look at their images or think of Hunter Kittrell Photography and relive an experience, an adventure. I want their photos to portray intimacy and emotion that they can feel and enjoy forever.
Just a heads up, for any photographers or couples wanting to shoot on Buffalo Mountain, it is not the easiest of locations to shoot. If you are on the portion of the mountain nearest to Jonesborough, the sun is tricky to work with there. The tall trees and deep hollers cause the light to be lost much faster and so you need to plan to get there with plenty of time to not miss out on the perfect warm afternoon light. For what it is worth, I highly recommend going to the mountain with someone who knows their stuff.
It is so much easier than trying to figure it all out on your own. I’d be happy to talk to you more about guiding you up the mountain so we can get the most epic photos together! Just shoot me a message here!
Check out the photos from this epic shoot on Buffalo Mountain and tell me what you think. Let me know if you want a similar adventurous engagement shoot like Carlie and Hunter. We can make it happen! Engagement Session at Buffalo Mountain
