You do not have to be on the eve of big life changes or wedding events to splurge on some phenomenal photos as a couple. Many times, we forget to capture and celebrate the “ever after” to the happily. There is such a natural urge to memorialize the proposal, engagement, and big day. Sometimes the aftermath becomes less-pressed to celebrate or photograph. But not for Irene and Dennis—this wildly in-love duo revived the glam goth look in a truly iconic Alaska couples photoshoot while on their vacation in Girdwood, Alaska. So, consider a Girdwood engagement shoot if you’re looking for something memorable.
OFF-SEASON PARADISE
Irene & Dennis were visiting Alaska from Florida. They met online and had a cute story of how they were married quickly and are still super in love, as the photos captured with ease.
Their vacation landed them in the shoulder season (or off-season between busy summer and ski season). During this time, there are fewer visitors in Girdwood. They experienced variable conditions when the grass and moss change from forest juniper greens and sage to the dying mustard yellows and dead straw-colored browns. The textures and tones made this Girdwood engagement-style shoot even more unique.
GHOST TOWN
There is something so incredibly dark fantasy about large boulders with heaps of a season’s old dying and orange moss. There was a spongy carpet that coated the ground and all the rocks around us. It was accompanied by draping and stringy Spanish moss clinging to straggly birch branches void of their leaves. The essence of the changing season and the death of summer couldn’t have been on display in a more perfect light for the perfect couple to enjoy it. This setting was ideal for capturing the essence of a Girdwood engagement shoot.
GOTH VIBES
The place is naturally dark and moody. Girdwood is North America’s furthest northmost temperate rainforest and when autumn rolls in, the ferns wilt. Rain clouds turn to white snow dusting far-off precipices. And here we have Irene and Dennis in their best dressed gothic black to match the aesthetic of the landscape. Her long nails, his stoic poses, black hair, black lace dress, black leather jackets—they embodied the epitome of a forest goth style. The photos turned out spectacular. The ultimate moody Girdwood couples photoshoot!
CALIFORNIA CREEK
California Creek is one of those secret Fern Gully hike-in spots that only locals know about. It’s a brief walk up some steep and photogenic woodland landscape. We snapped a few shots on this trek into little coves and landings with the sound of the rushing creek behind us. Then at the top of a knoll, the couple descended to the beach of the glacial creek below. A staircase waterfall plunged over more of those mossy rocks. I was nimble and shot from up high on the knoll and came closer. Both angles provided a scenic view of the water and trees as we were literally immersed and surrounded by the forest in every direction. An ideal spot for a Girdwood engagement shoot.
GOLDEN HOUR
Walking out of the creek hike we encountered one of the many marvels Irene and Dennis got to experience that day: golden hour. Although not an exotic concept for many photographers, for Alaska it is rare. During summer there is too much sun and during winter it is the opposite. For a select few months in between, we have a sunset which leads to golden hour. It’s even more rare in Girdwood to have clear skies to enjoy the sun during this season. So as kismet and fate aligned, we had a warm glow in the trees, reflecting through the remaining evergreens. We played with this opportunity to get some really interesting shots focused on depth, shadows, and light. Then as we walked out from the trailhead, an empty gravel road let us take a few more with the full, unhindered glow from the sun with a clear view of the surrounding mountains. An unforgettable part of this Girdwood couples photography session, reminiscent of a Girdwood engagement shoot.
THE BACKROADS
From one backroad to another, we wandered the streets and special places near and dear to Girdwood. Moose Meadow is a winter cross-country ski loop. In summertime, it becomes a moose-filled bog—adding to the witchy aesthetic of this shoot. Among the sea of flattened straw grass we stopped at a dead little oasis of small bushy trees. There, we posed beneath perfectly clear skies and a view of the surrounding peaks covered in snow.
DOWNTOWN
From the Meadow, there is a walking loop toward the downtown square, which crosses a creek, and the highway has a bridge overhead. There’s access beneath the bridge where graffiti speckles the concrete walls and dramatically carries you into an urban space. Somehow, it is also perfectly moody for the look we were going for.
Lastly, walking along the creek, away from the bridge as we were wrapping things up. Leather jackets went on due to the night quickly cooling. We stopped to watch the slow setting of the sun along the rocky beaches of the creek before heading back to reality, concluding our Girdwood engagement shoot experience.
DESTINATION PHOTOSHOOT
Since Irene and Dennis were already married, this is another low-key, low-expectation couples shoot that reads like an Alaska destination elopement, but without the pressure. It looks goth glam like a dreamy, moody wedding—but this was just for fun; post-nuptials.
I really encourage people who are as in love and excited about their travels as these two were, to book a photo session while visiting a place as beautiful as Girdwood, Alaska, or anywhere else. It’s a super fun addition to the trip. We actually went all around to some of the most photogenic backdrops in the little Girdwood valley—which I think is a really unique way to explore the area and later have the images as a memory of the trip.
CHELSA JAY | ALASKA WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHER
I hope this inspires you to take epic couple photos in Girdwood while on your vacation—especially when the season and vibe of the location match your aesthetic or when it’s a trip you want to memorialize in this unique way. If you have a vision, or this sparked an idea for a photo session or destination couple shoot, I would love to chat. To know more about me and what I do, click here. I cannot wait to hear from you and the ideas you have for your next photoshoot in Alaska or beyond.
