As a national park engagement photographer and fellow outdoor enthusiast, I think there’s just something special about documenting a couple’s love story in the great outdoors. Joshua Tree National Park provides a stunning and diverse landscape for creating epic portraits — and it also offers the opportunity for adventure, allowing couples to create fun new memories on the day of their engagement session!

When April and Ricky asked me to take their Joshua Tree engagement photos, I couldn’t have been more stoked! Their national park engagement session was a fun-filled day documenting their love story.

April and Ricky: An Unexpected Love Story  

But how did it all begin? One of the things I love most about being a Joshua Tree engagement photographer is learning about every couple’s love story, and theirs is basically straight out of a fairytale!

I absolutely love it when love happens in the most unexpected places and when two people aren’t even looking for it — and that was exactly the case for April and Ricky! The two of them were both working at Target when they were brought together by a mutual friend. Talk about working at the right place at the right time! 

There’s no doubt that April and Ricky have a flair for adventure. They got engaged while hiking to a waterfall during a trip to Hawaii. They love adventure and the outdoors, so they wanted to incorporate these themes into their engagement photos. This made a Joshua Tree engagement photoshoot the perfect way to document this exciting season!

April and Ricky were super fun, playful, and free-spirited – we had so much fun exploring the desert together!

A Location Made for an Epic Southern California Engagement Photoshoot!

April and Ricky originally wanted forest scenery for their SoCal engagement photos. I gave them a variety of location options to choose from featuring forests with evergreen trees and oak trees common to Southern California. On a whim, I said here’s another type of “forest” you could consider: a Joshua tree forest in Joshua Tree National Park! They were totally on board and super excited for the opportunity to explore the national park for the first time and see the unique desert landscape. 

As of September 2024, Joshua Tree engagement sessions do not require permits from the national park. This gave us the opportunity to explore more places and capture beautiful moments. 

When I met up with Ricky and April at Joshua Tree National Park, they were ready for an adventure!

Their national park engagement session was so much fun and we did it all! From climbing on rocks and running down trails to taking Polaroids of each other and popping some champagne to celebrate their engagement, it was a blast being their Joshua Tree engagement photographer! April and Ricky even brought a blanket to cuddle on for a while. Best of all, they truly took in all of the goodness of the beautiful landscape.

It was especially fun to get to be a part of their first sunset in the park. April and Ricky were in awe of the beautiful golden hour and the way it lit up the Joshua trees and cactuses with a gorgeous glow! 

A Night to Remember at Joshua Tree National Park

One of my favorite moments of this Joshua Tree engagement photoshoot was when they decided to slow dance together during the last glow of twilight. 

It’s always ideal to plan your photo session on a weekday in the off-season. It was so peaceful and quiet in the park – not a soul or even other cars in sight. We even saw a jackrabbit and bats!

We then took a little break to enjoy a picnic dinner together and as the stars and Milky Way came out, April and Ricky got to stargaze! If you know me, then you already know that I love to capture couples stargazing during their photo sessions. It’s a perfect combination of my background in STEM and my love of nature.

It was fun to see the near-full moon light up the landscape at night, too! 

Since no permits were required, we had the freedom to do our Joshua Tree engagement session wherever we wanted. We ended up taking photos of April and Ricky in two of the park’s rock climbing areas as they were going to perfectly line up with the sunset and the Milky Way. 

Want to Plan a Stargazing Engagement Photoshoot? 

Thinking about stargazing during your elopement or engagement photo session? It’s a really special way to end your day — and it’s perfect for couples planning a national park engagement session!

Here are some tips for including stargazing in your portraits: 

1. It’s a slower process. Since there’s very little light, taking one photo from setup to finish can take 5-10 minutes. It’s important to leave plenty of time to accommodate a more relaxed pace and enjoy the process as you take in the night sky. We spent about 1.5 hours capturing these photos with the stars during this Joshua Tree engagement photoshoot. 

2. Wear layers! Nighttime is often a lot cooler wherever you are, and layers will make the experience of stargazing a more comfortable one. 

3. Plan around a new moon (if possible). Moonlight is brighter than you think. The stars will be more visible in darker skies! This night in Joshua Tree was beautiful, but it was so bright because of the near full moon. It was somewhat difficult to see the Milky Way with the naked eye. 

4. Be aware of the limitations of your location with light pollution. The more remote the area is, the darker it can be. That being said, light from far-off cities can also make your photos with the stars interesting! We experienced a little light pollution from the town of Palm Springs (~25 miles to the south as the crow flies). 

Ready to Hire Me As Your Joshua Tree Engagement Photographer?

I’m so honored that you’re considering hiring me for your Joshua Tree engagement session! As an adventure engagement and elopement photographer, nothing makes me happier than helping couples plan the perfect fun-filled day to document their love story and create memories they’ll be able to cherish for years to come! 

Whether you’re thinking about using me as your Joshua engagement photographer or your Joshua Tree elopement photographer (or both!), I would be so excited to help you plan your special day! If you have any questions or you’re ready to book with me, please don’t hesitate to reach out!