Some things are worth waiting for, and Agi and Evan's engagement session was certainly one of them.
After a handful of weather-related reschedules, we finally landed on the kind of October day that makes Central Oregon so special. Clear skies, golden autumn colors, and the Cascade Mountains showing off in all their glory.
Originally from Vermont, Agi and Evan made their way west for the very things that make this place so extraordinary: the mountains, the climbing, the hiking, and the opportunity to spend their days outdoors. When we started planning their engagement session, they knew they wanted to celebrate the landscape they've come to call home.
Naturally, I knew exactly where to take them.
Golden Aspens at Shevlin Park
We began our afternoon at Shevlin Park in Bend, where the aspens were just beginning to turn their brilliant autumn yellow.
Agi's dress couldn't have complemented the setting more beautifully, and between the golden leaves, soft light, and these two laughing their way through the afternoon, we were off to a pretty wonderful start.
One of my favorite things about engagement sessions is getting to know a couple beyond the wedding plans. And with Agi and Evan, there was no shortage of laughter. Whether they were walking through the trees, making each other giggle, or simply enjoying being together, their easygoing personalities made the afternoon feel like spending time with old friends.
After a little wardrobe change into what I can only describe as classic Ralph Lauren white-sweater perfection, we headed toward the mountains.
An Unexpected Evening at Sparks Lake
I've grown up in Central Oregon, and Sparks Lake has always been one of those places that takes my breath away, no matter how many times I visit.
But when we arrived that evening, I genuinely couldn't believe what I was seeing.
The lake was gone.
Not a little low. Not a few extra feet of shoreline. Practically nonexistent.
In all my years here, I had never seen Sparks Lake quite like this.
So, naturally, we made the most of it.
What would normally have been underwater became our playground for the evening. We wandered across the exposed lakebed, climbed around enormous pieces of weathered driftwood, and found ourselves standing in the middle of a landscape that looked almost otherworldly.
And somehow, it couldn't have been more perfect.
The cracked earth, the evergreens, and the mountains catching the last warm light of the day gave us an entirely different perspective on a place I thought I knew so well.
Agi and Evan embraced every bit of it, laughing, exploring, and frolicking their way across what should have been the middle of a lake.
Champagne, Moonlight & a Little Nostalgia
As the sun disappeared behind the Cascades, we popped champagne and soaked up the last moments of daylight.
By the time we started making our way back to the car, the moon was out, the mountains had faded into silhouettes, and we were still laughing.
Our evening ended with a drive back to Shevlin Park, where we'd started the afternoon, complete with a soundtrack of millennial throwbacks and plenty more laughs.
After all the rescheduling and uncertainty over the weather, I couldn't have imagined a better day for these two.
Agi and Evan, thank you for trusting me with the adventure, embracing the unexpected, and reminding me why I love photographing people in this beautiful corner of the world.
I already know your May wedding at Eagle Crest is going to be an absolute blast, and I cannot wait to celebrate with you both!
