Jeremy & Lydia’s evening in the Santa Cruz Mountains had all the magic: rolling grassy hills, a sea of fog in the distance, and the kind of light that turns everything to gold. They set out as a group of three — Lydia’s sister joined “for a quick hike” — and meandered along the ridge until the views opened wide over the foothills and forest. [ read more … ]

Clare thought the proposal was going to happen in Yosemite during the big trip coming up right after this day… but Ryan had been quietly hatching the real proposal plan long before this day rolled around.

Ryan had let us in on the secret over three months ago to lock in a golden-hour proposal at the Russian Ridge Open Space Preserve, a quiet local trail he knew from his cycling routes. [ read more … ]

Bald Mountain, aptly named for its visible lack of trees in the otherwise densely forested Sierra Azul Open Space Preserve, offers a sweeping panoramic view of the surrounding mountains, the Almaden Reservoir, and southern San Jose. It would make the perfect location for Owen’s surprise proposal to Rachel, as they’re both avid hikers and have enjoyed being in the area before. [ read more … ]

Kris wanted an epic way to propose to his girlfriend Suzanna and had the perfect way to make it work. Being avid hikers, they both love adventure and beautiful scenery, so what better way to propose than one one such trip? He chose the Mt Tam East Peak, a beautiful mountaintop overlooking the surrounding Bay Area, with an amazing view of the sun rising over Oakland. [ read more … ]

I can say with certainty that Stan & Yanyu’s proposal is, and will forever remain, one of the most memorable photo shoots of my career. Mission Peak is (according to AllTrails) a grueling 7.3-mi hike featuring a 2,135-foot elevation gain, by far the most intense hike I’ve ever attempted. It was quite the climb, especially when dual-wielding heavy cameras and carrying enough water to last me the ~6 hours I was out in the 90-degree sun. But the sweeping, panoramic views all along the way, and especially the resulting photos, made it all more than worth the trek! [ read more … ]