Morton Arboretum Engagement Session
Sara and Ryan had an amazing Morton Arboretum Engagement Session. Spring proved to be the perfect time for an outdoor session, despite the unpredictable weather. Before their arrival, I arrived a few hours early to explore and hike around the area. I had two main reasons for arriving early: to find beautiful trees with spring colors and to simply enjoy nature.
Despite crazy weather this Morton Arboretum Engagement Session Rocked!
I arrived at 12:00 p.m. and it was sunny and warm. However, by 2:00 p.m., it started pouring rain and hailing for a while. I was worried that the session might be ruined by the rain. Thankfully, by 5:00 p.m., when we began, the weather had returned to warm and sunny. During the breaks in the weather, I had scouted out some of my favorite spots near Lake Marmo on the west loop and across the east side.
During my scouting, I was lucky enough to spot a few hawks and a coyote, which was an added bonus.
I met Sara and Ryan at 5:00 p.m. and we started their engagement session near the welcome center in the Gerald T Donnell Grand Garden. Although there was a wedding party setting up for a ceremony in the garden, we were able to work around them and still capture some great photos. After spending some time there, we drove to the Fragrance garden on the west side of the arboretum, where Sara and Ryan will be getting married later this year. We found some great spots with soft lighting.
Next, we visited some open spaces with wildflowers and Lake Marmo. There is a charming little bridge at Lake Marmo, and the nearby parking lot 29 is surrounded by tall trees. Personally, I consider this spot to be my favorite for photos at Morton Arboretum. I have taken pictures of wedding parties, brides and grooms, and a few engagement sessions here. The location is perfect for capturing semi-candid walking shots. It looks especially stunning in the afternoons during the fall, but any time of day and any season offers beautiful scenery with the tall trees and the sunlight filtering through.
I took most of these walking photos with my favorite portrait lens. The Canon RF 85 1.2L lens is definitely worth every cent I spent on it.
Our final stop was on the east side of the Arboretum. I had discovered a fantastic section with blooming trees near Parking Lot 5 and the magnolia section. We spent about 15 minutes here, with Sara and Ryan surrounded by flowers and even posing on a large swing chair. It was the perfect place to wrap up this Morton Arboretum Engagement Session.
I’m eagerly looking forward to Sara and Ryan’s wedding in July at the Arboretum. I have no doubt it will be just as beautiful.
If you enjoyed these photos and are planning a Morton Arboretum engagement session or wedding, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with me.