Making the most of summer smoke and rain

These past few years it has become increasingly common to have smoke-filled days in July and August, and so smoke has joined the likes of rain and wind on the list of things people worry about leading up to their wedding or photography session. It’s normal to be worried about smoke clouding out the sun and views or rain making your nice clothes and hair look a little drab, but fortunately it’s not all bad. The most important thing to know is that smoke and rain are not the end, and sometimes they can even be unique and beautiful.

Planning a wedding can often be more stressful than we might imagine, trying to ensure that everything can go smoothly and enjoyably for yourselves and for all your guests. There are many pieces of wedding planning and organizing that we can control, and there are some - like weather - that we can’t. Since it is something that we have no control over, it’s best if we can find ways to set aside the stress and worry of those less-than-ideal scenarios, and be prepared let it go, put a smile on, and make the most of whatever comes. No marriage, unfortunately, will be free of hardships, frustration, or bad luck every once in awhile, what better time to start practising letting the little things go than your wedding day?

Over the years we have photographed in all kinds of conditions; heat and cold, rain and sun, smoke, fog, snow, sleet - the list goes on. Of all of those sessions in all those different conditions, there has never been a time where we didn’t come out with something worthwhile. To be honest, sometimes the worst conditions bring the best opportunities.

Smoke can be a tough one, admittedly. There have only been a small handful of weddings that we have photographed where the smoke obscured the mountains for the entire day. On days like that, we lean towards photographs in locations that are in moody forests, or in front of impressive rock faces that can still give a sense of place even without the mountains. But fortunately, even in the midst of lingering waves of smoke, most of the time the smoke cover varies and changes throughout each day, usually leading to good photo opportunities.

It is rare for inclement weather to persist so badly that it stops us from getting what we need. Rain rarely stays for long, and most times the rain falls it falls in one place and is clear in the next. We simply work around the rain wherever possible. Sometimes it requires that we hop around to different locations throughout the valley, umbrellas in hand, in order to avoid the rain as much as possible.

But what really amazes me is when those conditions that we would tend to think of as the ‘worst case scenario’ sometimes provide us with magical moments that could never have been created otherwise. This is why we take an curious or adventurous approach to bad weather. We’ve found that making the most of what we are given is easiest when we can be curious about what different conditions can provide us for making unique photographs.

As photographers in the Rocky Mountains, we are always advising our clients to come prepared for everything when they come to their session or wedding day. Bring the boots, bring the jackets, bring the umbrellas - bring whatever you need to make the most of what we find.

In the end, with photography what matters most is the story that the photos tell. Even when the story doesn’t feel so great in the moment (think cold wet feet or sore, smoke-breathing throats) the value of that story and the photographs of it will only grow over time. Embrace the moment in all it’s discomfort and keep the important things in mind - creating unique memories with your loved ones on one of the most special days of your life.

When we are ready for ‘the worst’ we really give ourselves the opportunity to find ‘the best’ in each situation. So don’t stress, trust us to help you make the most of whatever Jasper gives us.

Here is what one of our wedding clients had to say about their experience with Ash:

"Ashley was super good to deal with, provided some very good tips for a Jasper wedding and made the whole process seamless when we hired her.

She is an amazing photographer and captured our day perfectly. We happened to get married on a very smoky day and were very disappointed since the day prior was perfectly clear skies. Somehow Ashley managed to make all our photos amazing even with the smoke. She also managed to move around us during the ceremony and got every angle possible. When we reviewed the photos afterwards we often said "how did she get this shot? We didn't even notice her at this angle."

Overall, we would highly recommend her. You won't regret it!"

Such beautiful words from Jeremy + Janelle, it gives me the warm fuzzies.

Kind of like that feeling when your person gives you a hug and laughs when you suddenly find yourselves caught out in the rain…

- Ash and Brian