an olympic national park Engagement session adventure
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from the old growth trees in the Hoh Rainforest to the rocky mystique of Ruby Beach, this engagement session truly showcases the PNW’s beauty
Olympic National Park: the perfect nature getaway
When you’re really in love with the spirit of the Pacific Northwest, you find a way to wrap it into the most meaningful parts of your life like these two did. O+D flew in from the Midwest for their engagement session and turned it into its own little getaway. I always tell my couples to think of their session as a full date day (or weekend), but these two kicked it up a notch, turning their engagement session into a full-blown getaway.
On our itinerary were two of the most magical backdrops inside Olympic National Park: the Hoh Rainforest and Ruby Beach; two of the most magical backdrops in the Olympic National Park. Our fickle Washington weather is no secret, but just a few weeks before this session I was in the Hoh Rainforest and it rained so hard my waterproof coat totally failed and I needed a *ahem* full change of clothes, iykwim.
Luckily for O+D, the weather decided to show off.
Instead of rain, we were treated to glowing rays of sunlight filtering through old growth branches in the rainforest, and a punchy, otherworldly sunset waiting for us at the coast. The Olympic Peninsula always keeps us on our toes, but when everything aligns like this it feels a little bit like the forest and ocean are both rooting for you.
I’m in love with the variety we have here in the PNW, and in these photos with O+D. Just look at how different these two locations feel from one another; quiet, mossy, and ancient in the rainforest, followed by wide-open skies, sea stacks, and moody ocean hues on the beach. Scroll to the end for some ethereal, cool-toned blue hour portraits to end the night.
about the author
Hey, I’m Meg!
I’m a PNW-based elopement & lifestyle photographer with a special focus on helping people believe in their own magic and fall in love with their own story. Reach out to start planning your session or elopement!
What to know about the Hoh Rainforest
The Hoh Rainforest is one of the largest temperate rainforests in the United States and is known for its rich ecosystem. With rain or heavy moisture present more than 200 days out of the year and up to 14 feet of rainfall annually, it’s one of the wettest environments in the country!
Tapping into this location for your engagement session (or elopement!) can feel like stepping into another world…towering old-growth trees, moss draping every branch, and soft filtered light that makes everything feel a little quieter and slower. But like most wild places, a little preparation goes a long way.
While O+D got extremely lucky with dreamy sunlight filtering through the forest, it’s best to hold an open mind if you’re planning to incorporate the Hoh Rainforest into your photos. Rain is always a possibility here, and honestly, it’s part of what makes the rainforest feel so alive.
I always recommend embracing rain within reason. That might look like bringing an umbrella, wearing simple rain layers that photograph well, or leaning into the experience and letting the forest do its thing. I mean, how often do you get a chance to get soaked in rainforest rain?! That said, sometimes the rain can come down hard enough that we pause for a bit and wait it out. Especially if it’s the kind of rain that can breach rain gear or kill camera gear.
A few other things to know before planning photos at Hoh Rainforest:
- It can get very dark. The dense tree canopy blocks a lot of direct light, which is beautiful but means timing matters. When a rain cloud rolls in, even midday, things can get extra-moody.
- The area can be very crowded, especially in summer and early fall. Even the trails can get overpacked.
- Timed entry is required during peak season, and lines at the entrance can sometimes stretch to two hours between 9am-4pm.
- Conditions can change quickly, so I always keep backup ideas in mind just in case.
- Peak visitation runs May through September, while the rainiest stretch is typically November through April.
- July tends to be the driest month, though “dry” here still means occasional rain and a lot of moisture in the air. Also, drier = busier.
- The rainforest receives around 450,000 visitors each year, which is why planning around crowds can make a big difference for photos.
Despite all of that, it remains one of the most magical locations in the Pacific Northwest. The moment you step into the Hoh Rainforest, it’s impossible to not feel like time slows down a little.
Try incorporating blue hour portraits for a magical vibe shift
For a romantic, Twilight-inspired atmosphere and a cool-toned, cinematic feel, taking advantage of blue hour is one of my favorite ways to add a little extra magic to a session. Like golden hour, blue hour refers to the color of the light in the sky at a certain time of day. Golden hour is the warm light leading up to sunset, usually glowing yellow-orange (when the clouds cooperate). Blue hour happens just after the sun dips below the horizon, when the sky shifts into soft, moody blues. Unlike golden hour, blue hour fades quickly; sometimes lasting less than 30 minutes, depending on weather and location.
I schedule most sessions around sunset and love sticking around for that quiet twilight moment right after. It adds a unique twist and changes the mood of the gallery. Another huge bonus of blue hour portraits? A lot of visitors start packing up once the sun goes down, which means our location will get a little quieter by the time blue tinged-light rolls in.
If you’re thinking about adding blue hour portraits to your session, here are a few things that can help make it work:
- Choose a location that doesn’t close at dusk so we can stay after sunset.
- Wide-open horizons work best, since they allow those diffused blue tones to really coat the sky.
- Bring some kind of light source, for two reasons: 1) you’ll need some light getting back to your car, and 2) having a light source makes your features more visible. I always bring faux rustic lanterns for my couples, but have also used off-camera flash or even headlights!
- Start your session before sunset. Blue hour comes FAST, so we want to already be in the flow when it arrives.
- Know your sunset time, which I always keep track of when planning timelines.
- Keep an open mind and lean into the art of it. The whole point of blue hour photos is the moody, cinematic shift they bring; not every frame will have perfect exposure, but the atmosphere they create is worth it!
For O+D’s session, blue hour at Ruby Beach created the perfect final chapter to their day: soft ocean blues, glowing lantern light, and that quiet-yet-ocean-roaring feeling that settles in right after sunset along the coast.
