Free-Spirited Styled Elopement at Joshua Tree National Park

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Photographer TJ Stansbury felt inspired from the moment he set foot in Joshua Tree National Park. He shares, “A year prior to the shoot, I took a trip to [Joshua Tree] and… noticed that the vast simplicity made me relax more than any tropical beach or epic mountain could. I knew this was the perfect place to photograph a couple in love, because they would be so relaxed and focused on one another. My goal was to keep it simple and natural. Less high heels, more dirty-barefoot vibes.”

TJ describes working with this couple as effortless, recalling how easily their chemistry translated to the lens. “They’re so in love,” he says. “Working with them wasn’t really working… Sydney and Daniel made my job so easy, because I could effortlessly capture how they felt instead of just how they looked.” This session ended with laughter and conversation over a meal at a burger joint, an experience that marked the beginning of a new friendship. So what’s TJ’s advice for choosing a photographer? Book someone you would want to grab burgers with!

Photography by TJ Stansbury Photography

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“My favorite part of the session was when both Sydney and Daniel tossed off their shoes, because they wanted to climb around on the massive rocks… in that moment I realized I had reached my goal for the shoot.”
[TJ Stansbury, Photographer]