How To Prepare For Your Adventure Session

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Even though so many of the couples that I work with are pretty adventurous and outdoorsy, there can sometimes be some confusion when it comes to planning their photoshoot about what to wear, and how to prepare for the adventure.

In this post, I want to walk you through everything, from the blindingly obvious (but often overlooked) to the perhaps not-so-obvious aspects that you will need to consider when you prepare for your adventure session in the mountains.

The Planning Stages

Picking Your Location

Some couples come to me after seeing a single image of mine, or an image of a location on Instagram, and want to have the same, or something similar as part of their photoshoot too. As part of working with me as your photographer and hiking guide, I’ll be the one helping you choose the most epic location for your adventure photoshoot. But when it comes to selecting the location & route, there are going to be a lot of factors that will come into consideration, such as:

• Your Physical Fitness
  What distances and altitudes are you comfortable hiking already? And in what terrain? Sure, you might be happily hiking 10 miles at a weekend, but are you also climbing up mountains, hiking at higher altitudes or over rocky and uneven terrain regularly? Lots of people seem to be surprised when they come to the Alps that the hikes seem to go steep uphill and down, and they weren’t really prepared for that (I’ll talk more about this below). Because there’s a big difference between hiking 10 miles on the flat and 10 miles up and down on steep rocky terrain. Your photoshoot isn’t the time to step outside of your comfort zone. Generally, it’s best to stay well within it. And if you know that you’re not used to hiking up mountains but you want to give it a go, doing some extra fitness training for it before you come.
  
  
• Time of Year
  The weather in the mountains can be hard to predict at the best of times, but there are some seasons that are particularly hard to plan around. It’s possible to still have snow in higher locations until June, and for the first snowfall to start from October (in some years, September has also seen a dusting). And in the height of summer (June – August), thunderstorms in the afternoon/evening are a high possibility. If you want to be high up, but don’t want to hike, consider that mountain lifts generally run from Christmas until Easter for ski season and late May until early October for hiking season, and are typically open from 8/9am until 4/5pm. And don’t overlook the fact that any location that’s accessible by lift is going to be much busier simply due to its ease of access. The reality is, the easier a location is to get to, the busier it will be. While your date might be already be set, it’s important to be realistic about what’s accessible at this time.
  
  
• Sunrise & Sunset
  Us photographers loooove sunrise & sunset (and the aptly named “golden hour”). Light at these times of day can be really gorgeous. BUT sunrise and sunset in the mountains aren’t as straightforward as when you are somewhere with a relatively low and flat horizon. I often have couples requesting sunrise or sunset, without understanding what that may actually mean for a particular location. Sunrise & sunset can be gorgeous if you are high up in the mountains where you have a horizon. But if you are down in a valley, or surrounded by very tall mountains, you may find that while sunrise happens at 5:30am, you won’t actually get to enjoy that golden light as your location may be in the shade until 8 am due to the surrounding peaks. Sunrise & sunset can also prove to be quite logistically challenging when it comes to the timeline of the day. Are you ok with a 3 am start for getting ready to catch the 5 am sunrise that’s a 1-hour hike to get to, or skipping dinner in order to catch the 9 pm sunset and hike back in the dark? (On a side note, this is why I love multi-day elopements and mountain huts, because they make it so much easier).

Hiking In The Alps – So What Should You Expect?

I want to start this section by saying that you do not need to hike for your adventure session. Every adventure session can be tailored to your experience and abilities. If you don’t want to hike, or you want to visit locations that are wheelchair friendly, for example, I’ll advise you on which places are the most suitable.

The benefits of hiking, if you are able, are to reach locations that may offer more privacy or to reach an epic viewpoint. For two-hour and half-day shoots, I usually recommend keeping hiking to a minimum, as I don’t want you to be spending all of your time hiking. While I like to take some candid shots of you hiking, that shouldn’t take up the majority of your session time. The purpose of the hike for some locations is to reach a particular location for photos. The only exception to this may be if the trail IS part of the shoot, and we’re stopping at multiple locations along it.

If you are imagining hiking to be part of your adventure, then keep reading…

After years of working in the Alps, with couples from all around the world, I’ve learned that many people who have not hiked in the Alps before tend to find the trails here steep, in comparison to hiking in places like the USA. What is considered an easy hike and what is considered challenging in terms of hiking length, terrain, and difficulty can be extremely subjective at the best of times. So if you tell me they are happy with an easy to moderate hike, it’s difficult to know exactly what your definition of easy is. One person’s definition or experience of hiking can vary vastly from another person’s, depending on where they are from and what they have hiked before. One of my favourite locations in Tirol is what I would class as a very easy hike, but I have had some people struggle with it, since even though the hike is only short, it’s uphill all the way.

In the Alps, when we talk about hiking, we are usually talking about hiking up/down mountains. If you’re not hiking up a mountain, it’s generally considered walking (even if it’s more like cross-country trails). It’s not uncommon here for 80+ year olds and parents with small kids to easily hike over 10 miles and 2000ft in a day. That’s just our “normal”.

Types of terrain:

Hiking trails are maintained to a degree, but it’s generally accepted that when you go out hiking in the mountains, you will be in a variety of different alpine terrain, and each can come with its own challenges.

Most trails across the Alps are across the following types of terrain:

• Loose gravel
• Rocky
• Grass & mud
• Forest trails with exposed tree roots
• Boulder & scree fields

When you’re looking at which location you want for your photoshoot, the type of terrain you’ll cover to get there may have an influence on things like:

• The speed you’ll be able to hike
• What you’ll wear – including shoe choice and whether you’ll hike in hiking clothes or your “nicer” outfits

Elevation:

In the Alps, because there are very few hikes that are flat, we generally don’t talk about our hikes in terms of distance in miles, but instead in terms of the amount of altitude gain, since that’s usually the most important factor when choosing a hike. This goes back to my point above – you might be fine hiking 5 miles on the flat, but can you hike 5 miles when it’s 5 miles of steep uphill? Not all miles were made equal 😉

For an easy hike in the Alps, you can expect to be doing anything from 1000-2000ft of altitude gain. Anything under that is really not really hiking but more of just a walk, and you’re unlikely to be getting far from other people.

For a moderate hike, you’re looking at closer to 3000ft of altitude gain.

Distances:

Continuing on from above, while distances are important, in many cases, they are less of a deciding factor than elevation, as there are a lot of hikes that don’t cover huge distances but can cover pretty huge amounts of elevation gain in a short amount of time (hello mountains). If you only look at the miles covered, something might look like an easy hike, but if you see how much elevation you’re gaining on the uphill, that can change quickly!

If you don’t want to hike more than 1-2 miles, you need to expect that your location may not be so private. Such a short hike means the location can be easily accessed by anyone. So if that really is your maximum, then you may want to consider a sunrise or sunset when there are fewer people around (if the location allows), or a location that is a bit more obscure and unheard of (which I can help with).

Choosing Your Clothing & Gear

As a hiking guide as well as an elopement photographer, it’s my responsibility to make sure you are correctly kitted out for a day in the mountains. Your safety and enjoyment are my no.1 priority, and much of that starts with making sure you have the right gear. If you’re not suitably prepared for the route we’ve chosen, we’ll have to change plans. So preparation is key!

Choosing Adventure-Suitable Footwear

The most important part of any outfit for a photoshoot in the mountains is your footwear. Even if you’re not going to be doing any serious hiking, mountain trails require suitable footwear in order to keep you safe.

At the very minimum, you should wear footwear that has good tread. This could be hiking boots, but trail running shoes are also perfectly fine for shorter and easier-to-reach locations.

If you want to wear dress shoes or heels, feel free to bring them along, but know that you’ll be changing in and out of them for photos, as they are not safe for walking along mountain paths.

If you are looking to buy new shoes for your trip to the Alps, here are a few things I recommend when shopping:

Take the time to find well-fitting boots

If you know your size and are buying the same model as you’ve always worn, you’ll already know which boots you are going for. If not, I’d recommend taking the time to go into a store and try different boots on to see which feels the best on your feet. Different makes and models size slightly differently, so you might find yourself sizing up or sizing down accordingly.

If you’re buying hiking boots, make sure they are a snug fit around the ankle, but that they don’t feel tight, pinch, or rub anywhere. At the same time, you want to have a bit of room around your toes for when you’re going downhill (your feet slide forward in the shoe when you descend, and if the shoe is slightly on the smaller side, you can say goodbye to your toenails). Top tips for trying on boots are to try them on at the end of the day, as your feet are likely to swell, and take the socks with you that you plan to hike in, so that you know the boots are the perfect size with them. A good outdoor shop should have little ramps and steps so you can try them as if you were walking up and down a steeper slope.

Make sure they are waterproof

Whether you have a preference for leather or Gore-Tex boots, making sure your boots are waterproof is an investment worth making. Sometimes just walking through wet grass with morning dew or crossing a stream is enough to get wet feet. And when it rains in the mountains, it really rains. No one wants wet feet on their wedding day and especially not if you are hiking for several days in a row.

Prioritise good tread

No matter the time of year, good tread is essential. The trails in the mountains can be really variable, especially in the early summer season where there can be compacted snow and ice. Having good tread can also give you better grip on the downhill, helping you to feel more comfortable and stable on what is often the most dangerous part of a hike.

Different soles will be better on different terrain, so you might want to think about the types of hiking you are most likely to do. In general you’ll want something with moderately deep lugs (the bumps and patterns on the sole), that still have a range of patterns and enough surface area to help you grip over rocks and smooth terrain.

Ankle support

Again, the amount of ankle support will depend on the duration you are hiking for and the weight you are planning to carry. If you are not used to hiking on uneven trails, I recommend boots that support your ankles. This helps prevent rolled ankles.

And most importantly remember to break your boots in. You’ll need to take them out for a few longer walks out on trails to make sure they are properly broken in, just wearing them around the house isn’t enough. When you break them in you’ll also find out if they do give you any sore spots, and you can tape or know where to put plasters in advance.

Winter Boots

I wanted to mention winter boots separately, as there are so many winter boots on the market right now, but many are unsuitable for anything outside of walking from your hotel to the apres ski bar. While I am a big fan of winter boots like Sorels, they have their time and place. If you are doing any form of hiking in the snow, even just a short walk to a viewpoint after taking up a lift, then you’ll still want a hiking boot over a winter snow boot. Most winter boots are designed to keep your feet warm, but are not designed with great tread underneath or give you much stability around the ankle. It’s better to wear hiking boots with a deep tread and put some thick socks on, as you’re much less likely to slip. And if you’re planning to snowshoe, hiking boots are also the best option for footwear inside the snowshoe binding.

Some Hiking Boot Inspiration

Choosing A Backpack For Your Adventure

A good backpack can make the difference between an incredible time and a really terrible one. If you’ve ever tried hiking with a badly fitting backpack, or one where you haven’t quite been able to fit everything in, then you’ll know what I mean. When choosing one for your trip to the Alps, think about size, fit, the straps, and the back support:

Size

The size of backpack you need will depend on the time of year you go, how far you are planning to hike, and whether you are going on a single-day or multi-day trip. Generally, for single days I recommend a 15-25L day pack and for multi-days, a larger 30-50 litre backpack to carry your overnight gear and extra items.

Fit

Just like footwear, ensuring your backpack fits before your elopement is essential. It’s a good idea to try it on, fully packed, with the clothing you are planning to hike in – especially if that’s formal/wedding wear – to make sure that it fits snugly and doesn’t rub anywhere. There are lots of guides out there to help you fit your backpack properly, and you may be able to find information for your make and model of backpack. As a general guide, you’ll want to start by making sure that the hip strap sits on or above the top of your hip bone, then adjust the shoulder straps accordingly.

A lot of hiking backpacks now also have ventilated mesh backs to help you stay cooler as you are hiking and reduce perspiration. This isn’t an essential feature, but it can help you to feel more comfortable as you are hiking.

Should You Hike In Your Formal Clothes?

Whether you hike in formalwear will come down to a few variables, such as:

• Route length
• Terrain difficulty
• Weather conditions

For shorter and easier hikes, it certainly can make for lovely photos when you’re hiking in your formalwear already. But if you’re worried about sweating too much, or we have a longer distance or more challenging terrain to cover, then you may want to pack them and do a quick change when we get closer to the top.

If you are changing mid-hike, you might be lucky that there’s a nearby mountain hut with restrooms that you can use to change, but in some cases, it can be a matter of changing out in the open. If that’s the case, when you’re choosing your outfits (mainly if it’s a dress), think about the underwear situation, and also how easy it will be to get on/off when you’re attempting a quick change on a mountain top. Bringing a large travel towel that someone can hold up as a “modesty curtain” can be an option, but it is also one extra thing to carry. If you’re unsure what the best option is, I can advise you.

When you are choosing your clothing, your outfits should be something you can:

• Easily move in (try raising your legs, taking big strides, lifting your arms up etc)
• Isn’t going to catch easily on sharp rocks or trees
• Is comfortable
• Is easy to change into/out of

Dressing for the weather

No matter what time of year you are coming to the Alps, it’s important to be prepared for all the weather conditions that you might face. Even if you are wearing formal attire for your photos, I recommend bringing additional layers and items to keep you comfortable during those in-between moments. For example:

• A warm jacket/something with long sleeves to wear over the top of your outfits to help keep you warm
• Rain jackets or ponchos for wet weather
• Gloves and a hat for cold weather
• Hat, sunglasses, and sunscreen for sunny conditions

If you’re looking for outfit inspiration, don’t miss these other posts:

– Sustainable Wedding Wear
– Elopement Dresses You Can Buy Online
– Gender Neutral Wedding Wear
– Bridal Jumpsuits

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