August 20, 2021
Taft Point Yosemite Bridal Photos // Nyna + Brian
Nyna + Brian had their small covid wedding in 2020, but her beautiful @madewithlovebridal wedding dress didnât come from Australia in time because of covid So they decided to schedule a photoshoot to celebrate their marriage (once the dress finally came in!) & take some fun adventurous bridal photos at the Taft Point Cliffs in Yosemite National Park to celebrate their 1 year anniversary! :))) It was seriously soo so much fun & her dress was a DREAM, along with her makeup (done beautifully by: @kylastuart_makeup )!
Seriously alwaysss such a great idea to treat yourself with some epic photos (THAT YOU DESERVE) & have a momento to look back on and remember these wiiiild times, but also ultimately how much you love each other! :)))
Tips for Photos at Taft Point
1. PLAN FOR SUNSET
Whenever I book a Yosemite shoot⊠the first thing I do is Google the sunset time for that session date + create the schedule off of the sunset time. Iâll usually want an hour to shoot on the paths leading up to the cliff views + then another hour to shoot at the cliffs during sunset. And as soon as the sky starts to turn that pretty purple/pink (or blue… depending on the day) color, Iâll shoot the last shots so we can start hustling back to the car before it gets too dark in the woods lol!Â
2. MAKE SURE YOU HAVE A VEHICLE DAY PASS
You will get up to the parking lot spot by typing âTaft Point Trailheadâ into your GPS system⊠but BEFORE you do that⊠BE SURE that you buy a âvehicle day passâ from the park ahead of time from this website here: https://www.recreation.gov/ticket/facility/300015 â Not gonna lie itâs kind of a pain in the butt to get a pass these days, because theyâre really restricting the amount of people who can get into the park due to corona⊠but that website above explains the process. Itâs an extra $35 if you donât already have an annual pass or $2 if you do have an annual parks pass. And they WILL turn you back around & deny entrance if you donât get this pass in advance (you canât buy them at the gate). Since itâs kinda hard to get a pass⊠I usually just buy one for my clients + meet up somewhere down the mountain to hop in each otherâs cars so we can all get in with one pass. Itâs also helpful to meet up somewhere down the mountain (rather than up at the trailhead), because you will not have cell service up there⊠so itâs just a lot easier to meet up in the Oakhurst area anyways so there are no issues with not having cell service :)))
3. WEAR COMFY SHOES
This is a big one lol!! Itâs about a mile walk back to the cliff views from the parking lot⊠so youâre DEF going to want to bring some comfy shoes to walk in. You can switch into cuter shoes when you get to the spot⊠but 10000x donât bring heels â Iâd rather you go up on this cliffs barefoot, rather than wear heels (or any shoes) that could slip!! :((( So def bring comfy/cute shoes or booties⊠and also (going back to the mile walk thing)⊠if youâre a photographer going up there for the first time⊠I would recommend getting there early to figure out the path so you donât get lost on the way or miss the sunset! Def wanna figure out how to get there ahead of time because the path might be confusing for your first time⊠but after youâve hiked it once before, youâll be fine!! :)))
4. BRING EXTRA CLOTHES
I usually have clients bring two outfits: one more casual outfit for the woodsy photos on the walk way up to the cliffs + another more dressy outfit for the cliff views :)))) (But obviously for bridal shoots like this… you’ll just have your casual clothes that you come in & your wedding attire to change into)! You can wear the first outfit out of the car + then bring the second outfit with you. Some clients will bring a hanger to hang the dress on the back of a backpack so it doesnât get wrinkled during the walk. Iâd also recommend having it in a dress bag (or trash bag if times are tough lol!) So it doesnât get the pathâs dust kicked up on it. PS. Last outfit tip: bring some sweats & jacket to change into for the walk back to the car!Â
5. BRING BUG SPRAY
If you only remember ONE thing from this whole entire list⊠let it be this one lol!!! The mosquitos are KILLER on the walk up to the cliffs⊠those green/lush meadows are super beautiful & youâre probably going to want to stop & take some photos in there⊠BUT itâs a breeding ground for bug bites that youâll get allllllll over your freakkinnn body lol!! So I usually just take a few photos on the walk up, but mostly keep us moving to the cliffs so we can get away from the bugs!! But def remember to bring your bug spray!!
6. BRING WATER AND A BOTTLE OF CHAMPAGNE
The walk isnât strenuous or anything⊠but youâll def get thirsty! So remember to bring water for yourselves :)))) And itâs always a fun idea to bring a bottle of champagne to pop once you get to the top + toast to the views!! :)))
7. DO NOT GET TOO CLOSE TO THE EDGE!!
Please for the love of God & all things holy⊠stay safe up there lol!! There are no railings & it can be super dangerous if youâre not careful. And this probably seems like such a âduhâ thing to say⊠but when itâs peopleâs first times up there⊠sometimes they really have no idea how quickly the cliffs sneak up on you & drop completely off. For this reason, dogs are not allowed + honestly I wouldnât recommend bringing your small kids up here either until theyâre older. No running, no jumping⊠lol! And I 10000% wonât be making you get close to the edge in a photo sesh, because I wouldnât want to get too close either lol!!
8. BRING A FLASH LIGHT
This one is of equal importance as #5!!! Youâre definitely going to want to bring a flash light for the walk back to the car. After the sun officially sets, it gets SUPER dark in the woods SUPER quickly. I like to leave the views & start heading back to the car a little before the sun actually sets so that itâs not totally dark. There are bears & other animals out there⊠so be careful & be smart.. and if youâre uncomfortable with walking back in the dark, then just make sure that you give yourself enough time (like at least 30 mins) to start walking back before the sun sets.
10. MOST IMPORTANTLY⊠ENJOY THE VIEW :))))
Taft Point in Yosemite at sunset is a borderline religious experience. Give yourself a moment to take it all in. Not everybody gets to see this in their lifetime (especially now with all of the corona restrictions!), so consider yourself one of the lucky ones, ENJOY your time up there, + drive back home safely!! :)))
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Hope that these tips on how to get the best photos at the Taft Point Yosemite Bridal Photos were helpful! Whether youâre a client wanting photos in the most magical place ever to hang on your wallsâŠ. or a fellow photographer whoâs always dreamed of taking photos up at TaftâŠ. Just know that itâs gonna be EPIC! Have fun!! And I canât wait to see your photos from your trip! :)))) xoxoxxx
Taft Point Yosemite Bridal Photos



































Hello, I love your photos!! I am planning a styled shoot up here and I would love to use your photos on my mood board and I will give you credit. Please let me know if this is okay, your photos are a dream!