The Heart Behind the Shoot:

Some moments in life happen once and never again.

The smile on your face during your first look. The mountain breeze on your skin as you say your vows. The tear on your cheek as you watch the sunrise in their eyes.

These are the moments that turn an elopement into YOUR wedding story. They deserve to be felt—and re-felt—for a lifetime. And as photographers, we have a sacred responsibility to not only capture those moments beautifully, but to protect them with everything we have.

That’s why we’re beyond honored to have partnered with Samsung Memory on this shoot, a brand whose memory products we’ve trusted as the most reliable option to store our couples’ precious photos.

How We Collaborated with Samsung on This Shoot

When we’re photographing once-in-a-lifetime moments during destination elopements, reliable storage isn’t just important to us, it’s non-negotiable. After extensively researching photo storage products, we chose Samsung because their products consistently perform, even in challenging conditions.

So when Samsung invited us to collaborate with them, we were genuinely thrilled! This was an opportunity to spotlight a company we already trust deeply and to showcase something most couples never see: the behind-the-scenes workflow that keeps their memories safe.

The vision for this collaboration was twofold. First, to photograph a beautiful elopement shoot that captured the magic of a sunrise at Glacier Point. Second, to document how we use Samsung memory products throughout our entire workflow, from the moment we press the shutter to the final backup.

You can see the stunning elopement photos throughout this post that showcase what’s possible when you combine incredible light, a breathtaking location, and a couple deeply connected to each other. You can also checkout some of our Samsung Memory behind-the-scenese photos here: Samsung Memory – The Big Day with the Chaffins

Also be sure to checkout our Yosemite National Park Elopement Guide to learn how to plan your own elopement in this park!

How We Planned the Shoot:

We sprang into action to start planning as soon as things became official. Sunrise shoots at Glacier Point require preparation, you only get one chance to capture that perfect golden light, so everything needs to be dialed in ahead of time.

Airbnb Inside the Park:

We booked an Airbnb inside the park, important because we’d be waking up around 2am to reach Glacier before sunrise. Staying inside the park meant we could maximize our sleep and minimize drive time, keeping our energy focused on the shoot itself.

Choosing Locations:

Then came location scouting, we chose our favorite spots at Glacier Point for this shoot. We specifically wanted locations where we could capture golden light spilling out from behind Half Dome, with the couple silhouetted against those magical sun rays that only happens during those first precious minutes of sunrise. We had a bit of time to pop into the valley as well so we swung by El Capitan Meadow to frolic around and have them write love letters to each other.

The Aesthetics of the Shoot:

For styling, we had a clear vision: a long flowing dress and veil that would catch the light beautifully. We wanted to capture the veil glowing as the sun shone through it, and the dress flowing out behind the bride as she moved through the landscape. These elements would add movement and drama to the images while maintaining that ethereal, romantic feeling we always seek to capture with our elopement photography.

The couple was absolutely incredible. The deep connection of their marriage and the way they interacted with the natural world around them brought such a life and beauty to the shoot. There we were up before dawn in the cold mountain air, and their warmth and chemistry made every moment feel so alive.

How We Photographed the Shoot:

How to Photograph a Sunrise at Glacier Point

Photographing a sunrise like this means we have to be completely locked in. While the entire morning offers gorgeous lighting, there’s only a 10-15 minute window where we can capture the sun rays truly exploding out from behind the mountains in the most incredible way.

Because of this tight timeframe, we mentally mapped out our shot list ahead of time. We knew exactly which angles we wanted, which compositions would showcase Half Dome best, and how we’d position the couple to maximize that backlit glow. But we also left room for creative spontaneity in the moment, some of the best images happen when we follow our instincts and just respond to what’s unfolding in front of us.

How We Used Samsung Memory Products to Photograph this Shoot

The couple was amazing the way they moved together and interacted with the landscape. The way they held each other, the way they looked at each other as the light changed, the quiet moments of just being present together. As photographers, having subjects who are so deeply connected elevates everything.

We captured wide shots that showed the massive scale of Yosemite’s granite peaks with the couple small against that vastness. We moved in close to capture intimate moments: her veil glowing translucent in the sunrise, their hands held gently, the emotion in their eyes. We photographed them walking together, dancing, standing still in reverent silence as the world woke up around them.

And through it all, our Samsung memory cards were working flawlessly in the background. Every single image was being written to two SD cards simultaneously in our cameras, instant backups the moment we pressed the shutter.

Protecting Your Memories: Our Backup Workflow

Here’s something most couples never think about: what happens to your photos right after we hug you goodbye?

Photography is an art that bottles feelings: a passport back to your most precious moments. You deserve to have complete peace of mind that those memories are safe. So here’s exactly how we protect your memories:

1. During your wedding, our cameras save to two SD cards simultaneously. Every image is instantly backed up the moment it’s taken. If one card fails (which is extremely rare with Samsung cards, but we plan for every possibility), we still have a complete second copy.

2. After we say goodbye, we immediately back up all your photos to THREE different Samsung portable SSDs. Not one. Not two. Three separate physical drives. These portable SSDs are incredibly fast, durable, and reliable, perfect for destination photographers like us who tend to over-shoot a little and need to back up hundreds of gigabytes.

3. Then we back everything up to the cloud. A fourth copy stored in the cloud, completely separate from our physical drives.

Before we sleep, before we edit, before we celebrate with our traditional Thai food: your memories already live safe in multiple places.

Redundant? Maybe. Do your memories deserve it? Absolutely.

We trust Samsung Memory Cards and portable SSDs because protecting our couples’ memories is non-negotiable. You bring the courage to choose a wedding that’s wildly unique to you. We’ll bring the artistry to capture it, and the care to protect it – so you can relive it for every anniversary to come.

This collaboration with Samsung got to the heart of why we are elopement photographers. Because at the end of the day, your elopement photos aren’t just files on a card – they’re your legacy, your love story, your once-in-a-lifetime moments preserved forever.

Thinking about eloping? Let’s make it 100% YOU.

Photos From The Shoot:

Want to start planning your elopement or micro-wedding?