After having the privilege of photographing two beautiful weddings out in Pendleton this year, I got an email from the sister of one of the brides, whom I had greatly enjoyed getting to know. "We'd love to come to Portland for family pictures this Fall."
Charity had scheduled a date in October, one that in theory should have given us the perfect combo of the beautiful Fall colors and decent weather. When the date rolled around, however, the unbudging forecast called for 90% heavy rains all weekend, and nearly no chance of the thunderstorms letting up. Had it been a local family, we may have played things by ear, but with them living more than 3 hours away, I had figured that we had no other option but to call it off. After all, how bad would I have felt for them to drive over 6 hours roundtrip, only to have it pour rain?
Apparently, though, I forgot who I was talking to. You see, this family wasn't about to let a bit of rain get in their way of pictures.
"We're still planning on coming out," the email read. Crazy, I thought. These people are just crazy. We had hardly ventured out in the last few days at all due to the rain, let alone think of taking pictures in it. Now listen here, I understand that we live in the rainy Northwest, but not even hopeful ME would consider braving the rains for pictures.
Its a good thing, however, that Charity didn't take my "no" for an answer. Because, had she have, we wouldn't have had as much fun as we did photographing their beautiful family. We quite literally dodged the downpour on more than one occasion, laughing as we jumped over growing puddles, in search of the closest overhang that would hold us all. I was thankful to be amongst friends as we huddled in an outbuilding, dried off in the warmth of the lodge, and caught up on the last few months as we waited for the next break in the clouds.
Waiting for that 10% chance of a break in the rain wasn't so bad after all. And certainly not when spending it with some of the greatest people in the world.
