Knoxville, TN: Hillary + Ben's Mead's Quarry and Ijams Nature Center Engagement Session

35° 57' 5'' N 83° 52' 3'' W

These two are such an extraordinary couple! Ben is an evolutionary genetics professor at the University of Tennessee and Hillary is an emergency/wilderness medicine physician, also on the faculty at UT medical center! How freakin’ awesome is that?! They love hiking, climbing, anything outdoors, and have the cutest little pup named Sequoia!

Ben and Hillary are getting married here in the mountains of Tennessee, so we decided to change up the scenery and have their engagement session in Knoxville! I had been wanting to shoot at Mead’s Quarry and Ijams Nature Center for quite some time, so I was excited to hear that it was one of Ben and Hillary’s favorite places to take Sequoia and that it was close by to their home!

We met up the day before the fourth of July and found the quarry to be pretty dang busy! I had no clue that not only is it a gorgeous place to hike, but also an available swimming hole with kayak and canoe rentals! As soon as I arrived, I started location scouting and soon found that the humidity felt like it was at 100%. I was sweaty as could be and hadn’t even started shooting yet (just a little slice of the sometimes un-glamorous life of a photographer)! Ben and Hillary soon arrived after and started walking around the quarry with Sequoia. We ended the session at the Forks of the River Wilderness Management Area where there is currently a huge field of sunflowers! I have never shot in a sunflower field before and thought it was such a neat experience! If you are ever in Knoxville at the right time- I highly suggest visiting the sunflower field! Its awesome!

Hillary and Ben — I had such a great time getting to know you guys and meeting Sequoia! I love Hillary’s smile and laughter that Ben really brings out. I cannot wait for your upcoming wedding!