Beautiful engagement photography location in rocheport, Missouri.
Rocheport, Missouri is a very small town whose charm punches well above its weight. Locals of central Missouri know it to be a quick and easy getaway from every day life. It’s a place where one can slow down, get away from the hustle and bustle of more populated areas (i.e. Columbia or Jefferson City), and retreat into nature without straying too far off the beaten path. For that same reason, it is an ideal location for engagement photography sessions for anyone who lives in or around Columbia, Missouri. And, surprisingly, there are a lot of people in the area who still do not know about it. So, allow us to share with you just what this place has to offer for your upcoming engagement photography session.
the rocheport tunnel
Rocheport, MO Tunnel
If you live in Columbia, Missouri and have never come across this hidden gem, you’ve been missing out. But fret not, it has been there for a long time and will most likely continue to be for a long time to come. However, it is not the easiest spot to find if you do not know exactly where you are going. For that reason, we recommend first stopping by the Meriwether Cafe in Rocheport for a bite to eat. Why stop at a restaurant in order to find a cool tunnel? Fair question. Meriwether Cafe is not just any restaurant. They also rent bicycles to those who wish to ride down the beautiful Katy Trail, which the cafe is literally spitting distance from. If you rent a bike from these kind folks, they will gladly tell you how to find the tunnel. As it turns out, it’s probably less than half a mile away. When it comes to photography, this tunnel is a godsend. As you can see in the pictures we have, it offers two really beautiful textures as a backdrop. One is the symmetrically and evenly laid brick put there by those who carved out the tunnel way back when its purpose was for trains to go through it. The beauty of having this as a backdrop is that your photographer will be able to use the lines between the bricks as a compositional tool to help add dimension to your photos. The other major texture you will find at either end of the tunnel. It is the natural rock that was most likely blown away by dynamite in order to make the tunnel. Whatever the method they used, it resulted in a wonderfully jagged texture that makes for an amazing backdrop.
Rocheport, MO Tunnel
the beach
Your eyes are not playing tricks on you. We actually found a beautiful beach in Missouri. Very near the tunnel is a trail that leads back into the woods. If you walk from the tunnel back toward the Meriwether Cafe, you should see it on your right side, next to a small red barn. If you get all the way to the basketball court, then you’ve gone too far. The trail itself is not hard to find, but to some it may appear to be private property. However, if you walk up and read the sign next to the entrance, it will say “Missouri River Walk.” If you see this, then you’re at the right spot. If you walk about a quarter mile down this trail you will meet the Missouri River. Between the trail and the river is a large, exquisite beach offering lots of options to those wishing to capture some romantic engagement photos. The great thing about beaches is that you can use the beach itself as a compositional tool, but you also have tons of clear sky in the background. This kind of on site versatility will allow your photographer to give you more bang for your buck. The water itself provides some wonderful textures and reflections. There is also a nice rocky peninsula that stretches pretty far out into the river. It’s plenty wide so that walking out on it doesn’t mean risking falling into the river. If you can get out far enough, you’ll be able to get some lovely East Coast vibes (i.e. Cape Cod) in your engagement photos. The backdrop to this isn’t too shabby either. The river itself provides a nice bend, but is also lined with large bluffs of granite, as well as an attractive bridge. If you want neither of these in your photo, that can easily be achieved by getting a slightly different angle.
the tree tunnel
Remember the trail that you had to walk down to get to the beach? Well, that trail is actually a killer location for engagement pictures in and of itself. The tree branches frame the trail in a way that makes it into a kind of tunnel. As you can see, we shot out there in the winter, so the trees were all bare. This worked perfectly for the moody, witchy vibe that our couple was after. However, come out here in the spring or summer and you will find lush greenery, perfect for a more whimsical or traditional style of engagement photo. We also used this as the spot for letting off the smoke bombs that our couple wanted to try out. The advantage of it being a wooded area was that it was not quite as windy as the beach. Wind is a big issue when it comes to getting the desired effect from smoke bombs, so we had to take that into account.
summary
Rocheport is an absolutely dynamite location (especially its tunnel hehe) for engagement photography in the Columbia, Missouri area. It has something to offer you no matter what is on your Pinterest board. We are convinced that we could come out here 20 times and have unique and interesting galleries to share with our clients every single time.
wanna see the full gallery?
In mid-February of 2022, we will be posting the remainder of the gallery on our website. If you’re reading this after that, then you should be able to access it from the home page of our website.
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