Rachael and Michael’s Minneapolis Bouldering Project engagement session is the coolest session I’ve photographed in a while. These two are avid climbers (who first met at MBP!) so we had to go there for their engagement session this summer.

About Minneapolis Bouldering Project

Minneapolis Bouldering Project is a rock climbing gym in Minneapolis. Well technically it’s a bouldering gym, which is rock climbing without ropes or harnesses. Scary! It started as a gym in Seattle and has grown into a network with locations in Texas, Minnesota, Utah, and various cities on the East Coast. The boulders at MBP are usually thirteen to fifteen feet tall, with the tallest being sixteen to seventeen feet. The entire floor is a giant, squishy pad so boulderers can fall safely without having to use crashpads.

Rachael (she/they) and Michael (he/him) first met at MBP in the fall of 2021. They were climbing alone and the routes they were working on crossed. Michael finished his, but Rachel was stuck. Gym etiquette is to NOT tell other climbers how to do a route, so when Rachael finally asked Michael for advice, he was flustered. In Rachael’s words, “Michael was quite endearing and fumbled over his words, trying to be mindful to not “mansplain” lol. After I finished the route (thanks to his help), he offered to give me his number so we could climb again sometime – cuttteee. Then it was a series of climbing hangs, dog walks, and just grabbing beers after the gym – until I very directly asked him if he had feelings for me. Which once again left him stumbling over his words. Eventually, he said yes.”

Know before you go

If you want to photograph a session at MBP, here are a few tips!

1. Call ahead or send an email beforehand explaining what you’d like to do and some potential dates you’d like to do it

2. Be prepared to visit during off hours, like weekend evenings. Work with the staff on specific days and times – they’ll have a better idea of peak hours and can recommend times when it’s not as busy. It’s also unlikely that you’ll have exclusive access to any part of the gym so be prepared to answer questions from other guests sharing the space

3. Everyone involved will need to have a waiver on-file and be checked in. Those climbing will need to purchase day passes ($24) if they don’t already have an active membership at the gym. I was able to use one of Rachael and Michael’s guest passes to get in

4. Boulderers need to have proper shoes or utilize MBP’s shoe rental services, but photographers can just wear socks on the mat

5. Boulderers should wear comfortable, stretchy clothing that’s easy to move in

6. Photographers: don’t be afraid to crank your ISO and get creative with your angles! I wanted to photograph from the top of one of the boulders, but my fear of heights got me 🙁

To book your personalized Minneapolis engagement session, reach out here!

Contact Me | Follow Along on Instagram