Erica Houck and a German couple braved the storm for an iconic photo<\/span> (Photo: Erica Houck)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nSopping wet photoshoot aside, Houck captured one of her most sublime proposal photos yet. Amid the chaos, neither she nor the couple realized that a lightning bolt had struck the face of Yosemite\u2019s most iconic peaks.<\/p>\n
\u201cI had no idea I even captured that photo until I got home and was culling through the images,\u201d Houck said. \u201cThat one stopped me dead in my tracks; my mouth literally dropped. I was so thankful everything was composed well and in focus for such a once-in-a-lifetime moment.\u201d<\/p>\n
Although rare, Houck said instances like this serve as a reminder that in the wilderness, the unexpected lurks around every corner.<\/p>\n
\u201cI do shoot in studio settings sometimes too, and there\u2019s definitely a place for that,\u201d she said. \u201cYou can create really beautiful, intentional images in a controlled environment. But for me, being out in nature, especially in those wild, unpredictable conditions, just hits differently. There\u2019s something about not being able to control everything that makes the moments feel more real and meaningful.\u201d<\/p>\n
The El Capitan lightning photo, Houck added, is the perfect example of why she embraces that chaos. \u201cWhen something unexpected happens, like a rainbow or a lightning strike in the middle of a storm, it feels like this incredible, unplanned gift,\u201d she told Outside<\/em>. \u201cAlmost like a nod from God or the universe.\u201d<\/p>\n