Austin & Clara’s Romantic Paradise Valley Engagement Session

Romantic Paradise Valley Engagement Session | Emigrant, Montana

This session with Clara and Austin felt like one long exhale. We drove out to Paradise Valley in the mid-afternoon until the Old Saloon appeared, the place where their story first sparked. We started in front of the old iconic sign, letting them settle in with something familiar. Clara was a vision and a champ in her sleeveless white dress, and Austin instinctively pulled her close and warmed her up any time the wind cut through.

From there, we wandered. We followed the sun until the landscape opened into soft golden hills, candy colored clouds, and mountains fading to purple in the distance. Their dog Millie joined in for some family shots running through the tall grass. In the far field, a group of deer grazed quietly, and for a moment it felt like the whole valley was just ours.

This is always my favorite part of any engagement session. I tell every couple that the first few minutes are simply about getting the jitters out. Few people arrive ready to be photographed, and no one needs to. It’s normal to feel awkward at first, especially if you’re not used to affection on camera. When I’m culling photos later, I usually start from the end because that is where the real magic lives. The looseness, the laughter, and the way couples forget the camera and fall back into the rhythm of just being together always shows up most clearly in the final moments.

That happened with Clara and Austin. Usually I’ll give the couples an overtly cheesy prompt, knowing I’ll get some pushback from the groom, but the moments after this cheesy prompt are what I’m after. For Austin and Clara, it was “pull her hand up and kiss it like Prince Charming!” One awkward prompt turned into a burst of genuine laughter, which turned into one of my favorite frames of the entire day.

If you’re dreaming of your own Montana engagement session and want photos that feel natural, warm, and true to who you are, I would love to create something meaningful with you. Reach out through my contact page or below to reserve your date.