While I was in Boise, Idaho, to photograph a wedding, I also wanted to take advantage of my time there and photograph an engagement-style adventure session so I reached out to my online social network to see if I could find an interested couple. Amber and Aaron were one of the first couples to inquire and it ended up being a perfect fit. During my research into potential locations near Boise, a friend told me about Bruneau Dunes State Park, and as soon as I looked it up I was sold. It also turns out that Amber and Aaron had recently visited Bruneau Dunes earlier in the summer and had hiked to the top in the middle of the night to watch the Perseid meteors streak across the sky. I always try to incorporate locations that have significance to the couples I photograph, so collaborating with Amber and Aaron at the dunes was an ideal scenario.
We started the shoot exploring the lake at the base of the dune with the goal of making it to the top just before sunset. However, a freak system of storm clouds started rolling in right around the time it was realized that we needed to drive back to the visitor center to retrieve a forgotten article of clothing. By the time we made it back to the dunes, it looked as though we might miss the light before we could reach the top, but we committed to setting a pretty wicked pace trudging up the dune, sliding one foot backward for every two feet forward, sucking wind the whole way. Luckily, Amber and Aaron were absolute troopers, and the clouds parted just enough at the right moments. Ultimately, it ended up being one of my favorite sessions of the year. And this has been a pretty amazing year. — KC
