Romantic Mountain Shoot

I wanted to capture the beauty, elegance, and timelessness of true love, and in my opinion, I felt that they the evergreen forest and gorgeous mountain setting would provide the perfect backdrop to underscore the theme of love’s eternal nature. In fact, it was my own personal love for the natural beauty of the setting itself that inspired the shoot. As I ventured through the beautiful forests and lakes offered by Utah’s various mountain ranges and valleys, I was inspired by the sense of eternity and timelessness that nature has to offer, and I wanted to further emphasize and express these feelings by capturing the true love that two individuals’ can have for one another.

In order to capture this expression, I needed a couple whose adoration for one another came effortlessly and that could be easily conveyed through each image. In this regard, I could not have asked for a better couple. Not only are Natalie & Tyson stunningly beautiful, as if models out of a magazine, but most impressively the genuineness of their love is unquestionably present in every photo, whether through their laughs, their touch, or their comfortable confidence when standing by each others’ side--the true love between them cannot be denied.

For me, true love is simply, natural, comfortable, and elegantly beautiful in its own right. Thus the my objective was to try and have each image conform to this ideal. I believe I succeeded by capturing the models in natural positions, allowing them to feel comfortable enough to naturally convey their love for one another in front of the camera at each moment.

Additionally, I am glad that I was able to capture not only the natural beauty of the individuals and their love, but also the beauty of setting. Perhap one of my favorite aspects about the shoot, which I feel makes it unique, is the natural movement and influence of the wind that I was able to express through the images. I feel that the movement present in the photos helps to convey the elegance and timeless feel to (insert names) love. Moreover, this elegance is only accentuated by the the beauty of the dress, both in its long, graceful flow, and simple but classic style.

Overall, this style shoot was truly a joy and dream, or at least a vision, come true for me. I could not have been happier with how it all came together, and I loved working with the couple. Had the sun not set that day, I still might be trying to capture the true love expressed between Natalie & Tyson in that most ideal, gorgeous and breath-taking setting.

from the bride:

Tyson and I met 4 years prior to our awesome year of courtship. Had i known what an amazing soul he was right off the bat, i would of married him then and there and saved us a lot of time... but alas, one thing i have learned is that timing is everything.

From Provo we fled the state seeking a change of scenery and pace. Tyson took up work in Oregon, and I had an internship in the city of Angels. After a year of what you could call "finding ourselves" we both returned to Utah only to "find eachother". My life is deeper and richer because of  him. I love him with a kind of love i never knew existed, and for that I am grateful. He is the apple to my eye.

Natalie Riskas

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