Beneath Rainier’s Shadow

Mt. Rainier stood vast and timeless, its snow-laden peaks holding court over fields speckled with alpine wildflowers. This was the stage for Karli and Kurtis’s engagement session—a story shaped by nature's grandeur and the quiet pulse of connection.
I first met Karli at a daycare, my first job in the area, long before my lens became a bridge to the moments that matter most. This shoot brought us full circle, threading history with new beginnings. The mountain, unyielding yet inviting, set a tone for the session—each moment grounded in its scale and grace.
Arriving hours early, I wandered its trails, the air sharp with pine and possibility. Without prior scouting, I turned to the wisdom of park staff for hidden gems. Their insights led us to paths framed by towering evergreens and meadows that caught the light just so. Each location unfolded like a gift: the forest shadows cradling Karli’s white polka-dotted dress, the golden sunrays catching Kurtis’s sharp lines.
The day was a dance of contrasts. Bright sunlight softened by rolling clouds gave us bursts of shade, moments where the colors felt richer, the shadows deeper. With my camera and portrait lenses in hand, I focused on framing not just the couple but the environment that cradled them—the layers of green, the cascade of blooms, and the towering peak above.
One image, stitched together in a panoramic sequence, became a favorite—a portrait of layers. It captured Rainier’s scale, the vast meadow, and Karli and Kurtis, their love at the heart of it all. Editing these photos, I leaned into softness, letting the tones blend naturally while highlighting the interplay of textures: wildflowers, snow, and skin.

This session, carved from light and weather, reshaped how I view photography. It confirmed the power of preparation while embracing spontaneity—of listening to the land and weaving its narrative with my subjects.
As COVID loomed on the horizon, this shoot felt like a deep breath, a reminder that art and connection endure. Karli and Kurtis’s story became part of the mountain that day—a whisper in its vastness, a celebration of love beneath its unyielding shadow.