This felt more like an adventure than a photo shoot.


Esther and Russell invited me out to Russell’s land in Snyder County for their engagement session. Just a quiet walk in the woods. We’re talking ferns everywhere, mountain laurel blooming, and natural springs bubbling up like the earth forgot to turn off the faucet. At one point I remember thinking it felt like we’d stepped into the Swamp of Sadness (you know, The Neverending Story), but without the part where Artax gets swallowed up in despair. No sadness here! Just good, sloppy-feet fun. Nobody cried, nobody got stuck, and the whole thing felt kind of enchanted.

A couple shares an intimate moment in a sunlit forest clearing next to a large tree stump.
Two people walk hand in hand along a lush green forest trail surrounded by tall trees and verdant foliage.

 

The ground was soaked, the leaf litter was deep, and we all just sort of trudged through it together, boots squelching and all. It was glorious.


Want to know the secret sauce? Sessions like this are why connection matters. When a couple shows up fully, ready to go, not weirded out by a camera in their face, and actually excited to be there, that’s when the good stuff happens. I don’t need big poses or elaborate setups. Just give me two people who are present with each other and with me. That’s when it clicks.

 

A couple shares an intimate embrace surrounded by blooming flowers and lush greenery in a garden setting.
A romantic engagement photo session shows a couple surrounded by lush green ferns in a forest setting.
Silhouette of someone jogging through a dark green forest with tall trees and filtered sunlight.

Stephanie was with me on this one, and we worked together to create these images. It’s a classic partnership. She handles the logistics, lighting, and slopping through the liquid earth, and I show up with a camera. Perfectly balanced and entirely equitable.


Esther and Russell? Total delight. Easygoing, up for anything, clearly happy just being around each other. We wandered. We talked. We got our feet wet. And somewhere in all of that, we made a bunch of photos that feel like them.


Honestly, if all engagement sessions were just a walk in the woods with kind humans and no agenda, I’d be good with that.

Two people sit together surrounded by lush green ferns in a moody forest setting.
A couple shares an intimate moment together while sitting among ferns in a black and white forest setting.
Romantic black and white photo of a couple sharing an intimate moment among ferns in a misty forest setting.
Two people sitting by a fire pit in a wooded area while one person chops wood in the foreground.
A romantic couple embraces in a lush green forest setting framed by ferns and foliage.

 

If you're thinking about an engagement session that feels more like a walk in the woods than a formal photo shoot, I’m in. Let’s wander somewhere that matters and make something honest together. Contact us to plan your session.


Esther and Russell are tying the knot later this month, and I already know it's going to be something special. Keep an eye out the first week of July for a peek at their wedding day. I can't wait to share what we make together.

 

A couple shares an intimate moment outdoors while holding an old wooden axe handle.
A couple shares an intimate moment while sitting on a wooden chair in a lush forest setting.

The Details!


Location: Private land in Snyder County, Pennsylvania

Time of year: Late May, peak mountain laurel season

Vibe: Muddy boots, soft light, and a whole lot of ferns

Photographer: Joel Wiebner at Photokindred

Style: Honest, relaxed portraits, engagement photography


Thinking about your own session?

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Need some ideas?

Browse our blog for more recent sessions or follow along on Instagram for sneak peeks and behind-the-scenes.

A photographer lies prone on leaf-covered forest ground while taking pictures of a couple on a wooded trail.
Vibrant green ferns growing wild in a forest setting with patches of moss and soil visible below.
A person sits among blooming mountain laurel flowers in a lush green forest during springtime.