Dry Island Buffalo Jump had been on our list of dream Engagement photo locations for some time. It just has SO much going for it! Crazy other-worldly Badland landscapes, fabulous vistas, hardly any people (if any at all) and the winding Red Deer River to name but a few; little did we know we would be able to tick off another photography-want of ours when we got caught in a truly torrential summer rainstorm!

When you arrive at Dry Island, there’s a parking lot right by the welcome sign, with some of the best views in the park and certainly the best view you will get from your vehicle! We met our lovely couple up here, popped some champagne and began our session with some pictures with the spectacular valley as backdrop.

Whether walking or running together, dancing, one lifting the other or just generally fooling around, we love to get you moving in your engagement session! It forces you to be focused on each other (when let’s face it- it’s easy to be distracted by the two people pointing huge cameras at you!) and helps reveal your personalities and the connection between you, in your images. Every session and every couple is different, and this obviously applies within the realms of what you are both comfortable with. But movement definitely equals emotion!

We made our way down into the valley taking in some of the different photo-ops along the way. We could happily spend all day exploring a place like this and often do, unfortunately we didn’t have that long (btw this would have been the perfect location for a 3-hour Adventure Session!) and the storm clouds were gathering! We had already planned with our couple to go down to the river for a paddle and we know from family kayak outings that it’s shallow and relatively warm here, so we were keen to get them down to the river before the rain really started…

It was starting to spit a little as we made our way down to the river. We managed to get a couple of shots in along the shoreline before it was really raining quite heavily, so we busted the umbrellas out! By the time our couple were in the water, the time where you could be protected by a flimsy clear umbrella was well and truly gone- it was TORRENTIAL. Like we were all soaked to the bone! BUT they were fantastic sports, put up with us hollering at them in an attempt to be heard over the rain, and we got some really beautiful images!

This was a really special engagement session where the stars aligned in every way possible - we can’t wait for the wedding guys!

(P.S - No more rain please!)