A double exposure photograph layers the silhouettes of a man and woman standing face to face over a landscape of a river, rolling hills, and a glowing sunset sky. Below the silhouettes, the same couple walks together through a bright, open field. — Photo by Katy Kahla Photography

Some evenings just cooperate. The wildflowers were full. The light was going golden. Willow had opinions about everything and zero interest in posing. Sasha and Richard had been together eight years, and it showed, in the way they moved, the way they laughed, the way they completely forgot I was standing there with a camera. That's the session I want to tell you about.

A black and white image of two people holding hands as they walk through a sun-filled grassy field, both smiling and glancing toward each other. The soft light and open setting give the photo a quiet, unhurried feeling. — Photo by Katy Kahla Photography

The Couple Behind the Session

Sasha grew up in Idaho. Richard is from Venezuela, spent time in Kansas for school, and eventually made his way back to Boise with her. She runs a learning center in Meridian. He is a chiropractor. They have lived in a lot of places and collected people everywhere they've gone. Their wedding guest list hit 400 before they reined it back to create something smaller, more intimate, and ultimately more aligned to them.

They met at Colorado State. Sasha's sorority big dragged her to a fraternity event, and she spent the night introducing herself to strangers. She noticed Richard. Then ignored him for two months. A family visit to campus gave her an excuse to text him. They hung out once, and she ghosted him again. A few weeks later, something clicked, and they haven't left each other's side since.

That was eight years ago. They studied abroad together in Prague for six months. Backpacked through Colombia. In Paris, they got swarmed by rats and had to run for it. Sasha says that's her favorite memory of them together. The chaos brought them to a spot where her favorite photo of them exists.

Sasha describes herself as someone whose head is always in the clouds. Richard is the one who brings her back to earth. She calls him her safe haven. He says she makes the whole room smile when she walks in. You can feel both of those things in every image from this session.

A man and woman sit together in a wildflower meadow on a sunny day, yellow blooms surrounding them on all sides. She leans into him with her head resting on his chest while he holds her close, both relaxed, with gentle hills and warm light behind th

A smiling woman lies in a field of yellow flowers, her face lit by sunlight, holding the hand of someone lying next to her. The blossoms around them are bright and in full bloom.

A golden retriever faces the camera with its mouth open and tongue out, ears up, while two people in light-colored clothing frame its face with their hands on either side.

A man stands behind a woman in a white dress at sunset, arms wrapped around her as she leans back into him, eyes closed and smiling softly. A calm lake and mountain ridgeline fill the background behind them.

Why Lucky Peak in May

Lucky Peak sits about 10 miles east of Boise along Highway 21, and in May it becomes something completely different. The Lydia Gulch trail runs along the reservoir with the Boise Foothills rising behind it. In wildflower season, the hills are covered in yellow balsamroot blooms from the water's edge all the way up the ridgeline. It doesn't last long. A few weeks, maybe less depending on the year.

Sunset is when this place really opens up. The light hits the foothills and turns everything amber and copper. The Black Cliffs overlook gives you the reservoir below, the canyon walls, and the sky all in one frame. The alpenglow on the hills at the very end of the evening is something I look forward to every spring.

It's also a short trail. Less than a mile round trip to the overlook. Easy enough to walk in a dress. Dog-friendly. Quiet on a weekday evening, which is when most engagement sessions work best.

Two people in white clothing stand side by side on a hillside covered in green shrubs and yellow wildflowers, bathed in warm sunlight. Branches from nearby trees frame the lower edge of the scene.

A motion-blurred black and white image of a couple dancing on a dirt path outdoors, surrounded by wild grass and low shrubs. The woman's long white dress sweeps as they move, and the man is dressed in light clothing beside her.

Two people in light-colored clothing hold hands and spin together on a sun-drenched dirt trail, dry grass and desert brush stretching out around them on both sides.

Wildflowers, Willow, and the Walk to the Overlook

We started in the wildflower fields before making our way up toward the overlook. Sasha had a very specific goal for this session: help Richard relax. She accomplished that within the first five minutes. He didn't need much coaxing. She just made it easy.

They wandered. Sat down in the grass. Laughed at Willow, who had strong opinions about the balsamroot and zero interest in staying out of the frame. Sasha would start something, a spin, a pull toward her, a joke, and Richard would meet her there every time. That's their rhythm. She starts it and he shows up.

The lap shots happened on their own. Sasha lay back in the grass and Richard sat beside her, one hand resting on her forehead, just looking at her. I didn't ask for it. Nothing was staged. That's the kind of image you come back to.

Willow got her moment in the sun. Several moments, actually. She was not interested in sitting still, but she was very interested in being in every single photo. We worked with it and I'm glad we did.

We moved up the trail as the sun dropped. The dirt path opened things up, more sky, wider view. Richard lifted Sasha and she laughed hard. The kind of laugh where she couldn't hold it together and he was grinning because that was exactly what he was going for.

Then we hit the overlook. The Black Cliffs right there, the reservoir below, the whole sky going gold. Sasha and Richard stood in front of it and just took it in. That moment is what made this image possible. Their silhouettes against the canyon and the light. Eight years of choosing each other, right there in one frame.

Pro tip: If you're planning a sunset session at Lucky Peak, build in time to reach the overlook before the sun fully sets. The light changes fast up there. You want to be in position, not still hiking.

A couple dances in an open field at golden hour, a lake and mountain range visible in the distance behind them. She wears a white dress and he wears a light shirt and pants, both laughing as they move together. — Photo by Katy Kahla Photography

The Light at the End

We came back down toward the lake as the last light hit the foothills. The alpenglow turned everything soft and copper. The water was still. This is the part of a sunset session that catches most people off guard: the ten minutes after the sun drops below the ridge are often the best light of the whole evening.

Sasha and Richard found a bench overlooking the reservoir. They sat close, her head on his shoulder, his hand in hers. No direction from me. They just settled in.

The session ended with Sasha standing alone on the hillside, looking out over the lake. Mountains behind her, water below, sky doing everything it was supposed to do. It's a quiet image. It's also the one that tells you exactly where they were and what kind of evening it had been.

A man and woman stand back to back at sunset, hands clasped and eyes closed, both smiling. Tall grasses, dense bushes, and sun-warmed hills surround them on all sides. — Photo by Katy Kahla Photography

Lucky Peak Engagement Photos: Frequently Asked Questions

When is the best time of year for engagement photos at Lucky Peak State Park?
Late April through early June is the sweet spot for wildflower season along Lydia Gulch trail. The yellow balsamroot blooms across the foothills, and the hills stay green before the summer heat turns them brown. Sunset sessions in this window give you warm light, wildflowers, and the reservoir all at once. Fall is also beautiful here, golden grass and clear skies, but the wildflower window is short. Worth planning for if it matters to you.
Can you bring your dog to Lucky Peak for an engagement session?
Yes, and I recommend it if your dog is part of your daily life together. Lucky Peak is dog-friendly, the Lydia Gulch trail is easy on leash, and dogs add something real to a session that posed shots just can't. Plan for a little extra time and embrace the chaos. Some of the best images from Sasha and Richard's session are the ones where Willow was doing exactly what she wanted. Once June hits, plan to bring a second person to watch your dog, as your car will be too hot for them to be kenneled.
Is the Lydia Gulch trail difficult for engagement photos?
Not at all. It's a short, mostly flat trail, less than a mile to the overlook. Walkable in a dress and sandals, though I'd suggest a little grip on your shoes if the ground is dry. The overlook is worth every step of it. You get the reservoir, the Black Cliffs, and the Boise Foothills all in one view.
What should I wear for a wildflower engagement session in the Boise Foothills?
Light, neutral tones photograph beautifully against the yellow wildflowers without competing with them. White, cream, soft sage, light blue, and warm tans all work well. Skip the busy patterns. The foothills background is already visually rich, so a simpler outfit lets the setting and the emotion carry the image. Sasha's white dress was perfect for this location.
How long does an engagement session at Lucky Peak take?
Most sessions run 60 to 90 minutes. That's enough time to work through the wildflower fields, walk up to the overlook, and get some quieter shots by the lake as the light goes golden. I always recommend arriving about 90 minutes before sunset, so we're in the wildflowers during the warmest light and at the overlook for the payoff.

A golden retriever sits in the grass with its mouth open, looking toward the camera. In the soft-focus background, a couple in light-colored attire stands close together among shrubs and open hills. The image is in black and white. — Photo by Katy Kahla Photography

Your Session Should Feel Like You

The best sessions are not the ones where everything goes perfectly. They're the ones where the couple forgets to be nervous, the dog does something unpredictable, and the light shows up just enough. That's what Sasha and Richard gave me at Lucky Peak.

If you're planning an engagement session and you want something that feels real, outside, unhurried, with room to just be yourselves, I'd love to hear about it. No stiff poses. No pressure. Just your people, a good trail, and light that Idaho does better than anywhere.

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