Two women hold hands and gaze upward at a sprawling Milky Way above Bruneau Sand Dunes, Idaho, standing together in the wide open dark of one of the state's best dark sky locations. — Photo by Katy Kahla Photography

Nobody planned on the Milky Way.

We didn't know it would show up. We were just out there in the dark, on the sand, with two women who were so deeply themselves that the night had no choice but to give us something extraordinary. It wasn't until I sat down at the edit that I saw it. And when Res and Shantel saw it for the first time at their gallery reveal, they went quiet in the best possible way.

Some nights just decide to be more than you asked for.

A couple strolls hand in hand across sandy dunes beneath a cloudy sky, glancing back with smiles. One wears a flowing red dress, the other all black, their footprints trailing behind them.

A grayscale close-up of two women sharing a tender kiss, one hand cradling a cheek, the other resting at a partner's back. The image is soft and intimate, shot with a dreamlike focus.

A Queer Love Story That Started in Boise

Res and Shantel met at a care home in Boise. Res was a server. Shantel was the concierge. They figured out each other's queerness by talking about Boise Pride and flirted while setting tables. A coffee date followed. Then something official. Then a life built together that neither of them had fully expected to want.

That's the part of their story I keep coming back to. Neither of them had thought much about finding a partner until they found each other. And then, on Halloween, which is also their anniversary, Res asked, and Shantel said yes.

Now they're planning a move to Australia. And eventually, a Halloween masquerade wedding. Big, creative, bold, and completely them.

Both of them would call themselves creatives. They love to be seen. They love to laugh. They are fully, unapologetically in touch with their inner child, and their relationship is full of the kind of humor that makes everything feel lighter. Res knew a night like this would light Shantel up.

She was right.

Two women stand together on the dunes at blue hour, each cradling a glowing lantern. One rests her head on the other's shoulder as the dim desert sky and distant hills stretch behind them. — Photo by Katy Kahla Photography

Why Bruneau Sand Dunes Is One of Idaho's Best Engagement Session Locations

Bruneau Sand Dunes State Park sits about an hour from Boise, in the middle of the high desert of southwestern Idaho. It is home to the tallest single-structured sand dune in North America. And in 2024, it received its official Dark Sky Certification, making it one of the best places in the state for night photography.

Most people know it as a day trip. Families, sandboards, picnic blankets. But the version of Bruneau that most people miss is the one that happens after sunset.

The golden hour light here is unlike anything I've photographed in Idaho. The sand catches it differently than rock or water. It glows from within. Shadows stretch long and sharp across the ridgelines. As the light fades into blue hour, everything goes quiet and moody in a way that feels almost cinematic without trying. And when the sky finally goes dark, it goes fully dark. No light competition. No haze. Just open desert and stars overhead that look like someone turned up the contrast on the whole sky.

It is one of the best locations in the state for a couple who wants more than a pretty backdrop. It asks you to stay a while. To slow down. To actually be somewhere together.

Two figures stand face to face in silhouette, wrapped in each other's presence against a softly lit cloudy sky at sunset. No detail, just shape and feeling.

A black and white image of two women walking across open sand, fingers intertwined. One wears a corset and pants, the other a long flowing dress trailing behind her.

Two women in dark dresses sit side by side on the dunes, bare feet sinking into sand, laughing and leaning into each other. Footprints and rolling dunes stretch out peacefully behind them.

Golden Hour to the Milky Way at Bruneau Sand Dunes

The thing about Res and Shantel is that they don't need warming up. They arrived at the dunes the way they seem to move through life: easy, playful, already in it together. They kept it relaxing, getting their hair and makeup done by Glo With Avery, so they could kiss their stress goodbye.

We started in the golden light while the dunes still glowed. We wandered. We played. We didn't take ourselves too seriously, which is the exact energy that makes images feel alive. Res and Shantel have a natural ease with each other that comes through in every frame, the kind of comfort that takes some couples years to find in front of a camera and they just arrived with it.

As the light shifted into blue hour, we pulled out lanterns. The dunes went quiet. The warmth of the day was still rising from the sand and the sky deepened into something moody and blue and wide. I also brought crystals to play with during this part of the session, an in-camera technique I've been wanting to explore, and the results were soft and otherworldly in the best way.

Then we walked to the nearby cabins where I had set up a campfire. S'mores, drinks, no agenda. Res and Shantel settled into the firelight and the whole night slowed down even further. They sat close. They laughed. They roasted marshmallows and leaned into each other in the glow of the fire like they had nowhere else in the world to be.

After the fire, we went back out to the desert. The sky was fully dark. And that's when the Milky Way appeared on my camera in post, in a way none of us expected and all of us needed.

Pro tip: I arranged the cabin stay as part of the experience. If you're planning a Bruneau session, staying the night changes everything. It removes the pressure of a drive home and opens up the full arc of the evening, from golden hour to stars, without anyone watching the clock.

At sunset on the sand, one woman presses a soft kiss to her partner's cheek. Both wear dark dresses, hold hands, and smile as a warm orange and pink sky glows behind them. — Photo by Katy Kahla Photography

4 Tips for Planning Your Own Bruneau Sand Dunes Engagement Session

Stay the night. The best light at Bruneau happens twice: at sunset and well after dark. If you drive home after golden hour you miss the whole second half of the evening. The park has yurt cabins available for overnight stays that make the full experience possible without camping gear.
Plan around the moon. Bruneau's dark sky certification means light pollution is minimal, but the moon matters. A new moon night gives you the darkest sky and the clearest view of the Milky Way. Check the lunar calendar when you book.
Bring layers. The desert holds heat through golden hour but the temperature drops fast after sunset. A wrap, a jacket, or a second outfit for the evening portion of the session keeps you comfortable and gives us more to work with stylistically.
Arrive with time to settle in. The dunes are a 15-minute walk from the parking area. Give yourself time to arrive, take your shoes off, feel the sand, and let the place work on you before we start shooting. The couples who slow down first always have the strongest images.

A lone sand dune ridge cuts through the frame, split by a long dark shadow. A trail of footprints runs along the top edge, disappearing into a soft cloudy sky above.

The desert sky at Bruneau Sand Dunes erupts in deep orange and red at sunset, wispy clouds catching the last light of the day in a warm, dramatic sweep across the horizo

Two women share a close moment at dusk on the desert floor, one holding a softly glowing lantern. They smile toward each other as the Snake River plain and distant hills fade into the evening behind them.

Bright orange flames lick upward through glowing embers against a deep black night sky, a campfire burning strong during an overnight engagement session at Bruneau Sand Dunes.

Frequently Asked Questions About Bruneau Sand Dunes Engagement Sessions

Can you do an overnight engagement session at Bruneau Sand Dunes? Yes. Bruneau Sand Dunes State Park has yurt cabins available for overnight stays, which makes a full evening session possible. Starting at golden hour and staying through the star portion of the night is one of my favorite ways to use this location. I handle the logistics, including arranging the cabin, so you can focus on the experience.
Is Bruneau Sand Dunes a dark sky location? Bruneau Sand Dunes received its official Dark Sky Certification in 2024, making it one of the best places in southern Idaho for night photography. On clear nights with a new moon, the Milky Way is visible with the naked eye. For engagement and elopement sessions, this means star photos that look like nothing else available within two hours of Boise.
Is Bruneau Sand Dunes a good location for LGBTQ engagement photos? Absolutely. Bruneau is a wide-open, private, and expansive location where you can be fully yourselves without an audience. I photograph all couples and am committed to creating a space where every person feels safe, seen, and celebrated. Queer love belongs in wild places.
What is the best time of year for a Bruneau Sand Dunes engagement session? Early spring and early fall work best for an evening session, when the days are long enough to start at golden hour and the nights are warm enough to stay out comfortably. May/June and September/October are particularly good months. Avoid midsummer heat (May through August), which can make walking the dunes uncomfortably hot and dangerous.
Can you see the Milky Way at Bruneau Sand Dunes? Yes, and it is one of the few locations near Boise where this is reliably possible. The dark sky certification, minimal light pollution, and wide-open horizon make Bruneau one of the best spots in the region for Milky Way photography. Timing matters: plan for a new moon night between April and October for the strongest results.

A black and white nighttime portrait of two women standing close, one arm wrapped around the other's shoulder, a lantern casting soft light between them. Dark dresses, layered necklaces, and a quiet intimacy that feels like the end of a perfect night — Photo by Katy Kahla Photography

Your Story Belongs Somewhere Worth Being

Res said it simply in her review: it was a really special experience, and the photos came out absolutely beautifully.

That's what I'm here to build. Not just images but a night that you'll actually remember being part of. A place that asked something of you, and gave something back.

If you're a queer couple looking for a photographer who will show up fully for your story, I'd love to hear from you. And if Bruneau has been sitting in the back of your mind as a place worth doing something meaningful, I think you already know the answer.

Let's Chat!