Photographers Luke and Mallory Leasure took the tramway up Mount Howard in Joseph, Oregon, with their wedding couple for portraits. Once they reached the scenic lookout, instead of going straight into shooting, Luke and Mallory decided to give their clients a few moments alone. “We always step back and give the couple some space to just take it all in for a bit without the constant snapping,” the photo duo says. “Joseph is a very special place for these two, so it was important for them to connect the significance of their wedding day to the magic of this location.”

The harsh midday sun posed a bit of a challenge for this session, so to overcome the bright, unfiltered light and heavy shadows, Luke and Mallory decided to put the sun behind the couple and out of the frame. They exposed for the couple, brought the ISO down to 50 and shot a stop or two darker in order to save the background in post. The result is a romantic and breathtaking portrait that captures the couple’s connection and the natural beauty of the location.

“I feel that, as photographers, it is important to focus on the client and their needs and desires for the wedding photos,” say Luke and Mallory. “Center-composed shots of people in dramatic places are really fun and great for social media, but it’s the privilege of telling the story of two people making a commitment to each other and the connection that they share that’s really amazing.”

(Captured using a Canon 5D Mark IV and a Sigma 50mm ART lens.)

Photo © Luke + Mallory Leasure

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