Iron Mountain Road Engagement Photos

When Emma and Jordan told me during their wedding consultation that they already knew where they wanted their engagement photos taken, I loved their confidence. As a rapid city photographer, there’s something I treasure about couples choosing locations that feel meaningful or inspiring to them. For these two, that place was the scenic stretches of Iron Mountain Road in the Black Hills during late fall, just before the sun tucked behind the hills for the night.

Emma and Jordan’s Story

Emma and Jordan have one of those quiet, steady high school sweetheart stories that feels timeless. They’ve been together for six years and share a life rooted deeply in the Northern Hills, where Jordan’s family runs a quarter horse ranch.

Their proposal story fits them perfectly. One of the mares on the ranch was delivering, and the whole family stayed up into the early hours of the morning. At around 2 am, Emma wanted to go check on the newborn foal. Jordan took her out to the barn, and while she was focused on the little one, he got down on one knee. Soft, unplanned, and completely wrapped in their everyday life together.

Their Engagement Session on Iron Mountain Road

Because the sun sets so early this time of year, we started a little before golden hour to get as much soft, glowy light as possible. Around 3:30, the sun dipped behind the hills and left us with that gentle, diffused light that works beautifully for fall engagement sessions. The whole evening felt relaxed, romantic, and lowkey — very much “them.”

They kept their outfits simple and true to who they are. Emma started in a rust-colored dress paired with Ariat Casanova boots that I love and always recommend for sessions. Jordan wore jeans, a collared pullover, and a black felt cowboy hat that pulled the whole look together in the best fall-in-the-Black-Hills way.

For their second outfits, Emma changed into a brown sweater and Kimes Ranch jeans, while Jordan swapped his pullover for a green one that complimented the landscape and Emma’s tones perfectly.

Quill, The Little Ranch Dog Who Found Them

One of my favorite parts of this session was meeting their sheltie, Quill — a tiny dog with a huge personality. Jordan told me she showed up on their ranch one day while they were working, too timid to let anyone near her at first. After weeks of trying to find her owner and making sure she wasn’t claimed, they kept her, and now she’s part of their little family.

During the session, she was a bit unsure of the camera at first and had a lot to say about it. Emma and Jordan just laughed, explaining that she’s all bark and no bite. She settled back in quickly once her photos were done, happily greeting me again like nothing ever happened.

Fall in the Black Hills

While this wasn’t an “adventure session” in the hiking sense, Iron Mountain Road in the fall brings its own kind of magic — the warm tones, the layers of evergreens, and the quiet pockets of space right off the road that photograph beautifully. It’s one of the reasons couples love choosing the Black Hills for their engagement photos, and why being a black hills photographer feels like such a gift.

If you’re dreaming of a fall session that blends natural beauty with ease and accessibility, the Black Hills offer endless options without needing to trek far.

Ready to Plan Your Own Engagement Session?

Whether you already have a location in mind or want help brainstorming the perfect spot, I’m here to create a session that feels like you. As a South Dakota photographer, I help couples plan meaningful, effortless engagement photos all across the Hills — especially in the quiet, romantic pockets that make this area so special.

You can reach out anytime to start planning your session. Reach out here!