02/05/2026
Great Sand Dunes National Park is one of the most extraordinary places in Colorado, and I don't get to photograph there nearly often enough.
Jessica and Mitchell brought their whole family to the dunes to celebrate a new chapter. Steady love. A blended family finding its rhythm. Their daughter Leia, their baby boy Quinton (not yet one), grandparents Bob and Sandra, and Moose the Newfoundland, who was every bit as majestic as the landscape.
We started in the trees and chased the sun out onto the dunes as the light turned gold to amber to pink. At some point, Quinton was ready to eat. There was no waiting, no fussing about where or when, Jessica settled right there on the sand and nursed her son while the wind moved across the dunes and the sun kept sinking lower. Meanwhile, Mitchell and Leia wandered off together, exploring the ridgeline, just the two of them.
That kind of moment doesn't get planned. It just happens when there's enough space and time built into a session for a family to actually live inside of it.
This location falls under my Wild collection, destination and mountain sessions outside the Colorado Springs area, travel included. If you've ever thought about taking your family somewhere extraordinary for photos, this is what that looks like.
Full story and tips for planning your own Sand Dunes session: https://www.wildprairiephotography.com/colorado-springs-family-photographer-blog/great-sand-dunes-family-photography-colorado
