Alyssa and Dylan shared a romantic summer evening celebrating their wedding anniversary with a photoshoot at Piney River Ranch – one of the prettiest photoshoot locations in Vail, Colorado.
The Session Vision – Why Piney River Ranch
Alyssa and Dylan reached out to plan this session as an anniversary celebration of 3 years married together and 10 years total in each other’s lives. “Piney is the place I dreamed to get married, but needed to choose a more easily accessible location for our parents and grandparents. It’s also a special place, as the canoes remind me of where we were engaged, Lake Louise in Banff,” Alyssa mentioned when describing her vision for the session.
“We love the way water and peaks collide at Piney River Ranch,” Alyssa then went on to say of Vail’s iconic Gore Range Mountains. “I’m drawn to bright, airy, crisp, colorful photos that bring me back to summer. I love the adventure you’re up for!”
What Makes a Photoshoot at Piney River Ranch Special
While I shoot sessions all over the state of Colorado, Piney River Ranch is one of my absolute favorite places. Nestled in the heart of Vail’s stunning mountain range, any day spent at Piney is an adventure. To get there, you drive a windy dirt road path for about 40 minutes from Vail Village. Once there, you’re flooded with feelings of nostalgia reminiscent of summer camp days by the lake. Piney River Ranch offers both log cabins and canvas tents for overnight stays and outdoor activities such as horseback riding, hiking, swimming, and canoeing on Piney Lake.
It’s a photographer’s dream with a variety of diverse landscapes including aspen groves, wildflowers, an alpine lake, jaw-dropping mountains, a grassy hillside, and a peaceful beach. Not only do humans love it, but it’s abundant with wildlife as well. It’s famous for it’s friendly moose inhabitant Monty, but deer, birds, and other small critters are common as well.
Alyssa and Dylan’s Piney River Ranch Anniversary Session
Alyssa and Dylan chose a two-hour sunset session, giving us the perfect amount of time to soak in all the beauty Piney has to offer. We began in a vibrant field of wildflowers—an ideal match for Alyssa’s charming floral sundress. As a documentary-style photographer, my goal is not just to create stunning images, but to help you walk away with meaningful, heartfelt memories woven into every moment.
To ease into the session, we started with a quiet, intentional pause—reflecting on the ten incredible years they’ve spent together. Nestled in the tall grass and surrounded by wildflowers, they shared their favorite relationship memories with one another. In the rush of everyday life, slowing down to simply be present can feel profound. That gentle beginning grounded them in the moment and set the tone for the rest of our time together. From there, we danced beneath the flickering sunlight streaming through the aspen leaves before heading off for the next adventure.
How Your Outfit Choice Impacts the Vibe of Your Photos
After a quick outfit change, we made our way up the hillside. What you wear during your photo session plays a big role in setting the tone and energy of your images. It even influences the kinds of prompts and poses I choose. When you’re in a dress, the mood tends to feel soft, romantic, and intimate. The natural delicacy of the fabric inspires cozy, close moments that feel warm and tender.
But when Alyssa and Dylan changed into casual outfits—jeans and a tank top—the entire vibe shifted. Suddenly, the energy became playful, carefree, and adventurous. Outfits like this open the door to movement: piggyback rides, spontaneous hugs, running barefoot through the grass, and leaping into each other’s arms. Hats, while stylish, can unintentionally create distance because of the brim. I like to embrace that by leaning into movement or editorial-style shots with intentional space. Taking your hat off makes it easy to bring you back to those close, intimate moments once again.
The Best Time of the Day to Shoot
Because Piney’s main mountain view is looking east, shooting in the evening can be tricky. On a clear blue sky day with no clouds, the afternoon/evening hours have bright, direct sun illuminating the subject. Because of this, my favorite time to shoot at Piney is either early morning with the sun behind you or right before sunset when the sun dips below the mountains. Pre-sunset timing is when you get soft lighting, vibrant greens, and bright yellow or pink mountain tops if you’re lucky!
Alyssa and Dylan ended the evening with one final outfit change before slipping into a canoe together. Including an activity like canoeing is a beautiful way to create lasting memories during your session. It invites genuine connection, shared laughter, and a chance to simply be yourselves. The quiet rhythm of paddling across buttery-smooth water, surrounded by golden light and mountain reflections that mirrored their every move, made for an experience—and photos—that felt truly unforgettable.
As someone with a deep passion for mountains and adventure, sessions like this couldn’t bring me more joy. Making a memories at a place so near and dear to my heart is a gift, and I am immensely grateful for all those I get to share it with!
Thinking about booking an engagement session or wedding at Piney River Ranch or need a Piney River Ranch photographer? Let’s chat about it! Contact me.
Important Things to Know about Planning a Photoshoot at Piney River Ranch
PERMITS: Because it’s private land, to do a photoshoot at Piney River Ranch, you must first receive permission from the venue and purchase a photography permit ($250 cost as of summer 2025). Piney River Ranch hosts weddings and events throughout the summer, so availability may be limited to week days. It’s best to reach out as early as possible as they restrict the number of photoshoots/events per day. Permits are available May 1st of the respective calendar year and can be obtained by reaching out directly to their team via email at events@pineyriverranch.com or by filling out the Contact Form on their website.
SEASONAL AVAILABILITY: Piney River Ranch is open seasonally, from June 21st through the last Saturday in September. The road to Piney is closed in the winter, but the public land around the property is accessible via snowmobile.
LEAVE NO TRACE: One of the best parts about visiting Piney River Ranch in the summer time is the wildflowers. To protect the landscape and allow the flowers to continue to grow each year for everyone to enjoy, please stay on the trails and avoid picking or trampling the wildflowers. While it is tempting to immerse yourself in the flowers, you’ll see in the photos above, the couple is strategically placed in front of the flowers and only on the grassy area. Please respect the Leave No Trace Principles when visiting and protect the magic of this special place.
MOSQUITOS: The calm peaceful lake is perfect for pictures but also an ideal breeding ground for mosquitos. Plan ahead and bring bug spray, especially if you plan on visiting in the warmer summer months.
WILDLIFE: Please be aware that there is a variety of wildlife around Piney River Ranch. Prepare yourself ahead of time for the appropriate action to take if you experience a wildlife encounter. Most animals are relatively harmless and won’t bother humans. However, when spending time at Piney, you may experience larger animals such as moose, black bears, or on the very rare occasion, a mountain lion. Please keep a safe distance from the wildlife and refrain from feeding them or disrupting them in their natural habitat.
CELL PHONE SERVICE: Depending on your service provider, you may not have cell reception at Piney River Ranch. Prepare ahead of time by planning a designated meeting spot and informing other friends/family back home of your plans.
GETTING THERE/ ROAD CONDITIONS: Piney Lake is about 25 miles round trip from Vail up a windy, dirt road. It is accessible with most vehicles as long as you take your time and drive slowly. Be sure you have plenty of gas before heading up there as there are no services along the way. During high traffic times such as peak summer weekends, plan for an hour’s drive from Vail Village. Due to the nature of the road, passing can be difficult, and slow moving traffic can occur.
