South Dakota Photographer | Custer State Park Engagements
I don’t remember the exact words we exchanged. Just the way the champagne sparkled as it flew through the air. The way their dogs sprinted through the meadow like they’d never known anything but freedom. The way smoke lingered between kisses while granite cathedrals loomed behind them.
In early September, I spent a weekend photographing three completely different couples in one of the dreamiest places the American West has to offer: Custer State Park, South Dakota. Nestled in the Black Hills, just minutes from Mount Rushmore and only 1.5 hours from the Badlands, it’s the perfect stop for couples road-tripping through South Dakota. It feels like it’s been waiting for lovers to stumble into it. These Custer State Park engagement photos still feel like a dream.
Champagne & Glow by the Lake | Custer State Park Engagement Photos
The first couple met me by Sylvan Lake. We popped champagne right as golden hour cracked open the sky. Light danced across the water while they danced with each other, barefoot and beaming. There was something so sweet and untamed about those moments—how they toasted, kissed, laughed, and let the air feel heavy with celebration.
We ended the session with soft golden portraits on the rocks. The kind of images that make you believe in love a little harder.
Blue Hour with the Dogs | Engagement Photos in the Black Hills
The second couple brought their pups, and honestly—they kind of stole the show. Blue hour was settling in, that dusky, moody light that makes everything feel like a memory. The dogs tore across the field, fur catching light, tails wagging like tambourines.
We kept things easy and candid. No over-posing, just letting them exist together as a pack. That session reminded me that "family photos" don’t have to be stiff—they can be full of slobber and soft kisses and paws pressing into your jeans.
Smoke, Meadows, and Nightfall | Custer State Park Couples Session
The next day, we drove up to the top of the park to Sylvan Lake Lodge. There’s something sacred about that elevation—6,145 feet and the air just hits different. We took portraits with their car (because yes, even Subarus can be romantic), then ran wild through a meadow until the light dropped behind the pines.
At one point they blew smoke into each other's faces, like some kind of rebellious fairytale. And then we drove down Iron Mountain Road to the tunnel. That tunnel—framed by the spires that look like something out of a cathedral dream—was where we ended the night.
A slow shutter. Headlights. Silhouettes. And love that looked like it belonged to the stars.
If You’re Planning Engagement Photos in Custer State Park
Here’s what I wish everyone knew:
Give yourself time. From Keystone to Sylvan Lake is about 35–40 minutes without traffic. Add time for winding roads, bison crossings, and spontaneous scenic pull-offs.
Leave at least 1 hour before your shoot time. Especially in fall, when weather can shift fast and golden hour comes earlier than you think.
The light here is a gift. Golden hour hits different in the Black Hills, and blue hour lingers like a secret. Plan your session around light, not just time.
Want photos that feel like a story?
Let’s make some magic in the middle of nowhere. I’ll bring the camera—you bring the chaos, the quiet, the champagne, the dogs.
Inquire here to book your own Custer State Park session, or tell me what wild corner of the world you want to run to. I'm already halfway out the door.
Photos taken in September | Camera: 50mm | South Dakota Elopement & Couples Photographer near Mt. Rushmore.