Aspen proposal photographer.

PHOTOGRAPHING ASPEN SINCE 2004 · PORTRAITS SINCE 2014

You plan the ring. I'll handle the rest — the hiding spot the timing signal, the walk-up, and the photos she'll look at for the next fifty years. Proposals quietly documented across the Roaring Fork Valley since 2014.

Check available dates →
Check available dates →

⭐ 5.0 on Google · Based in Aspen since 2014 · 200+ couples & families photographed

How The Surprise Actually Works

You won't see me until she says yes.

Here's the playbook I've run hundreds of times:

We pick the location together — a quiet turnout at Maroon Bells before the crowds, a sun-hit aspen grove in Ashcroft, the overlook at Independence Pass, a tucked-away spot downtown. I arrive thirty minutes ahead of you, scout the light, and set up with a long lens far enough back that she'll read me as a tourist taking landscapes. You send a one-word text when you're three minutes out. You walk her to the mark we agreed on. You drop to one knee.

I'm already shooting.

After the yes, I walk over, introduce myself, and we turn the next twenty to forty minutes into a relaxed portrait session while the adrenaline is still in the air. Those are often the best frames of the whole day.

ONE RECENT EXAMPLE ────

Shot from distance with a long lens, moments before the yes.

Haley & Ben, Betty Ford Alpine Gardens, Vail, Colorado — Nov 2023

In November 2023, Haley and Ben flew to Vail for their proposal. The trail he'd planned to propose on was hit by an overnight blizzard. I drove up the morning of, scouted the original location, and concluded the trail was going to be a muddy mess by the time they arrived. I suggested the Betty Ford Alpine Gardens instead — snow on the ground, the last of the fall leaves still on the trees, and a better sightline for the walk-up. They proposed there. The photos are some of my favorite I've ever taken.

" Darren went to the original trail the day of because there was a blizzard. He knew it would be too muddy, so he suggested the Betty Ford Alpine Gardens instead. He arrived early, stayed late, and never made us feel rushed.” — Haley Fussell, November 2023

WHERE WE'LL DO IT

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Six locations I know by heart, plus one that could be your living room..

Maroon Bells

Iconic but logistically tricky. Shuttle-only from mid-June through early October; I know which first-run shuttle to catch and which turnout gets the clean reflection

Ashcroft Ghost Town

Ten miles up Castle Creek Road. Cottonwoods and Aspen’s turn gold mid-September to early October. Quiet on weekday mornings.

Independence Pass

Open roughly Memorial Day through early November. Upper meadows at 11,000+ feet are wildflower country in July, snow-dusted by mid-October.

Downtown Aspen

The Wheeler Opera House façade, the brick alleys off Galena, Paepcke Park. Good for winter proposals when the mountains are weather-locked.

Aspen Mountain & the Sundeck

For proposers who want the gondola ride up and the gorgeous views. Best light is the last ride of the afternoon.

Your rental, if that's the story

Plenty of the best proposals I've shot happened on a deck, by a fire, on a couch. Not every story needs a mountain.

A couple in winter clothing standing on a snowy mountain with a scenic view of snow-capped peaks in the background.
A man is proposing marriage to a woman in an outdoor natural setting with mountains, trees, and a body of water in the background. The man is kneeling on one knee while holding a small box, and the woman is standing, looking surprised.
A person kneels on a snowy mountain proposing to another person, with snow-covered mountains in the background.
A man proposes marriage to a woman in a snowy mountain landscape with trees and mountain ranges in the background.
A man and woman stand together outdoors in a snowy mountain landscape, looking at a phone and smiling.
Man proposing in snowy outdoor setting, woman wearing hooded jacket, surrounded by trees and snowflakes.
Close-up of a person's hand wearing a gold ring with a large central stone and smaller stones on the band, resting on another person's hand.
A happy woman in a yellow and blue puffy jacket showing her engagement ring while standing next to a smiling man in a black jacket and brown beanie, outdoors in a green mountainous area.
A man proposing marriage to a woman on a snowy ski slope with ski lifts and mountain scenery in the background.
Man proposing to woman in snowy mountain setting with mountains in background.
A couple is proposing marriage by a lake surrounded by mountains and trees on a sunny day, with one person down on one knee holding a ring in front of the other.
A couple holding hands and walking on a snowy ski slope, with ski lift gondolas in the background at Aspen ski resort.
Close-up of a smiling couple, with the woman showing her hand with an engagement ring, in a snowy mountain landscape.
Close-up of a woman wearing a diamond engagement ring on her finger, with a man holding her shoulder, both smiling, outdoor background.
A smiling young man and woman close together outdoors with a green background, the woman showing a ring on her finger.
A smiling couple sitting on a rock in a grassy field with mountains and trees in the background on a clear day.
A person proposing marriage to another person in a scenic outdoor area with trees, mountains, and a grassy field.
A woman with long blonde hair and a manicured white nail is embracing a man with short gray hair, showing a large diamond engagement ring on her finger.
A man and a woman exchange rings outdoors during daytime, both dressed in warm outdoor clothing; the man in a black jacket and tan beanie, and the woman in a colorful yellow and blue jacket with a hood.
A smiling young woman and man in winter clothing holding hands in a snowy outdoor setting with trees in the background.
A woman and a boy in winter clothing standing on snow with a mountain and blue sky background, woman holding a blue cup and smiling.
A man proposing to a woman in a snowy mountain landscape with snow-covered peaks and evergreen trees.
A couple standing on snow in front of a mountain landscape, dressed in formal attire; the woman in a blue gown and the man in a dark suit.
Snowy mountain landscape with a couple hugging, surrounded by pine trees and pristine white snow.
A smiling couple in outdoor jackets and beanies, standing close together by a river with green mountains and forests in the background.
Two people standing in snow-covered landscape with pine trees and snowy mountains in the background on a sunny day.
A woman with long brown hair wearing a white beanie and sweater, smiling at a man in a green jacket who is looking at her, outdoors in a snowy, forested area.
A couple poses on a snowy mountain with scenic views of distant snow-capped peaks and evergreen trees under a clear blue sky.
Two people at a lake with a mountainous backdrop, partially covered by clouds, surrounded by greenery and rocky terrain.
A person in a hoodie kneeling in the snow, proposing to a person in a black winter jacket with a fur hood, holding a cup, against a snowy mountain background.
Close-up of a woman's hand with a large diamond ring on a man's shoulder, with the woman smiling in the blurred background.
Couple standing together on a trail, holding hands, overlooking a mountain range with snow-capped peaks and a lake in the foreground during daytime.
A man is proposing to a woman in a snowy outdoor setting with pine trees in the background. The man is on one knee holding a ring, and the woman is smiling with her hand over her mouth.
A couple standing in a snowy mountain landscape, smiling and looking at each other, dressed in winter clothing.
A man proposing marriage to a woman on a rainy outdoor walkway, with a woman dressed in a white vest and pink long-sleeve shirt, holding a water bottle, standing on the path while the man kneels and offers a ring.
Two people standing on a rocky lakeshore surrounded by lush green trees and mountains shrouded in clouds.
A couple in winter clothing gazing at each other outdoors with snow and trees in the background.
A couple sitting on a rock in a forested area with mountains in the background, trees with yellow bark and dry grass in the foreground, under a clear blue sky.
A couple sitting on a rock in a scenic mountain valley, surrounded by tall grass and mountains with snow-capped peaks in the background, under a blue sky.
A woman in a cream-colored beanie and beige jacket holding hands with the camera, smiling, with a mountainous landscape, lake, and clear blue sky in the background.
A man on one knee proposing to a woman in a snowy mountain landscape.
A young couple outdoors in winter, close together on snow-covered ground with trees in the background. The woman is smiling with her eyes closed, wearing a white beanie and black jacket. The man is looking down at her, wearing a green and black winte
A man proposing to a woman in the snow at a ski resort, with ski lifts and snow-covered mountains in the background.