Two people in Ghostface masks join hands to form a heart shape while posing among rocks and pine trees in a forest.
Couple embracing outdoors in Ghostface-style masks, one with a rhinestone mask and lace sleeves, before a mountain and trees at dusk.
Person in a black hoodie and ghost face mask holds a knife while a woman in a lace sleeve kisses their hand in a rugged outdoor setting.

When Your Love Story Is a Little Bit Slasher: A Scream Couples Session at Cheyenne Mountain State Park


Some couples want golden hour in a wildflower field. [Names] wanted Ghostface. And honestly? I have never been more ready for anything.

This Scream-inspired Halloween couples session at Cheyenne Mountain State Park in Colorado Springs is exactly why I love themed sessions. It was spooky, it was ridiculous, and somewhere between the hiding-behind-a-tree shots and the rhinestone mask, it turned into one of the most genuinely romantic sessions I've photographed all fall.


The Concept: Horror Movie, But Make It Love

The idea was simple. Take everything iconic about a 90s slasher and flip it into a love story. He played the classic Ghostface in the black hood and white mask. She showed up as the final girl turned accomplice, in a plaid mini dress with black lace sleeves, fishnets, combat boots, and a hand-bedazzled silver rhinestone Ghostface mask that caught every bit of light on the mountain.


We built the session like a short film. It opened with her alone in the trees, completely unbothered, while a masked figure peeked out from behind a ponderosa pine. Then came the chase scene, with her screaming and laughing at the same time (the laughing won). It ended with the two of them in matching masks, clearly partners in crime.


Why Cheyenne Mountain State Park Was the Perfect Set


Cheyenne Mountain State Park sits on the southwest edge of Colorado Springs, and it gave us everything a horror-romance needs. Scrubby oak and ponderosa pine make for great hiding spots. Granite boulders and open grassy hillsides give you room for wide, cinematic chase frames. And the mountain itself sits right there in the background, moody and dramatic as the sun drops.

It's one of my favorite Colorado Springs locations for couples who want something a little wilder than Garden of the Gods. It's quieter, the trails feel tucked away, and the light at the end of the day goes soft and warm across the foothills.

Smiling woman in a plaid dress stands on a rocky forest hillside while a figure in a ghost mask peeks from behind a pine tree.
Two people in Ghostface masks pose in a grassy field at sunset, one holding a prop knife and the other clutching their face.

 

"What's your favorite scary movie?"

 

Styling a Themed Couples Session That Still Feels Like You

The secret to a themed shoot that doesn't feel like a costume party is styling that nods to the theme without swallowing the people in it. A few things made this one work:

• A warm, muted palette. Her plaid in rust, tan, and slate tied straight into the fall landscape, so the photos feel like autumn first and Halloween second.

• Texture over gore. Black lace, a brown leather jacket, fishnets, and denim gave every frame depth without needing fake blood.

• One statement piece. That rhinestone mask was the star. One standout detail goes a long way.

• Props with restraint. The red prop knife showed up in a handful of frames, and that was plenty.


A Few of My Favorite Frames

The stop sign shot at sunset is going straight on my wall. The sky went peach and orange behind them, she threw an arm up, he struck the most casual pose a masked killer has ever struck, and the whole thing reads like a horror movie poster that's secretly a love letter.

I'm also obsessed with the hand-kiss. Ghostface gently kissing her hand while her ring catches the light is the exact mix of creepy and sweet this whole session was built on. And the black-and-white close-up of her chin tilted up, the mask's edge just in frame, is moody and editorial in the best way.


But the one that makes me smile the most is the simplest: the two of them making a heart with their arms, masks tilted, completely committed to the bit. That's love. That's what it looks like.



Two people in Ghostface masks pose beside a red stop sign on a grassy hill at sunset, one in a plaid dress and one in a leather jacket.
Couple in Ghostface masks holding hands on a large rock under a stormy gray sky, with pine trees and mountains behind.
Black and white close-up of a woman with her head tilted back as a hand gently touches her neck, wearing a plaid jacket with lace.
Two people in Ghostface masks and black hoods pose outdoors, one standing in a leather jacket, the other crouching with a red knife.

PLANNING YOUR OWN THEMED SESSION IN COLORADO SPRINGS


If you've been sitting on a weird, wonderful idea for your photos, this is your sign. I photograph couples, engagements, and families across Colorado Springs, Denver, and the Front Range, and themed sessions are some of my absolute favorites to plan. I'll help you pick the location, build the shot list, and figure out styling so it feels like a story, not a costume.


Ready to make something unforgettable (and maybe a little bit spooky)? Reach out here and let's plan your session.