“A winter elopement after a night of heavy snowfall,” recalls photographer Stefan Olson of the husband-wife photography team at Backcountry Portraits. “That shoot stands out. The couple skied fresh tracks down the mountain right after their vows—it was the perfect mix of adventure and love.”
Adventure and love are also perfect ways to define Stefan and Leticia. They met at The Canyons in 2014 - Stefan was a ski instructor and Leti an exchange student eager to learn. “Our first date was on the slopes,” Stefan smiles. “Now, she rips the entire mountain!”
Though the North Carolinian and Paraguayan native were initially captivated by Park City’s excellent ski conditions - ski instructor Stefan was developing his photography skills while business student Leti discovered a growing sensibility for nature photography - the camera cemented their bond and became their shared journey. “Now, we work together so well many people assume we’re a newer couple,” Stefan observes. “They are often surprised to learn we’ve been together for over 10 years.”
Their joyful enthusiasm shows in the high-energy, vivid images they capture for newly joined “unconventional couples,” Stefan says. “We help create a wedding day that’s more of an adventure elopement - a stress-free, exhilarating experience in the great outdoors.”
Their keen knowledge of the local backcountry deeply influences their work; they often serve as “guides as much as photographers,” Stefan laughs. “We’ve photographed couples at sunrise on mountain peaks, at remote lakes with just them and nature, and even in desert landscapes.”
Savoring their down time by hiking, camping, skiing and climbing all over the Wasatch Back, “every day feels like an adventure,” Stefan says of life in the mountains among “people who are adventurous, artistic, and deeply committed to preserving our natural beauty.”
“We both feel such a strong connection to the area,” he concludes. “It’s inspiring to be part of such a vibrant community.”