Tawhida and Hassan came to me with a clear vision—a film-inspired editorial wedding session against dramatic mountainscapes. I discovered the ideal cinematic backdrop: Las Conchas Trail up in the Jemez Mountains. But as we commenced shooting, skies erupted thunderously, drenching us in unrelenting rainfall.

As I scrambled to protect equipment in the pounding rain, Tawhida and Hassan stayed absorbed in their secret world. They exchanged adoring laughter and stolen kisses, happily lost to the external storms veiling our breathtaking location in moody mists.

We photographed straight through the unrelenting afternoon showers; the clouds never parted. Though drenched, these two maintained their carefree passion. While framing shots, I’d glimpse them cradled in their hideaway, joyfully laughing over the steady drumbeat of rain on leaves.

Nature may have rewritten our script, but it couldn’t dampen the electric connection between these two. Through my lens, each raindrop glinted like teardrops of joy, sparkling proof of enduring love strengthened by the storms life may bring.