A beautiful family, Usery Mountain area & US Army tribute

 On October 23rd, 2020, I enjoyed a great time in the dry desert with this great family. They brought beautiful American flags and came ready to capture their love for each other and their devotion to our country!

My Nephew at the Gilbert Temple

 I enjoyed every minute at this special location with my nephew a few weeks before his baptism! 

Even with the gates closed due to covid-19, there are still many options for beautiful photography at the temple. I look forward to being inside the gates again soon though! 

Red Mountain Park in Mesa, AZ

Red Mountain Park is one of my favorite nearby locations in Mesa. I love the variety - grass, a lake, desert landscape, unique boulders, cottonwood trees, hills, plenty of parking, etc. It's a winner! And this family came prepared to capture some awesome photos again this year! They are always a pleasure to work with!

We took these images before sunset on October 17th, 2020.

I love kids!

Sometimes photo sessions can be challenging with your own kids. You have hopes of how they will act and how the photos will capture their genuine expressions. This hope can turn into frustration or stress when the attitudes, moods or situations don't go as planned.

But I love photographing kids, regardless of their mood. I love the challenge of capturing their true personalities through their various expressions. I always take a chill approach with photo sessions involving kids. I like to give the kids time to explore (safely) and get comfortable in their environment. I also recognize that keeping these sessions brief to avoid burning everyone out (including the parents) is an important consideration. 

Here are some photos of one of my favorite families in Lost Dutchman state park. I love their kids! I love their individuality and the way we connect each time we are together for their family photos! You probably won't be able to tell which child gave her parents the biggest workout to achieve these group images! As always, the desert provided us with a beautiful environment to enjoy.

These were taken on September 24th 2020.