Dreamy Papago Park and Desert Botanical Garden Engagement Session

I was able to visit Phoenix, Arizona while traveling for a fun content shoot. I knew I wanted to make the most of my time there, so I put out a heads up that I will be in the area. I was so lucky to get to work with Larissa and Nathan while I was there. Nathan is actually the brother of a previous groom of mine and literally everyone in their family is the sweetest and so fun to work with. After bouncing around a bunch of ideas (including a sunrise session in Sedona, Arizona that unfortunately couldn't work timewise) we landed on doing photos at Papago Park in Phoenix, AZ and the Desert Botanical Gardens that you can find right outside of the Sky-Harbor Airport.

I knew the minute that Larissa and I started working together, we were on each other's level. I can't tell you how much outfits can make a difference in a photo shoot and Larissa was fully down to collaborate. We texted back and forth with different outfit choices including some videos of her walking back and forth in the outfits which is the kind of energy I am here for going into a shoot. For the portion of couples photos in Papago Park we went for a monochromatic look that would have a nice contrast from the surrounding red rock while not being distracting. You can tell me what you think, but I'd say we nailed it. For the portion in the Desert Botanical Garden, we went for a formal look to stand out against all the succulents. It may be a touristy spot, but I 10/10 recommend visiting while you are in Phoenix. It is a wild contrast to the lush mountains and ocean I am used to in Oregon. We even arrived during a butterfly exhibit where there were nearly 1,000 butterflies roaming around. It was a magical experience.

A huge thank you to these two for being down for any direction, trying out so many different poses and meeting me with coffee in hand for me after I drove straight there after landing in the airport. One last note, how freaking stunning is Larissa in literally everything? Currently trying to convince her to go just be a full time model because your girl can smolder.