Desert Engagement Photos for Jarrod and Deanna in Phoenix, AZ
First of all, it’s not often that the weather works out perfectly for you. Especially when you’re shooting desert engagement photos in the summer, in the middle of monsoon season in Arizona. Monsoon season can be very unpredictable, even though Arizona hasn’t had much in the way of storms the last couple years….but we’ve had some nice ones recently.
Shooting during the summer in the Phoenix area usually slows down because of the heat (normal days of 110+) that goes well past sunset. I always warn clients about the heat, and if they have any concerns/health issues/etc. I also take as much precaution as I can, shooting just before sunset, shooting in shade, and other options.
The Engagement Session
When Jarrod reached out looking to schedule their desert engagement photos, he needed a fairly quick turnaround time. I was able to fit them in within a week, so they can get their announcements ready for their wedding in Colorado this fall. We discussed locations, and settled on one of my favorite areas, Usery Mountain Regional Park in Mesa, AZ to give them that beautiful desert vibe they were wanting, to showcase their home in Arizona.
Leading up to their session, we were about a month into monsoon season with barely any activity in the area. Of course, just a few hours before the start of their session, dark clouds rolled in, and the outcome looked gloom. I kept an eye on the storm to see if we needed to reschedule, but Mother Nature was on our side.
We couldn’t have asked for much better weather. The clouds acted as a natural diffuser, softening the harsh sunlight, and even cooling it off to just under 100 degrees. And, I can’t say enough about Jarrod and Deanna. They were so much fun to work with. They worked with all of my crazy prompts, and even though they said they were shy, they were so great in front of the camera. It was easy to capture the genuine love between the two of them without having to “fake it” or instruct them. Those are my favorite sessions, and what I like to shoot. Pure, genuine emotion. I’m excited for both of them to start their lives together, and honored that I could share in that journey with their desert engagement photos.
Engagement Photos with a Desert Vibe
There were so many beautiful and fun photos to share, it was hard to pick just a few, and not overshare! Here are a few samples from Jarrod and Deanna’s session.
