Creative Senior Pictures in Arizona | Photographer for the East Valley and Metro Phoenix Area

Spotlight Style

But first, let’s start with Rylee, her fabulous fashion sense, and her natural photogenic nature. Seriously, I can’t write this without mentioning how gorgeous the outfits are that she chose! With all of their varied textures, fabrics, tones, and more, they simply pop! This photo shoot was the 2nd part of her session taken at San Tan Village in Gilbert, so we had a whole new world of locations to explore! Rylee stuck to simple yet fashionable statement outfits that always translate well on camera. Not only do they straight up look like art, they subtly bring attention to the face – something that just appeals to my photographer self as well as alllllll the moms!

And the fabulous photo you see below, that’s it! And today, I’ll share the story of how it came to be. (Stick around to see the original at the end!)

Arizona Graduation Photos

It wouldn’t be graduation photos without a tassel, so let’s make sure to showcase that for Rylee too! I love that her red dress coordinated with Florence High School‘s colors!

Big Ideas and a Well-Deserved Publication

Ok, let’s get back to that first image. Every now and then, an epiphany takes place during a shoot, often in the strangest of places. I’m always hunting down cool backgrounds and thinking of new ways to use props, but sometimes perfection appears. This time, it was in the shape of a wild idea to use a black and white Sephora wall as a background. Amazingly, our vision came together better than we ever could’ve imagined! You might know that I don’t often recommend black outfits. But rules are made to be broken, right? True to her “always on trend” habit, Rylee was already wearing a gorgeous black outfit that worked magnificently with the wall! You always have to begin with the end in mind, and I could clearly envision what I wanted the final image to look like.

It felt like a momentous occasion when I was taking the photos, and clearly, others saw just what we saw! The stunning picture was published in Senior Year Magazine’s Class of 2020, highlighting amazing grads, and Rylee is for sure an amazing grad!

Fun, Quirky, and Ever the Style Queen!

When Rylee isn’t looking fabulous in photo shoots, she’s attending Grand Canyon University and spending most of her spare time cheerleading. But maybe you already guessed that from her unmistakable vibrancy and bubbly personality that leaps out of the photos! There was really no shortage of exciting backgrounds for us to choose from; it felt like the whole world became an ‘instagrammable’ playground when Rylee was around. And let me tell you we had so much fun! We even dipped into the style closet just to top off Rylee’s beautiful warm red dress with a classic favorite – that lovely black hat. It’s been around forever and makes it’s appearance with nearly every senior girl!

Yes, but the SHOES!!!

I mean, just look at those shoes! How gorgeous! I honestly couldn’t get enough of them. And, of course, Rylee pulls them off with confidence, even managing to steal the show with her lovely smile.

Setting the Scene

We got very lucky with empty walkways that Rylee could easily turn into a catwalk to give a dynamic vibe to her photos. Better yet, you can tell that her movements are easy, natural, and altogether very comfortable (maybe we can thank the cheer training for that!) Usually, when I’m in the middle of a shoot, I don’t want to miss a single moment. Rylee, who looks fabulous no matter where or when – always has a beaming smile!

Everyone who’s ever been out on a photo shoot with me knows I’m not usually one to shoot in obvious locations. Fortunately, Rylee was comfortable in her skin no matter where we went and was always keeping an eye out for the perfect background, whatever that may be – even a simple bench at San Tan Village!

Rylee brought this shoot to life and brought me to life with her! I’m usually click-happy but I seriously couldn’t stop during this shoot. It was like my finger had a mind of its own! Putting our heads together to come up with creative, fun ideas was an experience like no other and it didn’t really surprise me when one of her images was selected for publication. Magic happens when you have this kind of a model! Going on, I wish Rylee luck and know that she’ll achieve whatever she sets her mind to!

Before and After

P.S. Here’s the side-by-side of the before and after. Really goes to show that having an open mind during a photoshoot can lead to fabulousness!

Fun Accessories for Senior Photos

If you’re all about that color pop life and thought Rylee’s statement shoes were to-die-for (guilty as charged!) Here’s some fun ways to add a splash of color to your photoshoot.

• Bold sunglasses – bonus points if they make me laugh.
• Colorful hair accessories – you can never go wrong with clips or hairbands. They keep your hair back during windy shoots and can be taken on or off easily!
• Jewelry – whether it be earrings, a bracelet, or even just a ring, the camera will love it.
• A statement hat – If you’re a cap gal or a throwback guy, hats really stand out in photos. You can even make it personal if it’s blazoned with a brand or sports team that you love.
• And of course, … SHOES! The more colorful and textured, the better.

But at the end of the day, all you have to bring to the photoshoot is yourself – and that’s always, ALWAYS enough!

If you love Rylee’s senior pictures, you might want to check out more from her session!