Arizona Portrait Photography at Night
Shooting with additional lighting (photographers call it “off camera flash” or OCF) allows me to pull in some of the city lights, or shoot at sunset and capture that glorious Arizona glow. So treat your teenager or senior to something a little more fun and edgy!
Eastmark After Dark
You’ve seen this location before. In fact, it’s only about 5 minutes from Magical Memories by Michelle and I’ve been shooting her for years! But at night, the sun sets and it has a completely different feel! With the white fences now dark and the string lights from a nearby restaurant lit up, we got some stunning portraits for Skylar and her family! That plaid top is just too cute, and the navy blue hat from the Style Closet gave her outfit just the right finishing touch.

Cozy Flannel: Your Ultimate Style and Comfort Companion
This fall, pull out your flannel because it is definitely still a trendy addition to your wardrobe as well as a perfect outfit for your photo shoot. It just never seems to go out of style!

Pout Perfection: Mastering the Art of the Photo Shoot Pout
Think you can’t full off the perfect pouty pose? Try this.
1. Close your eyes.
2. Take a couple of breaths with your lips slightly parted.
3. If you have a severe case of RBF, practice turning up just the corners or your mouth.
4. Finally, say the words “blue” or “prune” to help part your lips ever so slightly.
5. Once you’re ready, open your eyes and we’ll start shooting!

Capturing Moments: Color and Black & White Photography
I love the dramatic lighting we can achieve after dark, especially with those blurry background lights! I’ll throw another photography term at you. This blurry background effect is called “bokeh” and is something that all my teens and parents love, whether it’s during the day or at night.
You might not know this, but I can be indecisive. Many people hire me for my gorgeous, true-to-life colors, but how can you pass up a stunning black and white portrait? Both are so beautiful! Which is your favorite?


Sports Portraits for Swimmers
Because of the harsh sun in Arizona, it can be hard to block out all the light during the day. However, once the sun starts to fade it’s easy to get the perfect black background. Believe it or not, this image was taken next to a lake, but Skylar definitely wasn’t in the water. Instead, I had a vision of exactly what I wanted to accomplish for this talented teen swimmer. I simply adjusted my exposure to darken the background, added in some off-camera flash to achieve a starting point. Then used Photoshop to create the illusion of splashing water. I’ve used this same technique for many swimmers and divers many times during my career.

Quality Time With Your Teenager
We all know they grow up too fast, and soon your teen will be a senior. But that doesn’t mean we can’t go out on the town for a fabulous photo shoot to show them how amazing they really are! Fun ideas for portrait sessions to celebrate your teen:
- Sports – You never know when the last game or meet will be
- Birthday – Celebrate this age and their interests
- Party – Grab their besties and split the cost of a fabulous photo shoot they’ll all love
- Confidence Boost – Show off their personality in a way you never thought possible
If you’re looking for a fun way to connect with your teen, boost their confidence, and get stunning portraits you’ll both love, reach out and let’s talk!
Gorgeous images at night causing my head to spin with ideas for my seniors!
Definitely give it a try, Jodi! You’ll love taking portraits at night!
Your senior portrait photography is gorgeous Michelle. I love the “helps” that you offer so that clients will look their best and give you authentic expressions. My favorite this time is the “pouty look”, otherwise known as sulty in my studio! Keep going! You’re killing it!
Thanks Andrea! I love all the great ideas and compliments I get from other photographers! It really helps all of our clients who want professional senior portraits. I find that all the little things like styling, posing, colors, and details make a huge impact on the final images.
So pretty! I love the swimming picture and the pictures at night sound amazing. I would love to see an Arizona sunset session!
Our sunsets are gorgeous!! I did an engagement session where the colors were so vibrant I almost toned them down in post because they looked fake. But they were real, and the couple loved them!
What great tips! Plaid is my favorite trend right now, and I love how the black and whites look. So pretty.
Yes, Brandi! I think the black & whites are why I love plaid so much! Glad you found the portrait tips helpful!
Love the night portraits. Well done, always good to see some one take a chance on something different.
I agree! As a photographer, I just get bored so the artist in me is always looking for something different to learn!
Love how you incorporate tips on how to achieve different looks! Especially love the black & white conversions.
Thanks so much Laura! I love the way her black & white images turned out!
I love night portraits and black & white. I love the drama that you get with them. These are beautiful!!
Dana, I totally agree about the drama! Thanks for your comments!
These are gorgeous photos! I love the photos taken at night. I would have a hard time choosing between the black and white and color versions. The water shot is awesome! Gorgeous photos of a gorgeous girl!
Thank you for your kind words Shannon!!