Arizona Portrait Photography at Night
I already offer one of the most artistic portrait photography sessions in Mesa, Arizona. I’m always looking for ways to create an exceptional experience for my clients, so I asked myself, “what could possibly make this experience any better?” The answer? Night time photography! Now I’m able to offer two types of photo sessions. One session begins approximately 2-3 hours before sunset, and ends as we run out of daylight. The other session, well, we just keep shooting even after dark! It allows me to create unique portraits with a different feel. We can shoot in urban areas and pull in some of the city lights, or shoot at sunset and capture that glorious Arizona glow. You’ll get a combination of daytime and nighttime photos. But for now, let’s focus on some gorgeous portraits taken in the East Valley after the sun went down.
Eastmark After Dark
You’ve probably seen this location before, and yet at night 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 our style closet gave her outfit just the right finishing touch.
All About Plaid
For 2019, plaid is definitely still a trendy addition to your wardrobe this fall, plus the texture makes it perfect for your photo shoot. Plaid never seems to go out of style whether it’s a cute crop top or your favorite flannel!
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!
My Favorite Thing About Shooting at Night
I love the lighting we can achieve after dark! And the best part is the both the color and black & white versions are both beautiful! Which is your favorite?
Studio Portraits Without the Studio
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 MAC 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.
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!!