It was 7:00 a.m. in Tempe, Arizona and a group of 20 photographers began a styled shoot entitled, “Celestial Summer Romance.” We had no idea that the morning would be full of white smoke bombs, pop-up outfit change stations, reflective surfaces like mirrors and ornaments… not to mention cacti on the ground!

This styled shoot, led by Christianne Taylor, was a really great stretch for me. We shot in pretty harsh sunlight (I usually shoot backlit and only shoot front lit for very dramatic photography) but it was enjoyable to experiment! Desert light feels very different than Birmingham — it’s very soft and complemented by hazy skies and light surfaces. Very rarely can I see for miles and miles, since Birmingham is so forestial! But in Tempe, AZ, I could see mountains in the distance and it was glorious!

I so enjoyed working with these models, making new friends as they pulled cacti out of my sandals (literally I stepped on about seven and didn’t get the memo to wear boots!! Silly me), playing with smoke bombs, using unique props to add to the image and learning so much at this conference.

Presenting… the celestial summer romance styled shoot in Tempe, AZ!