I’m so excited to share this scenic Arizona senior session with you today! Kylie and her family flew to Arizona from Iowa, traveling 1,374 miles, and it was such an honor to have her book such an important session with me! I love working with graduating seniors and I’ve been looking forward to this shoot since she first reached out via email.

Kylie originally had booked another amazing Northern Arizona photographer, Monica, for her session. However, Monica and were her husband were in the process of adopting a beautiful new baby girl. Therefore, she referred me to take over the session. Coordinating our schedules, we found an evening that worked for everyone while Kylie’s family was still visiting Arizona! I was thrilled that the timing worked out.

Immediately I offered some of my favorite Arizona locations for the shoot – due to the Rafael fire, almost everything was closed. Forests, parks, trails…which didn’t leave us with many options. We shared ideas for some beautiful and unique Statewide locations. Due to the monsoon season, most of Northern Arizona was also on a severe thunderstorm watch. Which ultimately led us to the scenic, sunny setting of Papago Park.

I always strive to give my clients an unforgettable experience. With a week to plan before the shoot, my goal was to still provide Kylie with the full client experience upon booking. My exclusive client questionnaire and style guide assisted Kylie and her family in preparing for the shoot with some final tips before the big day. Our excitement for the session built each day as it came closer!

Because of the recent rains, the park was stunning the day of the shoot! The colors of the desert were incredibly vibrant. There were also just enough clouds to provide some glamorous golden hour light and welcome shade from the summer sun. As we began down the trail, I learned a little more about Kylie (getting to know my clients better is always a highlight for me).

One of my first questions for Kylie was why she chose Arizona for her senior photos. Arizona is a long way from Iowa, after all. Kylie wanted something different. Everyone in her town takes their senior photos in a field or creek. She has loved her previous trips to Arizona, especially the red rocks, so she wanted similar scenery in her photos. I completely understood where she was coming from and I couldn’t help but smile learning her answer – I knew the perfect spots at Papago Park for this scenic Arizona senior session.

Being a high school senior, I was curious about Kylie’s after school activities also. There are so many options at that age! Kylie mentioned she has been a dancer since age 4 and started tennis her freshman year. Let me tell you, her grace from both sports definitely shone through during our session. She was a natural in front of the camera!

When we first met, I immediately noticed Kylie’s sense of style! She stated she typically gravitates toward an athletic or dressed-up style. Honestly, for me? That’s the best of both worlds! Look how gorgeous her photos are! I have so many new favorites to share with you today. I hope you love the photos as much as I do!

Special thanks to Kelley for being a rockstar second shooter for this session too!

You can catch more images from this spectacular session on my Instagram soon: @BayleyJordan. To see more senior sessions, check out Addisyn, Claire, and Karina on the journal next!