For this spellbinding Halloween portrait session, we arrived to the location just before sunrise in Sedona. In the early darkness, with moonlight enough to guide the beginning of the red rock trail, we walked. Every step, the long black gown trailed beautifully behind.

During my last summertime session with Holly, she asked for another at sunrise in Sedona in the Fall. Immediately, I had visions of a midnight-black gown. A backdrop of Fall color, the enchanting red rocks of Sedona, all bathed in crisp autumn air and golden-hour glow. Immediately, I knew the session would occur in October (my favorite month) with small features for the holiday on the 31st.

I spent the next few weeks searching for the perfect gown. Going back and forth with various luxury labels and many late nights, I finally found the one. Fittingly presented as The Morticia. When the gown arrived to my studio location in Flagstaff a few days prior to the session, it took my breath away. A soft, form-fitting lace bodice, ripples of beautiful black tulle that waterfall into a luscious train. I flooded Hailey with praise as soon as it arrived, thanking her for her dedication in find the perfect fit. With the gown and a small pumpkin from Violas Flower Garden as the final pieces in place, we were ready. Thankful for a supreme creative team coordinating to ensure everything went without a hitch.

I love sessions in Sedona. There are so many stunning locations to hike and capture memories on camera, especially this time of year. If you’re an early riser up for adventure, you can often find locations to yourself, at least for a time.

We picked the perfect day in the middle of the week for this portrait session. It was so nice to slip out of the busy Fall traffic in Flagstaff on this weekday morning at sunrise. A short escape that fit perfectly into our packed schedules. The best time of day for golden hour portraits at the perfect location with panoramic red rock views, adequate parking, and an area to change. A bit chilly at first so early in the morning, but the location quickly warms with the rising sun. We enjoyed the entire space to ourselves for the first half-hour, so spectacular in a setting like Sedona.

Settling in to the first spot on the trail, immersing myself in visual storytelling refined after 11 years of professional photography experience, I focused on capturing the magic in front of my lens. With Holly as the perfect model, the morning resulting in the beautiful images below:

Overall, I cannot emphasize how thrilled I am after the success of this spellbinding Halloween portrait session. These images perfectly capture the spirit of the season for me. A huge thank you to Hailey Piacitelli for the gown, Katie Moore Photography for making my jack-o-lantern fantasy come to life with edits, and Holly Hansen for modeling perfection. For 2024, I am already shaping ideas. If you’d like to be part of the next glamorous Halloween session or plan your own private session, please Contact me or comment below. I’d absolutely love to work with you.

Witching you a very happy Halloween!