Maternity Motherhood Session at The Lost Dutchman in Apache Junction, ARizona

Where do I even start!?! This is one of those galleries where it just speaks for itself. Sarah, in this beautiful custom-made gown.. is absolutely jaw-dropping in the middle of the stunning desert landscape of Arizona. She is a total vision! I loved shooting this session.

On this Sunday morning, we met right at sunrise as the sun started to wake up behind the iconic Superstition Mountains. I prefer to shoot at sunrise, or the early morning hours, out at Lost Dutchman State Park so that we can feature the beautiful mountain range in the background of most of the shots. With the sun rising in the east, the Superstition Mountains block the sun as it rises, diffusing the beautiful morning light in a way where we can capture soft lighting before the light gets to be too harsh. Towards the end of our session, the sun started peaking out just over the mountain range, which made for some beautiful backlighting shots. I typically avoid shooting at this location in the evening. With the sun setting in the west, the setting sun will cast an orange glow on the Superstitions with split lighting making it difficult to achieve my signature light and airy style. Sunrise gives us plenty of time with beautiful lighting while featuring the iconic backdrop!

Sarah is my first maternity mama to wear this dress in a photo session... and what better way to debut this dress! The blue is absolutely stunning against the desert greens and red tones of the mountains. Her addition of the blue bouquet and cutie boy shoes made for the perfect detail shots. Oh and I can't forget - the blue nails!? Perfection!

After our session, I found myself sitting for a moment in this beautiful landscape before heading home for the day. There are some beautiful hiking trails out here - I am dying to get out there for a hike sometime soon. I have seen some epic photos of these hikes, especially as you venture into the mountains. Keep in mind, there is a $10 park entrance fee and please, leave no trace! I have a strict no confetti or anything-of-the-like policy for my clients. We can make beautiful moments without leaving behind a mess... not to mention, this park is well-monitored so I imagine that wouldn't fly in general!

I can't wait to get back to this location for more sessions AND crossing my fingers that more maternity mamas choose this dress because I just can't get enough of it!!