I’ve known Rischelle since high school. She was a friend of a friend, and while we ran into each other a few times, we were never really close back then. When she asked me to take pictures of her firstborn a few years after we graduated, I was flattered…and completely clueless (and honestly, I feel lucky she ever came back to me for pictures again!).
After my first child was born, something changed. Rischelle adopted me as a friend. I found myself on her couch at least once a week, drinking coffee and soaking up all her sage mom advice. I needed out of the house, and her couch was close enough that I could handle packing up the baby. Those early days were full of laughter and learning, and I knew I wanted this session with her family to feel just as full of light, joy, and happiness.
We headed out to the Superstitions for a cowboy-styled session, which felt like the perfect fit for this family. When her oldest rolled up, she gave me a challenge: “Make sure my smiles look real.” Challenge accepted! I pulled out every prompt I had for a fun, happy, interactive family session. In return, she spent the entire session hyping me up and giving so much positive feedback. It was such a beautiful testament to the loving woman raising her, and I loved seeing the girl she’s growing up to become.
It’s hard to fully express what this family means to me, but I hope that when you look at these pictures, you’ll see just a glimpse of the joy, love, and light they bring into the world.
If you’re looking for a Gilbert, Arizona child and family photographer who captures real smiles, laughter, and love, I’d be honored to create beautiful memories with your family too.
