I’ve had the privilege of photographing Allison and Max’s family through some major milestones, from their wedding to welcoming their daughter, Rylee. This session, though, was extra special as we celebrated Rylee’s second birthday with her grandparents visiting from out of town. Red Rock Canyon Open Space set the perfect backdrop for capturing these sweet family moments, as Rylee explored and shared love with her parents and grandparents.

There’s something magical about multi-generational sessions, and this one was full of beautiful memories. From seeing the family grow over the years to witnessing Rylee’s sweet connection with her family, every moment was filled with love and joy. Keep reading to see how we created a space for Rylee to shine, even when she was feeling a little overwhelmed by so many loved ones around.

I was asked by Chelsea to photograph one of the biggest days of her and her husband Alec’s life, the adoption of their son Kai. We met at the El Paso County, Colorado court house and I photographed their adoption. We also met at Red Rock Canyon Open Space, in the evening, for a family session with everyone around.

This day was nothing short of the most EVERYTHING day you can image, a day where tears flowed, hearts swelled, and lives were changed forever. This journey wasn’t a sprint; it was a marathon filled with ups, downs, and everything in between.

Kai came into their lives when he was just five months old. From the moment they laid eyes on him, they knew he was their son. Fast forward to now, Kai is two and the day had finally come to make it official. Adoption day.

Sweet little Henry. How lucky are you to have such doting parents? This tiny man, his family, and I, spent an evening together exploring one of their favorite spaces for a first birthday family session. Brie mentioned a lovely bench at Red Rock Canyon Open Space that they would love to adventure to, and that’s just what we did!

Henry was so curious about everything around him and I was living for it. I love to let littles take the lead during our time together. I talk about this often when I have my pre-session video calls with my clients.

During those calls, a lot of parents express worry about their littles losing their minds during a session and I totally get it. I have five kiddos and I know first hand that kids sometimes don’t do the things we think or expect they will, they turn that ish on its head and do their own thing. You know what though? I love it. Authentically.

Leticia and her crew were as fun-loving and they were absolutely adorable. Her two sweet girls and her husband met me at one of my favorite new locations and we explored our hearts out. We adventured by the red rocks, on fallen cottonwood trees, snuggling up on blankets, hiking up paths, and secret staircases. It was like a fairytale.