There are some senior photo sessions where everything goes perfectly. The light is golden, the wind behaves, and you walk away feeling like you just danced through a dream.
And then… there are the sessions where you step directly into a massive pile of jumping cholla cactus needles before you even snap the first photo.
This was that kind of session, and as a Phoenix senior photographer, it was one for the books.
We were out in the Arizona desert, at a dreamy spot I love to use for Phoenix senior photo sessions because of its golden light, wide-open skies, and mountain backdrops. My client, a sweet and patient high school senior, showed up ready to rock it. We were just getting started when I took one step in the wrong direction and suddenly found myself under full-on cholla attack. Those sneaky cactus needles were everywhere: my hands, my shoes, my ankles. You name it.
Now, if you’ve never had a run-in with a cholla cactus, let me just say…they don’t poke you. They attach like Velcro and betray your trust. These barbed little monsters latch on and don’t let go.
But listen… the session must go on. I wasn’t about to let a cactus ruin this senior photography experience. So, I kicked off my shoes, which seemed like they had become a weapon now, and I continued shooting barefoot… in socks… in the desert.
And honestly? We still made magic.
By the time we were onto her second outfit, I was standing next to my car beating my shoes against the tires like a woman possessed. But I got them back on and powered through the rest of the shoot, and this Arizona senior session ended up being one of my favorites.
What could’ve been a total disaster turned into one of those wild, hilarious memories that I’ll be telling for years. And the photos? Dreamy, golden, and full of joy. You’d never know cactus drama was unfolding off camera.
This is just part of the wild beauty of being a senior photographer in Arizona. It’s unpredictable, dramatic, and a little untamed…but I wouldn’t have it any other way.