Penny arrived at Buffalo Park wearing the soft pastel colors she loves. As she put it, “I love my pastels even though I know they are going to make me look pale.” But surrounded by Flagstaff’s deep green pine trees, summer grass, and warm evening light, those pastels photographed beautifully and felt completely like her.
Penny is a senior at Paradise Honors High School in Surprise, Arizona. And Penny knew she wanted trees, grass, and wildflowers for her senior portraits, which made traveling north from Phoenix an easy decision. Buffalo Park in Flagstaff gave us everything she had envisioned, along with gorgeous views of the mountains in the distance.
When to Schedule Senior Photos in Flagstaff
If you want green grass and wildflowers in your Flagstaff senior photos, summer is the time to schedule them. Many families begin thinking about senior portraits around February, only to remember that winter in Flagstaff can mean snow, bare vegetation, and very different scenery.
That can be beautiful too, but it is not the same look as a warm summer field filled with flowers.
This is why I begin reminding Phoenix families about Flagstaff senior sessions as soon as the school year starts. The summer and early fall window is ideal for seniors who want:
- Green meadows and tall grass
- Flagstaff pine trees
- Summer wildflowers
- Warm evening light
- Mountain views
- A natural setting that looks completely different from the Phoenix desert
The light during Penny’s session could not have been more beautiful. It filtered through the pine trees during the first portion of her portraits and created that rich, golden glow I love. Later, we moved into the open meadow, where the softer sunset light brought out the mountain views and pastel colors in the sky.
Three Outfits and Plenty of Variety
Penny brought three outfits, giving us a wonderful mixture of casual, classic, and graduation portraits. Her overalls and pastel pink top felt relaxed and playful among the rocks and trees. Her floral dress was perfect for the wildflowers, and her pink dress looked beautiful against the muted greens and distant mountains.
We also photographed her in her royal blue cap and gown. That bold blue gave the gallery a rich pop of color while still fitting naturally with the warm tones of the landscape.
My favorite part of the session, though, was watching Penny bring out her colorguard flag.
I already knew that I wanted several wide photographs showing both Penny and the landscape. Instead of overdirecting her, I told her to fly the flag and let me photograph her doing what she knows. She tossed it, moved with it, and sent all that soft pink fabric into the air against the Flagstaff sky.
Those images feel especially personal because they show more than what Penny looked like during her senior year. They preserve something she genuinely loves doing.
Senior portraits should feel like more than a collection of pretty photographs. They should include the places, interests, colors, and details that make each senior recognizable as themselves.
I am a Phoenix senior photographer, but during the summer, I love traveling north for senior portraits in Flagstaff. If your senior is dreaming of trees, wildflowers, green grass, mountain views, or a break from the desert, Buffalo Park is a beautiful place to create a gallery that feels warm, colorful, natural, and personal.