We met up at a desert spot in Verrado in Buckeye, Arizona for senior photos. Joel, this laid-back soul from Washington State, came to visit the desert in for the holidays when my own daughter was doing her thing up there in Washington. It’s funny how life weaves these connections, right? But it’s because my daughter was up there, that I knew more about the great state he was from.

We got to shooting the breeze about the usual suspects – weather, those ridiculously early dark evenings (Washington’s got that down to an art form), and Forks, the Twilight movie hotspot. The town’s practically famous with the younger crowd.

Now, Joel, he’s a bit on the quiet side, but hey, who isn’t? When I nudged him about school, turns out he’s got a soft spot for engineering. A man of few words but with a keen eye for building stuff – I like that. Sometimes, with the quieter ones, I try to tease out a bit more chatter, but you know what they say, if they’re not big talkers, that’s cool too. I’ve got the talking part covered, and then some. Ha ha!

Fast forward to senior portraits. It’s not always about sparking a full-blown conversation. Sure, a connection is nice, but the real deal is making that senior feel at ease with my camera. And let me tell you, Joel was a natural! The camera loved him, and he just vibed with it.

Here’s the kicker: mom moved to Arizona for those breathtaking sunsets, and what could be more picture-perfect than having Joel in those shots with the sun dipping low? Arizona’s sunsets are like a painter’s dream, right? They were for sure this night in Verrado, a quaint neighborhood comminity in Buckeye, AZ.

So, amidst the quiet charm of Joel, the Twilight reminiscing, and the engineering dreams, we ended up with senior portraits that told a story. Arizona’s landscape, with its golden hues and expansive skies, just adds that extra touch to my photography. It’s like the scenery itself is saying, “Capture this moment, and let it glow.”