Because of the nature of my job and my husband’s, we share our time between Utah and Southern California. I love so many things about both locations. And the added flexibility to photograph weddings and lifestyle photos in both states has been amazing. But spending time in Utah during spring is always such a joy. 

As the spring lilacs bloomed to their prime here, some florist friends of mine planned how to best treasure them. On a whim, we planned this ethereal mountain shoot to enjoy the lilacs before they faded away. It was such a joy creating for creation’s sake.

I worked alongside two of my favorite Utah floral designers, Sydnee from Gather Floral and Meg from Harvest Floral Company. They foraged the lilacs from around their neighborhoods, and brought them up the canyon. Sydnee described the scent of these flowers as “scrumptious” and I couldn’t agree more. They transformed the lilacs into a half moon of purple, and the magical simplicity brought this mountain clearing to life.

Organic Posing For This Styled Lilac Shoot

Clara, the model for this shoot, is a classically trained and award winning ballerina. That experience helped her fall into most of the poses very naturally. Her grace completed this spring lilac shoot effortlessly. This was an afternoon of dancing, laughing, and blissful creation.

This kind of effortlessness is what elevates a styled shoot. Though the location and props of a styled shoot are well planned and curated, the emotion behind them can be real. I love working to craft an experience, and helping the person being photographed to feel present and grounded. Whether it is a model, a couple, or a family, I want our time working together to be a well-loved memory. Not because you wore the perfect outfit, managed to get every child to smile at the same time, or had every hair in place. But because you spent time feeling truly yourself, with photos to remember it by. 

This balance of curated styling with organic moments is what being a fine art photographer means to me. I love finding beauty in the simple, not only in the elaborate. Crafting galleries that are full of moments more than poses. I want to create an environment where you can enjoy all of this when it is happening, not only when you look at the pictures later on.

Click here to learn more about my work. See more of behind the scenes content from this lifestyle shoot here.