Rainstorm Session | Hannah & Eli

This rainstorm session was my very first shoot after moving to Phoenix. This is when I knew that I was going to have a lot of fun shooting in the desert! A couple days before this session I went location scouting. I stumbled upon Usery Mountain Regional Park in Mesa, AZ. I fell head over heels in love with the desert landscape. The mountains in the background, the towering cacti, and the smell left behind by a good ol’ Arizona monsoon. Everything about it stole my heart. I told Hannah about the vision I had for this shoot and she was on board for my idea (thankfully)!

As soon as I pulled into the parking lot a torrential downpour started. We’re talking the kind of rain that’s coming down so hard you need your windshield wipers on full power! I thought to myself, “this is not happening right now”. Talk about horrible timing! These two showed up with the biggest smiles and the down for anything type of attitudes. The rain let up a little bit and we started shooting! We only shot for 15-20 minutes but we got some amazing photos out of this session! Seriously some of my favorite photos EVER!

Sometimes the day of your session the weather is “less than ideal.” But as long as it’s safe and if you’re down to embrace the weather that Mother Nature throws your way… I promise it will be worth it! Some of my favorite sessions I have ever had are when it’s overcast, windy as heck, or even snowing. So if you have a shoot scheduled and it starts to rain or it looks like it’s going to rain, here are a few ideas on how to embrace it…

1. Bring an Umbrella

Look I get it, I’m not the biggest fan of rain hitting me in the face, ruining my hair and my makeup. Actually it annoys the heck out of me! If this is you too, bring an umbrella. There are so many poses and shots we can get with it. Bonus points if you can find a clear one!

2. Wear a Rain Jacket and Boots

Okay hear me out… we channel the inner child and full on embrace the puddles and mud! No matter how old I get I will always have the urge to dance in the rain. We can listen to some music and have our own little dance party, it will feel and LOOK like a scene straight out of a movie!

3. Move Your Rainstorm Session Indoors

If you’re out on the idea of being out in the rain (no judgement from me) let’s move it inside and stay warm and cozy. We can either do an in home session or we could hit up a cute little coffee shop… I mean how romantic is that?!

Regardless of the weather, don’t stress. If I photograph your session, I will always do whatever I can to make sure you have images that leave you feeling more in love! Even if that means you have a rainstorm session in the Arizona desert!!