Tucson natural light engagement session

This Tucson natural light engagement session was so romantic and an absolute desert dream, from start to sunset. While I definitely have spent my many years as a photographer honing my lighting skills for portraits and weddings, and I definitely love doing natural light engagement sessions, I also love being able to use off-camera lighting (like with my Profotos) when needed. It’s always beneficial to be able to offer my couples dramatic and moody photos alongside light, bright and airy engagement photos.

The amazing couple in this post really wanted a Tucson natural light engagement session. They had been dating long distance (and across the ocean) for many years but because she had family in Tucson, she was here and he came to visit her during the holidays. They knew they not only wanted natural light, but they absolutely wanted it in our beautiful desert, with rocks, Saguaro cacti, and sunsets as the backdrop. I was happy to oblige!

The very cool thing about using only natural light for photo sessions is that I am much less burdened by having to carry around the lights and light stands, and I often use my Nikon mirrorless camera (I currently have the Nikon Z7-II) and my 35mm lens at 1.8. It’s about all I need until we get to the top of the rock and I want to get that epic overlook view and so I switch to my 14-24mm Nikon wide angle. But even though I have my camera bag with all my lenses, I find that when the light is perfect like it almost always is in the Golden Hour, then I don’t need much – just a gorgeous couple, a beautiful backdrop, and the perfect backlit glow. And I had all things for this Tucson natural light engagement session.

I am really so thrilled that I was able to capture this couple and their love for each other, as well as their adorable nature. They were silly, they were loving, they did a lot of kissing lol and they also just had some amazing and sweet chemistry. They were super adventurous and totally willing to dance in the desert, climb rocks, and be sweet among the Saguaros. I couldn’t have asked for a better day, a better couple, or a better Tucson natural light engagement session.