We had to start off our event strong to get all the attendees excited about it, and what better way to do that than organize an editorial couple’s shoot with real llamas? These (not so) little guys were so chill and absolutely killed it in front of the camera. Our inspiration for this shoot was the mountains of Peru – we wanted to incorporate texture and patterns in the wardrobe, and color of course. Gigi Pip provided us with the perfect hats to complete the look. The llamas took turns in the front of the camera, chomping on grass when they were off-duty; they were so chill.

This photo shoot concept was inspired by Botticelli’s painting The Birth of Venus. There are so many picturesque locations here in Utah, and one that both Ashley and I have never shot at is the part of the Great Salt Lake that turns pink in the summer months. We knew we wanted to put together a concept that felt dreamy and other-worldly, just like this location, and The Birth of Venus ticked all our boxes.

This photo shoot concept was inspired by famous painter Pablo Picasso. We wanted to create elements that mimicked his style and color palettes – we cut and painted canvases blue with thick brush strokes and hung them up to create a backdrop. We created a column, flower vase, and face cutouts and painted them to resemble Picasso’s line work, and hand-painted a checkerboard canvas to use as a tablecloth and backdrop. European style influenced our wardrobe choices, and our model Allison did a fantastic job bringing the concept to life.

One popular approach to photographing couples is to offer them prompts, which are actionable instructions on what to do for a photo. I think that when it comes to working with couples, having them interact with each other in a genuine and fun way is the most important thing that you can do as the photographer. You’re there to take photos that tell their story, but you’re also there to offer a fun and memorable experience.