Desert Afterglow (Patreon)

This set with Kenzie King happened fast. We had already shot two earlier sets during the day, and by the time sunset really started lighting up, we realized the only way to get above the city in time was to rush higher up into South Mountain. The light was fading by the minute, so everything became about moving quickly and making decisions on the fly.

This is honestly my favorite kind of light to work with. That short window right after sunset where everything softens and the desert starts glowing naturally without looking overly lit or artificial. I’m always trying to hold onto the detail in the sky while still keeping enough information in the shadows so the image stays clean and natural. It’s a really fine balance because once those sunset highlights are gone, they’re gone.

I also love how the city lights started creeping into the background as we were shooting. Phoenix almost becomes part of the atmosphere instead of just sitting behind the photos. It gives everything this mix of open desert and city glow at the same time.

Kenzie’s always a blast to work with whenever I’m out in Arizona. She’s one of those people that’s always down to chase an idea, even if it means scrambling up rocks trying to beat the sunset with almost no time left. Those rushed moments usually end up creating the images that feel the most alive.