Mckenna and Karat//Arizona Equine Photographer

I still remember that first session so vividly.

She was only 6 years old but her joy simply to be around horses radiated. We were just doing pictures, but there was an emanating peace from just getting to be in the presence of a pony. Her mom wanted beautiful sunset pictures like she had seen on my page, but little did she know she was signing up for far more that day. Almost a decade later her mom still blames me for sending them down this path because when I saw Mckenna’s enthusiasm for equines I couldn’t help but refer them to a local barn for riding lessons….

10 years have flown by since then and I’ve followed her journey with deep interest over the last decade. Finding your passion so young and getting to foster it the way she has is an incredible gift. Her journey has taken her through three stables as her desire to learn and grow as an equestrian has grown with her, ultimately landing her at Twisted Tree Farm in Scottsdale with her beautiful mare, Karat.

One of my goals for the year was to make a return to horse and pony sessions, so I reached out to see if they would be interested in doing a session with me again. I was thrilled when they said yes and even more thrilled when we were able to get the session booked expeditiously. It was a beautiful evening reconnecting and reminiscing about all of the years gone by. The weather was stunning and…

…..best of all. Her mom finally got the sunset she wanted 10 years ago.

Just for fun, A throwback to that very first session! Circa 2014

Love these images but don’t have a horse of your own? Join me on April 12th for my Desert Daydreams in Santan for an opportunity for pictures like this of your own (although you might start a lifelong addiction). If you’re already a committed horse addict like Mckenna, Send me an email at katieharrison@nakupendaphotography.com to book your own sunset session.

A Princess, a Pea, and a Pile of Mattresses – A Fairytale Session in Gilbert AZ

Once upon a time, in a quiet meadow in Mesa, something magical happened. A tiny pea, a tall stack of mattresses, and a brave little girl helped bring one of my favorite fairytale dreams to life.

This session was inspired by the classic story The Princess and the Pea. It’s a little funny when you think about it—no one really knows the lesson of the story! But that’s what made it so fun to create. I didn’t have to follow any rules. I could build the look from my own imagination.

Lately, I realized I had been spending a lot of time on other parts of my photography and not enough on the thing that first made me fall in love with taking pictures: magical childhood moments. My child photography brand is where it all began for me, and it felt like the perfect time to go back to it—with a fairytale twist.

I had the idea for The Princess and the Pea written down for a long time. I always knew I wanted to bring it to life, but the timing never felt quite right. This winter, with the Arizona weather so beautiful, I decided to finally go for it and take it outside.

I chose a soft meadow in Mesa for our scene. I already had a moss-covered ladder from a past session and found lots of colorful blankets and bedding during a trip to Goodwill. The princess dress, cape, and gown had been tucked away in my closet since fall, just waiting for their moment. And our sweet model brought it all together with her gentle heart and big imagination.

The best part of sessions like this? They’re fun! What kid wouldn’t love climbing up a big stack of mattresses and pretending to be a royal? The pink flowers in the meadow matched the colors perfectly, and the whole set-up looked like it jumped out of a storybook.

When I left the session, my heart felt so full. This was the kind of storytelling that made me fall in love with photography. Creating something magical—just for the joy of it—is something I want to do much more of.

If this looks like something your child would love, let’s create a session just for them. Whether it’s a fairytale, a woodland scene, or something totally unique, I’d love to be your fairytale photographer in Gilbert, Arizona. Click here to tell me what kind fo fairytale you’d like to bring to life.