FAMILY PHOTOGRAPHY IN SCOTTSDALE, PHOENIX, PARADISE VALLEY & BEYOND
The chapter you're
in now.
Editorial-inspried family portraits in Arizona's golden light. Naturally guided, warmly lit, and made with a little soul. Scottsdale-based photographer Jennifer Bowen serving families for more than 20 years now.
- SINCE 2005 -
Your family will never
be exactly this age again.
Every year you mean to book a session. Then the year gets busy, you didn't lose the five extra pounds you had intended, and before you know it, it's January 1 again. Meanwhile, the baby starts kindergarten and the kindergartner starts driving.
I've been photographing Arizona families since 2005, which means I've watched a lot of these chapters open and close. I'm also a Mom who has lived the "blink of an eye" all too well. The photos you'll be glad you have are the ones taken while you all still fit in one frame.
WHY IT MATTERS
Pretty portraits matter. So do the moments in between.
Two decades of photographing people has taught me that the difference between a good portrait and a great one isn't just the outfits or the location. Those things matter, as does the craft of working well with the light.
The real difference is whether the photographer notices the little in-between moments that reveal something more soulful from the people standing in front of them, and captures that. Captures you.
Light, location, clothing choice, natural posing guidance, post-processing and editing - it all plays a role. But at the end of the day, its still working with people and capturing the essence of your connection and love that turns a pretty portrait into a frame-worthy photograph.
I photograph my clients how I wish to be photographed.
THE INVESTMENT
The Packages
Every family photo session includes a planning conversation, optional styling guidance, my signature editing, and a private online gallery with full-service print ordering. Sessions are booked first come, first served. Fall is the busiest stretch of the year, and October through December is typically full by early September.
— No. 01 ·
Sunset Desert Mini Session
$450
30 minutes · up to 6 people
Timed to the golden hour warmth of a desert sunset, built for the open desert's narrow window of great light. Quick, pretty, with a great selection of images to choose from. Ideal for teens and babies.
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Approx. 40–45 proof images
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Your choice of five (5) fully retouched high-res downloads from your proof gallery
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15% off professional print orders for one week, including adding more a'la carte high res files
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Scottsdale desert locations
Want more files, or the whole gallery? Buy extra high res downloads via your gallery store anytime.
— No. 02 ·
Signature Lifestyle Family
$765
60–75 minutes · up to 9 people
My signature session, and the one most families choose. A real mix of guided portraits and candids, with room to move between setups. Your home, a rental or resort, the open desert, downtown, or somewhere off the beaten path.
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Approx. 65–75 edited, high-resolution images
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A mix of color and soulful black and white
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Entire gallery of edited images
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20% off professional print orders for one week
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Travel up to 30 miles from Scottsdale, then $1/mile
Nothing held back, and nothing to decide later. The full gallery is yours.
— No. 03 · Big Groups
Extended Family & Multi-Generation
From $1,000
60–90 minutes · 10 or more people
For two or more households and for the reunion years. Enough time for the whole group plus all the breakout combinations: grandparents with grandkids, each individual family, couples, cousins, three generations.
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Every high-resolution image included
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Everyone in the group gets the gallery link and full download access
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20% off gallery print orders for one week
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Editing turnaround 10–15 days
10–15 people $1,000 · 16–24 people $1,250 · 25+ from $1,500. Groups over 30, let’s talk.
Newborn, maternity, and Belly & Baby sessions are priced separately. See Newborns & Maternity. High school senior portraits are on the Senior Portraits page.
AFTER THE SESSION
Getting them off your phone.
Upgrading a Mini Session
Mini session clients can add additional high-resolution image from the gallery whenever they want it, including years later. Signature and Extended sessions already include everything.
Packages of 5, 10 or All of them available.
Prints & wall art
Professional prints, canvas wraps, framing, and gift sizes for grandparents, ordered straight from your gallery and delivered quickly.
Enjoy 15-20% off your cart for the first 7 days post gallery release.
Albums & coffee table books
From luxury linen-bound albums to photo cover books, you choose your favorite images to included, and custom designed for you. The piece of artwork everyone will look through when they come over.
Affordable and timeless; inquire for pricing.
— MEET YOUR PHOTOGRAPHER JEN
Two decades. Thousands of faces. One steady purpose.
For more than twenty years I've photographed families and people at every stage of life. From newborns to high school seniors, and couples in love, to entrepreneurs wanting relaxed, professional branding photos... I've got you if you want portraits that feel relaxed, real, and a little soulful.
When someone settles into who they truly are and the smile finally reaches their eyes? That's the photo, the moment. That's why I do this. And because I truly enjoy working with people, that is the magic sauce that has allowed me to do what I love for more than two decades now.
I'll guide you through natural posing, handle the little details, and make sure you never once have to wonder what to do with your hands. I'll even try and make the process relaxing and fun!
LOCATION IDEAS
Where to take family photos in Arizona.
Location changes everything: the time of day that suits it best, the clothing/color choices, the overall mood/vibe, and how much room the kids have to move. Luckily in AZ, we have so many beautiful options to choose from. And in many cases, that may be your own home and yard. Have a look through sessions from different general locales to see what might work best for you & your crew.
— No. 02
Green Spaces
Farms, gardens, parks & fields
— No. 03
Water
Lakes, Rivers, & Riparian Preserves
— No. 04
Mountains
Red Rocks, Desert Vistas, Superstitions & more
— No. 05
City/Urban
Old Town Charm, Downtown Phx & more
Planning your session.
A few things worth knowing ahead of time. Read what's useful now; we'll cover the rest together once your date is set.
Kids, toddlers, teens
Ages five and up, teenagers, and babies who aren't walking yet do beautifully in just about any session.
Toddlers are their own amazing adventure. No is their favorite word for a reason, the feeling are big and sudden, and the freshly walking tots really just want to explore their world - so the more time we have to let them wander and embrace this beautiful stage, the better. For this reason, I do typically recommend a longer session for beautiful candids of this stage. Mini's can work, but you may just end up with a couple photos of them with the mood they are carrying for the day or the moment, and you kind of have to roll with the punches there ;-)
As a Mom who has lived though so many stages with my own kids (teens anyone), and a photographer who has photographed hundreds of kids at all ages, there is no expression, mood, tantrum or funny moment I have not seen - and Im here for it all. I love kids, always have, always will!
Notes about the desert
The Sonoran desert is beautiful, rugged -- and always a place to exercise a little extra caution. Cactus spines and jumping cholla, the lack of shade and yes, even some potential for slithering or stinging creatures.
In my 34 years in AZ, I've only seen about 10 snakes, but I just like to let parents know to have the conversations about picking up big rocks, watching where you walk and recommend closed toe shoes for the kiddos.
Booking Process
Once we choose a date and a package, I'll send an online agreement. Signing it and paying the deposit is what holds the date; until then it's still available to someone else.
Your private gallery typically goes up about 7 to 10 days after the session, or 10 to 15 days for large groups. Deposits are non-refundable, but if you need to reschedule I'll apply it to a new date.
What to wear
The days of matchy-matchy are long gone for most. What tends to work beautifully instead is a palette: three or four colors that complement each other, spread across the family however feels natural.
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For a family of four, three or four different colors rather than two and two of the same.
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A pattern on one person, a floral or a soft plaid, gingham or stripe, pulling from those same tones. That single piece is often what keeps an image from feeling flat
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Texture photographs beautifully: linen, gauze, knits, suede, fur
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The camera also loves layers: a denim jacket, an open button down over a t-shirt on guys, hats, boots, scarves, etc.
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Softer neutrals and earth tones are lovely against the desert; but bolder or deeper tones also work beautifully especially in greener or urban locations
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Long/midi dresses and flowy layers are wonderful when there's a bit of wind
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Please dont underestimate or ignore the shoes. Browns and tans will always blend better into the ground and allow your outfits and faces to pull attention rather than your feet. (My main suggestion is to avoid the bright color sneakers/laces, unless that is what you want the focus of the photo to be, and in that case- rock them!)
One thing I've noticed over twenty years: the images families actually hang tend to be the ones with a considered palette. They sit comfortably in a room and don't date as quickly. And whatever everyone feels genuinely good in usually photographs best. Comfort has a way of showing up in a face.
Want to see it put together, with colors that complement?
Please don't lose sleep over any of it. Send me what you're considering and I'll tell you what will work with the light and the location we've picked. I do this with almost every family, and it's included with your session.
Golden hour, and why we shoot then
For family photography, we'll usually always begin in that hour before sunset, when the light finally turns soft and everything takes on that warm glow. It's the bulk of what you see here on the website - and the time of day where the most flattering photos are typically made.
In the open desert that window is even shorter and more important. Since there is no shade out there, we want that 25 minutes of final light, plus the blue light that occurs after the sun hits the horizon (think: cotton candy skies). The same light can also occur at sunrise, though the bulk of my sessions are scheduled at sunset.
Partially cloudy days are the real winners, because they can give a little more leeway for timing.
The worst time of day for the open desert is when the sun is high in the sky (10-4 ish), because that creates harsh overhead light that creates shadows in the hallow of the eyes, and most people will need to squint to compensate for brightness. Fashion photography with one person is different than photographing a larger group, so these rules really apply to family photography and best results.
Weather, seasons & resort permissions
October through May is close to perfect here, which is also why it's my busiest stretch of the year. (March & April are a close second).
June through September is genuinely hot. Once we're above 105 degrees, everyone starts to flush and sweat within 15 minutes, and that shows up in the photos. Elderly family members and pregnant mamas can definitely feel it first. Summer is when I'll usually suggest mini sessions at sunset, or your home or a rental/resort where you can cool off.
One important note if you're staying at a resort and want to photograph on the grounds: you'll need to secure permission from management ahead of time. Resorts have strict liability requirements around outside service providers, and they can escort photographers off the property without it. A quick ask at the front desk or with the concierge usually does it, and I'm happy to help with whatever they need from me.
If the weather turns on us with rain, wind, or dust, or excessive heat - we'll simply pick another date, unless you'd rather go play in the puddles, which I'm always up for.
*I no longer schedule session on days over 112 - its just too hot for everyone involved, including my camera batteries.