I took a trip to New Mexico this past Fall to attend the international Balloon Fiesta and to visit family. This adventure has been on my bucket list since I was a little girl. My dream in life is to photograph pretty people wearing pretty things in pretty places so OF COURSE I had to book an editorial shoot while I was out west! The rugged rocky terrain, spiky cacti, deep rich red earth, fiery red sunsets and Sandia Mountains were calling me saying “please photograph us and tell of our beauty!” So I answered the call and this divinely inspired shoot is one of my most favorite shoots I’ve ever photographed… Always answer the door when adventure and beauty knock.

This shoot kind of just fell into my lap. I had intended to go to New Mexico but about 3 weeks before I still had not bought my ticket. I’m not sure if it was out of fear, procrastination or doubt but for whatever the reason I hadn’t committed to purchasing my ticket.

Enter Maya’s Curls. Juliet helped propel me forward to living out my dream! I posted a picture on Instagram a while back and some how Juliet the owner and designer of Maya’s Curls saw it and asked about a collaboration. I saw her designs and new instantly that her feathered headpiece NEEDED to be photographed in the rusty red desert. I reached out asked about the headpiece, told her I was traveling to New Mexico in 2.5 weeks and then I went home and bought my ticket…

I then proceeded to leaf through hundreds of profiles in the New Mexico model groups trying to find someone who would be the perfect fit. When I finally found Wyndra I could tell that she was radiantly beautiful on the inside. I could tell that she was gentle, sweet peaceful, smart and most importantly humble… When I met her in person she was even more of those things and I knew I had made the right decision in choosing her. I showed her the piece I wanted to photograph her in and she said she had the perfect outfit for it! Naturally the styling was a match made in heaven.

No makeup artists, hair stylists, or clothing stylists were present at the shoot. Just myself, my assistant (my step-dad), and Wyndra. Oh and all of my family since we photographed on their acreage of land in the Sandia Mountains and it was perfect. We spent the good part of the evening together shooting in what seemed to be all seasons. It started to down pour and the temperature dropped rapidly so we went inside, ate some food and chatted about life. We were about to call it quits but then the most beautiful sunset revealed itself and after dusk settled in and twilight was about to appear we finished the shoot that produced this soft, warm, glowy light… I could go on and on but I will let the photographs finish. I call this set my Desert Beauty Series. I hope you all enjoy these photographs as much as I enjoyed creating them! xo, Jessy