Some people celebrate 25 years of marriage with a party or a fancy dinner. Shi & Ryan? They decided to turn their 25th anniversary into a breathtaking adventure – A Death Valley photoshoot at Badwater Basin.

They flew across the country, drove out into the middle of the desert, and stood barefoot on the crusty salt flats of Death Valley National Park’s Badwater Basin for an epic photoshoot that captured their own unique “us.”

Here’s how we went from A (Shi’s idea for Death Valley National Park Photoshoot) to Z (an album full of moments that celebrate their 25 years together):

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The Discovery Call

Before anything else, we got on the phone.

Shi told me what was most important to her: that their photos felt like them. Not posed, but feeling and looking “in the moment.” She told me they are really silly together, and she wanted to make sure that was captured.

She also told me what she was nervous about: her husband. The worry was that he might feel stiff in front of the camera or struggle to let go. (“Resting B face,” she joked—her words, not mine).

But they were up for anything. In her words: “We’re not made of sugar—work us!”.  They wanted movement, emotion, and portraits that brought in the beauty of the landscape around them.

These discovery calls are so important to ensure clients receive exactly what they want. This is where we talk about all of your desires and concerns for your session and images.

As with any client, I then incorporated all of Shi’s desires and concerns into their session planning.

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The Pre-Session Styling and Wall Art Consultation

Once we knew where we were going and what kind of images they wanted, we held a Zoom styling and wall art consultation (their being in South Carolina prevented my usual in-home consultation). We made sure their outfits would look amazing out on the salt flats and wouldn’t fight the tones of the landscape.

We also talked through how they wanted to enjoy these photos when they got home. This wasn’t just about taking pictures. This was about creating something tangible to mark a big moment in their lives.

So we built their session with intention — knowing an album was the end goal, and making sure what we created would feel the way their 25 years of marriage felt. In Shi’s words, that feeling is “that ‘home’ is your person, no matter the place.”

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The Session: a Lot of Laughing, Silliness, and… Sweat

Ok, so this is Badwater Basin. Literally the hottest place on earth. Fortunately it’s spring, but it was still pretty warm when we first walked out there and started “playing” on that dramatic white landscape.

So there might have been a little sweating with how active my sessions are (I keep things moving!), but there was also lots of music and silliness and goofing off out there on the flats.

Not going to lie, these two were a lot of fun to shoot. I mixed up some playful prompts to bring out their silly side (which wasn’t hard!), with quieter moments that would bring out the emotions inherent in celebrating 25 years of marriage (also not hard – just look at these images).

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The Reveal: Turning “Us” into Heirlooms

A week later, we sat down over Zoom for their reveal and ordering appointment. They got to see their “us” documented, naturally and playfully, and I helped them choose their absolute favorites.

They chose a beautiful album to hold the images from this chapter in their lives together. Something they’ll flip through years from now, when they’ve hit 30, 40, 50 years together. Something that holds this celebration in their hands, and that they can hand down to their son to treasure one day.

Shi & Ryan, thank you for honoring me with the front row seat to your love and commitment. And for that blast of a time together on those crusty salt flats. And for being up for anything!

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Thinking of a Death Valley Photoshoot? Start Here

If the idea of your own intentional and adventurous photoshoot in a place like Death Valley makes your heart race a little (in a good way), I’d love to help you plan it.

In that spirit, I’ve written this article: Choosing Death Valley National Park for Your Family Photos – Everything You Need to Know.

Whether it’s for a milestone anniversary or just because you’ve never done something like this before… there’s no wrong reason to say yes to something so incredibly meaningful and lasting.

Finally, if you’re considering me for this honor of photographing your family (whether it’s in Death Valley or elsewhere), let me know by contacting me here.

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“Thank you so much for everything—you were perfect in capturing our ‘this is us!’ 🥰” – Shi