A Pumpkin Patch Adventure (and Why I Love These Kinds of Sessions So Much)

Every fall, the Marana Pumpkin Patch opens its gates and suddenly Tucson parents everywhere start mentally preparing for a day of dust, snacks, tiny meltdowns, and the annual hunt for The Pumpkin That Is Always Too Heavy.

This time, I got to tag along with one of my Year-in-the-Life families and it was one of my favorite sessions yet.

We started with a little exploring around the tractors and farm equipment. Briefly. The interest level from their son was… moderate at best. A polite nod to agriculture, if you will.

But then came the train ride, which was absolutely his moment—even if his signature side-eye suggested he was still deciding whether this was joyful or deeply suspicious. (This is why I love kids. They keep the reviews honest.)

From there, we made a quick loop through the corn maze, stopped by the bakery for sweet treats (because sugar is a love language), and ended with a golden-hour wagon ride out to the pumpkin patch. Of course, all this happened after a necessary diaper + wardrobe change for the little guy—because nothing says “family outing” like an outfit swap behind a pumpkin display.

What made this session truly special, though, was the freedom to play. These clients trust me, and that trust lets me lean into my artistic side — experimenting with light, using simple tools, and capturing moments that feel like them in the most honest and recognizable way. That’s my favorite part of what I do: creating images you can feel, not just look at.

And that leads me to why the Year in the Life series exists at all.

It started as a quiet little dream — a question I couldn’t shake:

How could I get to know families well enough to tell their story in a way that actually feels like their life?
Not a perfect version. Not a staged one.
Just… life.

I wanted to make something that slows time down.

Something you could hold in your hands years from now and remember exactly how your child’s hair curled after a nap, or how you carried snacks like they were currency, or how your partner handled the “divide and conquer” parenting style like a seasoned diplomat.

Before I ever photographed clients this way, I spent years taking a photo every single day of my own kids. Those books are still the first thing I’d grab in a fire. They’ve become our family’s memory vault — chaos, humor, tenderness, and all the quiet, ordinary moments that matter way more than we realize at the time.

So that’s what Year in the Life is for:
to help families see their world the way they’ll want to remember it — full of heart, personality, and meaning.

And if you have a place you return to year after year… a tradition your kids are growing up inside of… a Tucson spot that belongs to your family story — bring me with you next time. I’ll help you bottle it up so you can keep it forever.

Ready to create something real together?
Reach out, and let’s start planning your own Year in the Life experience.