Engagement Photography in Tucson

Engagement Photos at Davis Monthan Air Force Base

Engagement Photo Shoots – On Location

If you became recently engaged, allow me to be one of the first congratulate you! It’s an exciting time for both of you, not to mention your family and friends. So, start spreading the news. While you’re at it, be sure to take time to have professional engagement photos taken. There are several good reasons for doing so.

You can use the resulting images to make your formal announcement and a myriad of wedding related items too, like save the date cards, signing boards, slide shows, just to name just a few. Also, if you’re not used to being the center of attention or having your pictures taken, it is a great opportunity to get your feet wet and get acclimated to being in front of the camera. It is also chance to get to know your wedding photographer better, if you are using the same person to photograph both events.

Through the years, more than half the engagement photo shoots I’ve done have been on location. This means, instead of coming to my home studio to have your photos taken, we’ll meet up at an agreed upon location. That location can be someone’s home, somewhere in the city or at one of the many outdoor parks in and around the Tucson area.

Tonya and Eddie
Tonya and Eddie getting cuddly at the Pima County Fairgrounds.

Engagement Photography at Pima County Fairgrounds

For Tonya and Eddie, it meant a rendezvous at the Pima County Fair, the place of their first date and one of the more interesting locations, a couple has ever requested. I arrived just before sundown, as planned. Upon first observance, I was struck by the size and scope of the place. A steady stream of cars kept pouring in. Parking was very organized and being directed similar in fashion to an outdoor rock concert or major sporting event, one section and one row at a time.

Looking out my windshield, the first identifiable object I noticed was the Ferris wheel. So, I called Eddie and Tonya, who arrived hours earlier, and asked them to meet me there.  As I continued to make my way on foot, I began to see glimpses of a second, much larger, Ferris wheel, in the distance. Was it real? Night was falling and, in the desert, mirages are usually only seen during the day. I guessed, I had better get Eddie back on the horn.  Dude, which one you at? It turned out to be the big one, which of course was much further away. No problem. I’m always up for a good cardio!

The Merry Go Round
Eddie and Tonya enjoy a few moments in front of the merry-go-round, at the Pima County Fairgrounds.
The Sip
No trip to the amusement park would be complete without indulging in some liquid refreshments.
The Last Bite
The Last Bite ~ Eddie and Tonya share the last piece of cotton candy.
Tonya and Eddie
Tonya and Eddie pose for one last shot, in front of the merry-go-round.

I had a lot of fun photographing Eddie and Tonya at the Pima County Fairgrounds. They were both wonderful people to work with! I look forward to my next opportunity there.

Engagement Photography at Davis Monthan Air Force Base

Another recent and somewhat unusual location request for engagement photos came from active service members Paige and Camden. This past February, they contacted me about taking their photos at Davis Monthan Air Force Base, in Tucson. We met at the main gate. Then we drove off to a few locations they had in mind.

Paige and Camden check each other out, then pose for a photo, at Davis Monthan Air Force Base.
Paige and Camden check each other out, then pose for a photo, at Davis Monthan Air Force Base.
The Kissing Machine
The Kissing Machine – Paige and Camden share some sugar.
Paige and Camden at DMAFB
Paige and Camden kiss and pose in front of a relic helicopter.
Engagement Photos at Davis Monthan Air Force Base
A retired US Air Force copter served as the staging for these engagement photos of Paige and Camden at Davis Monthan, AFB is Tucson, Arizona.
Get Your Wings
Get Your Wings

It is always a pleasure to be able to serve those who are serving us, so well. My thanks and very best wishes to Paige and Camden. Get your wings!

Planning for Outdoor Engagement Photos

If you are planning to have your engagement photos taking outdoors, dress and prepare accordingly. For example, if you decide to have your pictures taken a Gates Pass, where it is nearly always windy, your hair is going to blow around. So you may want to put in in a braid or ponytail. The terrain there is dramatic and beautiful, but the trails are rocky and dusty, so wear the proper attire and footwear. You can put your high heels in a bag. The same applies for every other location. Know what to expect and prepare accordingly. You can get more helpful tips from the Engagement Fashion Tips page of my website.

Author: Paul Van Helden

Paul Van Helden is a professional headshot, portraits, event, nature, still life and landscape photographer, based in Tucson Arizona. Some of his published credits include The Valley Wedding Pages and Sierra Club. Paul has worked professionally for over thirty years. Biologist and nature photographer Fred Dodd Jr. first introduced him to photography in 1982. Later, Paul studied photography at Dean College and began to photograph weddings under the tutelage of Craig Roberts of Franklin, Massachusetts. After working as a freelance wedding specialist for five years, he started his own photography business in Bellingham, Massachusetts in 1995. In December of 2004, he moved to the American Southwest, a part of the country he fell in love with, when he first visited the region in 1984.