The Ortega Family | Scottsdale Arizona Family Session

The Ortega Family | A lovely family session in the city of Scottsdale Arizona! It has SPRING written all over it! 

Please enjoy this session! 

Love this family session!? Click on the "book now" button to get 25% off your family session! 

Maternity Photography, Scottsdale, Arizona | Alma Gamboa & David Osuna

Maternity Session, In Scottsdale Arizona | Alma Gamboa & David Osuna

Maternity Session in Scottsdale AZ

Please enjoy this session featuring Angie and Edgar Ramirez!

Schabarum Trail Engagement Photos | Danna and David

Schabarum Trail Engagement Photos | Danna and David

Last weekend I drove up to Southern California and met up with Danna and David at Schabarum Trail for their Engagement Photos. David and I spoke over the phone to discuss about a location they had in mind. It didn't matter where but as long it had “green” and “trees."

I got there a little early because you never want to assume that California traffic will be nice to you. I started scouting for good spots that would work for them but the trail was just to busy. So instead I drove around the trail and found a nice park (very hidden) with no one around. I knew this was going to work for them. 

Danna and David brought that amazing energy with them and David said a little prayer before starting the session to have good vibes and boy, we did! The weather was perfect, outfit was perfect for the location and David swept Danna away with his guitar skills. It was such a romantic session and they were both troopers. 

Danna and David have this energy about them that you can’t help but smile when you’re around them. Between walking, climbing, holding still for a very specific shot, and getting to know Danna and David a little more, we really can’t wait for their wedding now! Thank you guys for being awesome and congratulations on your engagement!

‪‎Miracle Romo Twins‬ | South Mountain

I met up with Aiko and Anthony at South Mountain for their mini maternity session last week. 

This was such a unique situation for both Aiko and I. Aiko and I had been talking about setting up their session probably over a month ago but she had to cancel it because she was put in modified bed rest and we didn't want to risk anything. I always want the best for my returning clients. I didn't want to put the twins in any risk. To be honest I didn’t think this session was ever going to happen until Aiko texted me and asked me if it was possible to do something small (no more than 30 mins) if she got approved by the doctors. I responded with excitement but there was a challenge. The challenge was to find a location that was very close to where she lives and she couldn’t move a lot so I decided on South Mountain Park. 

When Anthony, Aiko and Leilani showed up I knew they were ready for a great photo shoot with perfect weather. Leilani looked very cute with her outfit and Aiko had that “mommy to be” glow. I told both of them that I would be doing most of the movements and they wouldn't have to worry about moving around or walking around. It was such a great session and the wind worked perfect for some wide shots!  

Please enjoy this session and I pray that everything turns out fine with Aiko and the #miracleRomoTwins

Family Session with: Vanessa + Christopher

I met up with Vanessa and Christopher a couple of weeks ago out in Scottsdale. We've been planning this session for weeks and I wanted to make sure they had a location they both liked. Once we got there, Vanessa immediately fell in love with the scenery and the weather was perfect for a nice evening with them. After taking care of all the shots of the family, I asked Vanessa and Christopher if they ever had "Engagement Style" pictures before and they both laughed and said "NO!" So I answered back with a smile and said "perfect, today is the day we will bring romance into this session!" I was so happy I was able to capture these moments with just them two.

You know, something happens to us when we see pictures of our families. We well up with pride and want to show people; we reminisce and relive the forgotten moments. We’re reminded of what matters and how time moves too quickly, and to treasure the moments we have today.

Please enjoy this session. 

Sandez Family | San Diego, CA

Please enjoy this beautiful session of the Sandez Family. 

I met the Sandez Family at my sisters wedding. They were very intrigued in doing a family session and I told them that whenever they were ready I would come down to San Diego and photograph their lovely family. Robert wanted something in downtown San Diego. He mentioned to me that his family is always going out and about and he wanted the pictures to show just that. I had such a wonderful time with them! Their kids are absolutely adorable.

Maternity Session: Yessenia + Misael Mendoza

A grand adventure is about to begin for these two new parents to be!

Please enjoy this lovely maternity session of Yessenia and Misael Mendoza from Mesa Arizona. 

For bookings email me at: steven@elitusphotography.com

Find us on Facebook and Instagram! 

Backyard Wedding: Ruthie + Alex | Tolleson Arizona

I had such a great time with Ruthie and Alex! A true love story all captured in a small backyard. 

Please enjoy these gorgeous Backyard Wedding Photos. 

Scottsdale Family Photos | The Ramirez

Scottsdale Family Photos | The Ramirez

Eduardo and Jenna are two amazing young married couple with two adorable children, Faithe and Eli Karter.  I was honored when Jenna contacted me regarding a family session because these two have such an amazing story about their little daughter Faithe. Faithe was recently diagnosed with Leukemia back in April 2015 and you can just imagine how hard this has been for this family but despite that, they have kept their faith strong and Faithe has now shown positive signs and has been making great progress. 

I contacted Jenna about this location that I scouted out in Scottsdale. After walking half a mile to the location, I started taking advantage of Eli Karter's good mood. After getting some shots with everyone I asked Jenna and Eduardo if they have ever had an "engagement" style pictures. Jenna responded with a laugh and said no. I took advantage of the time and decided to give them this little treat. Everything went incredibly great and they had the most well behaved kids ever!

Enjoy this sweet family session! Also, if you want to bless this family, here's a link to their GoFund me account. I am sure it would be a blessing to them.

 www.gofundme.com/pray4faitherayleen

Outdoor Newborn Session

I was honored to have my returning clients Rudy and Alessa call me to book a session for their precious newborn, Mariella. We had originally scheduled an indoor session at their home but little Mila got sick so we had to reschedule. Alessa really wanted something outdoors and I had the perfect location for them out in Mesa, Arizona. It was a bit warm that day so my first thought was to put them behind this mountain for shade. Their oldest daughter Mila was such a great help. She wanted to help so much that she started "taking" pictures with her toy phone. I can see the excitement of Mila being the big sister. In the end everything turned out just right and I couldn't be any happier for Rudy and Alessa adding another princess to their lovely family. I wish them many blessings!  

Hope you enjoy this session!

Sweet Baby Belly

There's something special about a mother and her sweet baby belly! Especially if it's her first pregnancy like my dear friend Esmi. I consider Victor and Esmeralda (Esmi for short) very close friends of mine and they have such a wonderful love story. They have been together over 13 years and each year that passed by I always asked them when is the baby coming along? One day, Victor and I went out for lunch and he told me the BIG news. I was honored to be the first to know and I kept it a secret. Months later we got together at Papago Park in Phoenix and started capturing moments for them. It was a walk in a park with them because they were just naturals behind the lens. I am very happy with the outcome and I hope you enjoy this maternity session! 

Beauty in a Backyard

I had the pleasure of meeting Kerem and Jorge through Kerem's sister for a small engagement session in their backyard. Both Kerem and Jorge are from Mexico and they were only going to be in town for a few days. The backyard was already set up in such an elegant way that I didn't want to leave without capturing some details of this dinner. 

One thing I love about shooting is that no matter where your session is, you can find beauty anywhere and still capture great moments. In this case, it was a beautiful backyard and Kerem and Jorge were dressed perfectly for this occasion and setting. 

I had such a great time with the both of you! I can't deny the fact that they look amazing together and I had a blast photographing their engagement session! Have fun in Hermosillo for your big day!

Grace and Love with The Feuerstein's

I met up with Jessica and Joshua Feuerstein at Biltmore Fashion Park for a family session but their kids were under the weather so they couldn't make it. The last thing you want is an unhappy kid behind the lens. Trust me, I have a child and things get pretty ugly (I mean it in a humorous way). So, I took advantage of the situation as well as the location and just started capturing moments with Jessica and Josh. 

We walked around Biltmore Fashion Park discovering some sweet locations. As I was shooting, it just looked like they were on a date. Drinking coffee, and cracking some jokes. You could really feel the love between these two. 

The beautiful thing that I love about this session was the love story between them. I can probably sit down and write for hours and hours about it but I am not. Let's just say that their love story is about grace and second chances in life. Not only life, but also accepting who you are and discovering a new path with your significant other. 

It was such a delight to spend the evening with Jessica and Josh and I wish them the best!

What's new....

Wow! It feels like forever since I've posted a new blog. I've received emails from friends, previous clients and even new clients asking if I was going to post a new blog. It's been a very busy summer for Elitus Photography and also for myself. The question is am I still shooting? The answer is obvious... Of course I am.

Here's the four-one-one. About several months ago, I was approached with an opportunity to take my photography skills to the next level knowing that for the first two months it was going to take a lot of my time to set things in place. It was a sacrifice I was willing to take and so over the summer I became the Creative Director for a church named Phoenix First Apostolic Church. What this position entitled was to produce graphics and also be there main photographer for each of their celebration services. So there you go, I have been shooting but just not what I've been posting on my website or my social media pages. This has given me exposure that I wouldn't imagine and I truly believe it's a blessing. With the crazy summer schedule I had, I was still accepting sessions and I can't wait to share them with you in the next couple of days. 

Now that the summer is winding down, my son is back to school (he started 1st grade yay!) I feel like my life is back to normal. I am also excited because I have a couple of weddings around the corner and some families are already booking family sessions for Christmas. I am also offering a special package for churches that desire professional pictures for their next event. Just send me an email and I will be glad to help you out.

Here some of my favorite pictures I've taken for Phoenix First Apostolic Church and if you want to see more pictures, I encourage you to do so by liking their Instagram page. 

Enjoy! 

Maternity Session in Sedona Arizona

One of the things I love about being a Photographer is that I get the chance to travel, meet great people and experience new things each day. When Mauro mentioned to me that he wanted to do a maternity session with his wife and that he wanted to do it in Sedona, Arizona I was excited. I was a bit nervous because I have never been to Sedona. I arrived in Sedona early to discover places. As I was driving around I was amazed by the scenery that the city of Sedona had. Before going up, I asked a few friends what they thought of Sedona and their responses were the same with..." pretty much anywhere you go in Sedona is beautiful.

As I was looking for good scenery I discovered this small private park and it worked just perfect for this lovely couple! Elegance in Sedona was a hit! By the time Mauro and Debby got there I had a plan. We started off by the small airport. I love the fact that it was up a hill. I knew that I had to get some shots of them walking up the road. The fun part was trying to take the shots quickly before the cars came up. It wasn't easy but Debby was a true trooper! Once I was done there we started driving down the private park which was only 5 mins away but it took us 30 mins to get there because we kept stopping to take different shots because the scenery was just amazing. Once we arrived at the park, Debby and Mauro changed to something more casual and this is why the park worked perfectly!

I had such a great time with the Almaraz family and I am so happy for their new journey.

Tempe Town Lake Senior Portraits

Fun, energetic, silly and smart was all I can think of as I was capturing these photos of Mellody in the city of Tempe.  Mellody's mother contacted me a few weeks back to set up a day to take some senior photos of her baby girl (that's how she referenced Mellody) and her exact words were "I trust you." Mellody sure made my job easier with all the energy she had and I wasn't sure if she was excited that she was done with High School or the fact that she was starting college. Either way I had a good evening with her. Did I mention that she's the Valedictorian of her school? Your parents must be proud!

A Lovely Family in Redlands California

As I kicked off my first traveling tour I went straight to business with Bridget and her lovely family. Bridget is actually an old family friend and we lost contact ever since I moved to Arizona. I haven't seen or heard of Bridget for more than 10 years! Thanks to social media, we reconnected and what better way to say hello than to meet her little family. I had such an awesome time with her 7 year old son, Josiah. He was silly but made us all laugh. Bridget and Rick were concerned because they never had photos taken. To be honest, I think they were practicing and looking at Pinterest for "pose" ideas because every thing came out smooth. It was a fun session and I wish this family the best and I am sure this will not be the last time we see each other again.

Maternity Photo Session - The Alvarez Family

I've been privileged enough to photograph couples that are beginning a new journey. Starting a family is such a blessing and I am very happy for my friends Eddie and Anais. It feels like it was yesterday that I saw you both say your " I do's" and now you guys are getting ready for parenthood. I can see the excitement in both of you and I know that both of you are going to be great parents. I had an amazing evening with you guys. Love you both! 

Nathaniel Ocegueda - Newborn

I was so excited to see the Ocegueda Family again and meet their sweet boy! If you don't recall, Elias and Lily were my first maternity session of this year which was an awesome session. For them to return to me and have me photograph their newborn meant a lot to me. This session was taken at their lovely home. I do offer on-location newborn sessions which always poses new and fun challenges, but this sweet boy was a champ!