Emma | Monument Valley Park Senior Photos

colorado springs, co


This fall, I had the honor of hanging out with Emma to take her Colorado Springs senior photos, and we had such a blast! Emma is kind, inquisitive, creative, and quietly confident... truly just a fun person to be around. The kind of senior who doesn’t need a ton of hype to shine.


We met up at Monument Valley Park in Colorado Springs, which is honestly one of my favorite locations for here in town for senior photos. I first fell in love with Monument Valley shortly after my husband and I got married. Our first apartment was just up the hill from one popular area of the park, and we used to walk along the creek almost every evening together. It’s one of those spots that provides some truly stunning backdrops and settings within a small and easy-to-navigate area. You get open grassy fields, trees, rock walls, walking paths, and gardens — all within a short distance of each other.

 

Girl spinning through grassy fields during senior photo session at Monument Valley Park in Colorado Springs
Young woman in tall grass with mountain backdrop during senior photo session at Monument Valley Park in Colorado Springs
Golden hour senior photos at Monument Valley Park in Colorado Springs

 

rock walls & open fields & bridges

We started near the top of the park when the light was still golden, taking advantage of the fences, the bridges, and the winding paths that lead further down into the park. Then we moved into the more open grassy areas when the sun went behind the mountain. Golden hour is great and all, but blue hour is also a stunning time for photos because it makes anyone's skin look oh-so-creamy.


I love going to fields and grassy areas for fall senior photos in Colorado Springs. By October, the grasses are often golden instead of green, which plays really well with the blue mountains behind. Monument Valley Park is especially great for seniors who want photos that feel relaxed and natural instead of super posed, because there's plenty of space to play around and spin and, you know, just be yourself.


From there, we wandered over to some of the rock walls and shaded paths, which instantly changed the vibe without changing locations. This is one of the reasons I love Monument Valley Park for outdoor senior photography. In just a few minutes, you have an entirely different vibe for photos. Emma was able to switch vibes seamlessly, going from wild and free in the fields to moody and inquisitive by the rock wall. She was a natural =)

 

Girl against a rock wall during senior photo session at Monument Valley Park in Colorado Springs
Girl on path during senior photo session at Monument Valley Park in Colorado Springs
Girl with mountains and fall colors behind her during senior photo session at Monument Valley Park in Colorado Springs

 

Photographing you photographing me

My favorite part of the session was near the end, when we went to the gardens behind Colorado College to finish off. Emma is also a photographer, so of course we had to have some fun with that. I took photos of her taking photos of me, we laughed about the mirroring cameras, and we ended up with some really fun, genuine images.


The gardens were truly the perfect place to finish; the arches create some beautiful framing for portraits, and there was still some greenery holding on that made for some beautiful layering in the photos. It was one of those evenings where everything lined up — great light, a super fun Colorado Springs senior photo location, and a senior who showed up entirely comfortable in her own skin.


Emma, it was so fun getting to spend the evening with you, and I’m cheering you on as graduation gets closer! Such a big season, and I can’t wait to see what’s next for you.


And if you’re starting to think about senior photos at Monument Valley Park, take this as your sign. it's the perfect location for grassy fields, mountain backdrops, and some moody vibes.

 

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