I love doing year end recap blog posts. It’s fantastic to be able to see all of my favorite photos in one place, reminisce about every one of my amazing clients & moments I captured during the year, but it also serves as a great record to be able to look back and see improvement over the years. As a creative, I can be prone to missing the forest for the trees and thinking I’m not improving my skills when I actually am. You can take a look back on my past years’ posts here-

Best of 2016

Best of 2015

Best of 2014

Best of 2013

Best of 2012

I can’t believe I’ve been doing this for 5 years now! Putting these posts together is one of the most daunting tasks I do every year besides getting everything ready for my taxes 😛 This year, DELIVERED over 14900 photos to my clients. That means I edited that many, that’s not the number of photos I took total. I don’t even want to know how many I took!

Every year, I think to myself, how could next year possibly top this year? And every year I meet more awesome people and get to travel to more amazing places and get to experience and document more amazing moments. This year, I got to travel to Palm Springs/Joshua Tree to a creative photographer/model retreat and expand my photography comfort zone by shooting some editorial work, travel to & shoot a Manhattan wedding, shoot at two of my favorite venues- Schnepf Farms & Saguaro Lake Ranch, shot at new venues like Desert Foothills and Gold Canyon Golf Resort & Desert Botanical Gardens, have a bride jump into the pool at her reception and get underwater photos of that happening. I shot some amazing elopements including a super remote elopement in northern Arizona requiring 56 miles of driving on a dirt road, followed by another 6 miles of off roading, sweet Superstition Mountains & Salt River elopements. I also shot the families of some past wedding clients which almost made me cry happy tears seeing everyone again and documenting their new chapter of life. I’ll be blogging a separate blog post about my top favorite moments of 2017 and I still have a ton of work still to blog- some amazing elopements, a stunning and creative alternative styled shoot that is getting picked up by a big wedding blog you’ve definitely heard of, and lots of family sessions from the fall. I can’t wait to tackle my blogging queue and share it all with you! All in all this is a super sappy post of how grateful for all of the amazing opportunities I’ve been given this year. Truly, I can’t ever express my gratitude to each and every one of my clients and supporters letting me do this for a living.

On a more personal note this year, this was our first full year living in our house we bought and we got chickens in April & a puppy in June! She’s been a handful but once she gets out of her puppy stage she will be a sweetheart. With now 3 dogs, a cat, a tortoise & 7 chickens, that officially makes us crazy animal people & wannabe suburban farmers, I think.

I’m really looking forward to the spring Arizona wedding season! I still have some openings in my calendar, so if you know anyone looking for an Arizona wedding photographer or thinking about eloping, I’d love if you sent them my info. I have an amazing outdoor Arizona wedding venue guide and amazing locations to elope in Arizona. Hope you all had a wonderful 2017 and an even better 2018!

Italian themed wedding that's amore with light up love marquee sign
Phoenix moody boudoir photos
Boyce Thompson Arboretum engagement photos on bridge

couple laughing and having fun at engagement session candid natural engagement photographer Arizona

editorial modeling photography Joshua Tree CA

editorial fashion photography Joshua Tree, CA

Joshua Tree sunset destination travel portrait & wedding photographer in Arizona

creative editorial red and blue split lighting

creative prism photography silhouette

creative prism photography silhouette yoga pose new age

Phoenix moody boudoir photographer

kid getting ready at wedding making funny faces in bathroom mirror at Gold Canyon Golf Resort wedding

bride & groom first look in the desert Gold Canyon Golf Resort wedding

bride & groom under umbrella rainy reception black & white at Gold Canyon Golf Resort

bride & groom at Desert Botanical Garden at sunset

sunset portraits of bride & groom at Desert Botanical Gardens

wedding guest really excited about alcohol funny wedding photo Phoenix documentary wedding photographer

bridesmaids crying at first dance at Desert Botanical Gardens Phoenix documentary wedding photographerflowergirls twirling in dresses Phoenix photojournalistic photographer

groom shocked at big surprise at wedding Phoenix photojournalistic photographer

high school senior in front of flowers Scottsdale high school senior photographer

high school boy laughing candid natural high school senior photographer Mesa

Chandler in home documentary lifestyle newborn photos

beautiful natural outdoor college senior portraits Arizona
bride getting ready Tempe wedding photographer

redhead bride in veil getting ready for wedding Phoenix wedding photographer

mom seeing bride for first time Tempe documentary wedding photographer

Phoenix Zoo wedding photos

Phoenix Zoo wedding photographer

candid moments at weddings Phoenix documentary photographer

dancing by myself funny reception photo Phoenix candid documentary photography

beautiful natural high school senior at Salt River Arizona

high school senior girl with dog at Salt River, Mesa

classic dapper groom holding glass at home getting ready Phoenix wedding photographer

bridesmaids seeing bride for first time Phoenix documentary candid wedding photographer

Desert Foothills barn wedding photos

creative double exposure of desert and bride & groom Desert Foothills Wedding Venue

little girl rocking at wedding reception Desert Foothills wedding

epid scenic outdoor high school senior guy photos in the desert

couple genuinely laughing with purple flowers around at Arizona State University engagement photos

Superstition Mountains desert wild elopement in maroon dress and casual clothes

Tempe Town Lake night portraits of bride & groom

natural candid laughing bride & groom on Tempe Town Lake bridge

the post wedding toast was strong Phoenix documentary candid wedding photographer

bride & groom & wedding party jumping into pool underwater photo

wedding party jumping into pool underwater photo

bride jumps into pool at wedding underwater photo

bride jumps into pool at wedding underater photo

college senior graduate casual photos with sunglasses & a shark mural cool college senior guy photos

natural Arizona State University college senior graduation portrait session

bride & groom at Yavapai Point Sedona

Sedona wedding photos

Yavapai Point Sedona wedding photos

shocked excited groom surprised at his beautiful bride first look at Superstition Manor Mesa, AZ wedding

bride & groom at Superstition Manor Mesa, AZ wedding venue

Superstition Manor wedding photos

flowergirl getting ready at Junipine Resort Sedona

bride holding wedding bouquet with pink & red with lights behind at Junipine Resort wedding photos

best man speech holding infant trying to grab speech Juinipine wedding photos Sedona

Junipine wedding photos Sedona

owner hugging dog forever sessions with dogs Mesa AZ

mom kissing bride with flower crown on head adventure elopement in northern Arizona

adventure elopement in northern Arizona Prescott National Forest

boho bride adventure elopement Prescott Forest Arizona

happy joyful boho bride with flower crown and Frenchie in bowtie

adventure elopement in northern Arizona lake

adventure elopement Arizona mountains at sunset Prescott National Forest

Prescott National Forest Bradshaw Mountains at sunset

desert boho elopement in Salt River at sunset

Superstition Mountains desert boho elopement photos

sweet desert boho elopement in Superstition mountains

engagement photos in warehouse downtown Phoenix freelensed photo

cute couple whispering in ear in downtown warehouse engagement photos

moody boudoir photos in home Arizona

joyful natural smile Arizona senior photography

engagement session in monsoon storm Arizona

Salt River engagement session Arizona natural real emotions

Arizona desert engagement session sweet real emotions

happy fun goofy joyful wedding photos with cactus sunglasses at Desert Botanical elopement

elopement photos at Desert Botanical Gardens

in home session parents looking up at baby on bed Phoenix candid family photographer

baby & mom on bed in home family session Chandler documentary family photographer

New York skyline from Brooklyn Bridge

bride & groom dipping in marble halls of New York Public Library Bryant Park

wedding at Bryant Park Manhattan New York Public Library

boho bride & groom in Manhattan Arizona destination wedding photographer

cute little girl playing with clear umbrella  mom looking at bride getting ready adoringly Manhattan garden party wedding  first kiss in the rain at night New York Bryant Park wedding

ceremony in the rain at night Bryant Park wedding ceremony New York City

triumphant rainy recessional night time wedding ceremony Bryant Park Grill wedding  crazy hora groomsman taking selfie Bryant Park Grill New York wedding

bride blowing out birhtday candle at wedding Bryant Park New York wedding

Brooklyn Bridge New York

opera singer in New York Minton Tiles Central Park

natural authentic outdoor high school senior photos Phoenix

underwater portraits Arizona

alternative edgy same sex couple in Camby hotel

creative alternative wedding photography Arizona

edgy alternative wedding photography Arizona

boho elopement in Salt River candid authentic photographer

Salt River elopement photos with macrame and rug

candid authentic natural elopement photos Arizona

emotional candid natural elopement wedding photos in Arizona

Arizona State University college senior photos on mountains

bride getting ready at Saguaro Lake Ranch Mesa

groom getting ready at Saguaro Lake Ranch wedding

rustic scenic outdoorsy desert wedding venue Saguaro Lake Ranch

Saguaro Lake Ranch wedding photos with dogs

Saguaro Lake Ranch wedding ceremony with mountains in background Arizona   Saguaro Lake Ranch wedding photos horses mountains at sunset

Saguaro Lake Ranch wedding photos mountains at sunset

grand entrance Saguaro Lake Ranch wedding  hora at Saguaro Lake Ranch wedding documentary candid wedding photographer Arizona

first dance Saguaro Lake Ranch wedding photos  Saguaro Lake Ranch wedding photos outdoor reception venue Arizona

high school senior boy in scenic nature Arizona Salt River

natural Gilbert family photographer

cool edgy alternative bride with blue spikey nails and sparkly dress Arizona

sparkly dress documentary photographer Phoenix  Schnepf Farms wedding photos

Schnepf Farms wedding photos Meadow venue

Schnepf Farms wedding venue The Meadows

bride & groom eating churros together at wedding Phoenix candid documentary photographer

horse drinking water in dusty Arizona sunset light

natural genuine joyful Arizona wedding photos

natural genuine joyful Arizona elopement photos

wedding at a Cave Creek horse barn in Arizona

wedding at a horse barn in Arizona

same sex couple family with baby in Arizona

same sex friendly Arizona photographer

same sex family Arizona LGBT friendly photographer

lesbian family Arizona lifestyle family photographer

desert family photos in Arizona

Superstition Mountain elopement colorful sunset

bride & groom silhouette Superstition Mountain elopement

Superstition Mountains elopement photos

desert elopement photos in Arizona

desert maternity photos in Arizona

desert maternity photos in Mesa

fun relaxed lifestyle maternity photos in desert

desert maternity photos in Arizona

candid lifestyle family photos Arizona

natural lifestyle engagement photos Arizona

lifestyle family photos Salt River Arizona

sweet authentic family photos Phoenix

real natural authentic family photos Phoenix 

natural relaxed personal branding photos dentist Arizona

authentic real family photos lifestyle Tempe

candid authentic lifestyle family photos at Papago Park Arizona

WELCOME TO THE BLOG

Alyssa Campbell Arizona wedding photographer

Welcome! I’m an Arizona-based wedding & portrait photographer specializing in natural and documentary photos. My blog is where you can see my latest work as well as check out tips & the latest news. Following me on social media is another way to check out my recent work!