There’s something about a Pagosa Springs family session that just hits different, the scent of pine, the open dirt roads, the feeling of peace you only get when you’re wrapped in mountain air and surrounded by people you love. But this session with Kyle and Trish? It wasn’t just special because of the location. It was special because these two aren’t just past clients. They’re friends. The kind that you hug a little tighter, that you root for in every season, that you meet halfway across the country for, just to soak up a few hours of golden-hour magic!

How It All Started: From Inquiry to Instant Connection

Trish reached out to me nearly two years ago about photographing her and Kyle’s wedding, and I’ll never forget our first session together. It was their engagement shoot, and I’m telling you, I still think about it to this day. That was the first time I felt the buzz of something more than just “photographer & client.” It was like being dropped into a memory you already knew would be one of your favorites. Their energy was so effortlessly fun, their love so genuine, and the laughs? Nonstop. From that session, through their wedding day, and all the tiny beautiful in-betweens, our friendship just kept growing. My husband and I got to know them beyond the lens, and before we knew it, we weren’t just part of their wedding, we were part of their world.

Life Shifts & Mountain Meetups

Last year brought a lot of changes, Kyle and Trish moved from Florida to Texas for work, and I found myself starting a new chapter in Colorado. We didn’t think we’d cross paths again anytime soon, but then… I got that text from Trish. They were going to be in Santa Fe and wondered if we could meet halfway to capture their first ever FAMILY photos. Cue the happy tears! We picked Elwood Pass in Pagosa Springs as our middle ground, and it ended up being the most perfect little slice of heaven for this new chapter in their story.

Adventurous Pagosa Springs Family Session

This Pagosa Springs family session was adventurous, intimate, and oh-so-tender. Surrounded by stunning evergreens and mountain ridges that looked like they were pulled straight from a painting, we walked dusty trails and tiptoed across river rocks. Trish in her sage green dress and cowboy boots, Kyle looking like he stepped out of a vintage western, baby snuggled close, I mean, COME ON. It was pure aesthetic poetry. The love between these three was quiet and strong, the kind that doesn’t need to perform. Just soft kisses on baby cheeks, warm hand-holding, the occasional giggle when someone tripped on a tree root or got a little too close to the water’s edge. It was raw and real, and so unbelievably beautiful.

Why This Pagosa Springs Family Session Meant So Much

It’s moments like these that remind me why I do what I do! Being invited into people’s most meaningful milestones, engagements, weddings, now family memories, it’s something I’ll never take for granted. Watching Kyle and Trish grow into this next chapter of life. Getting to capture it, hug them, laugh with them again… it felt like coming home. And it’s such a full-circle moment. From photographing their love as a couple. To now capturing the way they love as parents, it’s the sweetest, most humbling kind of honor.

More Than Clients, Always!

I say this all the time, but I’ll say it louder for the people in the back: this job isn’t just about the photos. It’s about connection. It’s about showing up for people, cheering them on, and sometimes meeting them halfway across states just to freeze a little time for them! Kyle & Trish, thank you for trusting me, for texting me, for letting me into your life again and again. This Pagosa Springs family session is one I’ll hold close to my heart for a long, long time!

Sweet Words from Trish & Kyle After Their Pagosa Springs Family Session

And if my words haven’t convinced you just how special this session, and this friendship, truly is, here’s what Trish had to say after:

“Just book her.
Book her for your elopement, your wedding, your engagement photos, your dog’s birthday, your ‘halfway across the US in the middle of a ravine’ anniversary trip. Her ability to capture the raw emotion, and therefore create absolute MAGIC in her photos is unmatched. I have been professionally photographed a number of times in my life, I’ve done couples photos, been a part of many weddings, company events, heck I even dabbled in photography myself… but when Taylor is the person behind the lens, it’s bliss. She has an energy that makes you feel absolutely radiant and like you’re on top of the world.

The first time she met with my fiancé and I, I was actually recovering from a severe back injury. Most photographers would’ve become frustrated with my constant need to rest, or my limited range of motion. But Taylor? Absolutely not. She was overly courteous, doing her best to ensure that we not only had fun, but also looked AMAZING. All while constantly checking in with me to make sure I was still doing okay. Oh, and also, I’m awkward as hell.

I could’ve let the photos speak for themselves, but a picture is worth 1,000 words and what Taylor brings to the table as a photographer (and as a human in general) is priceless. She is sweet, fun, engaging, talented, and most importantly, a true master of her art. We genuinely consider ourselves lucky to know Taylor, and can’t wait for her to capture more of our moments as we move through this beautiful life.”
– Trish + Kyle

Seriously, getting to walk alongside people as they move through life’s most meaningful seasons is the greatest gift. So here’s to more friendships like this, more dirt-road meetups, and more love, always. Ready for me to capture your dream session and become friends? I would love to! Head to my contact page so we can chat about all the ideas you have! If you want to learn more about me and what I do, click here. Can’t wait to hear from you!

Taylor Made Photo | Colorado Elopement Photographer