Nata + Jess | 10 Year Mojave Desert Anniversary

Palm Springs, California

Nata + Jess

I had the privilege of meeting Nata years ago at an artist meetup. I had known of her work for some time, but meeting her confirmed what I felt- she is dynamite. Multi-talented, quick witted and self-assured. I have always been drawn to women like her, something to do with aspirations of feeling comfortable in my own skin, even if feigned for social interaction, I’m sure. All of that to say, when Nata asked if I’d like to meet her and Jess out in the Mojave desert to stay in this gorgeous mid-century home and create photographs of her and Jess for their ten year anniversary, I was immediately in.

We shared a bottle of red wine and talked about the world. The things that feel big and overwhelming lately. We mostly talked about what it’s like to be married for ten years, how things shift over time. My partner and I have only been married for two years, but we have been together for 10, and I related to hers and Jess’ thoughts about the sense of ease and partnership that develops when you spend that long with someone. What it’s like to watch your person evolve and how to navigate loving and supporting each iteration of them, and the way “us” shifts throughout all of that.

I love being able to have these conversations with my couples in the months and weeks leading up to documenting them, but it’s even better the day of. It helps me understand how they view themselves and how they want to appear in photographs. I was inspired by our conversation to have a more editorial approach with their photos. It’s such a delicate balance- not projecting too much when photographing couples, but also trying to read how they feel together. We focused more on the architecture than the landscape, which I have been so inspired by, and I’m really proud of what we created together.

Thanks for the trust Nata + Jess. To ten more.

xxHaley

Bouquet | Siren Floral Co

Location | Private Residence, Palm Springs California