One of the biggest perks of being part of the Air Force family is the community. In my experience meeting other military families, there’s a general shared understanding of what life is like. Conversations typically start with where you’re from, where you’ve been stationed, what squadron you’re in, and how long you’ve been here. By the end of that intro, more often than not, you’ve found something in common with the other family.

This was exactly my experience with the Musselman family last weekend. We had never met before our shoot, but it didn’t take long to find out that their family spent some time at a base that’s likely in my family’s future. Additionally, we’re practically neighbors here in Albuquerque and share a few of the same favorite places. (A Park Above for one!) It was such a joy to meet them and capture some military family photos for a fellow Air Force fam.

Military Family Photos | Elena Gallegos Open Space

Brian is wrapping up his career in the Air Force, so he reached out requesting a few headshots to use as he transitions to a new career. He wanted to have some photos of his family in this season of life too, so we tied that all into one session. We started just as the sun peaked over the Sandias and found a few different places in Elena Gallegos Open Space that made for good backdrops. Careful not to step on any cacti or beetles, we made our way around the open space capturing different combinations along the way.

I knew Brian had a sense of humor when one of his early emails to me mentioned his “Zoom outfit” and it didn’t take much chatting with Jen before I knew she was fun too. However, I’m not sure their daughter, Tavia, agrees with me. At least, she didn’t seem thrilled when her parents were doing embarrassing dances behind me when I was taking solo shots of her! But, what would life as a preteen be like if your parents weren’t doing things to mortify you? Tavia, it might get worse before it gets better, but I promise, it does get better! 🙂

I really enjoyed shooting at Elena Gallegos again. (If you like these photos, check out the Bencoe’s blog, as well as Shannon and Ryan’s.) If you’re interested in a session of your own, please don’t hesitate to reach out. Whether you’re a fellow Air Force fam looking for military family photos or another local Albuquerque family, I’d love to help capture this season of life for you.