Top 8 shots of 2025

Hi guys!

I wanted to highlight some of my favorite shots from 2025. I'll keep it short and simple, with details about why I love each image and a little background about how we made the magic happen. Comment and let me know which one is your fav!

Hope you enjoy!

xoxo Kelsey

This shoot for Flower Child was special -- I got to travel to Arizona. Not only was this my first out-of-state food shoot, but I travelled with my baby! She got to spend time with Grandma and Grandpa while I photographed the Fall and Winter specials for Flower Child. I loved the thought and care they put into the props, color schemes, and food prep. Each dish looked (and tasted!) so good! They also brought so many flowers for us to play around with. The flowers in the foreground of this shot is one of my favorite elements. The backlight on the salmon is chefs kiss and created such a great mood.

Mochi Kids is one of my favorite clothing brands for kids! Their shirts are so comfortable. This was a fun shoot. I got to teach at BYU this year as an adjunct professor, which came with the perk of studio access. We rolled out the seamless backdrops, set up some gorgeous Profoto lights, and the cute kid models got to play. I liked this idea of hiding the models face (she came up with that all by herself). To me it helps put the focus on the fun mushroom shirt, and also matches the quirky, graphic design quality that Mochi Kids excels at. I also love the red/brown outfit balanced perfectly with the split color backdrops. Color blocking was a big request from the client and I think we met her vision!

Okay guys. This one I love because it was such a fun challenge. This is for a great company called Lipnotes. They produce custom lip balms for companies. (It's like a business card but actually useful!) We took on the challenge of trying to portray as many industries as we could, using simple props to save cost and time. Instead of finding a willing dentist's office, we brought the office to the studio. What do you think? We also made a fake real estate office, souvenir shop, and trade show!

I'm a big fan of this shot, because I got to fulfill my lifelong dream of WALKING THROUGH a drive through. Haha. I don't know why but I've always wanted to do that. Beans & Brews is a coffee shop with multiple locations throughout Utah. I passed their Millcreek location every day on my way to high school, and never imagined being able to shoot for them! It was such a treat. I feel like we were able to get so many creative shots in their space. The focus was lifestyle, with 5 models and some willing staff.

Throwing salad in the air? That's all I need to say. Just kidding I'll say more. We did a couple takes of this shot, but the first one was perfect! Cleaning up the salad afterwards was one of those moments where I said to myself..."this is really my job." I loved it. This was shot for Quickgreens, a new fast-food salad concept that just opened in Saratoga Springs! Their food is delicious and their marketing is top-tier.

Shot for Squatters, an amazing SLC pub with several locations. Let me just say, everything I tasted from this menu blew my mind. I was grateful to our four models, who brought the perfect energy. It is not easy to make eating food look effortless and fun. (on camera at least!) On this shoot I really focused on lighting, branching out from a 1 light set-up to 2. (oooooh! fancy!) I gained a lot of confidence with location lighting this year, and it's been fun to see how it elevates the results, especially with lifestyle shots.

I had the great privilege to work lots with chef and food stylist Nicole Marriner. She is a genius! Our creative collaborations have led to some of my favorite images I've ever shot. Each month we picked an ingredient to focus on, and Nicole made 2 recipes. This carrot soup was delicious, warming, and slightly spicy. And this photograph makes me unbelievably happy and proud, with the complimentary color scheme, lighting, and textures. We played around with shadows and created a mood that felt exciting and bold. Also that spoonful of soup steals the show. I'm obsessed.

Sunshine Buns was incredible to work with! The Pinterest board was full of such spunky poses, funky props and groovy colors. Their interior design is stunning and their cinnamon buns are to die for. Model Jackie blew me away with her contagious energy and joy. I think the angle of this photo is what really helps it stand out to me. How many models do you see climbing on tables? Haha. I loved the creativity of this shoot and getting to work with such passionate people.