A group of kids and adults enjoying a whitewater rafting adventure on a river, with some smiling and laughing, all wearing life jackets and holding paddles, with additional rafts in the background.

Family Adventure Rafting Photography on the Arkansas River, Colorado

A vibrant summer day captured in motion — candid, documentary-style storytelling from a whitewater trip near Salida.

This Colorado adventurous family reached out to me to see if I could help photograph the fun, action and experiences of their annual whitewater rafting trip on the Arkansas River near Salida.

Oh yea! My cup of tea. I actually grew up paddling rivers with my parents and even worked as a river guide for a bit, so this was right up my alley. Action packed, summer fun in the Colorado high country. We met up near Brown’s Canyon at their friends property who lived right in the river. What a spot it was. We put in, and I stationed myself comfortably on a raft ahead of the gang to capture a bit of the action. The fun thing about this type of shoot is the pure spontaneity. There’s no posing when your kids gear up to hit a big wave. Their faces say it all. I looked for those magic moments of the family enjoying the day together and the emotions of the kiddos from running on the sandy shores to hugging each other laughing and screaming as they entered a rapid. It was pure fun. It’s such a special and unique opportunity for your outdoorsy family to capture your spirit for adventure together.

We spent all day on the river with some breaks along the way. It was one of my favorite family sessions ever. It felt oh so Colorado and it was beautiful to watch kids just being kids. Their parents giving them the greatest gift of time in nature and and a bit of adventure and entrusting me to preserve some of those special memories.

So, if you’re an outdoorsy and adventurous family who wants to take family photos but with a bit of flair and you doing what you all love to do in the great outdoors, then I’d love to be considered to document your day. Maybe it’s a ski trip, or a camping excursion. Or maybe it’s a mountain bike ride or a hike. I’m here for it all, and I’ll do my best to keep up. I’ve worked in the montains all of my life around the world, so there’s no happier place for me to scramble around looking for those beautiful present moments of you all together. Book your Colorado outdoor photo adventure!

A group of people, including children, white water rafting on a river with rocky banks and green bushes in the background, splashing water as they navigate the rapids.
Four children sitting on a fallen log under a tree near a river, with mountains and a cloudy sky in the background, enjoying a snack outdoors.
A group of people, including children and adults, are white water rafting on a river in an orange inflatable raft, wearing life jackets and holding paddles, enjoying an outdoor adventure.
A young girl with long hair running on a forest trail near a river, surrounded by trees and other people in the background.
Two children wearing yellow life jackets near a body of water. The girl in the foreground has long, wet hair and is screaming, while the boy behind her is smiling and looking down.
An adult man with a beard, wearing glasses, a cap, and a blue jacket, helping a young boy with brown hair and a white and blue shirt put on a harness.
Children playing near a river on a sandy bank with tree stumps, mountains in the background, and a partly cloudy sky.
A pair of black flip-flops on sandy ground, partially covered in sand and surrounded by small pine needles.
People kayaking on a river with lush green trees on both sides and snow-capped mountains in the background under cloudy skies.
A young girl with blonde hair, wearing a life jacket, is sitting on the edge of an orange inflatable raft in a river with rushing water.
A man helping a young boy into a river with a kayak and mountains in the background.
A group of people, including children and adults, are white water rafting in an orange inflatable boat through a river with rapids, surrounded by trees and rocky banks.
A group of people, including children, enjoying a sunny day whitewater rafting in a rocky canyon with green trees and mountains in the background.
A person wearing a black jacket with the word 'WARRIOR' on the sleeve, sticking their tongue out and leaning over orange inflatable boats. The boats have black straps and metal fixtures, and are wet.
A group of kids and an adult man enjoying a white water rafting ride in an orange inflatable raft, with a river and other rafts in the background. The kids are wearing yellow life jackets, and the man is wearing sunglasses and a cap.
An orange inflatable boat, loaded with equipment, beached on rocky shore by a flowing river with a person sitting nearby, surrounded by trees and mountains under a clear blue sky.
A person lying face down on the sandy ground with their feet closest to the camera, toes slightly dirty, near some green plants, in a natural outdoor setting.
A person's finger points at a blue and black caterpillar on a rough tree trunk.
Three people in a boat on the water: a man wearing a wide-brimmed straw hat, sunglasses, and a white shirt, and two women, one wearing a green hat and life jacket, and a woman with a purple life jacket and a cap, holding a smiling young child with a