Meet Robert Russell, a young photographer capturing the city he grew up in
By
Elias Weiss
Zoomer
Photographer Robert Russell stands outside his Rancho El Dorado home.
Robert Russell has lived in Maricopa his whole life. Behind a camera, the Gen Z college kid is finding there is still plenty of it left to discover.
When he is not in class or working, he is usually chasing the angles and overlooked moments that make familiar places feel cinematic.
A BMW drives along North Paloma Road at dusk. [Robert Russell]Cars, landscapes and quiet desert roads are some of his favorite subjects. Sometimes that means crouching low on State Route 238 to capture the texture of the pavement stretching toward the horizon. Other times it means heading to The Lakes in Rancho El Dorado, where moving water, trees and rocks cloaked in vegetation collide in a strikingly lush scene.
Robert Russell photographs a portrait subject during a shoot in Maricopa. [Robert Russell]And occasionally, it means waiting for the perfect light.
State Route 238 about halfway between John Wayne Parkway and the city’s western boundary. [Robert Russell]One of his favorite shots captures a BMW sedan gliding down Loma Road as dusk settles. Headlights cut through the fading light while the mountains in the distance begin to disappear into silhouettes.
A waterfall spills into the lake at The Lakes at Rancho El Dorado. [Robert Russell]Robert says photography is part curiosity and part adventure. He enjoys exploring new places and documenting the moments between them. He describes himself as someone who likes to stay busy; downtime between adventures, assignments and part-time shifts are spent with family and friends.
Robert Russell photographs a pickup truck during a shoot in Maricopa. [Robert Russell]As for the future, he says he is still figuring it out. But if his camera is any indication, he is already well on his way to finding it.
Robert Russell
Age: 19 Hometown: Maricopa Neighborhood: Rancho El Dorado High school: Maricopa High School College: Central Arizona College Major: Digital Media Arts Focus: Photography Other interests: Cars, travel, beach life, tech trends and good food Destination: Anything that lets me explore, see something new or capture a moment Daily habit: Keeping up with the news Favorite drink: Dutch Bros
This piece first appeared in the May 2026 edition of InMaricopa Magazine.
Elias Weiss earned his journalism degree from the University of Arkansas and began reporting for the Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. He later led the Chatham Star-Tribune to a 2019 Best Weekly Newspaper award before working as an investigative reporter for Phoenix New Times and The Daily Beast. In 2023, he became managing editor at InMaricopa, winning top state awards for investigative and narrative reporting. In 2024, he took over as Editorial Director. Elias often discusses politics on KFNX. He currently works with Fox News
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