Shot on location in Rizer’s garden in Diablo / Photography by Chad Riley

Although recognized in the fashion world for her doll-like face and freckles, at one point model Maggie Rizer “wanted to erase the freckles and have big boobs and big hair.” The all-American Rizer—who still touts her upstate New York hometown on Lake Ontario as her favorite place in the world—has settled in the Bay Area with her husband, real-estate developer Alex Mehran, and three golden retrievers, who will be joined by a baby this November. She continues to charm the camera and also raises HIV/AIDS awareness through involvement with amfAR. These days, life’s simple joys—cooking at her home in the East Bay and enjoying family and friends—are what make Rizer smile. Well, that and a photographer’s lens.