The Foothills
El Dorado Hills is 30 to 35 minutes east of Sacramento, up Highway 50 past Folsom. The town sits in the Sierra foothills at an elevation where the flat valley floor gives way to rolling, oak-covered hills. The topography here creates better light conditions than the valley in certain seasons. Less ground haze, more directional sun, and a landscape that has depth and layers rather than flat farmland.
The community itself has a polished, residential feel. The Serrano master-planned development, the Town Center with its shops and restaurants, and the neighborhoods spreading into the surrounding hills. Many of the homes have the kind of architecture and natural light that works well for in-home boudoir sessions, which is something I do not get to say about every suburb.
In-Home Sessions
El Dorado Hills is one of the areas where I most often shoot at a client’s home. The homes in Serrano, Blackstone, and the surrounding developments tend to have large windows, high ceilings, and master bedrooms with enough space to work in. A room with a big west or south-facing window and neutral walls is all I need.
In-home sessions have a different energy than hotel work. There is a comfort and familiarity that comes from being in your own space, sleeping in your own bed, wearing a robe you have worn a hundred times. That comfort shows up in the images. People look more relaxed and more like themselves.
If you are thinking about an in-home session, send me a few phone photos of the room you have in mind. I will tell you honestly whether the light will work or if we are better off at a hotel or a different location. Details on session types and pricing are on the services and investment pages.
Outdoor Locations
The landscape around El Dorado Hills offers some of the best outdoor boudoir settings in the Sacramento metro. The rolling grassland dotted with valley oaks looks like a painting in the spring when the hills are green, and it has a warm, golden quality in the summer and fall when everything dries out.
Folsom Lake is minutes away, with access points at Brown’s Ravine and Rattlesnake Bar. The rocky shoreline and the views across the water work well as backgrounds, especially in the softer light of morning or late afternoon.
There are also stretches of open land along Green Valley Road and the edges of the Serrano development that have that classic California foothill character. Dirt roads, split-rail fences, scattered oaks with wide canopies, and long sightlines to the south and west where the valley opens up. I have a few specific spots I use that offer privacy and predictable light.
Why Clients Choose Me
I have been shooting boudoir for over 15 years. I work with vintage film cameras alongside digital. I direct every pose and every angle, and I treat every session as a collaboration between two people, not a transaction. The clients I work with in El Dorado Hills are often women who have been thinking about doing this for months or years and finally decided to go for it. My job is to make sure the experience matches what they have been imagining.
If you are considering a session, start by browsing the gallery. When you are ready, fill out the form on the contact page and I will reach out to set up a consultation call. No commitment required. We will just talk about what you are looking for and whether I am the right fit.