Somewhere New
Some of the best boudoir photography I have ever made happened at a destination. On the granite boulders at Sand Harbor in Lake Tahoe. In a vineyard in Napa at golden hour. On a dark sand beach south of Half Moon Bay with fog rolling in.
Location changes everything. The light is different. The air feels different. The client feels different. When you take someone out of their daily environment and put them somewhere new and visually striking, they show up differently in front of the camera. There is less self-consciousness and more presence. The place does part of the work.
Where I Shoot
I am based in Sacramento, which puts some of the best landscape in California within a few hours’ drive.
Lake Tahoe is my most requested destination. The combination of granite, clear water, and alpine light at 6,200 feet elevation produces images that look like they were made in another country. I shoot at Sand Harbor, Chimney Beach, and several spots on the west shore that I keep between me and my clients. Summer and early fall are prime time, but winter sessions against snow-covered rocks have their own intensity.
The Bay Area coast offers a completely different look. The beaches south of Half Moon Bay have dark sand that contrasts with skin in a way that light sand does not. Stinson Beach in Marin has driftwood and soft light from the coastal fog. The Pacific coast is moody and unpredictable, which makes the images feel raw and uncontrolled.
Napa Valley is vineyard rows and golden light. Late afternoon in the vineyards, when the sun is low and the light comes through the leaves, is one of the most beautiful lighting conditions I have ever worked in. I have contacts at a few Napa properties that allow private shoots in the vines.
I also travel to Yosemite for sessions in the valley and along the high country trails, Lassen Volcanic for volcanic landscapes unlike anything else in California, and Northern California waterfalls during peak flow in late spring. Big Sur is another favorite — the cliffs and redwoods along Highway 1 produce images that feel genuinely cinematic.
These are the locations I know best. But I am not limited to them. See all my shooting locations for the full list.
Anywhere in the US
I have driven to Los Angeles and Portland. I have flown for sessions. If you are in New York, Austin, Miami, Denver, or anywhere else in the country and you want to work with me, the logistics are straightforward. You cover the travel fee, I handle the planning, and I show up at the location ready to shoot.
Some clients fly me to their city. Others meet me at a destination that is new to both of us. A client from Seattle once suggested we shoot at a rental cabin in Bend, Oregon. Neither of us had been there. I drove up, scouted the area the day before, found a riverbank with perfect afternoon light, and we shot there the next morning. The unfamiliarity of the location worked in our favor. Everything felt fresh.
If you are reading this from outside California and thinking about whether it makes sense to bring in a photographer from Sacramento, here is my pitch: I bring 15 years of experience, film and digital capability, and the ability to make you comfortable in front of a camera anywhere. I have 31,000+ photographs and 105+ sessions behind me. I know how to read light in any setting, from a hotel room to an open field to a rocky shoreline.
How Destination Sessions Work
The logistics are mine to handle. Once we agree on a location and a date, I take it from there.
For locations I know (Tahoe, Bay Area, Napa), I have scouted spots over many sessions. I know where the light is best at what time of day, where there is privacy, where the ground is stable enough to stand on in heels or bare feet. I arrive at the location before you do and have everything ready.
For new locations, I scout in advance. If I can drive there the day before, I do. If not, I research using satellite imagery, local photography groups, and sometimes calls to park rangers or property managers. I build a shot plan with primary locations and backups in case of weather or access issues.
Sessions run two to three hours on location. That is longer than a standard session because outdoor shooting involves more movement, more setup changes, and more variables. Wind, changing light, other people in the area. I account for all of it.
What the Location Gives You
The practical reason to do a destination session is obvious: the photos look different. A woman on the rocks at Lake Tahoe at sunset is a different image than the same woman in a hotel room. Both are good. But the destination version has a sense of place and scale that indoor work does not.
The less obvious reason is what the location does to the person being photographed. Traveling somewhere for a boudoir session turns it into an event. It is not a Tuesday afternoon appointment. It is a trip. You pack a bag, you drive or fly somewhere, you check into a hotel or a cabin, and you wake up the next morning knowing that the whole day is about this one thing. That mindset shows in the images.
I have photographed the same client at a local hotel and at Lake Tahoe six months apart. The Tahoe images were better, not because the light was better or the location was prettier, but because she was more relaxed and more herself. The distance from home gave her permission to let go of the everyday.
Making It Happen
Destination sessions start with a conversation. Tell me where you want to shoot, or tell me what look you are after and I will suggest locations. I will put together a custom quote that includes the session fee plus travel.
Pricing details for destination packages are on the investment page. You can see past destination work in the Tahoe gallery and the natural light gallery. If you are ready to talk about it, reach out here.