Why Lake Tahoe?
Lake Tahoe is notorious for its beauty, boasting majestic mountain and clear blue water. It is a no-brainer for a majority of the clients I serve, especially those who are located in Sacramento or the foothills of Northern California. South Lake Tahoe is easily accessed through highway 50, while North Lake Tahoe is best accessed through highway 80.
There are many open, empty fields that stay green throughout the year after snow season passes. Lake Tahoe is also a great location for engagement photos because of the weather. Instead of sweltering in the heat and having your makeup melt off, you can freely move through your session in 70-80 degree weather in the middle of the summer.
Brian & Bella chose a calm shore with pebbled rocks for their session. We timed the sun to hit the mountains to get the best of both golden and blue hour.
Where in Lake Tahoe?
There are multiple locations that I love to photograph at in Lake Tahoe:
- Lake Tahoe shores
- Mokelumne Wilderness
Depending on how you’d like your engagement portraits to end up like, there are a variety of shores that we can access Lake Tahoe by beach access. Namely Nevada Beach, D.L. Bliss State Park, and Calawee Cove Beach.
The Mokelumne Wilderness is about 20-30 minutes south of Lake Tahoe itself. It truly is the wilderness-with rushing rivers, thick forests and towering peaks. I have a variety of trails that I have personally hiked, as well as easily accessible fields that I keep especially for my clients. A few of them are: Thunderbird Mountain and Winnemucca Lake.
Steven & Tiffany opted for a calmer, easily accessible lake that is open year-round for fishing, paddle boarding, kayaking, and swimming. The quiet atmosphere allowed us to have space and time to breath, no rushing through documenting their love story.
When should we take our engagement photos in Lake Tahoe?
In the past few years, snowmelt hasn’t completely disappeared by June. It is chilly towards golden hour, but it makes it the perfect time to run around the fields with the love of your life (while I snap photos and run around with you!). July-September are prime for the lush green fields, with peeks of the mountains in the background. August-October the fields begin to feel the heat of the summer and slightly brown, but stay golden. This is the perfect time for engagement photos or even day after photos for bridals after your wedding.
What do we wear?
I have a whole mood board for the best colors to wear-normally colors that don’t blend into the background, depending on the time of year that could mean avoiding greens or neutral yellows. Making sure you stand out from the background will help you be the main focus of your session. Blues, browns, and earth tones are normally going to be your best bets.
Blue hour did not disappoint as the sun dipped behind the mountains of this small alpine lake.
How? (Process, FAQs)
If you want an expert in the Lake Tahoe basin with lots of hiking and 8+ years of photography experience in this specific area, I’m the girl for you!
Engagement packages range from 1 to 2 hours. A 1 hour session will include 1 outfit and 1 location, while a 2 hour session can include 2-3 outfits and 2 locations that are nearby to each other. I will help you plan the most convenient spots to get variety and plan it with how the sun sets and moves throughout each season.
Click the “book now” button below so that we can get connected for YOUR engagement photos!
