Riane and Mike are going to be the coolest parents. These are so laid-back and have such a love and appreciation for the other, there’s no doubt in my head that they are going to tackle parenthood with kindness, love and respect. They really wanted to embrace nature for their session, so they decided to take on two Bay Area locations: The Los Altos Redwood Preserve and Stanford’s Arizona Cactus Garden.

Both locations are in beautiful parks and have such different vibes. At the Redwood Preserve you are surrounded by baby Redwoods. The park features wooden bridges throughout to help keep the redwoods safe. After rainy seasons, you’ll also find a cute little stream running through the park.

Then on the other side, right down the road, you’ll find the Cactus Garden at Stanford. I’ve had many clients who have worked at Stanford their entire career and no idea that this little cactus garden was right there in the middle of it. It’s also the complete opposite style of the redwood grove. This garden is open, filled with tons of greens and yellow and get’s the best lighting in the evening and early morning.

Location Notes:

The one thing to note about these locations, is that they don’t require a permit to work at. Which as a photographer, that’s great news to us and clients. But because of this, the location can get quite busy on the weekends. I encourage clients to do their sessions at these locations on weekdays to avoid the crowds! And of course, because they are free we want to keep it free – so please, treat each location like it’s your own home.

Check out their session!

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Okay, but this could be you.

If you’re about to enter motherhood, then I want to help you document it! Maternity sessions take place between 29-35 weeks, depending on how much of a bump you want to show! Reach out today to learn more about capturing your maternity session!