redwood regional park
For Ree and Osceola’s engagement session, we chose my favorite redwood grove in the Oakland Hills. They, too, find nature a grounding force so it felt right to spend some time among the trees. They arrived on that cool spring morning barefoot and dressed in gorgeous bright outfits that popped against the dark forested backdrop.
When Arlene and James reached out, they asked about finding a redwood grove for their intimate wedding. Having spent so much time in hiking Oakland hills, I knew of the perfect spot that could host a small gathering of 30 people. Their sweet and short ceremony was officiated by James’ roommate and afterwards, we explored the forest for some portraits alone. For their reception, they rented out the back garden of Good Neighbor on Piedmont Avenue where local caterer Ñora made huge portions of paella paired with colorful drinks. The atmosphere was joyous and vibrant with all the guests beaming and glowing with laughter. Moving toasts continued the evening before Arlene and James cut the cake and shared in a little sparkler celebration. Truly a super fun and intimate evening!
Teddy and Claire met up with me on a warm spring morning for our redwood grove engagement session. Our session was part of my “Give Back” mini sessions where couples donate $200 to a charity of their choice in exchange for a 20 minute engagement session. It may not seem like a lot of time, but with the redwoods, I have my favorite spots to make our shoots go by efficiently. Teddy and Claire chose the Oakland LGBTQ Community Center. Thank you for supporting our local community!
Erin and Real really lucked out on the morning of our mini engagement session at Joaquin Miller Park. It was the last Saturday of my holiday mini sessions and the forecast was predicting rain the week before. I was ready to reschedule when the storm shifted earlier but left us with a misty, foggy morning. These are the types of mornings I dream about in the redwoods. (Rainy day hikes in the redwoods are my absolute favorite.) Needless to say, I was excited when Erin and Real showed up for their session as the fog added an extra element of magic to the forest. I am so grateful to my couples who trust me to brave less than dry conditions weather conditions. I love being to capture and share my favorite place at its best: foggy, moody mornings.
M knew he wanted to propose to A somewhere in Oakland and wanted it to be a surprise. I suggested the redwood grove in Joaquin Miller Park as it provides a lot of privacy and space, especially during the weekdays. It turned out to be the perfect spot as he planned to use the excuse of a midday hike to take a break from work as his cover. I met up with M a few days before for a little scouting mission and helped pick the perfect spot and set the plan. When the day finally arrived, my heart was beating in my throat when I finally spotted M and A walking into the grove. I hovered several steps behind and used the low hanging branches as cover as the sweet proposal unfolded in the quiet of the forest.
When their wedding plans had to be postponed this year, they decided that they still wanted to do an engagement session, especially since their sweet pup Otis had just joined their lives. We met up on a warm summer morning at my favorite redwood grove in Oakland and explored the forest as the sunlight filtered through the trees.
On a cool morning back in February, I met up with Jeanne and Chris for a magical redwood forest maternity session. We lucked out with a low mist that hung in the air a little later than normal, illuminating the sun rays through the trees.
Jeannie and Isaac chose my favorite redwood grove for their engagement session. Even though they got legally married last year, they are planning a larger celebration in the fall and wanted engagement photos to create a guestbook for their guests to sign. We met up on a slightly chilly spring morning and spent some time in the grove before heading over to a near by eucalyptus grove for more photos. The eucalyptus grove is a second favorite spot of mine in the Oakland Hills, especially in the springtime when the grass field turns bright green again with new growth. No matter how many times I visit these groves, I’m always leave inspired.
Engagement season is upon us and that means lots of couples looking to take engagement photos for their Save the Dates, invitations and wedding websites. While I shoot a lot of engagement sessions in San Francisco, the East Bay is quickly becoming one of my favorite places for outdoor engagement sessions. As big fan of lush greenery and redwood groves, I’m always on the look out for beautiful local spaces for photoshoots. So after a decade of exploring I’ve rounded up my top eight favorite East Bay engagement shoot locations.
UC Botanical Garden, Berkeley
With 34 acres of diverse landscaping featuring plants from all over the world, the UC Botanical Gardens is a gorgeous spot to roam around for photos. From the rose garden to the waterfall to the multiple greenhouses, there’s a lot to explore. (The desert cactus greenhouse is a favorite of mine.) There’s also a redwood grove to explore, but make sure to check ahead to see if it’s already occupied with a wedding or another event. (See more photos from this location.)
Blake Gardens, Kensington
Hidden in the hills of Kensington is Blake Gardens, a vast space with its own tiny redwood grove and multiple reflecting pools. This beautiful space is maintained by UC Berkeley as teaching facility for their Department of Landscape Architecture and Environmental Planning. It feels like wandering into The Secret Garden from the childhood novel with lovely little vignettes and winding paths to explore. (See more photos from this location.)
Albany Bulb, Albany
For something a bit more funky and off-beat, the Albany Bulb is a wildflower wonderland in the springtime. From a dump to an urban art mecca and an abandon homeless encampment, its current life as a park makes use of its past. In the spring, the little pennisula comes to life with lush greenery and wildflowers growing between spray painted concrete slabs. In addition to the wildflower fields, there’s access to the bay where moss covered asphalt chunks lead right into the ocean, giving it an almost otherworldly feel. (See more photos from this location.)
Piedmont Community Hall, Piedmont
While normally thought of as a wedding venue, the grounds of Piedmont Community Hall make the perfect backdrop for engagement sessions. The park includes a small redwood grove, a Japanese tea house and gardens, a large lush lawn, water fountain and this beautiful oak tree with a spot for sitting and smooching. (See more photos from this location.)
Tilden Park, Berkeley
Tilden Park in Berkeley is huge but one of my favorite places to shoot in the park is at the Tilden Nature Area along the trail to Jewel Lake. Lush forests trails, a small redwood grove and a lovely little lake provides a lot of natural variety for engagement sessions. If you have some extra time to spare, bring some lettuce or celery for the animals at the Little Farm. (See more photos from this location.)
Crown Memorial State Beach, Alameda
Tropical beach vibes without having to hop on a plane. Crown Memorial Beach is an easy location for those looking to have some sun and surf in their photos. The tall crops of sea grass are super fun to play around with. Come at sunset for the stunning golden hour glow. (See more photos from this location.)
Abandoned Naval Bases, Alameda
On the flip side of Alameda is a whole abandoned naval base with large airplane hangars. While some have been converted to gyms, wineries and breweries, there are still plenty left to slowly decay. For couples looking for a more editorial and gritty vibe to their portrait session, this part of Alameda is worth checking out. (See more photos from this location.)
Redwood Regional Park/Joaquin Miller Park, Oakland
I’ve saved the best (in my opinion) for last. My favorite location to shoot is this redwood grove in the Oakland hills. Technically part of Joaquin Miller Park, this grove is right next to Redwood Regional Park which also provides beautiful forested trails if you have a bit more time to wander. I love the way the light falls in the morning and for those willing to brave slightly wet conditions, go on a rainy day and you might just catch the whole grove engulfed in a magical fog. (See more photos from this location.)
Emily and Akshai love taking their dog Jasper out for walks in the woods so after falling in love with the redwood grove photos on my website, they knew they wanted to take their engagement photos there. Having grown up in the Pacific Northwest, forests have a special place in Emily’s heart. We met at the park on a warm summer morning and explored the woods with Jasper in tow. While Emily and Akshai smooched and posed for photos, Jasper enjoyed dashing about the forest floor finding sticks often too big for his mouth. Such a fun morning with these three!
Linden and Robin met me in my favorite spot in the Oakland hills for a bit of redwood forest wanderings one morning in May. They were drawn to the natural beauty of these woods, the way the light filtered through the trees and how green everything was becoming after the winter rains. After the redwoods, we went down the road a bit to a lush field of eucalyptus where they cuddle and laughed, walking through the tall grass. Linden and Robin were so at ease with each other during our shoot, it made the morning together fly by. I can’t wait for their wedding next year!
J and D live on the East Coast but are planning to have their wedding next year in California to be close to family. When looking for venues, they settled on the Outdoor Art Club in Mill Valley due to the gardens and close proximity to redwood groves. D fell in love with the redwoods so I suggested that we explore my favorite grove in Joaquin Miller Park for their engagement session. Every time I come to this place, it's always different and this morning did not disappoint as the light fell through the canopy in a magical way.
