I was stoked with Zi reached out with her idea to plan this extended, adventurous maternity photo session in Bishop California. She and her partner love the eastern sierra, particularly the bouldering, and knew they wanted to document this new life somewhere in view of the mountains. Zi had a vision for this session and requested photos of her rock climbing and standing in an alpine lake.
See some of my other favorite Maternity Sessions
Reasons to Plan a Longer Adventure Session
We had 3 hours for this session which allowed us to explore 2 locations at a leisurely pace. Art cannot be rushed. While I always manage to capture a “good” photo within minutes, the images that feel cinematic, capture real, raw emotion, or stand out as exceptionally creative, all come as time slows down and I am not focused only on getting “the good shot.” The chance to pause and create slowly will always result in my best work.
Time also creates variety of poses, backdrops, and combinations of subject. We captured photos of Zi individually, of the two of them together, as well as with their pup and with Zi’s sister who joined for the afternoon.
Locations for this Adventurous Maternity Session
- Buttermilk Country: The towering granite boulders are some of the most iconic parts of Bishop. For rock climbers it’s a paradise of world class bouldering movement set in the foothills of the Sierra. It’s one of the most underrated spots to explore for portrait sessions. The light is always magical in here at sunset.
- Sabrina Lake: If you’re up for a scenic hike, Sabrina Basin offers breathtaking alpine lakes, majestic mountains, and picturesque meadows. If you don’t want to hike, you can also park right at the lake and create epic images within minutes from your car. I recommend avoiding sunny parts of the day because the glare from the lake is distracting.
Now for the photos from this adventurous maternity session in Bishop:
