This marked my tenth year in business as a wedding and portrait photographer. And my love for photography only continues to grow.
Each new year means another few hundred thousand photos captured in an effort to tell wedding stories. Or to display the crazy love and affection a family shares. Or to convey the majesty of a desolate landscape. Out of those piles of photos, a select few fill me with pride or wonder—or simply help me travel back to a moment I don’t want to forget. I’ve made it an annual tradition to share those photos here at my blog.
So enough already! Check out ten (or so) of my favorite images I captured in 2025 and enjoy the stories behind them.
10. Olympians Down the Mountain (Munich, Germany)
None of us could sleep more than a couple hours on our overnight flight to Germany. You might pin that to my family’s excitement about the upcoming adventure. But honestly, it was more to do with the sheer number of in-flight movies available. Who could say “no” to all that entertainment?
We should have. Hundreds of miles on the autobahn with a sleepless family made it a rough first day.
As we rolled into Munich’s city center in search of our hotel, my daughter and I spotted a shining, sprawling palace. But sleepiness pulled us along past it toward our beds. As we unpacked, my two sons sank quickly into their beds. But jetlag and adrenaline were somehow propping my daughter and I up—so we hopped over to explore the mysterious palace.
It turns out that we had stumbled upon Nymphenburg Palace. And though we would explore its ornate insides on another day, we spent that night in awe of its many courtyards, waterways, gardens, and statues of Greek gods. Our Californian minds were used to rugged natural beauty. So this mix of human design and ingenuity struck us on a totally different level. Especially at sunset.
And as you can see, we weren’t alone in soaking up the calm. It was just what the doctor ordered for the two of us weary travelers.
9. On the Other Side (Bishop, CA)
Stop what you’re doing and start driving down Highway 395.
I’ve lived most of my life on the western side of the Sierra Nevada Mountain Range. These are the mountains that the sun rises from behind each morning. But it turns out that for some, the sun sets behind these mountains. And their eastern side of the Sierras is a whole different world, which you can take in with a stunning road trip along Highway 395.
A few of my favorite stops along the way? The meandering creeks and savory burgers of Bridgeport. Mono Lake (and Mono Cone). The scenic June Lake loop with its many Aspen trees. The high-altitude town of Mammoth Lakes and Schat’s bakery. Wild Willy’s natural hot springs. The Rock Creek Trail. The Happy Boulders of Bishop . . . and the other Schat’s bakery. The glorious mountain backdrop of Lone Pine.
This particular frame comes from a high desert section of the Sierra Nevadas just outside of Bishop—taken from the side of Highway 395.
8. Taking the High Ground (Jenner, CA)
There’s no one size that fits all when it comes to weddings. It’s far better to celebrate your wedding in the way that speaks love to each other, in a place that matters to you, and to include the people who matter most to you. That’s how Nicole and Connor staged their intimate wedding along the Northern California coast.
A charming coastal AirBnb served as the wedding venue. A family member officiated their ceremony with verve and heart. Their pup was on hand for extra moral support. Siblings poured the champagne. A hired chef prepared a multi-course meal for all 12 in attendance. It was simple, and simply lovely.
At one point in the evening, the bride, groom and I headed out for some sunset photos at nearby Goat Rock Beach. The warm summer sun and cool sea breeze crashed together in the most comforting way. And the newlyweds climbed hills, ran along the beach, and even set foot in the Pacific waters. And they looked stunning while doing it.
This image is my favorite from the set—far from other visitors to the beach, and with little sound other than hearts still pumping hard from climbing up the hill. And that light!
7. Making Waves (Munich, Germany)
Walk south. Past the beer garden, past the Chinese tower, past the Greek temple. Just follow the banks of the river. And as you reach the southernmost edge of one of Europe’s largest parks, you’ll find this curiosity.
The Eisbachwelle is a standing wave, tumbling perpetually along this spot on the Isar River. And since this is hundreds of miles from the nearest beach, it’s no wonder that there’s always a line of surfers waiting to ride the wave.
Like the rest of the gathered springtime crowd, we were mesmerized by the surfers in wetsuits jumping in to ride one at a time. Whenever one fell, another would jump in to take their place. And luckily for them, there was no sand to shake off before hauling the boards home.
6. Leave a Light On (Sausalito, CA)
I’m a fan of dramatic landscapes. Specifically, the sort where people struggle to survive—and yet continue living there.
The Gold Rush brought thousands to Northern California from around the world. But before you could mine for gold, you had to survive the journey. And the fact that 300 boats crashed against the San Francisco coastline during the Gold Rush tells you something. It explains why this lighthouse—only the third built in California—was constructed in 1855.
But even the journey from town to the lighthouse was a frightful one. The keeper had to brave steep cliffs, thick fog, and fierce winds on the way to the lighthouse. No wonder a house for its keeper was eventually built next door, as well as this suspension bridge to span a difficult gap.
I guess lighthouse keepers report to work more reliably when they survive the commute.
5. Tourists (Amsterdam, The Netherlands)
Avoid getting hit by speeding cyclists. Check.
Try some real stroopwafel and frites with mayo. Check.
Locate an authorized Jellycat dealer. Check.
Take a canal tour of the city by boat. Check.
Stand outside the oversold Anne Frank Museum. Check.
Don’t cry over the doner kebab I spilled on the cobblestone road. Check.
These are a few items we checked off our list as we experienced Amsterdam in less than 24 hours. And this photo shows all four of my favorite human beings looking a lot like bleary-eyed tourists. I love ’em to death.
4. Alfa Female (Sacramento, CA)
So it wasn’t quite this dim during Sam and Chris’ downtown engagement session. But a dark and moody edit can make the romance of a moment pop that much more.
Of course, it didn’t hurt that they had some vintage Italian wheels on hand. Or that fur coat. Or those cloudy skies…
Okay, okay, so they brought the romance in every photo we caught. And loving souls like these make my job a delight.
3. No Streets in Sight (Echo Lake, CA)
I wasn’t surprised to find Echo Lake frozen, or the surroundings stunning. That’s par for the course at this elevation. But there was some extra magic at work that day.
The drive in was covered with snow and needed every bit of traction our 4×4 had to offer. That probably explained why we saw so few others along this stretch of the Pacific Crest Trail. Those we did see glided across the lake on ice skates, with a couple of dogs following along—slipping and stumbling and having the time of their lives.
As we snowshoed further in, cabins appeared through the woods along the edge of the frozen lake. Even in spring or summer, no roads reach these cabins. Instead, you pilot your boat or the local water taxi to your home away from home. Or you might hike your way in. But on this January day, all the windows were boarded, with entrances covered in snow. We couldn’t see smoke spewing from a single chimney.
The place was remote and beautiful, and one that takes a journey to visit even in warmer times. These are my favorite places.
2. An Early Win (Death Valley National Park, CA)
How do you get your kids excited to visit a place called “Death Valley”?
“C’mon, it looks like another planet!”
“They’ve got salt flats to explore!”
“They filmed Star Wars there!”
None of those approaches captivated my kids’ imaginations. Nevertheless, we convinced/bribed/forced them into our car for a rather long road trip.
Fortunately, our first few hours in the park included funky Joshua Trees, tarantulas walking across the highway, ice cream, and abandoned buildings. But it was when the Mesquite Sand Dunes appeared over the horizon that everybody’s eyes widened. The kids grabbed sleds, grandma her trekking poles, and I my camera. We spent a glorious sunset exploring this desert wonderland.
And with that, the kids were on board for everything that came next.
1. Zoom In (Schwangau, Germany)
We had missed the last bus of the day, so my daughter and I jogged up the foothills of the Bavarian Alps for a peek at Neuschwanstein Castle (see it below).
We arrived breathless, looking out in every direction at the German countryside. There wasn’t a bad view in sight. We spotted the palace that inspired the Disneyland castle. Just up the hill and further into the mountains, we could see a shimmering alpine lake with a yellow castle of its own. There was natural and man-made drama at every turn.
But as we looked back the way we came, we caught this view of the lowlands of Bavaria. It features St. Coloman’s Chapel and the waters of Forggensee. And I can’t tell you a thing about those places whose names I just looked up.
What I love about this frame is that it conveys the charm of the German countryside as we drove from one end of the country to another. Its rolling hills, small farming communities, and relentless woods lowered my heartrate and kept drawing me back in. It was a warm blanket for the senses.
Runners Up
Thank you for exploring my favorite photographs and memories of 2025. I hope the new year holds plenty of adventure for us all!
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2 comments
Awesome photos as always! And wise, thoughtful words for each one. Thank you for sharing.
My pleasure, Pam. Thank you for digging into these memories with me!