I’ve avoided these fields for the last few years because I’m a little bitter about all the development up there, not to mention the crowds of people wanting to get a photo for their Instagram feed. BUT guess what, I actually really enjoyed this session and loved how it turned out! I especially loved working with these two littles. It’s been a hot minute since I’ve gotten to work with a toddler and baby sibling, and these two were overflowing with cuteness. Sure it isn’t the hidden gem that I used to take my girls to, where we would spend the evening together (practically alone) exploring the gorgeous trails and rolling hills. BUT all in all, if you know how to shoot that area as well as I do, it’s pretty easy to navigate around the people. I think we waited about 5 minutes for one spot I wanted to use, and other than that, we didn’t do any waiting at all. And I only had to edit a few people out of my whole gallery.

There’s a “debate” online about whether photographers should share their locations with each other. While I’m all for community over competition, seeing what’s happened to this mountainside has sure given me pause about whether I want to share mine. Tiny trails that used to only be 6-8 inches wide are now WELL beaten down paths that can easily fit a family of 5 all standing side by side. I bet there are about half the poppies that used to be there. So please ask me my camera settings, tips and tricks, I’m always happy to share them. I’m also happy to share locations that are more well known and already frequented by photogs, but I may keep future hidden gems I find like this one used to be, all to myself.