My My Top 5 Greater Palm Springs Photo Locations
Updated: Aug 24
There’s something about the desert that just gets me. The light, the textures, the way everything feels both timeless and brand new depending on how the sun hits. When it comes to photography, Greater Palm Springs is a dream. After years of photographing families, maternity sessions, engagements, couples, and intimate weddings throughout Palm Springs and the surrounding desert, I’ve definitely developed a few favorite places to take photos. Whether you’re planning a family session while everyone is together at a Palm Springs vacation rental, celebrating an engagement, or looking for the perfect desert backdrop for maternity photos, these are five Palm Springs photo locations I return to again and again.
Downtown Palm Springs
Mid-century architecture, swaying palms, colorful walls, vintage signage, and mountain views in every direction make Downtown Palm Springs one of my favorite places for photos. It has that unmistakable Palm Springs mix of old Hollywood glamour and laid-back desert energy. I especially love it for engagement photos, couples sessions, branding portraits, and High School Seniors where you want the photographs to feel colorful, stylish, and a little playful. There’s so much variety within a relatively small area that we can create several completely different looks without spending half your session driving around town.
Best for: Engagements, couples, branding portraits & intimate weddings
The look: Colorful, retro, architectural & quintessentially Palm Springs
Best time: Early morning or late afternoon
Mission Creek Preserve
Tucked away near Desert Hot Springs, Mission Creek Preserve feels like a little oasis in the middle of the desert. Sandy trails, dramatic mountain views, stone buildings, towering cottonwoods, and unexpected pockets of greenery give us so much variety without having to travel far. This place is especially close to my heart, and it’s one of my favorite Palm Springs-area locations for maternity photos, family sessions, and couples. The golden-hour light here can be absolutely gorgeous, and in a good wildflower year, spring brings another layer of color to the landscape. If you want your photos to feel romantic, natural, and unmistakably desert without being surrounded by nothing but rocks and sand, Mission Creek is hard to beat.
Best for: Maternity, families, couples & engagements
The look: Romantic, natural, mountainous & slightly greener desert
Best time: Golden hour
Seasonal bonus: Spring wildflowers in a good bloom year
Not sure which desert location feels like you?
You don’t have to choose your photo location before reaching out. Tell me who I’m photographing, what kind of scenery you love, and the date you’re considering, and I’ll help you choose a Palm Springs or desert location that fits your session.
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La Quinta Cove Hiking Trails
If you want dramatic desert mountains without the crowds, La Quinta Cove is incredible. The rugged peaks rise right behind you, and sunrise and sunset can create beautiful rays of light and unexpected color across an otherwise neutral landscape. I especially love this location for engagements, couples, elopements, and private vows because it feels secluded and adventurous without requiring a major hike. Because the landscape itself is mostly warm, earthy tones, wardrobe makes a big difference here. White photographs beautifully, and brighter or richer colors can really pop against the mountains. I’d avoid dressing everyone in khaki or sage green—you may disappear right into the scenery! If you want your photos to feel dramatic, intimate, and a little wild, this is one of my favorite spots in the Coachella Valley.
Best for: Engagements, couples, elopements & private vows
The look: Dramatic mountains, warm desert tones & wide-open views
Best time: Sunrise or sunset
What to wear: White, rich colors or something that contrasts with the desert
Pioneertown
Originally built as a movie set in the 1940s, Pioneertown has a completely different personality from the rest of the desert. Weathered wood buildings, dusty roads, mountain views, and old Western details make it quirky, nostalgic, and full of character. I love photographing families here because kids usually have plenty to look at and explore, which gives me opportunities for the candid, movement-filled photographs I love. It’s also an incredible backdrop for maternity photos, engagements, couples, and intimate weddings—especially if you want something that feels a little unexpected and less traditionally “Palm Springs.” We can photograph around the historic buildings and then move into the surrounding landscape for wide-open desert views, giving you two completely different looks in one session.
Best for: Families, maternity, engagements, couples & intimate weddings
The look: Western, nostalgic, rustic & playful
Best time: Late afternoon into golden hour
Why I love it: Lots of variety and plenty for kids to explore
Hemingway | Joshua Tree National Park
Joshua Tree National Park is full of incredible places for photos, but the Hemingway area is the one I return to again and again. The massive boulders catch and filter the light beautifully, there are Joshua trees scattered throughout the landscape, and I can photograph five different sessions here and create five completely different galleries. It’s especially great for families because we can get that iconic Joshua Tree look without spending your entire session driving deep into the park—and if you have young kids, trust me, that matters! I also love Hemingway for maternity photos, engagements, and couples who want something that feels natural, adventurous, and unmistakably High Desert. At sunset, the light slipping between the rocks can be absolutely spectacular.
Best for: Families, maternity, engagements & couples
The look: Iconic Joshua Tree, massive boulders, desert light & wide-open landscape
Best time: Golden hour through sunset
Why I love it: Huge variety without a long drive
Found a location you love?
Whether you’re planning family photos in Joshua Tree, a Palm Springs maternity session, an engagement in the desert, or something completely your own, I’d love to photograph it. You don’t need to have every detail figured out before reaching out—I can help with location, timing, and planning so your session feels like you.
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