Santa Cruz Mountain PhotographyBlog
September 14, 2026
Why I Shoot in My Own Backyard: The San Lorenzo Valley and Ben Lomond
I live in Ben Lomond, and most of my favorite photos never make it further than a few miles from home. Here's why the San Lorenzo Valley is worth photographing on its own terms. Read more
September 12, 2026
Golden Hour at Santa Cruz Harbor: A Sunset Photography Guide
The harbor doesn't get the sunset photography attention that West Cliff does, but the boats, water, and open sky make it one of the most underrated spots in town. Read more
September 8, 2026
Shooting Events at Santa Cruz Mountains Wineries and Breweries
From Bargetto Winery to Discretion Brewing, the wine and beer venues around Santa Cruz host some of the best live music around. Here's what it's like photographing them. Read more
September 3, 2026
Wildlife Along the Santa Cruz Coastline: Pelicans, Sea Lions, and Patience
Pelicans, sea lions, and gulls are the easiest wildlife subjects on this coast to find and the hardest to actually get a good shot of. Here's what I've learned shooting them. Read more
August 29, 2026
Little-Planet Drone Panoramas: How I Shoot 360° Aerial Photos
A 360-degree drone panorama warped into a tiny planet is one of the most requested aerial shots I get. Here's how it actually comes together. Read more
August 24, 2026
What It's Like Shooting Live Music in Santa Cruz: Behind the Lens
Santa Cruz has an unusually good live music scene for its size. Here's what I've learned photographing it, venue by venue and set by set. Read more
August 20, 2026
Friday Night Bands on the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk
The Boardwalk's free summer concert series puts a stage right on the beach: a different kind of live-music shoot than anywhere else in town. Read more
August 15, 2026
Photographing Live Music at Lighthouse Point's Free Summer Concerts
Santa Cruz's free summer concerts at Lighthouse Point draw a crowd for the sunset as much as the music. Here's what shooting them is actually like. Read more
August 11, 2026
Aerial Drone Photography in Santa Cruz: Weddings, Events & Land Surveys
What a drone actually adds to wedding coverage, event photography, and land surveying in the Santa Cruz Mountains, and what to know before booking one. Read more
August 6, 2026
Big Basin Redwoods: What It Looks Like Since the CZU Fire
The 2020 CZU Lightning Complex fire changed Big Basin permanently. Here's what I've seen photographing the park's recovery. Read more
August 2, 2026
A Photographer's Guide to Natural Bridges State Beach
The sea arch, the tide pools, and the monarch grove: what's actually worth photographing at Natural Bridges, and when to go. Read more
July 29, 2026
Best Spots for Sunset Photos Along West Cliff Drive
West Cliff Drive is the easiest sunset photography in Santa Cruz to get right. Here's where along the bluff to stand, and when. Read more