A Winter Engagement Session in Incline Village, Lake Tahoe
Katherine, Wes, and I had been waiting months for the right day. We rescheduled twice, watched the forecasts obsessively, and then one morning Incline Village woke up covered in fresh snow and soft light and it was absolutely worth the wait.
Katherine actually came to me through her sister, whose wedding I had the privilege of photographing at The Elm Estate in Reno a couple of years back. There is something special about photographing a family across different chapters of their lives, and I don't take that trust lightly.
We spent the session wandering through the snow, the kind of cold that turns your cheeks red and makes you pull the person next to you a little closer. They came dressed perfectly for it, warm layers, cozy knits, the kind of outfits that look like they were made for a Tahoe winter. Their dog had absolutely no complaints either, bounding through the snow like he'd been waiting all year for this.
What makes a winter engagement session at Lake Tahoe so special is the light. Even on a snowy day, the light here is soft and even, wrapping everything in a calm, cinematic glow that you simply can't manufacture in a studio. Add falling snow and two people genuinely in love, and the camera almost does the work itself.
If you're thinking about an engagement session in Tahoe, winter is seriously underrated. No crowds, no harsh summer sun, just the mountains, the snow, and the two of you.
A Lake Tahoe Proposal on the Wild Goose II
As the Wild Goose II made its way across the water toward Garwood's, the light was perfect soft, warm, and flattering in the way that only Tahoe can deliver.
There are proposals, and then there are moments that feel like they were written just for you. For this couple, that moment happened on the open water of Lake Tahoe aboard the historic Wild Goose II, under blue skies, soft cloud filtered light, and the kind of breeze that makes the Sierra Nevada feel like it was put there just for days like this.
It started on the east shore, where the water is impossibly clear and the mountains rise straight up from the lake. As the Wild Goose II made its way across the water toward Garwood's, the light was perfect soft, warm, and flattering in the way that only Tahoe can deliver. The boat moved steadily, the couple completely unaware of what was waiting for them.
As they arrived, the first surprise was already on the shore, family, gathered and ready, there to witness the proposal and celebrate with the happy couple. Tears, laughter, and pure joy followed.
But the surprises weren't over. Upstairs at Garwood's, dozens of friends were waiting and when the newly engaged couple walked through the door, the room erupted. The look on her face said everything.
Lake Tahoe has a way of making moments feel bigger than life. Add a stunning historic boat, flawless light, and the people you love most and you get something truly unforgettable. It was an honor to be there to capture every second of it.
