Family Photos at El Paseo

There is a particular hour on El Paseo when the light goes soft and golden, the boutiques begin to glow from within, and the sculptures along the median catch the last warmth of the desert sun. I have photographed families on this stretch of Palm Desert for many years, and that hour never gets old to me. El Paseo is not just a pretty backdrop — it has texture and personality, and when a family stands inside that light, something honest comes through. That is the moment I am always chasing.

Most of my sessions actually happen somewhere quieter — in a family's own living room with the afternoon window light pouring across the floor, or at a local park, garden, or shaded patio close to home. That is where I do most of my work and where families tend to feel most like themselves. El Paseo is the exception I make happily: when a family wants a little desert-glamour backdrop and an outing built around it, this street is one of my favorite places in the valley to photograph.

If you are thinking about family photos at El Paseo, this is the guide I wish every family had before our session. I want you to walk in knowing what to expect, where we will go, when the light is best, and how to make it easy on everyone — especially the little ones. Let me walk you through it.

Why El Paseo is such a beautiful place for family photos

El Paseo is often called the "Rodeo Drive of the Desert," but what makes it special for photographs is not the luxury shopping — it is the design of the street itself. The wide landscaped median runs for blocks and is home to the El Paseo Sculpture Exhibition, a rotating outdoor art collection that changes roughly every couple of years. That means clean walkways, mature trees, beautiful plantings, and interesting shapes that frame a family without ever stealing the show.

A few things I love about it as a location:

• Variety in one place. Within a few blocks we have palm-lined sidewalks, shaded courtyards, warm stucco walls, fountains, and sculpture. We can create several completely different looks without anyone getting tired of walking.
• That desert architecture. The mid-century lines, the desert-modern facades, the warm earth tones — they photograph beautifully and they feel like here. These are not generic images. They could only have been made in the Coachella Valley.
• It feels like a real outing. For families with young children, strolling El Paseo with a few stops feels like an afternoon walk, not a "photo shoot." That ease shows up in the pictures.
• Golden hour magic. When the sun drops toward the Santa Rosa Mountains, the whole street warms up. West-facing facades glow, and we get that soft, flattering light that makes everyone look their best.

The best time of year for El Paseo family photos

I will be honest with you about our desert seasons, because timing matters more here than almost anywhere.

Snowbird season (November through April) is ideal. This is when the Coachella Valley is at its most comfortable — daytime temperatures in the 70s and low 80s, gentle evenings, and that crisp clear light. It is also when so many of our families are together: grandparents in town for the winter, college kids home for the holidays, multi-generational groups gathering before everyone scatters again. If you are visiting from out of town or you have family flying in, this is the window I recommend most.

Late fall and early spring are my personal favorites. October, November, March, and April give us long golden hours and that soft, kind light without the harsh edge of summer.

Summer (June through September) requires strategy. I am not going to pretend our July is easy — afternoons routinely climb past 110 degrees, and that is simply too much for a baby or a grandparent standing on a sidewalk. But summer is not off the table. If you are here in the warm months, we shoot at the very edges of the day: a sunrise session when the air is still cool, or the last 45 minutes before sunset. Sessions stay shorter, we keep water close, and we make it work. I would rather adjust the plan than ask anyone to suffer for a photograph.

For more on working around our climate, you might find the best time of year for desert family photos helpful as you plan.

The best time of day: why I almost always choose golden hour

If you take one thing from this guide, let it be this — the light is everything, and on El Paseo the best light arrives in the last hour or two before sunset.

Midday sun in the desert is bright and direct. It drops hard shadows under the eyes, has everyone fighting the glare, and washes out that lovely warmth. Golden hour solves all of it. As the sun lowers, the light softens, wraps around faces, and turns the whole street honey-colored. Skin looks beautiful. Eyes relax. The photos feel timeless instead of snapshotty.

In our winter months, golden hour can fall as early as 4:00 to 4:30 in the afternoon — which, lovely bonus, is often before young children get tired and hungry. In summer it runs much later, closer to 7:00 or 7:30. When you reach out, I will look up the exact sunset time for your date and build our session around it. You do not have to figure this part out; that is my job.

If a late-day session simply will not work with nap schedules or travel, the next best option is early morning, just after sunrise, when the light is similarly soft and the street is quiet.

My favorite spots along El Paseo

Every session is a little different, but here are the kinds of places I love to use. We will not necessarily hit all of them — we follow the light and the energy of your family — but this gives you a feel for what is possible.

The sculpture median

The rotating sculptures give us natural anchors and framing. I love placing a family near a graceful piece and letting the art add scale and interest without distraction. Children especially light up here — there is always something to look at, which keeps them engaged and natural.

Palm-lined sidewalks and walkways

A simple walk down the sidewalk, hand in hand, with the palms receding behind you — these become some of the most-loved images from a session. Movement relaxes people, and walking shots almost always produce real laughter and connection.

Shaded courtyards and archways

Several of the shopping courtyards off the main street offer beautiful open shade and architectural detail — arches, tilework, fountains. These spots are wonderful on warmer days and for that softer, more intimate look.

Warm walls and desert-modern facades

A clean stucco wall in the right color is a gift. It puts all the attention on faces and lets the desert palette do the styling for us. I keep a mental map of the prettiest walls along the street.

Fountains and water features

A little movement and sparkle, and for children, an irresistible focal point. Some of my favorite candid frames happen when a toddler is mesmerized by water and forgets a camera exists.

What to wear for family photos at El Paseo

Wardrobe trips up more families than anything else, so let me give you real guidance.

• Lean into the desert palette. Soft neutrals, warm earth tones, creams, sand, terracotta, sage, dusty blues, and muted desert florals look gorgeous against El Paseo's architecture and our golden light. They feel of-this-place.
• Pull from a shared palette. You do not all need to wear the same thing. Choose two or three complementary colors and let each person draw from them. It looks intentional and relaxed rather than uniform.
• Avoid loud logos, large graphics, and neon. They pull the eye away from faces and date the images.
• Mind texture and flow. Soft, flowing fabrics catch the desert breeze beautifully and photograph with movement and life. Linen, knits, and gentle drape all read wonderfully.
• Dress for the temperature, honestly. In winter evenings it cools off quickly once the sun drops, so bring a layer for after. In warmer months, breathable fabrics keep everyone comfortable.
• Comfortable shoes. We will stroll a bit, so shoes that let you move — and that little ones can walk in — make the whole session easier.

If you would like a deeper dive, I wrote a full piece on what to wear for desert family photos with examples for every season.

Practical logistics: parking, permits, and timing

A few honest, on-the-ground details so there are no surprises.

Parking. El Paseo has convenient parking — there is a parking structure as well as street and lot parking along the corridor. I usually suggest we meet at a specific easy spot, and I will send you exactly where to go and where to meet me ahead of time.

Walking and pacing. Our session covers a few blocks at a relaxed pace with stops. For families with strollers, that is no problem — the sidewalks are wide and smooth. For grandparents or anyone who tires easily, we simply keep our footprint small and let the location come to us.

Permits. El Paseo is a public street, and I keep my sessions there relaxed and unobtrusive — no big lighting rigs blocking sidewalks, just natural light and a small footprint. If your particular plans call for anything more involved, I stay current on local guidelines and will handle any arrangements. You never have to think about it.

Crowds. During peak snowbird season the street can be lively, especially on weekends and around the popular Thursday evening El Paseo art walks. I know how to work around foot traffic and find the quieter pockets — and honestly, a little life on the street can add charm. If you strongly prefer a quiet backdrop, a weekday session or an early-morning start gives us the calmest conditions.

Session length. Most family sessions run about 60 to 90 minutes, which is the sweet spot — long enough to relax and get variety, short enough that children stay happy. In summer heat we shorten that and move efficiently.

Bringing children (and grandparents) along

So much of what I do is simply making everyone comfortable. I take my cues from the family's own rhythm rather than imposing my own, and that matters most with the youngest and the oldest members of a family.

For babies and toddlers, I plan around naps and snacks, never against them. We schedule when they are most likely to be content, we keep the pace playful, and I never force a posed smile. The best images of small children come from play, not from "say cheese." Bring a favorite snack, a small toy, and let me do the coaxing.

For grandparents and multi-generational groups, El Paseo is wonderful because we can keep the walking gentle and find shaded places to sit. Some of the most meaningful photographs I make are three generations together, and a winter visit, when relatives are often in town at the same time, is a natural moment to capture them. If extended family is gathering, I would gently encourage you not to wait — these are exactly the ones we are most grateful to have later.

Common mistakes to avoid

A little hard-won wisdom so your session goes beautifully:

• Booking for midday. I understand it is convenient, but harsh overhead sun is the single biggest thing working against beautiful images. Trust the golden hour.
• Over-scheduling tired kids. Right after a missed nap is the hardest window. Tell me your child's rhythm and we will plan around it.
• Dressing in identical outfits. A shared palette reads warmer than a matched set. Pick two or three colors instead.
• Forgetting the desert chill (or heat). Bring a layer in winter, hydrate in summer. Small comforts make a big difference in faces.
• Trying to control every pose. The frames you will treasure are the in-between ones — a real laugh, a squeeze, a glance between you. Let those happen.

What to expect when we work together

When you reach out, we will talk first — about your family, what you love, what you are hoping for, and any practical considerations like travel dates, little ones' schedules, or mobility. I will check the exact sunset time for your date and propose a start time. I will send you guidance on wardrobe and exactly where to meet.

On the day, my job is to make it feel easy. I keep things light and conversational, I give gentle direction so no one ever feels stiff, and I watch for those small, true moments — the unguarded glance or gesture that makes your family unmistakably yours. Afterward, I carefully edit your gallery so the images feel honest, warm, and timeless, and I deliver photographs you will treasure for years.

El Paseo gives us beauty, variety, and that unmistakable desert light all in one easy outing. Whether you are a local family marking another year together or visitors making the most of a season in the Coachella Valley, I would love to help you hold onto this chapter.

If El Paseo sounds like your family's kind of afternoon — or if you would rather begin at home or in a favorite local park or garden — send me a note and tell me a little about your crew. We will find the setting, the season, and the light that fit you best.