Another San Francisco baby is on the way, and once again, we found ourselves where so many of my sessions begin—Golden Gate Park.

To the little one growing in your mama’s belly: this is your backyard. It stretches across the middle of the city like a wild, green ribbon and leads all the way to the Pacific Ocean. This place will hold your first steps, your curious exploring, your laughter as you run along winding paths. It’s where your story begins, just like so many others before you.

As a San Francisco maternity and family photographer, Golden Gate Park has been more than just a location—it’s been a creative partner, a sanctuary, and a storyteller. I’ve photographed glowing mamas in golden-hour light, toddlers giggling through fields of overgrown grass, and families embracing beneath towering eucalyptus and cypress trees. This park is the heartbeat of many of my favorite stories.

A Backyard Unlike Any Other

Golden Gate Park is unlike any other green space in the city. It’s diverse, expansive, and quietly magical. Where else can you wander from a wildflower meadow to a hidden redwood grove, or from a peaceful lily pond to a tree-lined archery field?

There are tiny trails that feel like secret paths, forgotten staircases, open fields that bloom with wildness, and pockets of solitude tucked in every corner. It’s a place that grows with the families who walk through it—from maternity sessions full of anticipation to first birthday shoots filled with chubby cheeks and cake-covered fingers.

I’ve had clients show up here barefoot. Others bring their grandparents. Some come just the two of them, quietly expecting. Some come with dogs, strollers, or a toddler in tow. And every time, the park offers exactly what we need: space to breathe, light to play in, and beauty that doesn’t need much help.

A Creative Constant in a City That’s Always Changing

San Francisco is always shifting—fog rolls in, new buildings rise, streets get repaved, neighborhoods evolve. But Golden Gate Park remains a grounding presence, especially for families growing here.

I’ve watched this park hold generation after generation. A couple who did their maternity session under the cypress trees now brings their kids to the playground near the fly fishing pools. A family who once posed near the Conservatory of Flowers now stops for snack breaks on the Music Concourse steps.

It’s a living memory bank. And for me as a photographer, it’s a place that keeps giving—new light, new textures, new backdrops that breathe fresh life into every shoot.

A Love Letter to My Favorite Place

So this is a little love letter to Golden Gate Park—and a little nudge to you, reader. If you’re thinking about a maternity or family session in San Francisco, don’t underestimate the beauty of what’s right in our backyard. There’s something incredibly special about photographing your family’s beginning in a place where your child might one day ride a scooter, attend preschool, or chase squirrels with sticky fingers.

This is more than a park—it’s part of your family’s story.

Ready to Document Your Story in Golden Gate Park?

Whether you’re celebrating a pregnancy, a birthday, or simply want to preserve this season of life, I’d love to photograph your family in one of the most beautiful and timeless spaces in the city.
Reach out today to book your San Francisco session in Golden Gate Park—let’s create something unforgettable together.