The Sanderson family flew in from Austin, Texas to celebrate a recent engagement, and they picked La Quinta Resort as the place to do it — part vacation, part family portrait session, all wrapped into a relaxing few days in the desert. It’s easy to see the appeal: the resort’s Spanish colonial architecture and courtyards dripping with magenta bougainvillea make for a setting that feels both grand and completely unpretentious.
What makes La Quinta such a rewarding place to photograph is how much variety hides in plain sight. Tucked-away garden corners, quiet pool areas, citrus trees heavy with fruit anyone can pick — the resort rewards a bit of wandering, and no two corners of the property look quite the same. That range let us move the Sanderson family through several distinct backdrops without ever leaving the grounds.
It’s always a pleasure meeting families in a moment like this one, celebrating a milestone together in a place that clearly means something to them. We wish the happy couple nothing but the best as they head into their next chapter.
