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Bishop's Lodge is the venue I recommend first when a family asks me about portraits in Santa Fe. I've photographed more sessions on this property than anywhere else in the state, and there are specific reasons it works — the variety of backdrops inside a short walk, the reliable light at altitude, and the fact that the resort staff is used to seeing me work. This is a practical guide for families planning a session here, written from the experience of shooting them in every season.

Family Photographer at Bishop's Lodge — A Santa Fe Portrait Guide

Why Bishop's Lodge Is the Best Setting for Family Photos in Santa Fe

Bishop's Lodge, an Auberge Resorts property on the north side of Santa Fe, is where I shoot more family portrait sessions than any other venue in New Mexico. The reason is simple: the property gives you five completely different backdrops within a ten-minute walk. You can move from the ponderosa pine grove to the adobe chapel courtyard to the open meadow with the Sangre de Cristo mountains in the background, all without anyone piling back into a car. For a family with small kids or grandparents who do not want to hike, that matters.

I have shot family sessions at the Lodge for resort guests, for locals who wanted a venue they knew well, and for out-of-town families spending a long weekend in Santa Fe. The results hold up across all of those contexts. The light is consistent, the grounds are maintained, and the staff is used to seeing me work so there is no friction.

The Best Spots on the Property for Portraits

The Ponderosa Grove Behind the Pool

The pine trees that border the main lawn filter the afternoon sun into a soft, dappled light that works for every skin tone. This is where I start most sessions if the kids are under 10, because it keeps them in a contained space without feeling like a staged backdrop. The pine needles cushion the ground, so toddlers can run around safely while I work.

The Chapel Courtyard

The small adobe chapel near the main entrance sits in a courtyard framed by climbing roses and a low rock wall. I use the courtyard for tighter group compositions and for shots that need a clear architectural anchor. The light on the chapel wall at sunset is the warm, buttery tone that is the whole reason people come to Santa Fe.

The Meadow with the Mountain View

If the family wants the big, cinematic frame with the Sangre de Cristos in the background, we walk out to the open meadow on the east side of the property. The wide shot pulls the full mountain range into the frame and gives you the kind of photograph that works as a large print above a fireplace. This spot gets strong directional light at sunset, so I save it for the last 20 minutes of the session when the light is at its best.

The Front Entrance Gardens

The landscaping at the main entrance gives you desert textures, native plants, and low stone walls that work for anyone who wants a Santa Fe-specific look without the pine forest feel. I use this area for families who want the resort aesthetic to show through in the photos.

How to Schedule a Family Session at Bishop's Lodge

Most family sessions at the Lodge run 60 to 90 minutes. I schedule them to start 90 minutes before sunset so we get the full golden hour and finish as the light is fading. For families staying at the resort, this works well as a pre-dinner activity — everyone is dressed, the kids are cleaned up from the pool, and you can walk back to your room afterward without losing momentum.

For local families who do not have a room on property, I meet you at the main entrance and we walk from there. The staff has never given me any issue about photographing on the grounds as long as we stay out of active event spaces. I always check the resort calendar before I schedule, because a session during a wedding setup is not going to work for anyone.

What to Wear at a Santa Fe Family Session

I have seen every combination of outfit work and every combination fail, so here is what I tell every family that asks.

Neutrals and earth tones photograph best against the adobe and desert. Cream, oatmeal, rust, sage, dusty blue, warm brown, and deep green all sit comfortably against the Santa Fe palette. Avoid pure white in direct sun at altitude — it blows out fast. Avoid black for kids, because it disappears in deep shade.

Coordinate, do not match. Everyone in the same color reads as a team uniform. Pick two or three colors from the same family and let each person wear one of them. Texture variation helps — a linen shirt and a knit sweater in the same color range look better than two smooth cottons.

Dress the kids last. Get them into their outfits right before we start the session. Kids in fancy clothes for an hour before the shoot will not be kids in fancy clothes by the time I pick up the camera.

Shoes matter more than you think. A session that walks across five spots on the property needs shoes the kids can actually move in. Dress boots or stiff flats kill a session faster than anything else.

When to Book

Fall is the most-requested season at Bishop's Lodge because the cottonwoods turn gold and the temperatures are perfect. October books out by late August in most years, so if you want a fall session, start planning in summer. Spring works almost as well — April and early May give you green grass and flowering landscaping with fewer people on property. Winter sessions are possible and the light in December can be extraordinary, but you need to plan for cold and shorter days.

Summer sessions at the Lodge work best in the early evening. Afternoon thunderstorms in July and August are common, and I watch the forecast closely. A summer session that pushes to 6:30 PM usually gets you into the right light window after the storms have passed.

Pricing for a Bishop's Lodge Family Session

My Santa Fe family photographer sessions start at $500. That covers the session itself, a curated online gallery delivered within two weeks, and full print rights to every image. Families often add a second location or extend the session for larger groups, which is quoted per session. I do not charge a separate venue fee for shooting at Bishop's Lodge — the property is open to me and I do not pass along anything there.

I also shoot video during family sessions for families who want motion alongside stills. A two-minute highlight reel of the session is a strong alternative to traditional prints for a family who wants something to send to relatives or post to social media. Photo and video together is part of how I work.

Why Families Come Back

The families I shoot at Bishop's Lodge are often the same families I see for their next session a year or two later. That tells me something about what is working. The sessions feel natural because the location is big enough to move through without any stress, the light is reliable, and the photos have a specific sense of place that distinguishes them from the generic neutral-studio look you can get anywhere.

If you are planning a family visit to Santa Fe and want to add a session at Bishop's Lodge, or if you live here and want a venue you can bring your kids back to, this is the easiest yes I can offer you. I know every corner of this property and I know what works for each age group and each season. Let me know what you are thinking and I will build a plan around your dates.