It starts with a scenic drive up the 101. You see a sign for “Ojai” and turn onto a narrower road, accompanied by sunny fields, tall trees, and the big open sky. You pass through the town, which gives way to farmland, endless orange groves, and an explosion of fall colors. And then, you arrive at the Thacher School.

Dana & Brandon recently moved onto the Thacher campus after living for years in NYC. The change from loud streets & busy sidewalks to a quiet home on campus was quite the drastic change, but they love their new life at Thacher. I was so excited to meet them in this quiet nook outside of Ojai and explore the lovely quaint campus with them. We shot just across the street from their house where Dana walks over daily to pick grapefruits & oranges off the trees, we visited their favorite pepper tree-lined road, we drove up to the tippy top of campus that houses the observatory. I always love love shooting in and around the homes of couples – there is always something so relaxed & intimate about these kinds of sessions!