Sarah Eichstedt Photography

Sarah Eichstedt Photography Portrait, engagement, and wedding photography for a simply joyful life. Serving the San Francisco Bay Area and beyond!

You know what my goal is with every photo session?⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀I want to end the session with you telling me how much fun yo...
06/02/2026

You know what my goal is with every photo session?
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I want to end the session with you telling me how much fun you had; how you thought it was going to be hard or awkward but you truly just enjoyed yourself; how you feel uplifted, empowered, beautiful, and happy! 👏🏼
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My goal for every photoshoot or event is for you or your family/partner/guests/coworkers to tell me what a great photographer I am...before you’ve seen a single image. Now THAT is powerful!
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Great photos are just the cherry on top of the cake.
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The majority of what I do as a photographer is make you feel seen, confident, and have a great experience!
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When I first started photography I didn’t understand that (and some photographers still don’t), but it became super clear to me a few years in that how a client feels during a session translates to how the photos turn out and how much they like them.
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So will we capture great photos together? Absolutely!! But more importantly, you’ll have an amazing time and leave feeling like your best self 🫶🏻
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Photos from a recent senior portrait session at in Pacifica. We tried a few double exposures here: one in camera and one in Photoshop. Which is your fave?!
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A glowing neon dance party for Elijah’s Bar Mitzvah! 💚🖤💙⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀If you’re a photographer, you know that this one was a ...
05/20/2026

A glowing neon dance party for Elijah’s Bar Mitzvah! 💚🖤💙
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If you’re a photographer, you know that this one was a challenge! Neon colors tend to reflect a lot of light, so if you hit them with flash it will often wash out the color completely. So that, coupled with the glow factor and black as a dominant color, made for a fun technical challenge.
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I think we pulled it off with bright colors but still a dark and glowy vibe. What do you think?!
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Balloons, Designs, and planning
Centerpieces
Neon letters and Place cards
Dance floor, LED wall plus lighting
Photographer
Videographer
Boba
Venue
DJ and Drummer
Screen Printing
Face Painter .arts
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The rose garden was showing off for Jessica and Tushar’s wedding last fall!⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀The Gardens at Heather Farm in Walnu...
05/11/2026

The rose garden was showing off for Jessica and Tushar’s wedding last fall!
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The Gardens at Heather Farm in Walnut Creek is one of my favorite wedding venues in the Bay Area. I’ve had the pleasure of photographing many weddings (and portraits!) here over the years and I love seeing the gardens change through the seasons.
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There are so many different little pockets for photos here that it feels like multiple locations in one, from the rose garden to the trees, gazebo, lawn, and beautifully landscaped concrete planters where cocktail hour is held (see photo 9). They’ve filled the space with color around every corner, and something is always blooming so it works year round!
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It also makes the timeline so easy since everything is right there, and the light is always soft and flattering in the late afternoon and evening. Plus the reception space has lots of windows to let that natural light in! 👏🏼
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It’s one of those venues that just makes everything feel calm, beautiful, and effortless.
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I’m looking forward to another wedding here in a few weeks!
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Coordinator
Hair + Makeup
Photography
Venue
Videography
Catering
Photo Booth + Lighting
Officiant
Florist
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This collaborative photoshoot called started with a simple idea…what if a painting came to life? 🌷⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀I built a gia...
05/06/2026

This collaborative photoshoot called started with a simple idea…what if a painting came to life? 🌷
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I built a giant frame (more BTS to come on that!) and teamed up with the incredibly talented creatives below to bring it to life, literally. 💁🏼‍♀️
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Our model began as a painting and a living piece of art, standing within a spring flower field. Then, slowly, she stepped beyond the frame, as if she discovered a new world and simply couldn’t be contained anymore.
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With every step forward, the flowers followed, growing and expanding until she was fully outside the frame, no longer the subject of the art but the creator of it. (Check out my instastories today for the stop motion video!)
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These are the kinds of epic projects that I wanted to be able to manifest with my studio space, and I’m honored to have been able to do so with fellow color-loving creatives! (The studio is also available to rent so you can bring your own creative projects to life!)
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After spending so much time making this set, I’d love to be able to continue to use it! So I’m curious...would you want to have your own photos taken in the frame? 🤔 I see some mini sessions in the future! 🖼️

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Photography + Set Design
Model
Florals
Hair + Makeup .on.the.moon
Styling
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This surprise proposal on the cliffs of Bodega Bay was filled with wild wind whipping through their hair, that unreal go...
05/01/2026

This surprise proposal on the cliffs of Bodega Bay was filled with wild wind whipping through their hair, that unreal golden hour glow, and the kind of joy you can feel through the photos. ✨
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And just when I thought it couldn’t get any better, we literally stumbled into a field of wild iris like it had been waiting for us the whole time!
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After the “yes!” we wandered the cliffs, let the wind do its thing, played on the beach, and wrapped it all up with an alcohol-free champagne toast as the sun dipped below the horizon.
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Thinking about planning a surprise proposal in the Bay Area? I’m here to help create something that feels like you! Reach out and let’s get started! 🤗
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What does your headshot say about you? Will potential clients quickly scroll past it, or will you exude so much personal...
04/30/2026

What does your headshot say about you? Will potential clients quickly scroll past it, or will you exude so much personality that it stops them in their tracks and they say, “I want to work with THIS person!”
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If you don’t LOVE sharing your headshots, then it’s time for you to book a Happy Headshot session with me!
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With options for a 15, 30, or 60 minute session (link in my profile for info + scheduling), you’ll be able to book exactly what you need and walk away feeling confident and excited to share your photos. And trust me when I say that the 👏🏼 entire 👏🏼 experience 👏🏼 will 👏🏼 be 👏🏼 fun!
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Plus with my colorful backdrops and props your photos will be uniquely yours. 🥳
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Getting to create some new headshots for fellow photographer and friend was a blast! I just happened to have flowers in the studio that matched her outfits too! Love when things work out like that!
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By the way, she nailed photo number 5 in just 2 takes! 👏🏻
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Photography
Client
Location: Bright Bay Studio in Emeryville
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Today is my cancerversary. (Is that even a thing?) One year ago on April 28th 2025 I got the dreaded call- my biopsy sho...
04/28/2026

Today is my cancerversary. (Is that even a thing?) One year ago on April 28th 2025 I got the dreaded call- my biopsy showed that I had a (likely early stage) aggressive form of breast cancer.
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I had a feeling something was wrong. It was in the way the radiologist came in after my diagnostic (second) mammogram and told me she was concerned. I was anticipating needing an ultrasound, but she skipped that part and told me I needed a biopsy.
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I cried alone in the car afterwards. Totally unexpected; I was just checking the boxes on routine screening since I turned 40. And the soonest biopsy appointment I could get was 2 weeks out.
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The waiting was the worst part of the cancer journey. Around every corner there was more waiting. It’s a puzzle that gets ever so slowly pieced together. It took 3 more months along with 3 additional biopsies and surgery before we knew the final pathology (stage 1a) and plan moving forward.
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After the slow-ish start, there was somewhat of a busy middle during the surgery and chemotherapy part. Then there’s the slow taper off again while I continue to receive targeted immunotherapy for a whole year (just 2 more months left!). And at the same time I’ve started the 5-10 years of hormone blocking medications and 6 month screenings that will continue for 5 years. So it’s an even longer tail end.
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Yet one year still feels significant. Maybe it’s that I now actually have the mental space and distance to look back on my journey so far and process it. I’m not sure.
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But I do know that I’ve been through it and now it feels like I’ve come out on the other side.
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Here’s a bit of my journey in photoshoot form: from a “before” session in Palm Springs, through a pre-surgery bo***ir moment, raw in the midst of chemo captures (who knew severe acne was a side effect of chemo?!), FU cancer moment, and fully embracing change with the courage to bloom anyway.
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Every once in a while I get a client who suggests a unique photo location or backdrop that I haven’t used before (I’m al...
04/28/2026

Every once in a while I get a client who suggests a unique photo location or backdrop that I haven’t used before (I’m all for exploring new places!), but it’s even more rare that it becomes one of my favorite spots. This was one of those times!
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I’m in love with the purple wall and fun colors we captured during this extended family session, as well as all the joy and fun energy from everyone involved! I’ll definitely be using this location again! 🧡💜💛💙
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P.S. For the first time ever I’m planning to have some spring mini sessions (perfect for families, couples, and individuals), so make sure you’re on my VIP list if you want the details soon! 😉
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All you need for a perfect wedding day is yourself and your person 💛⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀Epic locations like San Francisco City Hall...
04/23/2026

All you need for a perfect wedding day is yourself and your person 💛
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Epic locations like San Francisco City Hall are just a bonus 😉
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I’m heading up the coast for another surprise proposal this week and it has me thinking of the last time I was in Bodega...
04/14/2026

I’m heading up the coast for another surprise proposal this week and it has me thinking of the last time I was in Bodega Bay earlier this year.

These two were all smiles from the second he proposed, and somehow the rain held off just long enough to give us the softest coastal light. ✨
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We explored the cliffs, climbed over rocks, and even ran into the waves in the middle of winter. Fully my kind of fun!
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I just shared more from this day on the blog, including some of my favorite spots for engagement photos in Bodega Bay. If you’re dreaming up a proposal or planning your own session, go take a peek 💛 (Link in my profile, of course)
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And definitely reach out if you’re ready to start planning something fun, colorful, or a little adventurous for your own engagement session/proposal! 🤗
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Address

Oakland, MD
94611

Telephone

+14102455271

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