Of all the places in Lake Tahoe to take engagement photos, Speedboat Beach is one of my favorites. Crystal-clear water lapping against the shore and the majestic mountains in the background create a stunning backdrop. The granite boulders and rocky formations add a touch of rugged charm and texture to this small, sandy beach.
With the right conditions, this is a gorgeous place to capture the unique personalities and connection of any couple. I photographed this engagement session for this bride and groom-to-be whose wedding is just a few months away. Their wedding photography package includes engagement photos, and we met up when they were in town for a ski weekend.
Tips for Visiting Speedboat Beach
Unlike many other public Lake Tahoe beaches, Speedboat sits in the heart of a residential area. As with all my favorite photo locations, I believe in treading lightly and respecting the people that live in the neighborhood.
One of the most important things to know about this spot is that parking is very limited and parking rules are strictly enforced. On warm and sunny days, you can expect crowds to arrive early and leave late.
With all of this in mind, I only photograph engagement sessions here when I know it will be empty. Also, the lake level must be low. When the water is at normal levels, this could be one of the smallest beaches in the entire Lake Tahoe area! Fortunately, the sandy bottom is shallow for quite a ways out. This means that once the lake level drops a couple feet, the beach grows significantly bigger.
All that said, I love shooting here under the right conditions.
At this shoot, the cold wind coming off the water kept the crowds away. This couple is pretty hearty, and we had a great time exploring the beach.
The big winter storms left a lot of snow among the rocks and shaded areas. The snow made a nice backdrop for some candid black and white portraits.
With a storm on its way, stratus clouds covered the sky and softened the sunlight.
In order to warm up a little, we took a break from the windy shoreline and I shot some photos farther inside the cove.
Due to the cold conditions, the windswept beach had ice along the shore. By putting my camera close to the ground, I made a few creative portraits that included these cool ice formations.
Chris Werner Photography
Are you looking for engagement photos in Lake Tahoe? If so, I would love to meet you and discuss some options! Head over to my contact page and send me quick message.
To see more examples of my work, check out my engagement photography portfolio. To see how this couple’s wedding day turned out, click this link to see photos from their wedding at Olympic Valley Stables.
