What a lovely place to relax and shoot :)

Dawn Ranch Lodge is a beautiful hotel nestled among towering redwoods on the banks of the Russian River.

Originally believed to be extinct for over 15 million years, the Dawn Redwood was rediscovered in the 1940′s growing in remote provinces in China, and a handful of saplings were reintroduced to North America. Their 70 year old trees grew from these original saplings. Whoaaa! I love me some redwoods!

Their Agriculture Bar & Restaurant  focuses on locally sourced organic produce, and the freshness is evident in the amazing meals! I think I had the best, crispiest watercress salad ever! Yum!

I wrote a post for Shutter Sisters today about dream locations and thought I’d chase it here with a list of my top 10 dream places to shoot.

In the past I had lists of places I wanted to visit in this lifetime, but since I was bitten by the Photography bug, I’ve changed my tune and began to approach my travel lists based on shooting potential! Not only that, but now I also want to revisit many of the places I’ve been to, with a good camera and  my new-found photographer eye. Woop! I seriously ache sometimes when I think about all the places I’ve been to without the proper intent to document what I was seeing and experiencing.

Rice fields as you see above for example, have always been high on my list! I love the vastness, the shapes and layers along the hills, flags, workers with big hats… It is all so inspiring to me. These days I dream of a fashion shoot with the beautiful green fields as a backdrop. Hmmm. Can you picture a whole story in Vietnam: rice fields of Sapa, misty Halong Bay and french charm in Hanoi?! Oy! Anthropology, please call me!!! :)

Anyhow! Here are my current top 10 dream locations to shoot fashion, travel and lifestyle:

1. Morocco – So hard to believe I still haven’t been to Morocco! I’ve had the North African jewel on my travel list for ages… I guess that at least I will get to shoot it properly now (or so I hope!).

2. Namibia – I would love love love to shoot the women of Himba Tribe. They are the most beautiful women I’ve ever seen! I’m so crazy about the clay hair!

3. Peru – Oh how I would love to shoot the people of Peru and their colorful traditional clothing, the peruvian landscape, all the crafts, the animals on the hills… So much my heart could explode just dreaming about it.

4. Mongolia – Do I need to say more? Is there a more beautiful landscape in the world? Flat planes stretching to infinity, yurts, beautiful people and culture.  A Fashion shoot there would be soooo amazing!

5. Turkey – Turkey always feel like the best kept secret out there! It’s got it all – architecture, culture, beaches, history, etc, plus the delicious food and warm hospitality! Yes. Fashion shoot, please.

6. Italy – Thinking of Tuscany and small villages with views of the Alps. Mama mia!

7. Cuba – Wouldn’t be amazing to shoot a polaroid fashion project there?

8. Costa Rica – I’m almost ashamed of saying that I have yet to visit Costa Rica. Would so love to shoot a fun lifestyle surf story there. My husband could surf his brains out and I could shoot my heart out (along with my tiny assistant, Miss Gabi).

9. Nepal – I have traveled through the Indian side of the Himalayas and therefore I know that Nepal is going to blow my mind with beauty. I also want to meet Maggie, of course. Besides, I can definitely fit a trip to India on the way back… Because there will always be more to shoot in India. Fact.

10. Brazil – Surprised? Yes. My own country is on my list despite the fact that I grew up there and go back often. Brazil is my heart and soul, and I want to someday live there again and shoot several projects I have dreamed up over the years. One day. It’s in the cards… Just wait…

Is that all I can choose now? Oh no. I guess I’ll have to keep going at this list because I have not even scratched the surface of my dream locations… I could think of 10 more just right along the West Coast!

And you? Care to share your dream locations? Dream up. Go big :)

xo