What if Your Fairytale was Real and You Could Hold it in Your Hands?

High Desert & Inland Empire, SoCal

The real you. The weird you. The magical you. The one nobody's ever photographed.

Now Booking Summer Sessions

BOOK A CALL
photography in the high desert, southern california. Cosplay woman dressed as princess holding a poison apple.

You Didn’t Come for Boring Portraits

Good. Because I don’t take them.

Whether your little one wants to be a fairy, your teen wants to be a warrior, or you're a mom who secretly wants to play, this is your place.

It’s time to become the version of yourself you’ve always imagined. If you’re ready and willing, I’ll handle the rest.

Right here in the High Desert. No need to drive down the hill.

Newborn baby feet in wrightwood for family in home session by whimiscal photographer.

Annette is patient and so fun and easy to work with. Make sure to call Annette ... You’ll have a photographer for life.

-Althea W.

Apple valley, Ca senior pictures by playful whimiscal family photographer.

OMG Annette!! They came out perfectly! Thank you so, so much! Lucy absolutely loves them all!

-Nick D.

The Portrait Session Experience

I don’t believe portraits should live and die on a screen.
If it matters enough to create, it matters enough to hold.

A person in a suit and tie wearing a gas mask standing in a field of dry grass and bushes with a background of trees and a blue sky with white clouds, and large black smoke or ash clouds overhead.
Man dressed in steampunk with round glasses watching bubbles float in the air. Photographer in the high deset for fantasy photos.
Start Your adventure Here

This isn’t like any other portrait session you’ve experienced. We’ll have multiple touch points.

It starts with a conversation, turns into an adventure, and ends with artwork that makes your home feel like a fairytale actually happened.

Because we could all use a little more magic in our homes, right?

Located in the High Desert, serving Apple Valley, Hesperia, Victorville & Wrightwood, and sur

Annette marie photography in Pinon Hills, California. Photographer holding her camera wearing pink with a flower in hair. creative and whimsical fantasy photographer in the inland empire.

MEET ANNETTE

Hi, I'm Annette, a fantasy fine art photographer.

I built a cottage studio on my property, up here in the High Desert. We can frolic outdoors or keep your session intimate in the studio.

I'm a photographer with a colorful and sometimes dark imagination. I’m here for the people who refuse to be ordinary. I'll guide and pose you so nothing feels awkward, and your kids can be exactly who they are. Big or little. Weird and wonderful.

My sessions are laid-back, kid-friendly, and never forced or stressful. We’ll laugh, and you’ll have fun. I promise.

Read my recent interview with VoyageLA here.

What I Offer

What we can create together

Fantasy & Whimsical Portraits: Little ones, cosplay teens, and adults who want in on the magic. Outdoors or in my fairytale studio. This is my main jam, and I love it.

Families & Seniors (with a twist): If you want a blanket-in-a-field session, I'm probably not your person. But if your family is playful and a little wild, and you want something nobody else has? Let's talk. Leather jackets on toddlers, encouraged!

Business & Branding: You didn't build your business overnight. Your photos shouldn't look like you did. This is for small business owners with weird girl energy.

A woman with curly reddish-brown hair and a black flower in her hair, wearing a black polka dot sheer dress, holding a bouquet of pink and peach flowers, against a dark background. Fantasy photographer in the Inland Empire and high desert, CA.

Simple 3-Step Journey

Schedule a Call

1. Consultation & Discovery

We’ll start with a quick 20 min phone call for you to share the who, what, where, and why. Tell me why you want photos and what you want to do with them. Wall art or an album?

You can get to know me, too, and see if we’re a good fit.

I’ll share everything I offer, and if you want, we can also meet in person. I have lots of fun samples for you touch and feel.

Portrait Session

2. The Adventure

Your session will take place on location or at my studio.

You should feel relaxed, but excited, and ready to laugh and have fun. Your portraits will be a mix of candids and light poses. Nothing stuffy or stressful here.

Afterwards, I’ll professionally retouch your images, and they will be ready for viewing in 2-3 weeks.

Prints & Albums

3. Reveal, Ordering Appointment & Delivery

We’ll meet in person for your photo reveal. You will see everything and decide which images you want for large wall art or in an album at the ordering appointment.

I send everything to a professional print lab. 3-4 weeks after that, I’ll hand-deliver your custom artwork.

Sounds easy enough and fun, right?

  • Sessions happen throughout the High Desert in Southern California, on location, in your home, or in my cottage studio.

  • Every portrait session begins the same way, with a $150 creation fee that reserves your date and sets the story in motion. It covers planning, styling, and the materials used to design your unique portrait experience.

  • Artwork and collections are custom-built around what you love and want. Peek at the Pricing Page for details.

  • Curious about something else? The FAQ page covers common questions, or you can text me for a quick answer.

Woman dressed in yellow looking through an apple tree. Fantasy photographer, annette marie in the high desert, Victorville california.
Whimsical Weddings
Whimsical Weddings

Question: Do you do weddings? I found you on Pinterest from a whimsical wedding pin.

Answer: Yes, I love photographing weddings. However, I am a portrait photographer, but when the right bride comes along, I say yes. You can read more wedding info by clicking the button below.