Worth the Drive
One of the most common things I hear after a session: "I had no idea Pleasanton was this charming."
If you're coming in from San Ramon, Dublin, Livermore or anywhere in the Tri-Valley, here's my advice: block off the whole day.
Downtown Pleasanton has independent shops, great coffee and some of my favorite restaurants all within a short walk of the studio. And Livermore's wine country is less than 10 minutes away.
Bring your spouse, a friend or the whole family. Your headshot session is just the starting point.
Here are a few of my favorite spots near Nina Pomeroy Agency Portrait Studio at 4725 1st Street:
☕ Coffee
Inklings Coffee & Tea | 530 Main St The go-to on Main Street. Coffee, tea, and a good vibe whether you stay a while or grab something to go.
Primrose Bakery | 350 Main St. A full-service bakery on Main Street with cakes, cannolis, eclairs and more. Dog-friendly, open early and the kind of place that's hard to walk past without stopping in.
Bocado: Un Petit Bistro | 320 St Mary St French-inspired crepes, coffee and pastries. If you're coming in for a morning or midday session, this is a great spot to start or end your day.
🍽 Eat
Nonni's Bistro | 425 Main St. A Pleasanton staple with a European bistro feel. Live music on Fridays. Good for a relaxed lunch or dinner after your session.
Locanda Amalfi | 349 Main St. Their Neapolitan pizza was ranked in the top 5 in the world in 2025. Worth the stop.
SideTrack Bar + Grill | 30 W Angela St. A local favorite with a patio, full bar and some of the best smoked meats in the area. Dog-friendly and a great spot for a casual lunch or dinner after your session.
Elia | 310 Main St. Greek restaurant on Main Street. Great for a dinner out, especially with a group.
Wild One Grill | 349 Main St. Fresh ingredients, big flavors. The mole enchiladas and main dish salads have a loyal following. Outdoor seating too.
Meadowlark Dairy | 57 W. Neal St A Pleasanton institution since 1949. Soft-serve ice cream, drive-thru or walk-up, and the line is always worth it. This one is a must.
🍷 Sip
The Wine Steward | 641 Main St. A wine bar and retail shop that's been on Main Street for over 20 years. Two levels, a great local selection and knowledgeable staff. One of my favorites.
Cellar Door | 4469 Railroad Ave. Cocktails, small bites and a patio. Great way to wrap up the day.
🛍 Shop
Good Common Sense | 620 Main St. Natural bath products like hand wash, lotion, soaps and deodorants as well as skin care, beauty, and haircare items. A super fun shop!
Town Center Books | 555 Main St. An independent bookstore right on Main Street. Thoughtful selection, friendly staff and the kind of place you walk into for one book and leave with three.
Girlfriends Boutique | 549 Main St. A women's boutique right on Main Street. Good variety of styles.
🍷 Livermore Wine Country
1. Murrieta's Well | 3005 Mines Rd. One of the most photographed wineries in the valley. Historic grounds, outdoor seating near the original well and patio food pairings. Open Thu–Sun.
2. Wente Family Vineyards | 5050 Arroyo Rd. California's oldest continuously operated family winery. Beautiful estate grounds, a full restaurant on property and a stunning setting for a long afternoon. Reservations recommended.
3. McGrail Vineyards | 5600 Greenville Rd. Rolling hills, panoramic views and the option to do a private igloo tasting overlooking the vineyard. One of the most scenic spots in Livermore.
4. Concannon Vineyard | 4590 Tesla Rd. Founded in 1883. Large outdoor lawn for picnicking, indoor tasting rooms and a classic Livermore setting. Great for groups.
5. Darcie Kent Estate Winery | 7000 Tesla Rd. A barn tasting room with original artwork by the owner throughout. Beautiful vineyard views and a personal, unhurried experience.
6. Las Positas Vineyards | 1828 Wetmore Rd. Elevated views over the valley, a great sparkling wine selection and live music on Friday and Saturday evenings.
Make a Day of It
My recommendation: book a morning session, grab brunch or lunch at any of the recommendations above, then spend the afternoon at one or two wineries. Bring the family, bring a friend, or come solo and meet some new ones, Pleasanton is that kind of place.
Need a custom itinerary based on your timing, party size, or interests? Just ask me when you book. I love sharing this town with the people who trust me with their headshots.
Ready to plan your visit? Book your session below and I'll help with the rest.
Also check out the Pleasanton Downtown Association for more great businesses to check out.
Communion Portraits in the East Bay
My favorite way to take First Communion portraits is outdoors or in or near a church. It’s usually the beginning of Spring and everything is in bloom! The beautiful soft light in the field this day made the portraits feel magical. And what little girl doesn’t love to dress up. This was a beautiful spot in Danville California although if you need a recommendation for a special location, contact the studio we are happy to help find the perfect spot. Below are just a couple of favorite portraits from the day.
Golden Hour Graduation Session in the Tri-Valley
It was such a joy photographing Priel, the daughter of one of my amazing branding clients! Watching her light up in front of the camera and capturing this exciting chapter was truly special.
There’s something magical about photographing high school seniors outdoors in the golden light of late afternoon. Livermore’s rolling hills, vineyards, and scenic backdrops make the perfect setting to celebrate this major milestone.
These sessions are relaxed, fun, and all about showcasing your senior’s personality. No stiff poses or awkward smiles—just genuine moments and stunning images you’ll treasure for years.
We offer special senior packages designed just for this kind of experience, with options for outfit changes, print products, and beautiful keepsakes. Whether they’re headed to college, taking a gap year, or figuring out what’s next, this session is a celebration of who they are right now.
Reach out to book your senior's session.
Team Headshots at Bishop Ranch San Ramon: What to Expect
Your team is growing. Your website still has photos from three years ago. Someone just got promoted and their headshot is from a different decade. Sound familiar?
If you work at Bishop Ranch in San Ramon, you already know the caliber of companies in that corridor. The work is serious. The brand standards are high. Your team photos should match.
I recently spent a full day on location at Bishop Ranch photographing a corporate team, and it reminded me why I love this kind of work. There is something that happens when an entire team shows up in the same space, trusts the process, and walks away with images that actually look like them at their best.
Here is what the day looks like when I come to you.
Setup is faster than you think.
I bring everything: professional studio lighting, seamless backdrops and a tethered camera system so your team sees their images in real time. Setup takes about 30 minutes. From there, each person sits for roughly 10 to 15 minutes and walks away with multiple looks.
No one needs to be a natural in front of the camera.
That is the most common concern I hear, and it is the easiest one to put to rest. Directing people who are uncomfortable being photographed is literally what I do. By the end of their session, most people are surprised by how relaxed they felt.
Consistency across your whole team.
Whether you have 10 people or 50, every image is lit and finished to the same standard. That matters when headshots live on your website, your LinkedIn page, your press materials and your investor decks. Inconsistent headshots communicate inconsistency. A polished, cohesive set communicates exactly the opposite.
You stay in your space.
No one has to drive anywhere, find parking or carve out half a day. I come to your Bishop Ranch office, work efficiently around your schedule and have your team back to their desks with minimal disruption.
If your team is based at Bishop Ranch or anywhere in San Ramon, I am available for on-location sessions. I serve the entire Tri-Valley corridor from my private studio in downtown Pleasanton, just 10 minutes away.
Ready to get your team updated? Let's talk.
Some Companies Are Now Banning AI Headshots.
A client told me something yesterday that I genuinely was not expecting to hear.
Their company has a written policy banning AI headshots.
Not a suggestion. Not a guideline. A policy.
I'll be honest... I had to take a second.
So how did we get here?
Somewhere between "I'll just use an AI headshot for now" and "why does my LinkedIn photo look like a stock image of myself," corporate America started paying attention.
Legal teams got involved. HR wrote memos. And now some companies are putting it in writing: the AI version of you is not an acceptable stand-in for the actual you.
Which is... fair.
Here's what's driving it:
Trust. Your headshot is a promise. It says, "this is who you're going to meet." When someone shows up and looks nothing like their photo, that promise is broken before the handshake. AI images are polished, sure. They're also routinely missing the actual human.
Brand consistency. Enterprise companies are not leaving their visual identity up to a prompt. Lighting, color, proportion, depth... trained eyes notice when something is off, even if they can't explain why.
Legal exposure. AI image tools are trained on data with complicated ownership histories. Some legal teams would rather not find out what that means the hard way.
Here's the part that matters for you
Your company may not have a policy yet. But the people looking at your profile already have an opinion.
A real headshot does something no AI tool has figured out: it shows the version of you that actually exists. The way you look when you're confident. The presence you bring into a room. The thing that makes someone think, "I want to work with that person."
A prompt cannot generate that. Trust me, they've tried.
The short version
AI headshots were always a workaround, not a solution. More companies are formalizing that position every day. The professionals who already have a real headshot are not scrambling.
Your photo is working for you right now, while you sleep, while someone Googles you, while a recruiter skims your profile at 11pm. It deserves more than a shortcut.
Want a headshot that actually looks like you? Come see me in Pleasanton. We'll take care of it.
Realtor Headshots
In real estate, your face is your brand. It's on your listings, your yard signs, your business cards and your social media before a potential client ever speaks to you. That photo is doing a lot of work — and it needs to do it well.
A realtor headshot isn't just a professional photo. It's a trust signal. Buyers and sellers are choosing someone they'll work closely with through one of the biggest financial decisions of their lives. Your image tells them who you are before you say a word.
What Makes a Strong Realtor Headshot
The best realtor headshots do three things at once: they look approachable, they look trustworthy and they look like you on a great day. Not a version of you that's overly polished or stiff — actually you, at your most confident.
That balance comes from preparation and direction. Before every session, we talk through where your images will be used, who your clients are and what impression you want to make. A luxury market agent in Danville needs a slightly different feel than a first-time homebuyer specialist in Dublin — and your headshot should reflect that.
Where Your Realtor Headshot Gets Used
Real estate professionals use their headshots more broadly than almost any other industry. You need images that work across all of it:
MLS profile and real estate portals
Your brokerage website and personal website
LinkedIn and social media profiles
Business cards and marketing materials
Yard signs and bus benches
Email signatures
Press features and speaking bios
That range matters for how we approach the session. A headshot that works beautifully on LinkedIn also needs to hold up at the size it prints on a yard sign.
Wardrobe Tips for Real Estate Headshots
Your wardrobe sets the tone for the client you want to attract. A few things that consistently work well:
Solid colors that complement your skin tone — navy, burgundy, emerald and charcoal all photograph well
Business professional or polished business casual, depending on your market
2 to 3 outfit options so you have variety across different uses
Avoid large logos, busy patterns and anything that dates quickly
If you're unsure what to bring, a detailed prep guide is sent with every booking confirmation.
What to Expect During Your Session
Sessions take place at the private studio at 4725 1st Street in downtown Pleasanton — central to the entire Tri-Valley. San Ramon, Danville, Dublin, Livermore and Walnut Creek are all within 20 minutes.
Individual sessions run approximately 60 minutes with time for wardrobe changes. You don't need to know how to pose. Direction is provided throughout — specific guidance on expression, posture and framing so the results look natural, not staged.
Your fully retouched images are delivered through a private online gallery. All purchased images include professional retouching and full-resolution files for both print and web.
On-Location Sessions for Real Estate Teams
If your brokerage needs consistent headshots across a team, on-location sessions are available for groups of 10 or more throughout the Tri-Valley and East Bay. Nina brings professional lighting and equipment to your office so your entire team gets consistent, polished results in one session.
Serving Tri-Valley Real Estate Professionals
Nina has worked with real estate professionals across the region for 26 years, from independent agents building their personal brand to full brokerage teams needing consistent imagery. If your market is in Pleasanton, San Ramon, Danville, Dublin, Livermore or Walnut Creek, the studio is close to you.
Looking for Personal Branding Library of images? Visit this link for details.
"Wow — what an experience. Nina really is a true professional who knows how to get the best out of you while making sure you look like your true self. Taking pictures always feels awkward but she makes it fun and most of all really knows how to make you shine. Worth every penny." — O.D., Realtor
Frequently Asked Questions
What makes a good realtor headshot?
One that looks approachable and credible at the same time, so clients trust you on sight, and that works everywhere your face appears, from your sign to your Zillow profile.
What should I wear for a real estate headshot?
Bring a few options that fit how you want your market to see you. I send guidance before your session so you arrive prepared.
Do you photograph real estate teams or brokerages?
Yes, I can do full teams on-location or in my studio.
Where do you photograph, and do you travel?
My studio is in downtown Pleasanton, off 680 and about 40 minutes from San Francisco. I also photograph on location across the Tri-Valley and East Bay.
How will I use the images?
On your sign, your cards, your website, your listing profiles, your social accounts and your mailers. You get your headshot sized so it works in each place.
What is the turnaround?
Approximately 48 hours.
What does it cost?
Visit our investment page for details.