Not long ago, New York–based photographer Sabrina Santiago packed up a car full of snacks, a fire playlist, and two of her best friends for an 11-day road trip through California. They drove up the coast to their final destination, Portland, Oregon. “My first memories of travel photography were stealing my dad’s disposable cameras on family vacations,” explains Santiago. “I still shoot film on my trips because I love the feeling of getting the pictures back after the trip is over. It’s an eagerly awaited shared surprise.” Scroll down for her photos of the trip up Highway One.
“Every morning of the trip I tried to watch the sunrise. In Joshua tree I was pretty successful. The moon in this one makes me happy.”
“I packed this thrifted dress to play with on the trip. While I love being a photographer in New York, having a different landscape was a treat.”
“This image was taken in an area called ‘Slab City.’ I spotted this man from afar while driving past and really hoped this one would turn out.”
“I took several self-portraits on our trip as it’s one of my new years resolutions. Self-documentation is important. Do it for future you!”
“Ant people from the top of Salvation Mountain.”
“The color palette and palm trees in L.A. are a David Hockney dream.”
“We watched the sunset from the top of this hill, mesmerized by the waves and the shadows of people walking past.”
“This café was called Fat Cats and was a recommendation from our Airbnb host. I love how classic Tabasco bottles look.”
“The Redwoods were probably my favorite part of the trip. It was my first time and I’ve been trying to imagine the grandness of them ever since I can remember. I still can’t seem to wrap my head around it.”
“I’m not sure any image could do the Redwoods justice. Some things you just have to see for yourself.”