Laguna Beach Photographer
Why Shoot Portrait Photography in Laguna Beach, California?
As an Orange County portrait photographer, I can make any location work when I’m photographing my models. However, Laguna Beach has a startling natural beauty, from its craggy beaches and tide pools to its cotton candy sunsets silhouetted by palms.
Laguna Beach, California is an easy choice for portraiture and it’s one I often suggest to my clients.
It has a sophisticated yet raw feel to it while offering a sense of tranquility among the sand. Not to mention, professional photographers must seek a permit to shoot anywhere in Laguna Beach, so my shooting permit is an investment I’ve made which means I can offer you more exclusive backdrops.
What You Can Wear for Portraits in Laguna Beach, California?
Your wardrobe is up to you but I’d be happy to make some suggestions. Since Laguna Beach is primarily on the beach, you can expect a backdrop filled with white, beige, blue, green, and if you’re shooting during sunset, orange, purple, and even pink.
I’d recommend you try and complement those colors, in whichever way you see fit. Of course, at the end of the day, dress the way you want to. If you need some advice or are trying to capture a certain look or mood, then just let me know—I have plenty of experience in portrait photography and will have a suggestion.
Best Spots Near Laguna Beach for Portrait Photography
Rugged beauty, sophisticated charm, minimalist modernism, and everything in-between is easy to find when you’re shooting in Laguna Beach, but I’ve found a few shooting locations that stand out after receiving great results for my clients.
Creek Beach Park
Highway 101 is known for its unencumbered beauty, but Creek Beach Park is one of those once-in-a-lifetime spots. Aliso Creek flows into the Pacific Ocean at this point, creating an almost constant surf for locals to take their boards to. The park provides an interesting backdrop with plenty of spontaneity that we can take advantage of.
Crescent Bay
Sometimes you want a sense of lonely elegance to your portrait and Crescent Bay is the perfect spot. It’s an expansive beach made of fine white sand that is nestled among rugged cliffs.
Shaw’s Cove
One look at Laguna Beach’s Shaw’s cove and you’d think you were on another planet. Craggy tide pools reveal themselves at low tide, stunning purple and pink sunsets span the skies at sundown and there’s plenty of places for my models at all times of the day.
Victoria Beach
This beach is rocky in the winter and sandy in the summer thanks to its unique tidal system. It’s the perfect place for a unique portrait session because it’s not as easy to get to (you can’t just park your car on the 101.) What makes Victoria Beach stands out is its mysterious landmark, known locally as “The Castle” but officially named “La Tour” (which is French for, the tower.) The castle, almost invisible until you stumble upon it, is nestled discretely against the stunning green and beige of a cliffside. It looks almost as if it’s from a storybook; you’d almost expect Rapunzel to dangle her hair from its highest window.
Why Choose Me as Your Laguna Beach Photographer
While I may be fully stocked, I’ve been in the portraiture industry long enough to understand that it’s not your equipment that makes the photograph (although, it certainly helps) but it’s having an eye for composition and the courage for improvisation.
Laguna Beach is one of those shooting locations you can spend an entire day at.
With my expertise, I can catch the first rays of the sun as it rises and illuminates the azure water, catch the warm glow and low mist of the morning, catch the brilliant noon-time sun as it hangs over our heads and brings every surface into perfect clarity, take advantage of the golden hour as the sun dips downward and gives everything a profound and peaceful quality, and even bask under a brilliant, silver moon as it makes the delicate sand glow all around you.
Beyond its vast array of locales and geography, Laguna Beach is a bustling area that gives plenty of opportunity for improvisational photography. Sometimes the best portraits are the unplanned ones. I’ve found that often, I fall in love with the photographs I forgot I even shot due to some fleeting detail. Laguna Beach is full of those fleeting details.
Facts About Laguna Beach, California
Laguna Beach was first a part of Mexico but was later settled in the 1800s and incorporated in 1927. It has a mild climate, which is perfect for photography.
Some of the best artists in the U.S. call it home
Today, Laguna Beach is still widely considered an artist’s community, where it’s home to photographers, painters, filmmakers, and writers.
It has a long coastline
At 1.21 miles long, the coastline of Laguna Beach is considered a state conservation area.
It’s a great vacation spot
Laguna Beach houses more beachfront lodging than any other town in California.