Looking for an engagement location in San Diego?

I've got you covered! The nice thing about San Diego is that there are so many different types of setting you can them! You've got the go to favorite, the beach, but then as you go inland a little bit there are also spot that give you meadows, boulders, trees, etc... Come take a look as some of my faorite places to take engagement photos!

1 : Sunset Cliffs

Sunset Cliffs is a great spot if your looking for a rugged cliff coastline for your engagement photos. You can stay up top and get beautiful views down the coast, or if your feeling adventurous you can scale down the cliff to a beach and take photos down by the water. Sunset Cliffs is probably one of the most popular places to elope in San Diego, and there is a good reason for it.  

2: La Jolla Beaches

There are lots of beaches to choose from in La Jolla, some are more rugged, and some have cliffs, and some are sandy beaches. You really can't go wrong with any of them! If your lucky and it's low tide while you have your engagement shoot, you can even explore the tide pools!

3: Carlsbad Beaches

Carlsbad beaches are super great because they are going to definitely be less crowded than the other beaches. These beaches are more spread out, so you will have lots of room to roam around! You can walk down to the beach, there is one location that has stairs that go down to the beach, but there are usually a lot of people, but if you walk down a ways, or if you follow a trail down part of the cliffs, it is quite private.

4: Torrey Pines

Torrey Pines is a great place for engagement photos because you have a lot of options in one place! you can either go up top and explore the cliffs, or you can go down to the beach and take photos there. I will say that parking is $20 if you want to take photos here, unless you get lucky with street parking. But if you want to go up top then you need to pay for parking. Also, no dogs are allowed if that is something you desire.

5: Cardiff Beaches

Cardiff is great if your looking for long stretches of beach and sand with a little bit of beach cliffs in the distance. Cardiff also has better chances of getting to see a bit of the tide pools!

6: Calavera Lake

Calavera Lake in Carlsbad is a really pretty spot if your looking for a more meadow/lake look. This lake is perfect because you don't have to hike to it, it's near a road, so easy access, and there are lots of little areas that you can go for photos! It's also nice because dogs are allowed!

7: Carlsbad Lagoon

The Carlsbad Lagoon is such a sneaky gem! I love this place, it make you feel like your in a completely different state! The lagoon is also not crowded, every time i've gone, we've been the only ones! Note - in the winter months this place does get a little flooded, so more of a summer/fall location.

9: Rancho Guajome Adobe Ranch

The Rancho Guajome Adobe Ranch is somewhat of a well kept secret in Vista, but quickly becoming one of my favorites.  

Listed in the National Register of Historic Places, the 28-room, 7,000-square-foot historic adobe served as the headquarters of Rancho Guajome, a Mexican land grant. The large rambling Spanish Colonial style hacienda has two courtyards, an  arcaded veranda, and a chapel. The original adobe bricks and tiles were made by Luiseno Indians who learned the trade at the Mission San Luis Rey during the Mission Era.

So as you can see, there is a ton of character and charm that comes with this venue! Plus the area is so big, allowing you to pick and choose which backgrounds you want.

Mindset

Treat the day like a date. I recommend going to dinner before or after, and give yourselves plenty of time to get ready so they can relax and don’t feel rushed. If you feel relaxed, it will show in photos.

Weather

I always try and encourage all my couples to embrace whatever weather they get for their photos. A windy cloudy day might seem like bad weather for you, but it also brings nice even lighting and also wind can make for some really flowy photos! If the weather is extreme like raining, then we can always reschedule!

Photos

After out epic session, I will get the finished photos to you 1-2 weeks after through an online gallery where you can download or print all your photos!

Choosing what to wear

There are a ton of factors that go into choosing what to wear,

and I know it can be tough to decide which outfit will suit your

photos best!