Top Locations in
Orange County for a Family Photo Shoot
With 20 years of portrait photography experience, we know the very best places in Orange County to photography your family.
As a Laguna Beach Family photographer, I know the best locations to capture your portraits
There are so many great locations in Orange County, California to take your family photos. Locations range from beaches, parks, and suburbs to downtown L.A., Hollywood, and Santa Monica. At Blue Sky's Studio we want to collaborate with you to make sure you photography session location sets the tone for your photography session.
Top OC locations for Beach photography
Laguna Beach Photography locations
Laguna Beach is home to some of the most beautiful and scenic locations for family photography. From the rocky seaside to the sweeping views, I love photographing families in and around Laguna Beach. Here are a few of my very favorite spots.
- Heisler Park- if you are looking for a location that offers tons of variety, including a park setting, beaches, sea cliff and sweeping views, then Heisler Park is the perfect location for your family session.
- Victoria Beach- Victoria Beach is without a doubt one of the coolest, iconic beaches in Laguna. It's located at the foot of iconic landmarks like "the Pirate Tower" and has a circular man-made pool that makes the perfect background for family and senior portraits. Two very important details when it comes to Victoria Beach. The first is that you can not access the salt water pool or tower unless it is low tide. The second is that is does require a photography permit to shoot on Victoria beach. The permit is $100 and has very limited availability. Make sure to book your session in advance so we can go through the permitting process.
- Alta Laguna Park and Trails- Alta Laguna Park has one of the best ocean views with wide open trails, and lots of wild flowers. My favorite time of year to photograph at Alta Laguna Park is in the Spring when the mustard plants are in bloom.
- Downtown Laguna Beach- From the Spanish buildings, to the art galleries to Main beach a photoshoot in downtown Laguna is perfect if you want a little bit of urban mixed with a coastal feel.
- Tablerock Beach in Laguna Beach- When it comes to varied backgrounds for a family or high school senior portrait session, Tablerock beach is one of my favorite spots. It combines ocean and rocky views with lush tropical gardens. To see some of my favorite images check out Blue Sky's post here of a senior girl session or a senior guy session.
- My Laguna Beach Studio: My natural light studio in Laguna Canyon is the perfect spot if you want to do clean, modern family or senior portraits.
Newport Beach Photography locations
Newport Beach offers a range of immersive environments from brightly colored stores and galleries on Balboa Island and Newport Beach Fun Zone to the Newport Beach pier. I love the wide, sweeping beaches and the open fields at the Upper Back Bay. Here are a few of my favorite spots.
- The Fun Zone: The FunZone in Newport beach has that old time carnival feel and is the perfect spot for a family or senior that wants to incorporate bold colors and fun props into their photography session. And as an added bonus you can entice the kids to cooperate with candy, rides and arcade games. A win, win for everyone!
- Upper Newport Beach Back Bay: The Back Bay holds a special place in my heart as my Dad frequently brought us there when I was a kids to feed the ducks. Now most of the ducks are gone, but there are still tons of horse trails, open fields, water views and wild flowers. If you want a boho vibe to your session, I would highly recommend photographing your family in the back bay.

- Balboa Island- Balboa Island is the perfect location for fun family or senior portraits. With colorful stores, breezy waterways, fun boat docks and the Balboa Island Ferry, we can create a lot of diversity in your OC photography session.
San Clemente Beach Locations
San Clemente photography locations
San Clemente is best know for its historic pier and it state beaches, but there are so many hidden gems when it comes to locations for your family shoot.
- San Clemente Pier: The look of the light shining on the water with the industrial look pier in the background creates a magical backdrop.
- Riviera Beach- this hidden gem is located at the base of a residential neighborhood. It runs along the railroad tracks and is a wide open beach with views back to the San Clemente Pier.
- San Clemente State Beach- San Clemente State beach is the home to the gorgeous white cliffs and protected trails. This is a very popular spot for family portraits in San Clemente so I recommend booking this location early in the week to avoid crowds.

- Casa Romantica Cultural Center- If you love Spanish design with lots of archways and beautiful natural light, then Casa Romantica is a great spot for your senior or family pictures. You do need a permit so book this location in advance to ensure it is available.
Huntington Beach Photography locations
Huntington Beach has a lot of diversity when it comes to photography session locations. Of course the Huntington Beach Pier and the wide open surf beaches are iconic. But there are also some really cool urban spots in Huntington Beach to get fun, modern family and senior portraits.
- Bolsa Chica State Beach- While is does cost a lot to park in Bolsa Chica State beach, it is well worth the money, especially if you want to incorporate a vintage car in your portrait session. Since the parking lots go right up to the edge of the beach, it is easy to get the car in the foreground with the beach in the background. And let us know if you love vintage VW vans, we have a great resource you can use to rent one for your family photography session.
- Pacific City Mall-Pacific City Mall located right across the street from Huntington Beach Pier is the perfect place for a high school senior or modern family photography session. With its colorful murals, cool architecture and sweeping ocean views there is just so many photo worth spots for great portraits.
- Huntington Pier- Huntington Beach pier is one of the few spots that you can get amazing shots from on top of the pier and underneath the pier. If you want your family portraits or high school senior portraits to reflect Huntington Beach culture, then this is the perfect location.

The Best Urban Locations in Orange County for a Photo Session
Believe it or not, Orange County has some great Urban spots for family and senior portraits. Whether you want to incorporate street art, or cool architecture, there are so many great locations for a photoshoot in Orange County. Here are just a few of my favorite locations.
- Santa Ana Art District- This every changing backdrop is perfect for high school seniors and families that want to incorporate color into their photography session.
- Orange Circle- Cool alley ways, green space and old brick buildings help definite this location. As a bonus, Orange Circle is close to Chapman college so families and seniors can use the garden areas at the college as an additional backdrop.
- Downtown Laguna Beach: With the Spanish architecture, local gardens and cool doors downtown Laguna is a great location for both families and seniors. And, if you want to end on the beach at sunset, this is a great way to get both urban and beach photography.
THE BEST PARK LOCATIONS IN ORANGE COUNTY FOR A PHOTOGRAPHY SESSION
Laguna Niguel Botanical Garden Portraits
Laguna Niguel botanical garden is one of our newest locations for family photography. While it does require a short hike up a hill to get to the most picturesque areas, it is well worth it. From the stunning views of Saddleback mountains, to the rose gardens and cool architectural features this is perfect spot for families wanting a great outdoor location.
Cedar Grove Park Family portraits
Cedar grove park in Tustin features a large cedar grove of trees, winding trails and large open spaces. This park works great if you are going for an autumn look or even want to focus on cozy sweaters and a holiday theme. Even though this park is located in a residential neighborhood, you will feel like you are in a forest in the mountains. I love textured sweaters, coats and warm winter wear for this location. Also Fall colored clothing or neutral warm tones such as cream, forest green, beige or brown work great in this location.
Huntington Beach Central Park Portraits
Family photos taken in Huntington Beach Central Park can feature one of two lakes, a eucalyptus grove, a botanical garden or a wide open field. This location is so large that you could return year after year and always have a different family photo background. I love to shoot in this location at sunset as the light is dreamy and gorgeous. From small families to huge groupings this is the perfect spot for your family photography session.
