Picture from Unsplash
Southern California has long been known for its picturesque scenery. There are so many great places to conduct an outdoor photo shoot in this area, whether you are taking a single photo or doing a full professional session. For those who may not be familiar with the sights of our fair state, let’s look at six of the best places to do an outdoor photoshoot in Southern California.
1. Tewinkle Park
This is a rocky, forested park located in Costa Mesa, which is very close to the Orange County fairgrounds. The large rocks combined with the peaceful and scenic lake can make for some truly stunning nature portraits. This park is a little rougher than some other locations, so access for some people might be a problem. There are no restrooms or facilities of any kind. However, the park is generally not crowded at all. It’s best to avoid weekends, but other than that you aren’t likely to be bothered.
2. Huntington Central Park
This is another great spot, and it is conveniently located in the city of Huntington Beach. Within a 2-minute walk of the parking lot, you can find incredibly beautiful backdrops for your portraits. There are restrooms and ample facilities, so access for older people and those with disabilities isn’t a problem. Although it’s beautiful at any time of year, Huntington Central Park is especially nice during autumn. Its many trees will turn to shades of red, yellow, and orange, and this makes a perfect environment for portrait photography.
3. Newport Beach
Located in the town of the same name, Newport Beach is the ideal spot for those who want a good view of the sea. Needless to say, the ocean makes a great background for any portrait, especially around sunset when the colors of the sky are much more interesting. California is often associated with beaches, so many tourists come here to take beachside portraits. If you are trying to get professional photos done in a place like this, the only potential liability is the crowds. This one might be best to avoid in the summertime.
4. Seal Beach
While we’re talking about good beaches for photography, let’s talk about Seal Beach. This one is also located in a town of the same name, and its most noticeable feature is a huge pier. This pier makes a great background when standing below it, and you can take pictures on the pier itself as well. Either way, you couldn’t ask for a better view of the Pacific ocean. The town of Seal Beach itself also has some interesting Spanish-style architecture, so that can be utilized as well.
5. Irvine Regional Park
This is another forested park, so it offers all the benefits described in our previous sections. However, this one is a little more accessible than most and has excellent parking accommodations. Best of all, it’s not a heavily-trafficked place, so you won’t have to deal with people wandering into the background.
6. Laguna Beach
This is another beach, and it’s a little harder to utilize than the others. However, its large rocky outcrops look outstanding against the blue background of the ocean. This isn’t a public beach, so there is a fee for doing photography here. However, for those who can afford it, this is a truly memorable location.
Amateur Or Professional?
Once you have chosen a location, you need to figure out who will actually take the pictures. If you just want a quick and easy photo, you can do that yourself. Most phones today have high-quality cameras that can take pretty good pictures. However, if you want the best possible results (or if you are doing portraits for a large group), you might want to consider hiring a professional photographer. There are numerous companies in the area that specialize in outdoor family portraits.
Conclusion
These are just a few of the many options that you have for the creation of stunning portraits in Southern California. These are some of the more popular locations for photography, but a little bit of exploring can surely turn up many more. We hope that we have given you a good set of ideas with which to begin and that your photos are all that you wanted them to be.