Great engagement shoot locations in San Diego, California

Photographers in San Diego, California are lucky. The county offers a wide variety of different environments to shoot in. From historic parks to mountains, to rural country roads and the coast, there is no shortage of amazing locations for your engagement shoot.

When choosing your location for the shoot, it is very important to consider the day, time of day and how busy it will be. Lighting, of course, changes everything. While you can find great shaded spots in Balboa Park at literally any time of day, you would not want to schedule a bright 1 PM shoot at the beach or out in an open field! And while you can enjoy a sunset photo shoot at Balboa Park during most weekdays, you will struggle to shoot there on a weekend when it is crawling over with people. The couple will also feel far less comfortable in a very crowded environment, not to mention a louder environment will make it more difficult to lend any direction.

With that said, here are a few of my favorite locations for my engagement shoots in San Diego.

MISSION TRAILS

Mission Trails has become increasingly popular with photographer in recent years. But even with the increase in foot traffic, it is a very peaceful place with plenty of room to roam and enjoy a peaceful, quiet environment. Engagement shoots at Mission Trails are best done in the very early morning or around sunset. I’ve found my very favorite light to be just after the sun has set, in those 25 minutes when a beautiful light still lingers to highlight beautiful warm, muted skin tones. The park hosts trails/paths in an open, flat area, or trails that you can hike up to some higher views.
One very important thing to keep in mind is to PLEASE keep your clients (and yourself) on established paths/trails and off the natural grass areas. The park is a very sensitive natural environment that is very susceptible to erosion and loss of the natural vegetation. The spots pictured here were already used by another photographer, but other than that we kept to the established walking paths.

CORONADO

Coronado Beach is best shot starting at just before sunrise or at sunset. This is a great engagement shoot option on weekdays and not so great on weekends unless you can swing your shoot in the very early morning. It offers a variety of photography options between the Hotel Del Coronado, the grassy sand dunes (pictures above) and of course the water. There is also a rock wall you can play with, but beware of the crashing waves that can often come when you least expect! Overall, Coronado beach is a great options for your San Diego engagement shoot, especially if your client is adventurous enough to want to play in the water.

BALBOA PARK

Balboa Park offers a ton of creative options for your San Diego engagement shoot. From the older colonial architecture to the gardens, ponds and open green spaces, there are really too many options to chose from. One huge advantage of Balboa Park is that you can find great lighting at any time of day. Plenty of shade with quality light to be had in the arch walkways and in some of the gardens and parks. The Alcazar Garden has great shaded light and nicely curated hedges (pictures above in bottom right) which work well at any time of day.
Like anywhere else, the most ideal time for your engagement shoot is going to be around sunrise or sunset. You should consider the day you schedule your shoot here, trying to avoid weekends or days when big evens are scheduled. Aim to shoot in the less crowded spots in the park, creating a quieter, more private/intimate experience for your clients. They’ll appreciate the relative privacy and will be far more relaxed.

JULIAN | HIGHWAY 79

This location is about a 45 minute drive east of San Diego, but well worth the effort for some amazing rural country/mountain spots for your engagement shoot. Too many pictures I could share from this location, from mountain summits to lakes and open fields of tall grass. Lake Cuyamaca is a great spot to wrap up the shoot, around sunset time. Just note that there is a $20 parking fee to shoot at Lake Cuyamaca, as it is a private campground. The bridge wood bridge pictured above can be found if you hike the footpath south past the lake and to the left. You can’t miss it if you follow the trail. There is a great grassy area there too with trees that change colors in the fall. Lots of open field and treeline areas in leading up to Lake Cuyamaca if you take the Highway 79 exit off the 8 East. I find it is easy to meet my clients at the Starbucks in Alpine just off the 8 and then have them follow me east and on to the Highway 79 towards Julian, stopping at different spots along the way. I find that overall this is the least crowded option for an engagement shoot in San Diego county. Whether weekdays or weekends, you are likely to not come across anyone else during your whole shoot, with the exception of Cuyamaca Lake, where people are likely to be fishing and camping on the weekend.

Consider heading up there to scope out some locations prior to your shoot, this way you can offer a seamless experience for your clients and already know all the spots that will best shoot for your own unique style.
Lighting is best starting around an hour before sunset, but shade can be found during the earlier parts of the afternoon.

TORREY PINES

Torrey Pines beach and park is another fantastic option for an engagement shoot in San Diego. Best shot around sunset, but can also be shot at sunrise for some cooler skin tones. One thing to know is this is not a dog friendly location, they are not allowed in the park or on that beach, which you’ll need to keep in mind if your client want to include their fur baby in their photo shoot.

This location is great whether you want to shoot down on the beach, with the colorful cliff and crashing waves as backdrop, or if you hike up into the paths that snake along the cliffs high over the ocean. This location will be very crowded on weekends, especially the beach. They build a huge parking lot which has turned this beach into a very, very crowded space on weekends that is basically nearly impossible to shoot at (you’ve been warned!). So aim for an early morning shoot if doing this on a weekend.

NORTH PARK | HILLCREST | EAST VILLAGE

For a more urban engagement shoot, try heading to North Park, Hillcrest and parts of the East Village (downtown near the baseball park). These locations will take a little bit of footwork to scout the ones that will work for you and your clients. I recommend heading out for a fun afternoon stroll to grab coffee and delicious gelato, marking noteworthy locations on your phone map. Plan on a four block radius for your photo shoot, as your clients likely won’t enjoy walking more than a mile. Tons of options between cool 60s style storefronts, murals, back alleys, tall building, bar patios/interiors and parking structures.

These options are best shot on Tuesday and Wednesday afternoon starting around 1 hour before sunset. The locations will be far less crowded and parking far more available.
You’ll want to avoid the East Village area when there is baseball game! You’ll be very, very sorry if you happen to schedule a shoot there when the Padres play!

Indigo West Photography offers couples photography with an candid | editorial flair.
Serving primarily the cities of San Diego and Los Angeles, California + Portland, Oregon. Available for travel to weddings anywhere in the United States or beyond.

Please get in touch if you have any questions regarding engagement shoot locations in San Diego, and we will try to help!