There are so many things about a coastal session in the fall or wintertime. Crowds are down, cozy sweaters, vibrant blues, windy days, fog, seagulls, all the things. We originally wanted this session at the Salk Institute, but we couldn’t quite make schedules align to get there during open visitor hours. This turned out to be the happiest plan B! Nicole and her family really love relaxed, natural posing and a modern but casual vibe. The best way to get this look is to avoid over-posing and just be, as tricky as that is with a camera pointed at you! Posing that is natural, like just leaning against a fence or walking, gives that really casual vibe that seems so impossible to achieve but is really so simple. Mason & Miles (these 2 little handsome little dudes) led the way and I love how our Cabrillo Lighthouse session went.
Cabrillo National Monument and Lighthouse is at the verryyyy tip of Point Loma (just keep driving straight and you’ll eventually reach it!). There is an entrance fee unless you have one of those park passes or you’re military or a first responder. Check their website if you’re looking for specifics on this. From the same parking lot, you can get down to the tide pools which is another great photo spot! Permits for photo sessions are not required at Cabrillo so long as they aren’t for advertising and don’t involve lots of props or setup. You can get married here, and it is a beautiful place for an elopement, bridal session or a styled session. Check their website for more information about this, as these types of events might require special permits.
For the Manalos’ session, we did a loop around the Point Loma Lighthouse and finished up by the cliffs that overlook the tidepools. For a very similar vibe to sunset cliffs without the insane crowds, this is such a good location that I will definitely be going back to!
Another thing I love about a setting like this is being able to create natural feeling poses with fences, door frames, steps, and of course the lighthouse itself. This location is super kid friendly as long as you’re careful around the cliffs. Kids tend to love photoshoots that feel like an adventure or a fun outing, so I would definitely recommend this spot! A few things we didn’t get to this session that would make for equally cute photos: Looking through those coin operated telescope things and pointing out all the different parts of San Diego, going down to the tide pools and seeing what we can find, or being able to get inside the lighthouse. I think this location is amazing especially in the winter when it is way less crowded, and I would so highly recommend it for my next family or couple!
Nicole, Jimmy, Mason, Miles, you’re way too fun to take photos with 🙂
