Little Corona Del Mar Maternity Photoshoot
Little Corona Del Mar | Corona Del Mar Tide Pools| Newport Beach
When Abby and Tyler reached out to me for their dream maternity photoshoot in Newport Beach, I knew the perfect spot to take them. Newport Beach is such a varied area, sure there are more of the typical “Southern California Beaches", but as you get closer to Laguna you begin to head into a more rocky terrain, and this is the perfect spot for a more “rugged “ desert-style maternity shoot.
Corona del mar is not the easiest of locations to shoot, many times it is covered by high tides, with a small amount of beach visible. It is a very popular spot ( largely due to the fact that it isn’t permitted), you can usually find free neighborhood parking, and it’s easy accessibility to a short but steep paved path with bathrooms halfway down that lead to the beach. If however you know what to look for, you check the tide/wind charts and you reach this spot at the perfect time, the results can be magical!
Typically I begin my shoots an hour and a half to an hour and fifteen minutes before sunset. This allows some time for us to relax and get comfortable, change for different looks, etc etc. The sun still tends to be a bit bright at this time, and depending on skin tone I usually will keep my subject in the shade while I wait for the sun to reach the period of the golden glow.
The variation in height of rocks here allows for some great ways to pose couples sitting, and the color of the rocks aid to the beautiful ambient light that is falling on their skin.
Quite possibly one of my favorites from this Orange County beach maternity photoshoot, this spot was perfect to model the same sweeping lines of this beautiful maternity gown.
Just in time as the sun began to go down did we decide to do an outfit change. My couple braved the tides and the wind and switched into these elegant outfits for a more dressy look.
We as photographers love to shoot at sunset, it yields more optimal lighting on our subjects skin, the background starts to pop, colors are warmer. I actually prefer to not always put my clients in direct sunset. Not everybody wants to have the warm “orange glow” my approach is a bit more editorial as a fashion photographer, and I love to bring out those blues, purple/green highlights and shadows. Also, not every clients skin is going to be best colored with sunset, clients who are more ethnic with darker skin, it can tend to really loose the true nature and beauty of their skin, this is why much of the time I want till just after sun goes down to turn my clients around and have them face the sun.
One of my pro-tips that has helped define my unique style? I shoot the horizon below my clients, this angle allows for a more “epic” approach especially when shooting against nature. It is one of my most favorite and signature angles. Unlike others I also keep my clients past sunset, to get that very beautiful nautical twilight coloring.