Rosa + Casey’s gorgeous SoCal, Sunset Cliffs couple session!

I always love working in SoCal for so many reasons. It’s nice to get a little break from Washington’s gloomy weather, and SoCal bookings are a great way to fill the local off-season. More importantly, my sister lives in San Diego! Spending time with her is always fun, so work trips are a great excuse to visit.

Sunset Cliffs is a popular San Diego area destination, and it’s easy to see why. The cliffs along this section of the California coastline are stunningly rugged. The rocky land juts way out into the ocean and creates a few cool little bays. Then, down below, there are a bunch of holes in the rock, caves, and arches over the water. I had never shot here before this Sunset Cliffs couple session, so I went scouting for shooting locations the day before. While I walked around, I pinned some of my favorite spots so we could easily find them on session day.

We kept this couple session casual because the couple was already married. Choosing between a sunrise or sunset session can sometimes be tricky, but we decided to shoot at sunrise to avoid the crowds as much as possible. The couple picked two outfits, and both worked really well for the setting. Then, the last detail of this shoot fell into place when we were able to use my brother-in-law’s classic mustang for the session. 

Vintage cars can add so much character to a couple session! They can act as a set piece or background or add a little classic flair to any shoot location. After we found a parking spot near the cliffs, we all had so much fun getting photos in and around the classic white mustang. Some of my favorite images from this session are the ones with both the car and the cliffs in the background. 

We got a lot of fantastic shots near that first parking spot, then moved to another parking area to try and get the best light. The cliffs gave me some awesome angles and photo opportunities. For some shots, I even had the couple walk out on one cliff while I walked out on another and took photographs of the couple and the cliffs from far away. 

Overall, this Sunset Cliffs couple session was everything we all wanted