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Top 10 engagement photos location in Southern California

Top 10 engagement photos location in Southern California

 

Silverado Canyon
This is an excellent location for couples who are looking to be surrounded by nature. The canyon offers long trails that run through the wilderness as well as massive oak groves and fields. There is also a park nearby that provides excellent views that are perfect for couples or family shots.

 

Victoria Beach
Victoria Beach is another popular option for engagement photos. This location offers stunning views of the beach, a historical Victoria tower, and a jetty wall. This gives photographers so many different options to play with. The walk is challenging to get to and finding parking, but the views are absolutely worth it. Highly recommend it for couples who are looking for a flexible beach that provides cinematic views.

 

O’neil Park
This park gives serious magic vibes. O’neil offers sweeping views of the California mountains and tunnels of indigenous trees that provide a sense of wonder to your images. This location is a bit of a trek to get to, but it is highly recommended for couples who love nature.

 

Pines Park                                                                                      One of my personal favorites on this list is Pines Park in Dana Point. This park has glorious twisted trees that provide an impressive backdrop for couples. The park overlooks the gorgeous ocean, which adds to the images.

 

Mission San Juan Capistrano
This location consists of a historical mission founded in 1776 and offers views of the original brick. There are a gorgeous garden and authentic theatre that dates 1700, which provides a very historical and rustic feel to your photos. The mission is a trendy location amongst a local couple and family photographers. This offers the advantage of having other examples of what you may want in an image, but the disadvantage is that your pictures may look similar to other couples.

 

San Clemente Pier
San Clemente is an excellent local beach town that offers various locations, but my favorite is definitely the pier. This location sets up a beautifully symmetrical composition perfect for couples who want that iconic people shot.

 

Bradbury building stairway
Although this building is unassuming from the outside, once inside, you are taken to the 1920s. The architecture features several staircases down in art deco fashion, perfect for the hipster couple looking for whimsy in their shoot. This location can be seen in an extensive amount of films from “Blade Runner” to “500 Days of Summer”.

 

 

Koran Bell of Friendship 
This is a fantastic location looking for exciting architecture in the background and the ocean. The sunken city is within walking distance and offers beautiful graffiti on the foundation of a once standing house that fell into the sea. Parking is free but walking down to the city is a bit of a trek.

 

 

Coronado beach
This spot is simply outstanding! Coronado is an island in San Diego that’s available by a bridge. The island has o lot to offer in locations, including an infamous hotel from the 1800s known as the Hotel del, but my favorite place has to be the view of downtown San Diego. There is a dock with old-fashioned gaslights and a beautiful beach, all against the stunning backdrop of downtown San Diego. I would highly recommend this spot for couples looking for an urban feel to their engagement photos.

 

 

Roberts Cottages 
This location is a little out of the box, but it’s perfect for couples looking for something whimsical and different. The cottages were built in the late 1920s and are located across the street from the beach. They are quaint, colorful cottages that Wes Anderson would be jealous of.

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About Me

 

Hello! I’m Anastasia,

I’m a professional fine art wedding photographer based in Orange County, California. I spent my formative years studying Art History and fell in with the creative process and drama of renaissance paintings which has informed my work today. I studied photography and majored in Advertising at CSUF and then spending time assisting photographers on commercial and editorial shoots. Randomly, a friend asked me to shoot their wedding for them and I fell in love the process and never looked back.

I believe that great love stories aren’t relegated to the pages of novels or Hollywood, they exist within all of us. That is why I have made it my mission to visualize and express my clients fairytale true love story. What I love most about shooting couples is witnessing the absolute love and joy that they have for one another. Helping my clients share their true love story is one of my favorite things about my job. I aim to create creative imagery that conveys my clients story in a unique and cinematic way. I believe everyone has a story and that those stories should be told through visual imagery, I try to take this philosophy with me when I work on shoots. Weddings are a sublime moment in time for each couple and I hope that people feel that when they look at my work.

 Creating art is my great passion and purpose in life but I also love writing and playing music as well as practicing yoga. When I am not working I’m typically creating fine art works that aim at shining a light on social issues and empowering others. I try to imbue altruism in my works because I believe that art is meant to help people. Art should be made by the people and for the people. I promise, I’m not as pretentious as I sound, in fact I’m a pretty big nerd! I think that everyone should have a little fantasy and romanticism in their day to day lives. That is why I am kind of a nerd, I love art, history, Dungeons and Dragons and all things fantasy and science fiction (in fact, I’m seriously looking forward to Dune!) I also enjoy yoga and meditation and try to workout and hike to maintain an active lifestyle. I hope you find this blog interesting. Feel free to ask me any questions. Thank you for visiting!

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Top 10 Cities for Your Destination Wedding

 

This list is by no means ranked in order of greatness but more of a compilation of the best place in each continent that every bride should look at when considering a destination wedding. Enjoy!

Lake Como, Italy

This is Italy’s largest lake and features several different terrain options for couples. Several Villas are available on the water which adds an old-world charm to this destination. The lake is so otherworldly that Star Wars used parts of it to represent the planet Naboo. 

Paris, France

How could you make a top 10 wedding destinations and not include the love capital of the world? Paris is amazing and has so many options particularly for those couples looking to capture cinematic romance feelings? 

London, England

This destination is a classic and offers a wide variety of options for couples. London offers museums, castles, natural wonders, and an extensive history that all Jane Austen fans will love. Views from the river Thames offer a cityscape that includes an amalgam of old and new architecture that adds character to your nuptials. 

New York City, New York

What’s not to love about this destination? This destination has it all; national museums, parks, history, architecture, and culture. New York City is the cultural capital of America which will add flair and style to your wedding.

Tokyo, Japan

Japan is a trending wedding destination, previously thought to be unavailable to destination weddings japan is trending. Tokyo has so much to offer location-wise as well as entertainment and culture for your guests. The capital city is the perfect amalgam of the old world and the new world japan. It offers an engaging nightlife as well as traditional spiritual shrines and temples like Todai-ji. 

Marrakesh, Morocco 

Marrakech is a beautiful city full of culture and a rich history that dates back to the ancient world. This city offers lush gardens, exciting markets, and traditional architecture that provides an engaging and cultured wedding destination. If you visit check out the Museum of Islamic Art, with its “Majorelle Blue” walls designed by French artist Jacques Majorelle. 

Dubai, United Arab Emirates

This is a fabulous location that’s ultra-modern. This destination is recommended for couples who are looking for an entertainment destination with culture and history. Your guests will be able to enjoy any of the hundreds of  attractions such as; the world’s tallest building, opera house, ski slope, beaches, and an endless amount of shopping. 

Kingston, Jamaica 

This location shouldn’t a surprise as it has become a staple of destination weddings particularly for those couples looking for a beach wedding. This location offers luxurious white sand beaches and vibrant local culture. 

Mendoza, Argentina

Not only is Mendoza stunning it produces some of the best Malbec in the world. This Argentinian city offers stunning views at over 5,000 which makes for an interesting destination.  The city also offers engaging tourist attractions that your guests will love.

Cape Regina, New Zealand

If you looking for a smaller more spiritual wedding then I’d highly recommends the lighthouse at Cape Regina. This venue is where the Maori believed souls departed into the underworld and is therefore a sacred spiritual space. It’s perfect for couples who want a more intimate elopement that provides not only stunning views but a deep spiritual connection to nature and tradition. 

 

 

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Top 10 Traits of Successful Wedding Photographers

 

 

  1. Personality. As a photographer and mainly a wedding photographer, you deal with people all the time. The people you photograph at weddings are not paid talent that knows how to pose; they are average looking people with probably no experience posing for a camera. It is your job to be able to position them and then put them at ease so that you can get an accurate shot from them. 
  2. Humor. This one is not a requirement, but it’s definitely helpful. If you can put your subjects at ease by making them laugh, this will go a long way.
  3. Trustworthiness. This is the most important day for your couples, and they need to know that they can trust you to get the shot right. Being honest, trustworthy, and confident will lead your clients to believe in you and be at ease.
  4. Attitude. What I mean is you should have a go with the flow attitude. Weddings do not occur in a controlled environment where you have time to retake and change things; weddings happen in flux. There are specific shots you need to get, but how and sometimes when and where can vary, and as a photographer, you need to be able to adapt with a positive attitude and not control the situation. Remember, the day is not about you or your craft, it’s about the couple and their experience.
  5. Organization. This is more of a skill rather than a personality trait, but it’s still essential! Being organized and information takes little effort on your part, but it helps you out endlessly. Before each shoot, I write a list of all the equipment I need, a shot list, printed out directions to the venue(this may sound archaic, but you’ll need if you have no service), and any information about the couple or their family dynamic I may need. 
  6. Drive. You have to be willing to do anything to get the shot. Obviously, don’t interrupt the ceremony, but if you have to get on the ground to get a good shoot, you should do it.
  7. Flexibility. Weather can change at a moment’s notice; you have to be prepared for it. Having enough technical camera knowledge will enable you to adapt to any crisis that arises.
  8. Passion. I believe the best people in any profession genuinely love what they do. This love and passion come through in people’s work.
  9. Focus. Having enough focus to single in on the problem 
  10.  Have a detailed Big Picture. As a wedding photographer, you must be able to focus on the small details that make up a wedding, but you also must see the big picture and view the wedding as a whole. This spectrum thinking will allow you to be a successful wedding photographer. 

 

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Top 10 Skills you need to be a Wedding Photographer

  1. Technical skill. This one is obvious but still needs to be stated. The task of shooting a wedding is rigorous and fluid; a photographer must adapt to changes in lighting and setting and be prepared to adapt. A good wedding photographer must know the exposure triangle through and through and be prepared for lighting changes. 
  2. Experience. There are two types of knowledge; knowledge of studying and academic and understanding concepts and the knowledge that comes from learned personal experience. Wedding photography requires a little bit of the former(although you can fake it and get by on intellectual expertise) and many the latter. 
  3. Flexibility. Be able to adapt to any potential situation. 
  4. Make a list. Lists always help me. I try to make a list of equipment, shot list, and locations a week before the wedding. 
  5. Customer service/ people skills. I really missed this one on my first wedding shoot. It never occurred to me to get to know my clients and ask about their family dynamic before shooting. This led to an awkward moment when I realized neither of the bride’s parents could stand to be in the same photo together and wanted separate shots with their respective spouses. Be personable; the whole day is about your bride and groom, so you should get to know them and their family and make them feel like they are your family.
  6. Social media. Social media. Social media. I can’t stress this one enough, Instagram should be your best friend. Having a following and actively engaging with them is integral to your business growth. 
  7. Good website. Now that you have your social media down build a website to direct your followers too. I would recommend viewing other wedding photographers’ sites first to get a feel of what you want your site to look like. Your website should be visually clean yet compelling; like social media, most people only look at your site for 5v seconds; you need to draw potential clients in with the font of your page.
  8. Creativity. I know what you’re thinking, “I’m not creative, I can’t do anything about this one” that’s not true! While yes, some people are more innately creative than others, everyone has the capacity for creative thought, and lucky for all of us, creativity isn’t just an innate “je ne sais quoi” it’s a way of thinking that you can train your brain to do. Forcing yourself to think out of the box will allow you to think and eventually act more creatively; it just takes effort.
  9. Team mentality. Be a team player, especially when you start off assisting. You are just a conduit of expression for your bride and grooms; love for each other. Don’t make the day about you or your work. 
  10. Remember your purpose. Remember what drives you as a photographer and mainly a wedding photographer. I know that what fuels me is my desire to help others through visual expression; I try to remind myself of this on every shoot

 

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