For those of you looking for suggestions for a north county family photo location, today is your day. 😉

As a San Diego lifestyle family, maternity, and newborn photographer, I’ve visited and used dozens for locations for sessions, some very popular and others a little more hidden (sshhhh….).

Choosing the right location for your precious photographs is an essential ingredient of their final look & feel, so I’d love to use my expertise to help you decide.

In that spirit, here’s Part 4 in my new blog series, “Everything you Need to Know about Having Your Photo Session at [fill in location here].

To read about other San Diego photo locations I recommend, just click on “Locations” in the category list. On desktop, it’s on the right side of this page 👉🏻; on mobile, scroll to the bottom 👇🏻.

I do hope you find it helpful!

Location #4: This beach in Del Mar

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1) Look and Feel

Unlike many other beaches in San Diego, this north county beach isn’t all sand – it distinguishes itself with large & picturesque rocks and boulders. This gives it a unique look, and lots of visual interest. Plus, things to climb on!

A beach setting is quite versatile when it comes to wardrobe & styling. Go for the always on-point beachy styling (hair down and flowing, casual maxi sundresses, classic dark board shorts on men), or stand out a bit with dressy attire, like a stunning gown complimented by your man in a dress shirt and sharp blazer.

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2) Del Mar Beach: What’s Good

• As I mentioned above, this beach in Del Mar is covered with big boulders, which will add a ton of visual interest (and some drama) to your photos. Plus, it gives the kiddos something to do!
• The bathroom situation: this beach has clean public restrooms located nearby, so… yay!
• Crowds: this beach is long enough that there’s plenty of room to spread out. I photographed this family during a busy weekend evening, and there was lots of space to move without anyone in the background.

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3) Del Mar Beach: What’s Not so Good

• Parking: beaches in San Diego’s north county aren’t famous for their free and plentiful parking, and Del Mar is no exception. If you’re lucky, you can snag some cheap or free street parking. Otherwise, plan to pay at the lot, mercifully located nearby.
• We’re at the mercy of the tides: because it’s a narrow beach, high tide can mean no-go on your photo session, since there won’t be much room. Fortunately, I always check tides far ahead of time, so I’ll schedule your session only when the tide is favorable for your family’s fun beach frolic.

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3) Del Mar Beach: Best Time of Year to Use

The beach works well year round!

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Finally…

If you’re considering choosing this beach in Del Mar as your photography session location but still have questions, feel free to email me at michelle@lovemichellephotography.com. And if you’re loving the warmth & connection coming through my images and would like to know more about booking one of my fun and easy going sessions, inquire here.

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