She leans all the way back with her hair trailing toward the sand, he's holding her, and the sun is coming through the rocks behind them. That's Laguna.


Some beaches give you sand and a horizon. Laguna gives you rocks, coves, cliffs and houses hanging off the hills, and a couple can get lost in all of it for an hour.


Two Spots in Heisler Park


I keep going back to two spots in Heisler Park. I'll keep exactly where to myself, and the park is big enough that you'd have to come with me to find them.

Smiling couple holding hands and walking barefoot along a sunlit beach shoreline with rocky outcrops and ocean waves behind them.
Couple embracing and dancing barefoot on a sunlit beach at golden hour with rocky cliffs and palm trees in the background.
Smiling man in a light button-up shirt gazes warmly at a blurred woman in the foreground on a sunny beach.
Woman with long wavy brown hair blowing in the breeze faces a smiling man on a sunlit beach beside the ocean at golden hour.

An Hour Before Sunset


I like to start about an hour before the sun goes down. That first part is for getting to know the two of you: your vibe, how you talk to each other, how you move together. By the time the light turns gold, I already know what you're like when you're having fun.


The coast here faces west, so the sun sets over the water, and that last stretch of light is what I plan around.


Why I Love Winter


Winter is my favorite. The beaches are emptier, and the light goes soft earlier, which gives us a longer window to work with. It means starting mid-afternoon instead of early evening; between summer and winter, the start time can move by as much as three hours.


The Tide, and Why It Matters Less Than You Think


I always check the tide and plan around it. Sometimes a couple only has certain days and times, and then we work with what we've got.


People think the backdrop is what makes the shot. It isn't. What makes it is the connection between the two of you, in the way you look at each other, the smiles, the laughs, the gestures. When that's there, the background becomes secondary. The location sets the mood and the color tones of the photo that ends up on your wall.

Blurred motion photo of a couple in light clothing walking hand in hand along the shoreline at a sunlit beach with trees in the background.
A couple walks hand in hand along the wet sand of a sunlit beach as gentle waves roll in and swimmers play in the background.

What to Bring to Laguna


  • Time. Parking can be difficult, so come early, and expect to walk a bit to where we meet. There are stairs down to the sand.
  • Bare feet. Shoes off once we hit the sand. Shoes and flip flops rarely look good in a beach shot. Do not expect to wear flip flops on my shoots! Half joking, half serious.
  • Something to drink, and a restroom stop before we start. There are public restrooms, but they're far.
  • Something that means something. A blanket, an oversized sweater, a hat: anything with a story behind it.
  • Go easy on the shine. Shiny jewelry can be distracting, and so can a watch that pulls attention away from your faces and smiles.
  • A towel. You'll probably get wet, not always but often, and sometimes really wet.
  • A yes. Come ready to play along, and to be a kid again, no matter your age. Fun is the best ingredient you can bring.
Couple holding hands and jumping together on a sandy beach at golden hour sunset, with ocean waves and a rock formation behind them.
Smiling couple holding hands and dancing on a sandy beach at sunset with coastal hillside homes in the background.
Smiling couple in a flowing white dress embracing on a sandy beach beside rocky cliffs and gentle ocean waves in warm evening light.
A couple holds hands and splashes barefoot through shallow ocean waves at sunset, with golden light reflecting on the wet sand.

What the Place Does


I tell every couple the same thing: "You guys know each other. Play with each other. This is your moment, I'm just here for the ride." In Laguna, the rocks, the coves and the water do the rest. Then it clicks, and I'm transparent to them.


More of my couples work is here, and more about photographing in Laguna Beach. If you want to get lost in Heisler Park for an hour, tell me about the two of you.


Mariano Alvarez Photography covers events, personal branding, couples and family sessions across Orange County, including Laguna Beach, Newport Beach, Dana Point, San Clemente, Huntington Beach and Irvine. I shoot couples sessions in Laguna and on beaches up and down the coast, with no stiff poses. More about me here.


Ready to get lost in Laguna? Let's talk about it.