Let’s talk about ALL the things you need to know for your Little Corona Del Mar Beach engagement photos in Newport Beach, CA!

First things first, here’s where we’re going kids. Nestled in between Corona Del Mar and Crystal Cove State Park is the star of our show. She’s little, but she’s mighty and you’ll see why!

As an engagement shoot location, Little Corona Del Mar Beach is ideal.

• We can shoot from lots of different directions.
• There’s ample space to move around.
• Cliffs and rocks, my friends. We love cliffy, rocky beaches!

Don’t stop scrolling now. I’ll keep the party going and discuss parking, what to wear, and general expectations for your engagement photoshoot.

What’s the parking situation?

Great question. I, too, have parking anxiety. It comes with the territory of living in Southern California!

Short answer: You’ll need to park on the street.

Corona Del Mar (the big one) has a dedicated paid lot, but you’ll need to find street parking for your Little Corona Del Mar engagement photoshoot. I’d recommend parking on Poppy Avenue or Hazel Drive and then walking down. The walkway is paved with asphalt, but it’s pretty steep. It’s not a hike by any means, but it may not be suitable for those with mobility difficulties. There are concrete steps as well as the paved incline leading to the sand. So if your grandma has bad knees I’d recommend a different beach for sure!

What should we wear?

This is my favorite rule of thumb for picking out what to wear – for simple locations (like a wide open, empty beach) lean into color and patterns! For busy locations (like this rocky, cliffy beach), keep things simple in neutrals.

I want your engagement photos to be focused on you! One way to keep that focus is to embrace contrast. These Little Corona Del Mar Engagement photos are a perfect example. Kortney and Ammon really stand out from the brown rocks in all-white! The same is true in this photo – my clients stand out in dark colors/patterns against a bright and light beach.

When in doubt, I’m more than happy to help you figure out what to wear!

What time will we shoot?

Plan to meet an hour and a half before sunset! Sunset time changes throughout the year, so I’ll send over an email with the exact time right before your engagement photo session. However, in some circumstances I’ll recommend shooting in the morning! If we know the beach will be especially busy (i.e. a holiday weekend) I’ll typically recommend to shoot at sunrise.

What if my hair doesn’t stay put during my Little Corona Del Mar engagement photo session?

So. Here are my two (actually three!) cents on the wind.

Firstly, I’d let go of expectations that your hair will stay perfectly flat the entire shoot.

Secondly, I would choose a hairstyle that will work with the wind. Something like this or this or this. Leaving your hair completely down or going for a half-up half-down situation is typically the way to go. I see a problem arise when clients choose a hairstyle that has to be rigidly one way and if it gets budged then the whole look is ruined. That’s where clients get worried and sometimes feel stressed.

Lastly, the wind always adds a romantic vibe to your photos! I’ve never had a shoot be ruined by wind because I use it to add an extra interesting element to the session. So if it’s windy, don’t stress! We’ll face you towards the wind and you’ll look great, I promise.

And that’s it! That’s what you need to know for your engagement photos at Little Corona Del Mar Beach in Newport Beach, CA! If you have any questions, head over to my contact form.

Looking for something a little different? Check out my how-to guide on Glamis Sand Dunes.

Katie B Creative is a Southern California wedding photographer specializing in bright and true-to-tone imagery.