Top 5 places to take engagement photos in Santa Barbara
When it comes to Santa Barbara, it’s hard to go wrong picking a spot for your engagement photos. From the gorgeous beaches to the golden mountains, the wide variety of landscapes makes it a truly perfect place to do your engagement session with your wedding photographer. You could be the kind of couple that wants golden fields and the ocean in your engagement photos, or maybe you want want to be in the mountains but still have an ocean view. Whatever it is you’re imagining, Santa Barbara has it!
Of course, if you’re not local to the area or maybe you aren’t sure where you want to take your photos, you may need a little direction. When it comes to picking a location, it can be hard to know where to begin. Read my blog post, How to pick a location for your engagement photos, for ideas on how to start!
If you’re thinking about taking your photos in Santa Barbara, this post is for you!
Best places for engagement photos in Santa Barbara
In this blog post, I’m sharing five of my most popular and favorite spots for engagement photos!
1. Ellwood Bluffs
Ellwood Bluffs has EVERYTHING you could imagine. Beautiful, tall eucalyptus trees, wide open golden fields, bluffs that stretch on for miles, and the beach. This is a great location if you’re wanting a little bit of everything in your engagement photos. In an hour long session, you could start in one outfit running through the fields, and then halfway through switch to a second outfit and splash around in the ocean.
It’s also a relatively accessible location with lots of street parking and clear walking paths. Though, there is a large hill walking up into the location, so if you want heels in your photos, I would recommend bringing a second pair of walking shoes to be safe!
This spot can also get a wide variety of weather, from beautiful golden sunsets to moody, romantic fog. Be prepared to go with the flow when it comes to the weather!
2. Lizard’s Mouth
This is a popular hangout spot for teens and families wanting to watch the sunset over the ocean. It has stunning views of the Santa Barbara coastline mixed with a unique rocky mountain setting. You and your love will have a lot of fun climbing around these rock formations and watching the sunset during your engagement photos.
Again, the terrain is kind of rough, so I highly recommend bringing a pair of walking shoes or flats that you can easily climb in. Cell reception is also spotty, so be sure to coordinate with your photographer in advance and make sure you know where to meet or what care they’ll be driving. This way you don’t waste anytime getting lost or looking for each other!
3. Campus Point
This spot is perfect for couples who went to or met at UC Santa Barbara! This campus-owned beach has stunning bluffs, sandy beaches, and cute little walking paths that make for stunning photos. You can also turn around and snap some photos with UCSB in the background or, if time permitting, skip on over to the campus and take some pictures there too!
This location does require paid parking and is a bit of a walk out to the point, but if you don’t mind a little walking, it’s a beautiful spot for some cute couples photos celebrating this big milestone.
4. Douglas Family Preserve
This is another great location in Santa Barbara, especially if you’re a couple with a dog and want to include them in your session. It has beautiful green foliage, cliff views of Hendry’s Beach, and lots of open spaces for your pup to run around off leash! It’s also a pretty easy to access location with lots of street parking and clear pathways.
If you plan on brining your fur baby with you to your engagement session, read my blog post How to include your dog in your engagement photos for more tips and tricks!
5. Rocky Nook Park
I love this location! It’s a really popular spot with locals and a hidden gem in my opinion. Tucked away near the Santa Barbara Mission and Rose Garden, you’ll find families enjoying barbecues on the weekends here. Walk a little past the picnic area, and you’ll find a walking paths that meander through trees and rock outcroppings. It’s a beautiful and easy area to have your engagement photos taken!
Parking is free and and the spot is a five minute drive from downtown, so you could easily turn your engagement session into a date night for you and your partner!
Santa Barbara is the perfect place for engagement photos
Whether you imagine taking your engagement photos on the beach, in a park, or on top of the mountains, Santa Barbara has what you’re looking for! So think about the vibe you’re interested in, your accessibility needs, and go from there. And if you need more options, don’t hesitate to ask your wedding photographer! They’ll have plenty more recommendations for you—after all, these are just five of my favorite spots.
