Santa Monica Pier + Urban Light Engagement Photos | Southern California Photographer

All of my little west coast photographer dreams came true with this session!

Anne and Anthony – or as I like to call them, Annethony – went on their first date during this session. Complete with cotton candy and golden light streaming from over the ocean, this first date was one for the books!

The Santa Monica Pier is classic – you know it, you love it, you probably wanna visit it. Opening in 1909, the Santa Monica Pier has gone through quite a few facelifts and has made countless appearances in movies, shows, and video games. With fun activities for families like amusement rides and fair-style games up top, space for fishing, and the beach just below that has sand volleyball nets as far as the eye can see, it’s no wonder this spot has been such a staple in the Southern California landscape.

What made this entire experience even better was how kind all of the staff were while we were running around on the pier. We stopped to grab cotton candy at one point but couldn’t find any when an employee saw us looking around like lost puppies. He then went and found some for us, even though no restaurant was advertising it! The street vendors were equally kind and loved watching Anne and Anthony dance around the pier together. To keep the good vibes going, when we walked down below the pier to the water, tons of beach patrons watched us photograph together. When we were under the pier, one person even said, “Those are gonna be some great photos!” I know Southern California can sometimes get a bad rap for their people, but I can honestly say I had a completely opposite experience!

So after we danced along the beach until the sun went down, we headed over to the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, lovingly known as LACMA. The art installation “Urban Light,” created by Chris Burden in 2008, has become a classic in the Los Angeles landscape, so of course we had to stop by. The kicker here is that you have to keep your mask on for covid safety, even if you are taking photos, but we made it work and still got those amazing LACMA engagement photos! We wrapped up the night shortly after – TBD on if this first date will lead to a second one!

Wanna sail away to Southern California for your engagement photos? Get in touch and let’s do this!