Have you ever started something new and thought, this could be it for me? For me, that moment came when I photographed two of my friends in Morro Bay. I’d planned all the poses and walked them through all of the spots on the beach, as it was an area I’d visited many times before and knew well. As I was editing the gallery, I thought: I could really do this.
Since then, I’ve shot at Morro Bay more than anywhere else (and it’s my go-to place to practice surfing before work). When couples come from out of town and ask for help choosing a location, it’s among my first recommendations. We’re absolutely spoiled for beautiful beaches here on the Central Coast, but this one has stayed at the top for me. Here are a couple reasons why:
The Rock is a backdrop that does a lot of heavy lifting
Morro Rock is the remnant of an ancient volcano, a volcanic plug, and it’s still the defining feature of Morro Bay. The rock shows up in a ton of the local advertising. I’ll usually shoot a few close-ups with couples in front of it, then walk back for wider frames that put people in scale of the entire rock. These are maternity photos I took for Sebastian and Julia last month (we also bonded over the fact that they’re from Texas and I lived there for a year!). We started this shoot with them walking on the beach with the rock in the background. In the last part of our shoot I guided them through several poses in front of the rock, and I ended with the entire rock as their backdrop.
No two corners look the same.
The rock itself is just the start. There are the waves, the dunes, and stacks that I use to frame people. Many beaches are almost entirely flat. The dunes are my favorite near the end of the day, when a lowering sun creates long wavy shadows. There’s life in the background too: birds often fly overhead, and every once in a while, sea lions come out near the rock while we shoot. We usually head to the dunes mid-session for the sitting shots: leaning into each other, one head resting in the other’s lap, then a walk back down toward the water when the light has changed.
Wind ends up being a feature.
This area can be windy, and I recommend checking the forecast beforehand as much as checking for sun and rain. People should have an idea of what it’ll be like going in. Yes, it can get windy, and no, it won’t ruin photos. I have found that movement is what makes a shoot feel real instead of stiff, and wind gives us that for free – hair moving, a dress catching the breeze, waves going behind you. Good prompting is especially important, because positioning is everything in the wind. I do recommend bringing a light jacket or sweater to throw on between takes, because the breeze can make things chilly.
Light is worth planning around.
Morning is my favorite time, the lighting here is soft, even, and often pink-toned. At sunset, you get a warm yellow color and reflections off the water. Every time of year works here – in summer I bring couples out around 7 p.m., and in winter closer to 4 p.m. Any outdoor shoot means watching the weather, but we’re lucky on this stretch of coast: it rarely rains, and unlike in Pismo (my home), there’s far less chance of fog rolling in. If it’s a morning session, I recommend getting coffee and a pastry at Scout in downtown Morro beforehand. For something closer and no-frills, La Parisienne is where I always stop for a baked good after surfing. If we’re shooting in the evening, the food and the vibe at Beerwood afterward are great.
It’s easy to get to — moonscape parking and all.
Morro Rock is a huge, easy-to-find landmark with parking right beside it, and the beach is just a few steps down. Fair warning: the lot itself feels a little like driving on the moon, so take it slow. The first time I pulled in with my Corolla, I had some big questions. But that’s the only catch. The harbor side is a lovely walk if you want to make a day of it, though most of my sessions run about an hour and I’d rather spend every minute of it right on the ocean. Because it’s such a short walk from the car to the sand, I have most couples do the whole shoot barefoot. We move from water to dunes without anyone needing to worry about their shoes. I shoot barefoot myself (I got tired of hunting for mine afterward), and I think it just adds to the vibe.
“I highly recommend choosing Clara to be your photographer! We had such a lovely experience with our photo shoot. She made the whole session feel relaxed, personal, and genuinely fun. Clara knows the area well and how to capture the light perfectly. We couldn’t be happier with how everything turned out — looking forward to having these prints in my home!”
If a spot like this feels like your kind of place, I’d love to be the one behind the camera.
