If you are looking for a location for your photo session (which if you clicked on this article you probably are LOL) you are absolutely going to want to keep reading! (especially if you want locations that are not the beach!!!!!)

So if you live in Ventura County, then you know all about the storms that hit the beaches in December of 2023. Massive rain storms caused massive amounts of destruction to the beautiful beaches, causing a surplus of rocks and sticks, removing large quantities of sand, and even overflowing into the communities built by the water. It has been absolutely devastating to watch as a Ventura County resident, and as an artist living in the area. Before this my FAVORITE spots to shoot were on the beach. The sunsets here just hit different and I absolutely loved how magical it felt. Now though, with the beaches in the condition they are in it is hard to find good spots for photos (aka aren’t covered in sticks or rocks or completely decimated) where there also aren’t a million and one other people trying to find the few good photo spots left after the storms. 

And even when the conditions are normal, choosing a spot for photos can be so stressful. Like this is the backdrop for how your milestones will be captured. It is a lot to think about. And when you have absolutely no idea what exactly you want (been there) it can honestly be 10X harder because every option looks like a good option. Like how do you even choose?!??!?!

Don’t worry bestie, I am here to help! If you are reading this right now and you are thinking to yourself “omg omg omg I have no idea where I want my photos taken” you are going to want to keep reading because I am coming at you with my top five favorite photo locations in Ventura County that aren’t the beach! That way you don’t have to sacrifice your dream photos just because the beaches are a little messy (or maybe you just don’t like the beach, then this is definitely for your LOL). 

First Location: Ojai Meadow Preserve (Ojai, CA) 

This is one of my favorite spots to shoot at! Located a little off the 33 next to Nordhoff High School, it features open fields, a cute little creek, lots of oak trees, and a cute little cluster of eucalyptus trees! My favorite part about this spot is that as the seasons change it changes too, so everytime you go it could look completely different. The light there in the late afternoon is so beautiful as the sunsets over the mountains, golden hour is so golden, it’s beautiful! It is an absolute favorite of mine for family and maternity sessions! 

The only thing is that at this park you have to stay on the trails in order to protect the plants and wildlife, so that can be a downside, but it doesn’t at all limit how gorgeous the photos we take will be. 

Second location: Heritage Square (Oxnard, CA) 

If you love cute shops and Victorian style houses then this is the perfect spot for you! It is very fun and quirky, without taking the focus away from you (aka the star of the photos)! It is about 10 minutes off the 101 and has plenty of street parking around the square. It is also not too busy on weekday mornings so that is the perfect time to go if you are thinking about doing your session there but want to avoid the crowds! There is a lot of effort put into keeping the square looking nice and pristine so you never have to worry about it looking run down or dirty, it is honestly so cute and a favorite spot of mine!

Third location: Ventura River Preserve (Ojai, CA)

Located in the heart of Ojai after about 15 minutes of driving through some windy neighborhoods lies the Ventura River preserve. Featuring fun (and not so fun, more on this in a second) wild life, lush greenery, and plenty of fun backdrops for photos, it is truly a work of art. I seriously want to cry everytime I go there because it is so beautiful. It is never that crowded because it can be a little challenging to get to if you don’t know the way, so you will mostly find locals riding horses or going on hikes on the different trails. 

Once the weather gets warm though, it is known for its rattlesnakes that is something to look out for. And once the sun starts to go down it is not uncommon to spot mountain lions due to that being their primary feeding time. I would probably only recommend this location in the late fall the early spring months to avoid any serious wildlife sightings, plus that time of year has the most water in the river bed so that is a plus!

Fourth location: Douglas Family Preserve (Santa Barbara, CA) 

Okayyyy so this place isn’t technically in Ventura County, but it’s SO CUTE so I had to include it of course!! Just think- gorgeous trees with paths leading through them that come out at an open space on the cliffs overlooking the stunning pacific ocean. Oh and did I mention the eucalyptus trees bordering the cliffs?!?!?! This is the perfect place to go for golden hour photos because the way the light filters through the trees is breathtaking! There is something for everyone at this spot, and people are always walking their dogs here so there is almost always a cute lil pupper to stop and pet! 

Last location: Ventura City Hall (Ventura, CA)

This is one of my favorite locations for couples sessions- especially elegant, luxury, more bridal style ones! If you love historic touches and beautiful white marble this is the perfect spot for you! You can also see the ocean and some of the channel islands from here, so the session vibes are just immaculate. And it’s located in Downtown Ventura, so after your session you can head down and grab some delicious food (because the thing about Ventura is that every restaurant here is amazing). 

There are of course so many perfect spots to take photos at around and within Ventura County, and whatever you are envisioning for your photos THERE IS A SPOT FOR YOU! And hopefully these spots will hold us over until the beaches are back to their normal gorgeous perfection! 

If you want more information about these spots, or are reading one of these descriptions and thinking to yourself YES THIS IS PERFECT, don’t be afraid to reach out! You can click here to go to my booking page where I am more than happy to chat over the different options with you and help you plan the session of your dreams!