Best Bay Area Parks for Family Photography and Outside Portraits
There are so many great parks and outside spaces in the bay area for family portraits and portraits of all kinds! Below are three of my favorite spots in the east bay for photo shoots.
1. Crab Cove. 1252 McKay Ave, Alameda, CA 94501 // Hours Sun - Sat, 5 a.m. - 10 p.m.
Kid friendly crab cove is one at the top of my list for a fun family shoot! The driftwood on the beach and beautiful trees in distance make for some points of interest in photos. There are also boats docked to one side that are cute. And you will often see photographers here just for the many birds that like to hang out here. Bring layers as the wind over the water can be a bit chilly for some of our little ones. On one photoshoot here a child complain how cold it was the whole time but we managed to get some pictures of her laughing too. This was in January though :) In the fall is my favorite time of year there; it is less chilly and you catch some beautiful fall leaves.
Kid Friendly Crab Cove!
2. Albany Bulb. 1 Buchanan St, Albany, CA 94706 // Hours Sun-Sat, 5 a.m. - 10 p.m.
If you want beach, urban art sculptures, trees, and water this place has a lot of options! On the weekends it can get pretty crowded making parking tricky, but it is open every day early till late making it a convenient option for any schedule. I photographed some yoga portraits here that turned out dynamic with many choices for the background. Try standing on one of the hills for a powerful expansive look. It can get pretty bright here during the day so be sure to expose for the highlights or use an ND filter. The space feels huge so take some time to walk around and find your favorite spots.
Yoga at the Albany Bulb.
3. Crab Cove. 1252 McKay Ave, Alameda, CA 94501 // Hours Sun - Sat, 5 a.m. - 10 p.m.
Kid friendly crab cove is one at the top of my list for a fun family shoot! The driftwood on the beach and beautiful trees in distance make for some points of interest in photos. There are also boats docked to one side that are cute. And you will often see photographers here just for the many birds that like to hang out here. Bring layers as the wind over the water can be a bit chilly for some of our little ones. On one photoshoot here a child complain how cold it was the whole time but we managed to get some pictures of her laughing too. This was in January though :) In the fall is my favorite time of year there; it is less chilly and you catch some beautiful fall leaves.
2. Blake Garden. 70 Rincon Rd, Kensington, CA 94707 // Hours Mon-Fri, 8 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
This sprawling garden was originally a private residence but has since become a teaching facility for the UC Berkeley College of Environmental Design. The garden is open to the public during weekdays. There are many lovely spots for portraits here such as some shady ferns with beams of light shining down through the trees, old fashioned buildings with steps to pose on, a lily pond to lounge by, many native plants and trees, and a view of the bay! If you can plan for a weekday shoot, this place is certainly worth the visit!
Blake Garden amidst the ferns with the streams of light through the trees. Lovely lighting.