Wesley D Photography · Los Angeles
Los Angeles
Family Photo Locations
Los Angeles has a different kind of magic — iconic piers, ocean breeze, palm-lined boardwalks, and architecture that doubles as art. Here are my favorite spots.
Scroll down to find your perfect backdrop. — Daniel Wesley
From sun-soaked beaches and classic California piers to canals and world-class architecture, these are the LA locations I love shooting in — each one offering its own light, its own personality, and its own kind of story.
Just browsing? That's totally okay.
Hey, I'm Daniel — the photographer behind all of this.
Whether you're planning a session, scouting ideas, or just love finding hidden gems around Orange County — welcome. These are my favorite spots. If you ever want someone to actually photograph you in one of them, I'd love that too.
Category
Beaches & Piers
Sun, salt, and that classic Southern California glow.
LA's coastline is iconic for a reason. Wide stretches of sand, piers that turn golden at sunset, and that effortless beach-town energy that shows up in every frame. Whether you want classic California or something a little more eclectic, the Westside and South Bay deliver some of the best coastal backdrops in the state.
Manhattan Beach Pier
Manhattan Beach
Polished, picturesque, and full of that easy South Bay charm. The pier itself is short and sculptural — perfect for clean compositions — and the sand stretches wide on either side. Surfers in the water, beach cruisers along the strand, and golden hour that feels almost engineered for photographs. A reliable favorite.
Santa Monica Pier
Santa Monica
Probably the most recognizable pier in the world — and for good reason. The Ferris wheel, the vintage signage, the wide stretch of sand, the palm trees lining the bluffs above. Santa Monica Pier brings cinematic energy in every direction. Bright, lively, and unmistakably LA.
Torrance Beach
Torrance
Wide, uncrowded, and quietly beautiful. Torrance Beach has a slower pace than its more famous neighbors — soft sand, gentle bluffs, and clear views down the coast. The kind of place where you can actually breathe, let the kids wander, and just be. Locals know. Photos here feel relaxed because the place is.
Venice Canals & Pier
Venice
Two locations in one — and both unforgettable. The Venice Canals feel like a quiet European tucked-away neighborhood, with arched footbridges, charming homes, and water that mirrors the sky. A short walk away, the pier and boardwalk bring a totally different energy: palm trees, painted murals, and that creative, free-spirited Venice character. The variety here is unbeatable.
Category
Urban & Architecture
Bold lines, artistic edges, and unmistakably LA.
For those who want something with a little more visual punch — clean architecture, artistic backdrops, and that distinct LA aesthetic. These spots offer something you simply can't find at the beach.
Echo Park Lake
Los Angeles
A storybook stretch of LA — palm trees mirrored in the water, lotus blossoms in summer, the iconic boathouse, and the downtown skyline rising in the distance. Echo Park Lake offers more variety than most parks twice its size: shaded paths, open lawns, swan boats on the water, and a fountain that catches golden hour beautifully. Quintessential Los Angeles in every direction.
LACMA
Los Angeles
Chris Burden's Urban Light installation — those 202 restored cast-iron streetlamps — is one of the most photographed spots in Los Angeles, and standing inside it is even better than you'd expect. Clean lines, dramatic symmetry, and that unmistakable LA art-and-culture energy. Especially magical at dusk when the lamps switch on. Editorial, modern, and genuinely iconic.
Your Idea
Don't see your spot? Bring it.
This list is just the beginning — the LA spots I've shot at and loved. But Los Angeles is massive, and there's a good chance your favorite place isn't on here yet. I'm completely game to explore.
Got a neighborhood that means something to you? A rooftop you've been eyeing, a park you grew up running around in, a stretch of coast that feels like yours? Let's go. The best location is almost always the one that feels the most like you — and I'm always up for somewhere new.
Tell me about your spot →A few ideas to get you thinking
- Griffith Park or the Observatory
- A Malibu beach or canyon
- Downtown rooftops or alleys
- Pasadena or San Gabriel architecture
- Your favorite hiking trail
- The park where your kids always want to go
- A neighborhood street that feels like home
- Anywhere in LA that feels like your family
Wesley D Photography
Real moments. Honestly told.
Five LA locations to start. More to come — and I'd love to add yours to the list. Whenever you're ready, I'm here.