A Venice Portrait Session That the City Styled Itself

Posted on by kikipolo

Full-length portrait of a young woman in a black top and distressed jeans smiling in front of a colorful heart graffiti mural wall in Los Angeles, California, portrait photography by Kiki Polo Photography  Close-up headshot of a young woman with long dark hair, delicate drop earrings, and a gold necklace against a colorful painted mural wall in Los Angeles, California, portrait photography by Kiki Polo Photography  Three-quarter portrait of a young woman with long dark hair and green earrings smiling against a colorful mural wall in West Los Angeles, California, portrait photography by Kiki Polo Photography   Santa Monica headshot portrait photographer Kiki Polo Photography

Some sessions plan themselves. This one did.

My client wanted headshots that did not feel like headshots. Professional but not stiff. Something she could actually use on LinkedIn without cringing at it six months later.

We landed on Venice. I always land on Venice.

The mural wall was not the plan. We walked past it and that was it. We shot close-up headshots there, then three-quarter frames, then full-length. Then moved to a second spot with more green for something softer.

Los Angeles does this. You just have to show up and pay attention.

The carousel on Instagram shows how different each frame feels while still reading as one session. That range is the whole point. One shoot, and she walked away with a LinkedIn photo, a website header, and something real for social.

I shoot portraits and headshots on location throughout West Los Angeles, including Santa Monica, Venice, Beverly Hills, and Malibu. Reach out through the contact page when you are ready.

Best Portrait Locations in Santa Monica for Photography

Posted on by kikipolo

Portrait photography at Palisades Park Santa Monica

Santa Monica is one of my favorite areas in Los Angeles for portrait photography because there are so many different backgrounds within a short distance. One of the locations I often recommend for portrait sessions is Palisades Park on the north end of Santa Monica. It overlooks the ocean and has a lot of variety for photos in one area.

Santa Monica portrait photography location Palisades Park

Palisades Park is great because it has a mix of greenery, large trees, walking paths, ocean views, and open areas with palm trees. There are also areas with shade, which can be really helpful for portraits, especially during the middle of the day. The light through the trees can be really beautiful and soft, which works well for portraits and branding photography.

Another nice area in the park is the rose garden, which adds a different look to the photos compared to the beach or streets nearby. Depending on the time of year, the roses can be in bloom and add color and texture to the photos. We can also sometimes find bougainvillea nearby, which makes a really great background for portraits because of the color and texture.

One of the reasons I like photographing portrait sessions in Santa Monica is that we can often get several different looks in one session without driving to multiple locations. We can start in the park with greenery and trees, then walk toward areas with palm trees or ocean views. This gives clients a lot of variety in their photos from one session.

Headshots Santa Monica Palisades Park

Santa Monica works well for many types of photography sessions including personal portraits, professional photos, headshots, and branding photography. Many people want photos that feel natural and relaxed rather than studio photos, and outdoor locations like Palisades Park are great for that.

I photograph portrait and branding sessions throughout Santa Monica and Los Angeles including Venice, Culver City, and the South Bay. If you are looking for portrait photography in Santa Monica or Los Angeles, outdoor locations like Palisades Park are a great option. You can see more of my portrait photography on my website, here.

If you are interested in scheduling a portrait or branding session in Santa Monica or Los Angeles, you can contact me here.