Family and extended family portraits of the people you love most, in capistrano beach.
A luxury portrait experience for Capistrano Beach families and the multi-generational gatherings worth documenting, twenty years in the making. Every session fully guided, from the first phone call to the portrait on your wall.
My studio is just up the coast in San Clemente, a quick trip down PCH, and I regularly photograph families on location throughout Capistrano Beach, Dana Point, and San Juan Capistrano.
twenty years experience | private san clemente studio | by appointment only
I'm Julie Boucher. My studio is a few minutes up the coast in San Clemente, and Capistrano Beach is one of my favorite places to shoot on location. If you're here, you already know your family is worth documenting properly.
capistrano beach
Family Photography in Capistrano Beach
Capistrano Beach doesn't get the attention that San Clemente or the Dana Point Harbor get, and that's exactly why families who live here like it. It's small, it's quiet, and the light off the water in the late afternoon is some of the best on this whole stretch of coast.
I love shooting near Beach Road, the private stretch of homes built right on the sand between the bluff and the surf. It's not open to the public, but the light along that beach in the early evening is some of the best I've found anywhere on this coast. If you're looking for dinner afterward, Good Choice Sushi by the Sea is my go-to recommendation, tucked into the Capo Surf Center just off PCH. It's the kind of place only people who actually live here know about.
I also photograph families up on the bluffs near Palisades and Capistrano Bluffs, and out at Pines Park, which has some of the best panoramic views of the coastline in Orange County. Whether you're at home in Capo Beach or driving in from San Juan Capistrano or Dana Point, it's an easy trip to my San Clemente studio if you'd rather shoot indoors.
multi-generational sessions
Extended Family & Legacy Sessions in Capistrano Beach
A lot of extended family time in Capistrano Beach happens the same way: someone rents one of the Beach Road houses for a week, and for the first time in years, everyone is under one roof. Grandparents in from out of state, cousins who haven't seen each other since the last wedding, all in the same place at the same time. That's exactly when an extended family session makes the most sense.
These sessions work well right on the beach in front of wherever you're staying, or up on the bluffs at Pines Park if you want the ocean behind you instead of underfoot. Either way, we plan around the tide and the light, not the other way around.
the experience
A guided portrait process.
consultation
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We talk through your vision, your home, what you want on the walls, and the investment up front. No surprises later.
session day
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You arrive at the studio or location. Wardrobe, lighting and posing taken care of. Most clients tell me they were nervous and end up having fun.
ordering & design
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One to two weeks later, you come back to see your images. We choose together what belongs on your wall, in your album and in your hands.
delivery
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Wall art arrives framed and ready to hang. Albums in hand. Matching digital files are yours. Portraits live where they were always meant to in your home.
the investment
No surprises. Discussed up front.
session fee
$395
image collections
$1,590
wall art
$850
Most Capistrano Beach families leave with a wall collection and album — typically between $2,500 and $10,000, with extended family and multi-generational sessions often landing at the higher end given the larger groups and larger art pieces most choose. Every investment is reviewed at your consultation so there are no surprises.
FROM CLIENTS
In their own words.
"Julie is an expert with so much experience, and her studio has every prop, light, and backdrop imaginable. She's a perfectionist who made the whole shoot fun and easy. I'd choose her again in a heartbeat."
morris family | san clemente
"Julie truly is one of the best photographers I've encountered in a very long time. She captured the true essence of our family's love. We shall cherish these for a lifetime."
nelso family | san clemente
Common Questions
Everything you want to know.
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Do you have a studio in Capistrano Beach, or do I need to drive to San Clemente?
My studio is in San Clemente, about ten minutes up the coast. I photograph Capistrano Beach families both in the studio and on location, so you can choose whichever fits your session best.
Do you photograph families on location in Capistrano Beach?
Yes. Beach Road, the bluffs near Palisades, and Pines Park are all regular spots for me. I also shoot in the San Clemente studio if you'd rather have full control over lighting and background.
What is the investment for a family session?
Sessions start at $395 on weekdays and $495 on weekends. Collections start at $1590. Most San Clemente families invest between $2500 and $10,000 on portraits, wall art, and albums, all reviewed at your consultation.
How far in advance should we book a family session?
Most families book four to eight weeks outs. If you have a specific date in mind, family visiting from out of town, or a milestone birthday, book earlier to make sure I have your date.
Do you photograph extended family and multi-generational sessions too?
Yes. Extended family sessions are one of my specialities, especially when family is in town for a visit or a milestone gathering. See more on extended family sessions.
What's the difference between a family session and an extended family session?
A family session is you and your immediate family, parents and kids. An extended family session brings in grandparents, siblings, cousins, and multiple generations at once, which usually calls for a larger location and a different flow, but it's built the same way: fully guided, from consultation to the finished wall art.
How many people can you photograph in an extended family session?
As many as you're bringing. Extended family sessions in San Clemente often include grandparents, siblings, and cousins across several generations, and these usually work best on location rather than in the studio if it is a significantly large group (over 20 people).
What ages do you photograph for family sessions?
All of them. Newborns through teenagers, multiple generations, even the family dog. A family session is built around whoever you're bringing.
My studio is based in San Clemente, and I regularly photograph families throughout South Orange
County including Capistrano Beach.
Julie Irene Photography, a luxury portrait studio in San Clemente, California. Newborn, family, maternity, headshots and personal branding for Orange County
san clemente, ca
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Two summer weekends left available on my calendar. If this is the summer your family is all together, reach out. It doesn`t happen as often as we think it will
#orangecountyphotographer #extendedfamilyphotos #ocfamilyphotographer #sanclementephotographer #legacyportraits
Dr. Christina Jenkins is a board-certified colorectal surgeon who also runs an aesthetic medicine clinic in Irvine. She built both practices around one idea: that patients deserve to feel heard, safe, and genuinely cared for.
She came in a little camera-shy. She left with these.
That`s the job.
She Means Business sessions booking now. Link in bio.
@NuVieMD
#shemeansbusiness #sanclementephotographer #brandingphotographer #ocwomenentrepreneurs #orangecountyphotographer
This is what an extended family session actually looks like before you see the final images.
Two strobes on the beach are a must with this many people if you plan on getting that gorgeous sunset perfect. Twenty-some people in eucalyptus trees requires hauling some stools.
Then you have me trying to get everyone to look the same direction at the same time, which never happens.... but good thing I know how to head swap!
Swipe to the last slide.
That`s the part they actually hang on the wall.
#extendedFamilyPhotography #SanClemente #OrangeCountyPhotographer #familyportraits #southOC
Yesterday I took a mental break. I’ve been dealing with some perimenopause symptoms for the last few years and the worst part of it all has been my sleep.
2am. Wide awake. Again.
my mind goes from thing to thing – nothing important, not one clear thought I could actually grab onto. I’m laying there doing breathing exercises, hoping that will help but sometimes that just makes me more aware that I’m still awake. My heart’s going a little faster than it should be. I’ve read enough about cortisol at this point to understand why, but understanding something and being able to fix it are two different things.
I have been doing everything. Functional medicine appointments, every few months, bloodwork, daily workouts because they’re supposed to help, supplements I could fill a small cabinet with. I just received a cooling mattress pad last week in hopes that will help as well. I cut off all caffeine after 10 AM. Even warm showers at night. Next step I’m gonna consider acupuncture.
Some months are great. Then all of a sudden weeks will go by without one good night sleep.
The thing that nobody told me about Perry menopause is that it’s different for everybody. Nobody hands you and manual, and most of the advice you get doesn’t actually apply to you.
I’m figuring it out. Slowly. Some nights are better than others.
If you’re in the same place, I generally love to know what’s helping you. I’m sharing this for another reason then I know I’m not the only one lying awake at 2 AM doing math and how many hours of sleep I can still get.
The women who book She Means Business sessions are usually the ones who have been doing kick ass things for years and still don`t have images that show for it.
They`ve got speaking gigs, writing books, and clients who trust them — and a headshot from 2016 they`re quietly embarrassed by every time they have to use it.
The session is a full day at my San Clemente studio. Hair and makeup. Multiple looks. Behind-the-scenes footage they can use for their businesses. A feature in the She Means Business Orange County magazine at the end of the campaign. As well as an invitation to the campaign-end Gallery Exhibition.
We still have space for 17 more amazing women. If you`ve been meaning to do this, this is the one for you!
Link in bio to start the conversation.
