Family and extended family portraits of the people you love most, in carlsbad.
A luxury portrait experience for Carlsbad 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 about 30 minutes north in San Clemente, and Leo Carrillo Ranch Historic Park, with its wild peacocks and Spanish-style adobe buildings, is where I take Carlsbad sessions..
twenty years experience | private san clemente studio | by appointment only
I'm Julie Boucher. The Ladera Ranch Farmers Market at Founders Park is one of my favorite Sunday mornings in Orange County, and it's exactly the kind of easy, unpretentious community feel I try to capture when I photograph families here.
carlsbad
Family Photography in Carlsbad
Leo Carrillo Ranch Historic Park is the reason I make the drive to Carlsbad. It's a 27-acre Spanish-style hacienda built in the 1930s by the actor Leo Carrillo, complete with adobe buildings, gardens, and wild peacocks that still roam the grounds today. It's genuinely one of the more distinctive backdrops I shoot at anywhere in Southern California. Professional sessions require a permit through the City of Carlsbad, along with proof of insurance, and I handle all of that as part of booking.
The Flower Fields at Carlsbad Ranch are the other thing everyone pictures when they think of Carlsbad, fifty-five acres of ranunculus in bloom each spring. I have to be upfront about this one: the Flower Fields only allow their own in-house photographers for professional sessions, so it's not somewhere I can bring your family, no matter how good the light is.
Carlsbad Village is worth a stop either way, boutiques, cafes, and a walkable stretch down to the beach. Cicciotti's comes up again and again as the local favorite for Italian, the kind of place people return to for years.
multi-generational sessions
Extended Family & Legacy Sessions in Carlsbad
Leo Carrillo Ranch's 27 acres give a large group plenty of room to spread across, and the mix of adobe buildings, gardens, and open lawn means a multi-generational family doesn't have to fight over one backdrop.
The permit process takes about two weeks, so if you're planning an extended family session here, it's worth reaching out earlier than you would for most other cities.
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 Carlsbad 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."
nelson family | san clemente
Common Questions
Everything you want to know.
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Do you have a studio in Carlsbad, or do I need to drive to San Clemente?
.pp-rendered ._634d5457-44ab-4cdc-8238-d9f23084d02a#x20;My studio is in San Clemente, about 30 minutes north, technically across the county line into San Diego County. I photograph Carlsbad families on location at Leo Carrillo Ranch, and also in the studio if you'd rather shoot indoors.
Can you photograph a session at the Carlsbad Flower Fields?
.pp-rendered ._634d5457-44ab-4cdc-8238-d9f23084d02a#x20;No. The Flower Fields only allow their own in-house photographers for professional sessions, outside photographers aren't permitted there at all. Leo Carrillo Ranch is a better option if you want a distinctive Carlsbad backdrop.
Do you need a permit to shoot at Leo Carrillo Ranch?
.pp-rendered ._634d5457-44ab-4cdc-8238-d9f23084d02a#x20;Yes. The City of Carlsbad requires a pre-approved permit and proof of insurance for any professional family or portrait photography there, and it takes about two weeks to process. I handle the permit as part of booking your session.
What is the investment for a family session?
.pp-rendered ._634d5457-44ab-4cdc-8238-d9f23084d02a#x20;Sessions start at $395 on weekdays and $495 on weekends. Collections start at $1,590. Most Carlsbad families invest between $2,500 and $10,000 on portraits, wall art, and albums, all reviewed at your consultation.
How far in advance should we book a family session?
.pp-rendered ._634d5457-44ab-4cdc-8238-d9f23084d02a#x20;Most families book four to eight weeks out. 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?
.pp-rendered ._634d5457-44ab-4cdc-8238-d9f23084d02a#x20;Yes. Extended family sessions are one of my specialties, and Leo Carrillo Ranch's 27 acres of adobe buildings, gardens, and open lawn give a large group plenty of room to spread out. [See more on extended family sessions.](https://julieirene.com/extended-family-legacy-portraits-orange-county/)
What's the difference between a family session and an extended family session?
.pp-rendered ._634d5457-44ab-4cdc-8238-d9f23084d02a#x20;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?
.pp-rendered ._634d5457-44ab-4cdc-8238-d9f23084d02a#x20;As many as you're bringing. Extended family sessions in Carlsbad often include grandparents, siblings, and cousins across several generations, and the San Clemente studio is built to comfortably hold a large group. On-location works well too, especially at the Regional Park.
What ages do you photograph for family sessions?
.pp-rendered ._634d5457-44ab-4cdc-8238-d9f23084d02a#x20;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 Mission Viejo.
Julie Irene Photography, a luxury portrait studio in San Clemente, California. Newborn, family, maternity, headshots and personal branding for Orange County
san clemente, ca
Follow @JULIEIRENE
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.
