My studio is 30 minutes south in San Clemente, and Jeffrey Open Space is one of my regular spots for sessions on location in Irvine.

I'm Julie Boucher. Irvine is a bit of a drive from my San Clemente studio, but Jeffrey Open Space Trail alone makes it worth the trip. It's become one of my favorite places to shoot in all of Irvine for family and extended family sessions.
Family Photography in Irvine
Jeffrey Open Space Trail is where almost every one of my Irvine sessions happens. It has a stone tunnel, sycamore groves, a creek bed, and large boulders right near the parking lot, so we get real variety, tunnel shots, tree-lined paths, rustic wooden fences, without a long walk between them. That accessibility matters more than people expect, especially for sessions that include grandparents or toddlers who can't handle a hike to get the shot.
If you're looking for food or shopping before or after your session, Irvine Spectrum is the easy answer. I don't shoot sessions there, the crowds and the setting don't lend themselves to portraits, but it's a genuinely good spot to grab dinner or browse the shops once we're done.
My studio in San Clemente is about 30 minutes south if you'd rather shoot indoors instead of making the trip out to a park.
Extended Family & Legacy Sessions in Dana Point
Jeffrey Open Space Trail is genuinely one of the better spots in Orange County for a large group, not just a convenient one. The open meadows near the entrance mean grandparents don't have to walk far, while the trail and creek bed give kids room to explore once the formal shots are done.
If your extended family is spread out and Irvine is the place everyone can actually get to, that flat, accessible layout is exactly why this park works better than most for a big group.
We talk through your vision, your home, what you want on the walls, and the investment up front. No surprises later.
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.
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.
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.
Most Irvine 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.
"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."
"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."
Everything you want to know.
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My studio is in San Clemente, about 30 minutes south. I photograph Irvine families on location, most often at Jeffrey Open Space Trail, and also in the studio if you'd rather skip driving out to a park.
No, I don't shoot sessions at Irvine Spectrum. It's a great spot to grab dinner or do some shopping before or after your session, but for the actual portraits, Jeffrey Open Space Trail is a much better backdrop.
It has a stone tunnel, sycamore groves, a creek bed, and large boulders right near the parking lot, so we get real variety without a long walk. That accessibility also makes it one of my favorite spots for sessions that include grandparents or younger kids who can't handle a long hike.
Sessions start at $395 on weekdays and $495 on weekends. Collections start at $1,590. Most Irvine families invest between $2,500 and $10,000 on portraits, wall art, and albums, all reviewed at your consultation.
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.
Yes. Extended family sessions are one of my specialties, and Jeffrey Open Space Trail works especially well for larger, multi-generational groups since it's flat, accessible, and close to parking. See more on extended family sessions.
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. Both work in the studio or on location, and both are built the same way: fully guided, from consultation to the finished wall art.
As many as you're bringing. Extended family sessions in Irvine often include grandparents, siblings, and cousins across several generations, and Jeffrey Open Space Trail's open meadows give a large group plenty of room. The San Clemente studio is also built to comfortably hold a large group.
All of them, together. 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 Irvine.
Julie Irene Photography, a luxury portrait studio in San Clemente, California. Newborn, family, maternity, headshots and personal branding for Orange County
san clemente, ca
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.