Family and extended family portraits of the people you love most, in Lake forest.
A luxury portrait experience for Lake Forest 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 25 minutes south in San Clemente, and Heritage Hill Historical Park is where I take Lake Forest families who want something with real history behind it.
twenty years experience | private san clemente studio | by appointment only
I'm Julie Boucher. Lake Forest wasn't always Lake Forest, it was El Toro until 1991, and neither the lake nor the forest in its new name actually existed until developers built them. That kind of history is exactly what makes Heritage Hill Historical Park worth building a session around.
lake forest
Family Photography in Lake Forest
Lake Forest is one of the more recently named cities in Orange County. Until 1991, it was called El Toro, a stagecoach stop between San Diego and Los Angeles in the 1800s. When residents voted to incorporate, they chose "Lake Forest" instead, named after a stand of eucalyptus trees planted in the early 1900s and two man-made lakes built by developers in the 1960s. Neither the lake nor the forest existed naturally. El Toro High School kept its original name anyway.
Heritage Hill Historical Park is where I take Lake Forest families who want something other than a park lawn. It's four acres maintained by OC Parks with four restored 19th-century buildings, including the 1863 Serrano Adobe, tucked behind a modern shopping center in a way that catches people off guard the first time they see it. Sessions there need a permit like the other OC Parks properties I shoot at, and I handle that as part of booking.
The two lakes the city is named for, Lake Forest Beach and Tennis Club and the Sun and Sail Club, are private amenities for the neighborhoods around them, not public parks, so they're not somewhere I can bring a session unless you live there and have access. For food afterward, Avila's El Ranchito has been a family-run local favorite for decades.
multi-generational sessions
Extended Family & Legacy Sessions in Lake Forest
Heritage Hill's grounds have enough variety, the adobe, the little chapel, the schoolhouse, that a large group can move between backdrops without repeating the same shot for every generation. It works well for families who want something with more character than a plain park lawn.
I handle the permit and plan the timing around your group size, the same as I do at the other OC Parks properties I shoot at.
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 Lake Forest 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 Lake Forest, or do I need to drive to San Clemente?
.pp-rendered ._de484c91-1110-461a-bc0f-78cc06da376a#x20;My studio is in San Clemente, about 25 minutes south. I photograph Lake Forest families on location at Heritage Hill Historical Park, and also in the studio if you'd rather shoot indoors.
Why is Lake Forest called Lake Forest if there's no lake or forest?
.pp-rendered ._de484c91-1110-461a-bc0f-78cc06da376a#x20;There actually is a lake, two of them, plus a stand of eucalyptus trees, but none of it is natural. The city was called El Toro until 1991, when residents voted to rename it after a 1960s housing development built around man-made lakes and planted trees. It's an unusual bit of history, and part of why Heritage Hill Historical Park matters so much here, it's one of the few places that still reflects the city's real past.
Can I take photos at the Lake Forest lakes?
.pp-rendered ._de484c91-1110-461a-bc0f-78cc06da376a#x20;Not generally. Lake I and Lake II are private amenities managed by the neighborhoods around them, not public parks, so they're only accessible if you live there. Heritage Hill Historical Park is the better public option for a session with some real history behind it.
What is the investment for a family session?
.pp-rendered ._de484c91-1110-461a-bc0f-78cc06da376a#x20;Sessions start at $395 on weekdays and $495 on weekends. Collections start at $1,590. Most Lake Forest 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 ._de484c91-1110-461a-bc0f-78cc06da376a#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 ._de484c91-1110-461a-bc0f-78cc06da376a#x20;Yes. Extended family sessions are one of my specialties, and Heritage Hill's grounds have enough variety, the adobe, the chapel, the schoolhouse, that a large group can move between backdrops without repeating the same shot for every generation. [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 ._de484c91-1110-461a-bc0f-78cc06da376a#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 ._de484c91-1110-461a-bc0f-78cc06da376a#x20;As many as you're bringing. Extended family sessions in Lake Forest 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 ._de484c91-1110-461a-bc0f-78cc06da376a#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 Lake Forest.
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.
