Inland Empire Engagement Photo Locations
As a SoCal wedding photographer, I've been photographing weddings and engagements since 2021. In that time, I've become intimately familiar with potential engagement photo locations in Southern California. I've become particularly familiar with the places in my home area of the Inland Empire as an Inland Empire wedding photographer. I am therefore an expert at offering personal suggestions for the best engagement when you book your engagement photo sessions with me.
WHERE IS THE INLAND EMPIRE?
The Inland Empire is not an officially defined region of Southern California. It's called the Inland Empire because it's inland of the west coast of Southern California. The city of Temecula marks its southernmost point, and its northernmost point is the Pomona area east of Los Angeles. Some of the area's most popular cities include Riverside, San Bernardino, Chino, Ontario, Fontana, and Redlands. The area I'm most familiar with is between Riverside and Temecula.
ENGAGMENT LOCATON TYPES
As a couple, you can get your engagement photos done at several different places:
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Your Home
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City Parks
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Hiking Trails
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Photo Studios
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Cities
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Historic Buildings
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Wineies
My engagements usually take place in outdoor nature-inspired locations. I'm an absolute sucker for the natural world. I find that outdoor areas make the best, most memorable engagement photos. I plan all my outdoor sessions for the hour before sunset to take advantage of the natural beauty of the light at that time.
OUTDOOR PARK LOCATIONS
California Citrus State Historical Park – Riverside
If there was one thing the Inland Empire was world-famous for, it was the citrus boom of the 1900s, which once made Riverside the wealthiest city in California. The California State Citrus Historical Park explores and pays tribute to California's citrus industry. It's also one of the best spots for engagement photos! There are groves of orange, lemon, palm, and cypress trees, as well as several small buildings that make great photo backdrops. The only drawback to the place is that it closes at 5:00 pm, which makes it challenging to get sunset golden-hour photos in the summertime. It's best for spring and autumn sessions.
UC Riverside Botanic Gardens – Riverside
Another lovely spot with an incredible variety of plants and trees. Different areas in the garden have different themes, from woodland to desert.
It's a popular place with photographers, and I recommend going on a weekday if practical. Also, if you’re looking for sunset light, you won’t be able to do so in the summer, because the garden typically closes at 5:00 pm.
Parking is limited outside the entrance, and you have to pay by meter. I encourage getting there early and walking around before your shoot.
UC Riverside also requires a permit for photography sessions on its property. You pay the permit fee in addition to your session fee. It’s currently $50 and totally worth it for the location.
UC Riverside Botanic Gardens Address: 1 Botanic Gardens Drive, Riverside, CA 92507
You can learn more about UC Riverside Botanic Gardens on their website.
Sycamore Canyon Wilderness Park – Riverside
Sycamore Canyon Wilderness Park is a 1,400+ acre open space connected by trails right in the middle of Riverside. The park has beautiful grassy hillsides and flowers in the spring, and great rock formations that make fantastic backdrops for photos. The park is open from sunrise to sunset and is popular with hikers and outdoor enthusiasts, so watch for many visitors. Parking is free. You’ll want to choose your outfits and shoes carefully because it is on uneven trail ground. If you're committed to going the extra mile, you can get sunset photos with an overview of Riverside and the mountains.
Sycamore Canyon Wilderness Park Address: 400 Central Ave, Riverside, CA 92507
You can check out the park’s website here.
Fairmount Park – Riverside
Fairmount Park is a popular park in East Riverside with attractions such as play structures, a lake, paddle boats, trails, and bridges that make great photo backdrops. This park is bustling on the weekends, and parking can be challenging, although free. This would not be my recommendation for a weekend shoot, so plan for it on an available weekday.
Fairmount Park Address: 2241 Market St Riverside, CA 92501
Prospect Park – Redlands
Prospect Park is an excellent park with large trees, an orange grove, bamboo, and dirt paths, making it a great engagement photo location.
It's a busy, hilly park, so I’d recommend wearing appropriate shoes. There’s a parking lot on-site, or you can take the free option and park along Prospect Drive, then walk up the hill to the park. There is no photography fee here, so it's one of my favorite locations. Always busy on the weekends, so plan for a weekday shoot.
On another note, if you are a gothic couple, this park has a spooky haunted history that might be right up your alley.
Prospect Park Address: 1352 Prospect Dr, Redlands, CA 92373
Read more about Prospect Park on their website.
Dos Lagos Park – Corona
Dos Lagos Park is in Corona, right next to the Shops at Dos Lagos. There’s no parking lot for the park, so I encourage parking at the Citrus City Grill and walking into the mall, turning right, and going up the steps to enter the park.
The best feature of Dos Lagos Park is the bridge, and it's a very popular spot for photos.
Schedule your shoot for weekdays, as it gets crowded on weekends.
If you're in the mood for some holiday-themed photos, during the Christmas season, they have a Christmas tree, nutcrackers, and large ornaments that make a neat background.
Dos Lagos Park: 2765 Lakeshore Dr, Corona, CA 92883
Rose Haven Heritage Garden - Temecula
Rose Haven Heritage Garden is in Temecula and is cared for by a volunteer group. The garden features over a thousand plants and is an excellent location for romantic, colorful photos.
For a map to all the locations mentioned in this article: Click Here!
INLAND EMPIRE WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHER PRICES
Please see my pricing page for up-to-date engagement photo pricing! Have a look at my portfolio too.