If you search Santa Cruz elopement, you will no doubt find lots of images of Shark Fin Cove. It is indeed a beautiful location with a very unique topography. The rock is cool, the cliffs are cool, the waves crash right on the small beach. Sadly, there’s a side to shark fin cove that you won’t see in those beautiful instagram photos. You won’t see them in my galleries either because I am to capture its natural beauty. Most of the surrounding cliff walls are covered in graffiti. The beach itself is the most trashed beach in the area. It is incredibly sad. I try to pick up as much trash as I can after I shoot there. I always wonder how it got this out of hand.
With that said, this beach is very unique and seriously beautiful. I hope one day it will be cleaned up. I hope that people will stop trashing it. I definitely still love shooting there, but it can be a bit of a shock if you haven’t been there in person and only see beautiful IG posts.
It was my biggest pleasure to work with Haley and Jazz on this beautiful couple’s session in Santa Cruz. Any chance I get to shoot here I take! It’s less than an hour away from the beautiful Big Sur coast but so very different. The cliffs are stunning, but the colors light and tones are totally different. Less rugged, more refined and grand? It’s hard to describe. You just have to see it for yourself. If you are planning a Santa Cruz Elopement, I would love to share similar and less crowded options nearby as well. Northern California coastline is perfection, only second to maybe the Oregon and Washington Coast.
Gorgeous dress for Topaz and Thread