Hidden gems in the Bay Area; hiking and photoshoot locations
Locations from the North Bay to the South Bay to fulfill your hiking and creative needs! Take a dip in the ocean or explore the surrounding areas!
Poplar beach half moon bay (if you walk to the left of the parking lot there’s magical bridges and cliff side views and tree tunnels
Parking https://maps.apple.com/?address=102%20Poplar%20St,%20Half%20Moon%20Bay,%20CA%2094019,%20United%20States&auid=18025427224083190289&ll=37.455110,-122.443732&lsp=9902&q=Parking&t=m
Reinhardt redwood park, there is street parking way before the park and a trail that I reccomend, but the park is good too. The trail will be on the left about a mile before the park.
Reinhardt Redwood Regional Park https://maps.apple.com/?address=7867%20Redwood%20Rd,%20Oakland,%20CA%2094619,%20United%20States&auid=16850622716877148972&ll=37.814242,-122.165616&lsp=9902&q=Reinhardt%20Redwood%20Regional%20Park&t=m
At lands end/sutero baths there is a hiking trail and you can find mile rock beach, perfect for picnics
Mile Rock Beach https://maps.apple.com/?address=San%20Francisco,%20CA%2094121,%20United%20States&auid=5753185711434021395&ll=37.787335,-122.506095&lsp=9902&q=Mile%20Rock%20Beach&t=m
Balboa natural area
Balboa Natural Area https://maps.apple.com/?address=Sutro%20Dunes%20Trail,%20San%20Francisco,%20CA%20%2094121,%20United%20States&auid=5360756854095316413&ll=37.775913,-122.511039&lsp=9902&q=Balboa%20Natural%20Area&t=m
Indian, hearts desire, and pebble beach trails Inverness ca great for swimming, hiking, bbq’ing and family friendly fun I believe there is even raft rentals during summer
Heart's Desire Beach https://maps.apple.com/?address=Inverness,%20CA%2094937,%20United%20States&auid=14365173897937011159&ll=38.132486,-122.892607&lsp=9902&q=Heart%27s%20Desire%20Beach&t=m
Point Reyes ship wreck fun exploring for the family
Point Reyes Shipwreck https://maps.apple.com/?address=12781%20Sir%20Francis%20Drake%20Blvd,%20Inverness,%20CA%20%2094937,%20United%20States&auid=13696184674102000916&ll=38.097863,-122.850792&lsp=9902&q=Point%20Reyes%20Shipwreck&t=m
Bean hallow state beach
Bean Hollow State Beach https://maps.apple.com/?address=11291%E2%80%9311415%20Cabrillo%20Hwy,%20CA%20%2094060,%20United%20States&auid=4132506428519366501&ll=37.226510,-122.409850&lsp=9902&q=Bean%20Hollow%20State%20Beach&t=m
Tide pools pescadero
Tide Pools https://maps.apple.com/?address=Cabrillo%20Hwy%201,%20Pescadero,%20CA%2094060,%20United%20States&auid=4197741940882708321&ll=37.231507,-122.412114&lsp=9902&q=Tide%20Pools&t=m
Arroyo de los frijoles trail
Arroyo de los Frijoles Trail https://maps.apple.com/?address=Arroyo%20de%20los%20Frijoles%20Trail,%20Pescadero,%20CA%20%2094060,%20United%20States&auid=9822049724956588020&ll=37.233481,-122.415278&lsp=9902&q=Arroyo%20de%20los%20Frijoles%20Trail&t=m
Pescadero state beach cliff side look out
The great spirit path: great for hiking, exploring, and biking https://maps.apple.com/?address=Menlo%20Park,%20CA%2094025,%20United%20States&auid=6230614349669930376&ll=37.491983,-122.177405&lsp=9902&q=The%20Great%20Spirit%20Path&t=m
How to work with real models as a beginner photographer
Want to watch this as a video instead? Subscribe to my youtube and watch this video here!
Step one: Build some sort of portrait portfolio! Ask your friends and family if you can use them as models. If none of your friends and family are willing to work with you, or if they just aren’t cutting it anymore, head over to facebook! You’re going to search up your location and model and photographer groups! You’re then going to do what we call a “model call.” You will post what type of photoshoot you want to do, within what time frame, the type of model you want to work with, and in what locations.
Step two: Find Agencies! This part is super easy, all you have to do is do a quick google search and then go to the agency websites and find an email, a new faces or director email to reach out to!
step three: Email the Agencies! Here is exactly what I said in my email, just insert your own info!
Hello so and so,
I’m Alexandria, a Bay Area local photographer specializing in outdoor boudoir and swimwear portraiture. I would love the opportunity to test shoot with a few of your new faces, preferrably adult female.
I am available from this date to this date and am planning the locations to be at either this place or this place. I can provide some wardrobe depending on sizing.
Thank you for your time and consideration,
Alexandria Denison
Photographer
Then I inserted some of my best photos!
And that is how I got over 100 options of models in my area to collaborate with!
What To Wear To Your Photoshoot: Building Your Portfolio As A Model
Building your portfolio as a model is difficult, especially if you don’t know where to start! The good news is, the best place to start is probably the most simple!
Most agencies looking for new faces want to see you in your raw form, this means keeping thing extremely simple. Your first photoshoot should be simple with a black or white tank top, jeans or matching pants, and simple tenni shoes. This doesn’t have to be done in a studio, you can do this outside in even shade and against a wall! If you have hair it should be down to start so that they can see your natural hair and then slick it back so that they can see the full shape of your face. You should get multiple angles of the front and back so that they are able to see all sides of you!
After your first very simple photoshoot, you should still keep things pretty simple. I like to think of a theme and re-create it but not right on the nose, like my little mermaid inspired photoshoot. It alludes to it just enough but isn’t too much.
You Don’t need a whole wardrobe, you just need basics! You can build your wardrobe as you go, a lot of models and photographers build up their wardrobe by shopping sales or thrift stores!
This all might sound sooo simple, but it’s true! If you want more help becoming a model or a photographer, check out my youtube channel! Click here
An underrated San Francisco Beach: Fort Funston
Fort Funston is an underrated beach with hiking paths, outlooks, cliffside views, and beach access great for regular day use, exercise, and photoshoots. It is safe, clean, free access and parking, and has cell reception. There are no formal restrooms, however, there are porta-poties!
Abigail Barker photographed by Alexandria Denison March 2024 on a hill at Fort Funston
Whether you are searching for a great beach without having to drive through San Francisco, just to enjoy the sunshine that is coming out, to celebrate a birthday, or for a photoshoot, Fort Funston is highly underrated and should be utilized more often!
Just south of San Francisco is Fort Funston, it sits just on the edge of the city and right before some colorful pink and yellow houses. And right next to Fort Funston is a beautiful coastal trail, this is why I think that Fort Funston is really underrated as a tourist attraction or even as a bay area local favorite!
Fort Funston features free parking, an observation deck, and multiple trails; three of which lead to the beach below. In addition to the views and hiking trails, visitors are encouraged to interact with nature as you can volunteer at the green house, go paragliding if you’re able, and there’s even a designated dog park marked off by cones! Dogs are welcome in the rest of the park as long as they are leashed!
This is also one of my favorite places to do photoshoots, since it is still a diamond in the rough and not as well known as other spots! Not only that, but SF’s Fort Funston has a unique landscape that is beautiful to photograph and worth a trip on its own!
Just down the street is another little parking lot where you will find Battery Davis trail, this is more of street parking, but here you will also find the Funston Horse trail if you are a horse fan, I say it is worth bringing out your big furry friend too!
Did I forget to mention that it is safe, clean, free to park and enter, and has perfect cell reception? I have been to this beach multiple times and have never seen a homeless person, very little trash, and there are porta-potties. I just recommend bringing your own hand sanitizer for after using the restroom!
Fort Funston is located on Skyline BLVD right across from the SF police dpt pistol rance and right next to lake merced, so maybe go take a trip to the lake merced boathouse after hiking around Fort Funston and getting your photoshoot done?
I mentioned that I love doing photoshoots here! Below you can see some of the photo shoots I’ve done at Fort Funston, and if you’re interested in booking, feel free to reach out by clicking here! Also, if you want to see more of my work, please follow me on Instagram. Want to keep reading? Lets go here!
Wondering how to become a model in San Francisco, Oakland, or the California Bay Area? I have a solution for you!
Wondering how to become a model in the bay area? I know how and in my model rep program I will teach you everything 10 years in the photography industry has taught me from what to wear, how to act, how to pose, to key words and tools you will need to get into the modeling industry!
Want to be a model but don’t know where to start? I do!
I’m not going to waste your time asking if you’ve been dreaming about being a model; if you have flipped through magazines at check out at the store; or if you follow all the top publishers and model agencies hoping to get noticed; the truth is, I already know you do, because if you didn’t do at least one of those things, you wouldn’t be here! And honestly, if at one point I didn’t either, I wouldn’t be writing this for you either!
No, I’m not going to waste your time, so let me introduce myself; I’m Alexandria, but since we will most likely be getting to know each other in the coming months, you can call me Alex! I’m a photographer, a female photographer!!! And I have over ten years of experience in directing women at all levels of modeling experience from no experience and no intention of becoming a model to real-life-already-been-published models! My whole goal with my photography is to help women of all ages, sizes, ethnicities, religious backgrounds, and belief systems to feel amazing while in front of the camera and to feel beautiful after seeing the outcome! In other words, my whole goal is to make women like you feel amazing while feeling comfortable and safe!
Okay, okay, I did say I wouldn’t waste your time, it’s just, I am sooooo excited to tell you about this amazing opportunity I have for you to get into the modeling world while building your portfolio, learning about modeling, improving your modeling, and making friends!!! By the end of the year, you’ll have learned all about being a model and have built a portfolio to present to agencies and recruiters! So what is this? Well… Its a really cool team I’ve decided to put together and I’m calling it the Beach Model Rep Team! Now, not allllll the photoshoots will be done on the beach, but I am all about the beach, so ofc, I had to add that in there for some flair!
So how it works: This is a monthly subscription with limited spots, so you need to act fast!! You will receive a portfolio gallery filled with your very best images from each photoshoot, direction throughout the photoshoots, wardrobe tips, and guaranteed placements in magazines for each photoshoot. Everyone gets to join in on a monthly zoom class to learn about posing, modeling topics and the modeling world. During each Zoom class you will also have the opportunity to review and learn from each photoshoot to keep improving. Zoom classes will be recorded and kept in a separate page on my website dedicate to the model rep team so that you can have access late if you miss one!
Each tier gets more perks than the last!
New face is a great way to dip your toes in and start small! you will get four photoshoots a year to help build your portfolio, access and participation in Zoom classes, and access to the Model rep page on my website!
Option two or Commercial Model includes EIGHT photoshoots a year, Zoom classes, the model rep page, AND 2 special group photoshoots that option 2 and 3 get to participate in as well as one fully styled photoshoot with hair and makeup provided!
Super model is the biggest and best option and includes TWELVE photoshoots a year, Zoom classes, the model rep page, AND 2 special group photoshoots that option 2 and 3 get to participate in as well as one fully styled photoshoot with hair and makeup provided! On top of all that, you get top tier perks including guaranteed cover on a magazine 4X a year, personalized advertising in facebook groups so that you can collaborate with other photographers, HMUA’s, and stylists, and a specialy birthday balloon photoshoot in time for your birthday! But, that isn’t all for the Super Model tier, you and your family will also receive 10% off any additional photoshoots you book!
Like I said, these are subscriptions, but they automatically expire after a year, so if you want to continue the program, you will have to sign up again!
Have you ever imagined such a dreamlike offer? And guess what? It gets even better when you consider the price! Normally, building a portfolio with high-quality, professional images would require years and a substantial investment, especially in a pricey area like the bay area. Typically, photographers here charge between $350 to $1,000 per shoot. With our packages, however, you can have 12 classes and photoshoots for just $60 each, making it much more affordable and convenient. And the best part? It's all wrapped up in a monthly subscription with tax included! The New Face Package is only $80 a month, the Commercial Model Package is $160 a month, and for the Super Model Package, it's just $220 a month!
Ready to jump in? You can Inquire here or message me on instagram! If you do message me on instagram, be sure to also give me a follow so that I’m more likely to see it!
