Laguna Beach Graduation Photographer | Shaw’s Cove | Orange County Grad Photos | Vanessa, ULV Class of 2026

There are graduation sessions, and then there are graduation sessions with a rainbow. Vanessa’s University of La Verne graduation shoot at Shaw’s Cove in Laguna Beach was one of those rare evenings where everything came together perfectly. The light, the waves, the energy. As a Laguna Beach graduation photographer serving all of Orange County, I have had the privilege of capturing incredible milestones at this exact spot, and it never gets old.

Vanessa earned her Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology from the University of La Verne, Class of 2026, and she wanted her photos to feel free, joyful, and a little wild. Exactly the energy you want after finishing a degree that pushed you to your limits. We headed down to Shaw’s Cove at golden hour, barefoot in the sand, stoles flying in the ocean breeze.

One of the first things I noticed when Vanessa laid out her regalia was just how much she had accomplished. The University of La Verne stole, the athlete stole. She earned every single one of those. As a student-athlete completing a Kinesiology degree, Vanessa represents the kind of graduate who gave everything to both her sport and her studies. That kind of dedication photographs differently. There is a confidence in her eyes that you cannot fake.

We started on the dry sand while the light was still warm and golden, working through the full regalia. The green and orange La Verne stole, the colorful serape, the athlete sash all on full display. Vanessa has the kind of natural ease in front of a camera that makes the photographer’s job genuinely fun. She was not performing. She was just celebrating.

As the tide started coming in, we moved to the water’s edge. This is where beach graduation photos really come alive. Vanessa twirled her cap overhead, let the gown billow out behind her, wrote 2026 in the wet sand with her finger and looked back at me with a huge grin. Like she could not quite believe this chapter was actually real.

Then the sky did something incredible. As the clouds rolled in and the light shifted into that moody cinematic dusk glow, a full rainbow appeared over the ocean behind Vanessa. She spread her arms wide and danced along the shoreline with waves crashing around her ankles. If you could bottle what it feels like to finish college after four years of hard work, that is what those images look like.

Vanessa, congratulations on graduating from the University of La Verne. You are a scholar and an athlete and these photos are proof of exactly who you are.

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Why Shaw’s Cove in Laguna Beach Is the Best Orange County Graduation Photo Location

Shaw’s Cove is one of the most versatile and consistently stunning Orange County graduation photography locations I shoot at year round. The rocky outcroppings, the palm fronds, the golden hour light off the Pacific, the dramatic clifftop backdrop. It creates images that look completely different from any campus session.

I shoot Orange County graduation photos here for graduates from schools all across the region including UC Irvine, Chapman University, Cal State Fullerton, Saddleback College, Irvine Valley College, Orange Coast College, Concordia University Irvine, Vanguard University, Laguna Beach High School, Mission Viejo High School, Tesoro High School, JSerra Catholic, and other OC high school seniors. Whether you are graduating from a university, community college, or high school anywhere in Orange County, Shaw’s Cove gives you a backdrop that is dramatic, timeless, and unlike anything you would get on campus.

The beach is intimate enough for solo sessions but spacious enough for group friend shoots. Sunset light hits the cove from about 5:30 to 7:30pm depending on the season and when it is good, it is really good. No matter what school you are graduating from, if you are in Orange County, this spot should be on your list.

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Book Your Orange County Graduation Session at Shaw’s Cove

Looking for an Orange County graduation photographer who knows Laguna Beach inside and out? I would love to capture this chapter for you. I specialize in beach graduation shoots, senior portraits, and group friend sessions for graduates from UCI, Chapman, CSUF, Saddleback, ULV, and high schools all across Orange County. Sessions book quickly during graduation season so reach out early to lock in your date.

📍 Location: Shaw’s Cove, Laguna Beach (also: Victoria Beach, Treasure Island, Heisler Park)
🎓 Best for: OC university grads, community college grads, high school seniors, group bestie sessions
📅 Peak booking: April to June. Book 4 to 6 weeks in advance.