Coastal
15 final images
$950 – $1,250
Why Montara
What we love about Montara for proposals and engagement sessions.
Montara is the most dramatic stretch of the coastside. The state beach below the highway is wide, wild, and almost always empty. Point Montara Lighthouse sits on the bluff above, white against the Pacific. The cliffs running south toward Devil's Slide are some of the most photogenic coastline in California. We love Montara for couples who want big, cinematic backdrops without the Big Sur drive.
Best time of year
September through May. Winter storms make for the most cinematic skies.
Where we shoot
Our spot in Montara.
Where we shoot around Montara, with the access details on its own page. For the wider area, see the Half Moon Bay proposal guide.
Recent Montara proposals + engagements
153+ photos from Montara shoots.
Every photo below is from a real session at one of these spots — mostly Gray Whale Cove. The grid is fed straight from our galleries rather than hand-picked for the site, so it keeps growing as we shoot and curate more.
Investment
Montara proposal packages.
Three collections, transparent pricing, no deposit. Full breakdown on the main page.
Signature
50 final images
$1,250 – $1,550
Full
All edited images
$1,650 – $1,950
Half Moon Bay proposal photographer
Nearby cities in Half Moon Bay
Other regions we cover
Planning your proposal
How planning a Montara proposal works.
Every shoot follows the same process, so you always know what's coming next.
- 1
I text you.
Once you book a call, I'll text you personally within minutes during Pacific time business hours. Most proposals are planned discreetly so text keeps things flexible and all in one place. (Just make sure to mute the thread.)
- 2
We narrow down the location.
If you're unsure where to propose, I'll ask a few simple questions about the vibe (coastal, redwoods, vineyard, urban) and guide you toward strong options. I can send recent proposal galleries from any of our shoot locations for inspiration. Knowing where you're staying/visiting can also narrow down our location options.
- 3
You reserve the date.
Once we've had our initial discovery call, all you need to do is reserve a one hour session. No penalty if plans shift. If I'm already booked, you'll see the "team" option in the hour slots at time of the reservation. I'm still your main point of contact throughout the process, but I'll loop you in with my photographer on a 3-way text feed 24-48hrs before the shoot.
- 4
I coordinate with you leading up to the day.
Text me anytime with questions, adjustments, weather concerns, anything. If the spot has limited cell service I'll send detailed parking instructions, map links, and annotated/interactive satellite imagery so everything feels simple and clear on the big day.
- 5
Day-of coordination.
Send a quick selfie of you both that morning so we know who to look for (we don't want to "stalk" the wrong couple!). Share your location with us via Find My (iPhone) or WhatsApp (Android). We're typically on-site at least 30 minutes early, scouted and ready.
- 6
The post-proposal session.
After the initial proposal, we'll introduce ourselves and guide you through a relaxed engagement session together. 30 to 60 minutes depending on your collection and location(s). You don't need to know how to pose. We'll direct everything in a way that feels natural and fun.
- 7
Payment + delivery.
Within 24 hours I'll text you a handful of sneak peeks along with the payment link; that's when payment is due, and you choose your collection then. Full edited gallery within 7 days. Small retouch requests after delivery are almost always doable. And yes you can pay the difference if you want to upgrade your package after seeing the final gallery.
Ready to plan your Montara proposal or engagement session?
No deposit. No commitment. We'll plan it together. Sneak peeks within 24 hours, and that's when payment is due. Full gallery within 7 days.