Three-In-One Sutro Bath Engagement Session

Out of the hundreds of potential engagement session locations in San Francisco, one of the most versatile locations is at the Sutro Baths. I have a previous blog with different engagement shoot locations in the city that mentions this location, but I wanted to do a deep dive into the pools of the Sutro Baths, in case any of you reading are considering this historic location.

I was lucky enough to shoot this Sutro Bath engagement session where we took photos in three unique locations within the park. There are a few other potential locations at the Sutro Baths, like the cave, which was under construction when we went. The other is the beach you can walk along at low tide.

Location 1

The first location for this session was towards the top of the stairs that leads down to the ruins. It is a great spot to shoot at as you can have iconic San Francisco Cyprus trees line the backdrop or you can turn slightly to the left and get the ruins and the ocean in the shot. One thing about Sutro Baths is that it’s usually pretty windy! The bride-to-be picked a great outfit to work with the wind with her hair slightly pulled back and wavey. If you plan on wearing a dress, I recommend flowy outfits for that epic wind-swept look! If the groom-to-be is rocking a man bun, I think the windswept look can be great for his hair too!

Location 2

There is a lot of stairs at Sutro Baths, so be prepared to hike just a little bit. When you get down the stairs, you will be amongst the ruins of the old bathhouse pools that have ocean water in them now. Ideal for a shot with a reflection of the couple.

I also love the photos of the couple sitting on the ruins because it looks like they could be on the steps of an ancient Grecian ruin.

The weather during a Sutro Baths engagement session can vary which can make the moods of the photos differentiate a little bit. When it’s foggy the feel is moody and romantic, when it’s sunny the colors of the ocean and sky pop, giving a very lively feel to the photos. Either way, these will make for cinematic looking engagement photos, especially by the ocean or on the beach at low tide!

Location 3

The final location of this particular engagement session was back up the stairs and in the Cyprus tree forest. This location is stunning! The ocean peaks out between the trees and makes it look like you are the only two people in the world. If you wear contrasting colors with the dark greens and deep browns of the forest, your engagement photos might end up being a new Nicholas Sparks movie poster. Okay, maybe not actually, but it would make for a very romantic poster. A pro-tip about this location is that if you walk along the path you will go past the Cyprus trees and get views of the Golden Gate Bridge. Perfect for another engagement photo!

They say location is everything, and I happen to think the Sutro Baths have it all if you are looking for a versatile engagement session location. If you are curious about getting a Sutro Bath engagement session photos done, get in contact with me! I would love to chat with you about it!