Where to Take Pictures in Santa Monica: 11 Gorgeous Spots

Wondering where to take pictures in Santa Monica? We get it! Santa Monica is a picturesque beachside city in California’s western Los Angeles County. The city became a well-known tourist hotspot in the early 20th century as a result of its nice weather and proximity to LA, drawing many celebrities to buy stunning beachfront houses across Pacific Coast Highway. For this and other many reasons, it’s a popular destination for photographers!

Ahead, we share some of Santa Monica’s best spots for photography, many of which are available to rent by the hour on Peerspace. Take a look at these gorgeous spots that exlore where to take pictures in Santa Monica to get inspired!

1. Santa Monica Pier

A small amusement park, concession stands, and viewing and fishing areas are all located on the Santa Monica Pier. Pacific Park, a family amusement park with a solar-paneled Ferris wheel, is also on the Pier. The colorfully lighted wheel, which can be seen from afar, is extremely bright.

Outdoor concerts, movies, and other activities are also pier staples. With all this mentioned, you can imagine how the Pier is the top spot to take pictures in Santa Monica.

2. A gorgeous trendy outdoor café

This community restaurant offers local beer, artisanal wine, and healthy American cuisine produced with local, organic, and seasonal ingredients in the center of Santa Monica! This is a fantastic location for your next photoshoot because it has both indoor seats and a lovely outdoor terrace.

Take your next company offsite out of the office and into an inspiring setting with the speakers supplied! Inside, this room can comfortably accommodate 25 people, as well as 40 people when seated outside.

3. Venice Canals Walkway

In the Venice Beach area of Los Angeles, the Venice Canals Walkway is a peaceful and pleasant location to relieve stress and take mesmerizing pictures. There are walking pathways between closely packed residences and the water on both sides of these canals, where you may see little docks, canoes, and kayaks.

Beautiful footbridges connect the canals, uniting them for longer walks. These canals were built in the early 1900s to resemble Venice’s famous canals.

Learn more with our post on 10 good places to take pictures in Los Angeles!

4. An edgy graffiti-walled event space

The 12,000-square-foot rebuilt event venue, located in the heart of Los Angeles, has authentic gang graffiti. It’s also a dynamic open plan perfect for any type of event, from private social meetings to huge corporate events and brand activities.

This venue is great for filming, photoshoots, content production, and all types of events. Put this spot on your list of where to take pictures in Santa Monica if you desire a fun and edgy photoshoot.

5. A bright and spacious design studio

This room is great for seminars, photoshoots, team off-sites, launch parties, film shoots, and meetings thanks to its vaulted ceilings, natural sunlight, and white and pink decorated walls. In fact, the open concept can be divided into two regions or combined into one large communal space.

Suitable for all-day events for approximately 50 people, featuring restrooms and a small kitchen, it’s also ideal for small gatherings because of its traditional appearance. With five reserved parking spaces and street parking nearby, this location is conveniently located in West Los Angeles.

6. A Brentwood modern farmhouse

This lovely contemporary farmhouse is ideal for any kind of picture or video shoot. The space includes a living room with low cousin couches and French doors that open to a front wooden deck, a dining room with a large vintage appearance table and director chairs, and a family room. There is also a stunning wet bar near the pool.

All of the doors entirely open into the walls, creating an indoor/outdoor ambiance. The home features hardwood floors throughout, a huge pool, ice decking in the backyard, a BBQ, a fire pit, and lovely outdoor furniture.

7. A magical backyard of Mystic Manor

If you’re seeking a peaceful and surreal place, then the Mystic Manor is ideal for you. Some even call this place a Spaceship because its unique and beautiful appearance looks like something from another planet. Both the grass area in the backyard and the wide sideyard are ideal for outside eating or photoshoots.

This 7,000-square-foot mansion in Venice sits on a 10,000-square-foot lot and is ideal for picture shoots! A huge backyard with various day beds, a pool, a hot tub, and a fire pit are included in the outside facilities.

8. A contemporary beachy Venice backyard

This lovely home is located in Venice, east of Lincoln, on a quiet street. The 500-square-foot backhouse is modern and beachy, with a well-kept California-style yard. When you enter the house, you’ll find a light and airy modern bungalow that creates a clean, comfortable entertaining place.

You can also find stainless steel appliances, butcher block counters, custom fixtures, and a wet bathroom on the lower level. A wide-covered deck, an outdoor dining area with seating for eight, an enclosed outdoor shower, a gas fire pit, and a hammock are also just outside.

Think you’ve seen them all? Check out the 11 most Instagrammable places in Los Angles and see for yourself!

9. A peaceful, Zen-style photoshoot set

There are loads of intriguing angles and textured backgrounds to explore in this gorgeous Eastern-inspired Opium Den set for the shoot of your dreams! Unique antique furniture contributes to the space’s authenticity, making it ideal for a vacation photoshoot without stepping foot outside of LA.

Several major brands, including Mortal Kombat, LEGO, Marvel, and others, have also used this facility for their productions. You can also reserve this spot on an hourly basis and take as many photos as you like.

10. A chic outdoor lounging area

This is a fantastic and versatile space: produce workout and exercise videos, YouTube vlogs, photoshoots, and more! On a quiet street in a desirable neighborhood, this space encompasses the front and back of the property. Outdoor chairs, a fire pit, westward-facing sun, a big open area, and lush green vegetation will also transform any project. This magical tropical space must be on your list of where to take pictures in Santa Monica.

In their Peerspace review, one visitor shares: “Great space and super chill host! Enjoyed utilizing the place for a photo shoot. Pictures accurately showcase the space, would def book again!”

11. An elegant poolside with stylish furniture

With classic minimalist furnishings and rich tropical-style plants, this garden is an appealing and peaceful environment. And let’s not forget the sound of running water produced by the pool fountains! At 9 o’clock in the morning, the sun hits the space, and by 4 o’clock in the afternoon, it is completely shaded. Beautiful shadows are cast through the palm trees throughout the day, which also form fascinating natural lighting patterns.

Check out what a creative director shared in his Peerspace review: “Amazing hosts and amazing space, the home is an oasis in Mar Vista and was perfect for us. Somehow even better than the photos, great communication, and very reasonable for what it is. We will be booking again!”

Bonus: Strike pose in front of artistic murals

This 8,000 square foot space is bursting with numerous hand painted mural installations. What’s great about a space like this, is that you also get to become part of the art in a sense. In fact, many of the murals involve the outdoors and action sports, so if you’re looking for an adventure and lifestyle shoot, then this may be the spot for you!

Peerspace is home to the best Santa Monica photoshoot spaces

These are just a few of our favorite spaces to take pictures in Santa Monica. Don’t forget, Peerspace is the largest online marketplace for hourly rentals and offers you access to countless one-of-a-kind venues. Check us out today to see how we can bring your project to life!

Find unique photoshoot locations in Santa Monica on Peerspace