Crescent Bay Point Park view of Crescent Bay, Laguna Beach

The featured image is of Crescent Bay in Laguna Beach. Exit N Coast Highway on Crescent Bay Dr. The entrance to the park is at the end of the street and has a sign that says "Crescent Bay Point Park". You'll find parking all along the street, but make sure to read signs for street sweeping as this is a residential area. Follow the walkway in the park to the first viewing lookout and you'll have the perfect view looking South over Crescent Bay and the city of Laguna Beach.

Every day brings a new sunrise and the weather is consistent year round in Laguna Beach. If you’re looking for a dramatic sunrise, winter typically has more cloud coverage. In the foreground of my image are Aloe flowers. Their peak bloom is in Spring (March to April), although they can bloom year-round based on weather conditions (this image was in December).

Sunrise is the best time to photograph Crescent Bay because it's one of the few areas where you can compose the sun rising and the coastline in the same frame. The bay is also very quiet in the early morning, so you may be able to enjoy it all to yourself!

Look around at the local flowers that are blooming in the park. They can add a nice touch to your composition by framing them in the foreground. Aloe flowers are featured in my image.

Crescent Bay lends itself well to different focal lengths, so play around with other lenses. I used a 70mm lens to zoom in a bit more on the palm trees on the cliff ledge, but a wider-lens (24mm) would provide sweeping views of the coastline.

Know the sunrise time before you go. The money shot for this location is catching the sun the moment it rises over the hills behind the city, so arrive early and allow plenty of time to set up your shot.

Crescent Bay is one of the nicest spots in Laguna Beach, so head down to the beach and enjoy the sand and waves!

Urth Caffé in downtown Laguna Beach has one of the best breakfasts in town, so make sure you reward yourself after sunrise! Address: Urth Caffé, 308 N Pacific Coast Hwy, Laguna Beach, CA 92651