EL MATADOR BEACH | MALIBU, CALIFORNIA

If you have ever been to El Matador Beach in Malibu, CA around sunset, you will know how popular it is with photographers.  They come to shoot engagement photos, pregnancy photos, wedding photos and so much more.  The mix of the beach, caves and southern California sun make it the perfect spot in Los Angeles to have a photo shoot.

GETTING TO EL MATADOR

El Matador is located on a section of Malibu beach that can't be seen from the PCH as the cliffs hide it from the passing cars.  There is just a sign and a small dirt lot that signify that you have arrived.  It is past Point Dume and about 2 miles west (north) of Trancas Canyon Road.  You can park on the side of PCH (make sure to read the signs) and walk down or pay to park in the dirt lot, although, it can be really crowded on the weekends.  From the lot, you can take a dirt path and several sets of stairs down to the beach.  It can be a pain if you have a lot of equipment to carry down but well worth it.  However, the cliffs make a great backdrop for a shoot as well.

THE CAVES OF EL MATADOR

The beach isn't very deep but it has a lot of rock formations that it make it unique.  There is a sandy beach to the left at the bottom of the stairs but to the right, the first big rock that you come to has been worn by the crashing waves and has formed a set of arches or caves.  As you venture further down the beach, you come to a lot of other rock formations that you can use as props or backdrops for your photo shoot.  Eventually, you will come to what seems like the end of the beach (depending on the tide) but at low tide, you can keep going and you will find a couple more caves that you can explore.  Just make sure to keep an eye on the tide so that you don't get stranded.  The beach offers so much at one location that it is hard to beat.  This past weekend we were even able to find some spring wild flowers along the cliffs.

Check out this other post that I made from El Matador Beach.

There are several other beaches in the area that you can check out but my alternative to El Matador is Leo Carrillo State Beach.  You can see some of the posts that I have made about Leo Carrillo below.

Leo Carrillo Beach - Memorial Day 2016

Leo Carrillo Beach - Mila 2015

Leo Carrillo Beach - 2015

Leo Carrillo Beach - Kendra 2015

RESOURCES FOR BEGINNING PHOTOGRAPHERS

If you are new to photography and are looking for some additional tips or just want to brush up on your beach photography skills, take a look at this article on Beach Photography Tips:  A Beginner's Guide.