This summer, our family was lucky enough to escape to the beach a couple of times. Those weekends were the perfect getaways that we needed during the COVID-19 outbreak. Since the beach became a special place for us, I knew we had to capture the magic in a beach photo shoot! After our experience, I knew I had to share my tips for a successful and fun family beach photo shoot.
Luckily, our amazing photographer at Kellianne Barron Photography was planning several beach mini sessions this summer. I jumped on the chance as soon as she opened up her calendar to book! We even decided to make another long weekend getaway out of the adventure.
Based on the tips our photographer gave us and things I learned along the way, here are my top tips to a beautiful beach family photo shoot!
1. Choose a light color palette for your outfits.
Keep your color choices lighter and more muted. That doesn’t mean that color is bad! Instead of choosing hot pink, look for a softer shade to compliment your surroundings.
Look up different color palettes and Pinterest ideas to see what may work best for your family. You can also consult with your photographer who likely has tons of ideas to share.
Common beach photo color palettes are shades of blues and whites; peaches and pinks; various pastels; grays and greens; as well as pops of yellow and turquoise.
In case you’re wondering, here’s what my family is wearing in our shoot.
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2. Find outfits that coordinate, but don’t match.
You don’t want to be too matchy, matchy when choosing your family beach photo outfits. Instead find styles and colors that compliment each other.
You can see that we went with whites and blues, but not all the shades are exactly the same. We even threw some khaki on Brody to add a little more dimension.
Related Post: What to do with a toddler at the beach
3. Ladies, choose hairstyles that work with the wind.
You’re at the beach, so it’s bound to be windy and most likely humid. That being said, take the elements into consideration when choosing a hairstyle.
I took the time to curl my hair, but by the time we got to taking our family beach photos, the curls had fallen. Luckily it still worked out with a natural beach wave look which is what you want at the beach.
For Chloe, I pulled her hair back out of her eyes and put a bow in. Sweet and simple so she wasn’t complaining through the whole session.
4. Take your photos during the golden hour.
I’m sure your photographer will suggest this, but in case you’re asking a family member to snap a few, utilize the golden hour! This is the hour just before sunset when the light is warmer and softer. It makes for the most gorgeous photo lighting!
You can even use this fun golden hour calculator that I found to find the best time for where you live throughout the year!
5. Be prepared for more natural, candid photos.
You will be able to get a couple of posed family photos, but plan for more candids during your beach photo shoot! You have the opportunity to have fun as a family, so take it. Run around, giggle, throw your kids in the air and walk along the beach. These are the moments that are usually hard to capture, but you’ll cherish forever.
6. Find a less crowded spot for your shoot.
During the summer, a spot where people are sparse isn’t always easy to come by. I recommend finding a public beach that is right beside a private beach. That way there will likely be less people around.
Another option is to research what beaches are good for photos in the area you’re planning your photo shoot. If you have the opportunity, scope out a few different options ahead of time to see what it looks like in the evening.
Related Post: Brody’s Newborn Photo Shoot
7. Don’t be afraid to get wet.
It’s bound to happen especially if you have little ones like it. Don’t be afraid to let them get a little wet and dirty. That means you’ll likely end up wet too, and that’s okay!
Brody ended up wet from the waist down, but he was happy and that’s all that matters. You can see his wet little shorts in the photo above!
8. Have fun and let your personalities show.
This is your chance to just have fun as a family! Let the photographer capture your individual personalities and personal connections with one another.
Just enjoy yourselves and make some memories along the way.
The most important thing of all is to have fun and make even more memories in the process. These memories are special because they are ones that will be captured forever.
Don’t stress about everything being perfect because as it turns out, it will be perfect for your family. I was so worried about Brody who is a bit of a hot mess these days. We still found ways to make him happy and smile! It’s those little things like throwing him in the air and chasing him through the water that were captured and we’ll remember!
Be sure to save this to your photography inspiration boards on Pinterest to remember for later!
What tips do you have for a family beach photo shoot? I’d love to hear some photographers weigh in!
This is such a perfect family photo. We love a jumpshot on the beach ??️
Thank you! Jump shots are so fun! I opted out of that this year since I’m pregnant. Ha!
I love your pictures and the outfits are beautifully coordinated! Light and fresh- perfect!
These are so lovely! Thanks for sharing. You have a beautiful family!
Great post and beautiful pictures! Thank you for sharing!
If it is cold, wear sweaters and coats – they make for great photos, especially for holiday cards. But if you’re like me, living in LA where it is still 80 degrees some days, you’re going to have to do sweater photos indoors or just embrace the weather you’re in. Overheated (or freezing) family members don’t make for happy photos.
Such a good idea! I honestly didn’t even think about it being cold at the beach since I live in a tropical climate. Sweaters on the beach would be so cute for Christmas!!
It’s an interesting point that the shades of blue and white aren’t going to be the exact same. My cousin is thinking about getting some family photos this year. She wants to capture the moment when her kids are pretty young with some professional photos.
I think capturing your family when the kids are young is so special! That way you can always remember this precious stage of life!
Might want to remove or update the link for the Golden Hour calculator 😳
Oh my gosh THANK YOU! It didn’t used to do that. I’ve updated it to a new sunrise/sunset calculator!