Wondering how everyone on your Facebook friends list has such picture perfect photos of their families? How did they manage to get their toddlers to look at the camera at the same time? What kind of Photoshop wizard did they have that got rid of the spit up from the 6 month old?
Do you desperately want to know how your chaotic family can get the same gorgeous photos?
You are in luck! Beach family photography is one of our specialties. At Still Poetry Photography, we know how important it is to have stunning photos of your family that you can cherish for years to come. Not only are we pros at taking photos on the beach, but we are here to guide you every step of the way to help create and capture memories from your vacation that you will never forget.
Need some help preparing for your session? We have you covered! We know all of the tips and tricks to get good family photos on the beach.
Selecting Outfits for Your Beach Family Photos
One of the most important aspects of planning for your family photos on the beach are the outfits. You want to aim for a cohesive look in order to minimize distractions and truly let each family member have their personality shine through. As you start to plan what that might look like, you should ask yourself a few questions:
What story do you want to tell?
Are you going casual or formal?
Do you want your photos to represent a day in the life or do you want everyone a little elevated from their usual look?
Decide what you’re going with and make sure everyone is dressing for the same occasion.
After you get a general sense of the types of clothes you want your family to wear, you can coordinate colors! Please don’t be too matchy-matchy - only little kids can get away with being exact matches. We suggest selecting a base color and choosing shades and variations within the same theme.
Many families gravitate towards blue and white, but don’t be afraid to step outside of the box! In fact, we encourage it. As long as you avoid bright, neon colors and crazy patterns, you should be able to select outfits that everyone can look and feel good in. We also suggest flowy fabrics and linens - these photograph really well during beach family photos. And if you have kids, don’t forget to make sure they are wearing shorts under their dresses. This prevents any diapers or underwear from making an appearance!
Are you still feeling overwhelmed with where to start or how to piece together everyone’s outfits? We can help! We provide styling guides and even have client closets to borrow from. Just send us a message here to start that conversation.
Preparing for Your Family Beach Photo Session
Once you have everyone’s outfits planned out, make sure you double check that everything fits and you have no missing pieces before you leave for your vacation. You don’t want to encounter any hiccups once you go to get ready on the day of your session, so verifying that all components of your outfits fit properly and get packed is essential. Once you get to your beach home or rental, make sure you hang up all items that need it - you don’t want wrinkles ruining your family portraits!
As the session gets closer, we also recommend packing up any additional items that you might need. The night before your session is a great time to grab any accessories, as well as items for kids and/or dogs! If you have kids, items may vary with their ages. You may want to consider packing some snacks, diapers, wipes, and spit up rags. For dogs, treats are definitely recommended! While you’re at it, also bring some towels to help wipe off excess sand and in case any kids or dogs get wet while splashing at the edge of the waves.
Last, but definitely not least, is to help prepare your family mentally for the session! You may want to discuss any pictures that certain family members want to make sure get captured, and this is also a great time to tell your kids what will be happening. Bribery works wonders! If you know your kid doesn’t love being in front of the camera or can get shy, it is worth your while to tell them that if they behave and smile for some family photos on the beach that they will get ice cream (or their favorite treat) afterwards.
If you choose Still Poetry Photography, we make sure our sessions are fun for all ages! They will get a chance to run around in the sand and enjoy the beautiful water, so make sure they know that as well. All of this preparation will help the day run smoothly and ensure you get good family photos on the beach.
The Day of Your Beach Photo Session
The day has arrived! It is time for your Delaware beach family photos. We highly recommend minimizing stress by getting everyone ready early. Everything ends up taking longer than you expect, especially with kids, and you don’t want to be late for your session. Being late ends up messing up the lighting and cutting into your session time, so make sure everyone is dressed and on the road in enough time to be at the beach and ready to go before your session begins.
It is also important that you plan that day ahead of time in terms of activities and nap schedules. You don’t want to do anything overstimulating before you show up for your pictures, and you want to make sure all kids aren’t overtired and cranky from missing their naps.
Now it is time to relax and enjoy your session! You’ve done everything you can to prepare, so it is time to smile, have some fun, create memories with your family, and end up with some beautiful images to remember it all by.
Choosing Your Delaware Beach Family Photographer
The best way to get good family photos on the beach is to have an experienced photographer. Anyone with a camera can point and click, but truly special images come from photographers with heart and experience. For your Rehoboth Beach vacation or your Lewes family photos, you are going to want a Delaware family photographer that pours themselves into their sessions.
Still Poetry Photography has served hundreds of families and has captured countless cherished moments for families both local and vacationing in Delaware.
Not only do we work well with neurodivergent children on the spectrum, but we can help find accessible locations for people with mobility issues or other needs. We want to be there every step of the way through this process, whether that is helping with outfits and styling or answering questions prior to your session.
So what are you waiting for? Take a look at our Beach Family Photography page where you can learn more about how our sessions work, read reviews, and view our portfolio. And if you are ready, reach out today to book a consultation call. We cannot wait to make your Delaware beach family photos everything you could ever hope for!