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In my next life I would like to be a photographer AND a weather God. If I had it my way, sunny and clear blue-sky days would happen all summer long between 5 and 8 pm. For now, I just have to do the best with what I am given. So far that’s searching at least three weather channels every few hours, utilizing the Ultimate Weather App on my Ipad, and visiting the beaches I plan on shooting at, if necessary, to come up with the optimum start time for portrait sessions.

That being said, beautiful images can be captured at almost any time of the day even with less than desirable weather conditions. Below you’ll find portraits illustrating what can happen in variety of light settings.

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Click here to find out what time of day is the best for beach photography.

 
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Over the years, I’ve worked with countless families in hopes of catching the perfect family portrait. Whether I’m working with a large extended family gathering or a couple and their firstborn, I’ve developed a certain workflow to capture the perfect moment. I would like to familiarize you with how I work and also provide my tips and insights so we can best prepare for your family portrait session together:

  1. If we are working at a location I am unfamiliar with, I make sure to visit it before the session at the same time we will be shooting. I observe where the light is falling and what possible locations I can work with in that setting. Then, I watch the weather carefully in order to be able to adjust the start time for optimum lighting conditions.
  2. In most cases, I begin the session with more controlled portraiture starting with the largest groupings first and then paring away. Young children being with their parents helps them feel more comfortable. The light may also be a bit bright so I can control the lighting better. However, if you have an extremely active child who must be moving all the time, I will start with moving photos first. Usually even a very active child will calm down, and at this point, it’s easier to bring in other family members for portraits together.
  3. From there, I like to move into active play. Each individual has “their turn,” and then I work with all of the children playing together. Sometimes I need parental participation to engage the children. I will direct you where to be. It’s important for you to be in close proximity to the camera, which may mean kneeling down so your children’s eyes are focused in the camera’s direction.
  4. I come to every session with lots of patience. It’s important to acknowledge each child’s personality and timing and let myself be guided by their comfort zone. If they need a short break for refreshments, it’s important to give him or her that time.
  5. Though the sessions are meant to be relaxed and enjoyable, I am very aware of the changing light: approaching clouds, setting sun, and wind and will move the session along to accomplish what I have in mind to give you the greatest range of images.
  6. I like to end the sessions with family play. By then, the light is gorgeous, everyone is very relaxed, and it’s a great time for spontaneous photography.

I hope this gives you a better understanding of what to expect when having your family portait taken. I thought I’d also share a finished photograph of engaging children in active play on the beach:

Hamptons Family Portrait

 
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Parents often ask me how to prepare for their children’s beach portraits. As a photographer in the Hamptons for decades, I photographed hundreds of children in every age group. Over the years I’ve developed some tried-and-true ways to help parents know what to expect and I share them here. Follow these 8 simple tips and your beach photos session will not only result in wonderful photographs, but it will be fun, too!  

8 Ways to Prepare For Your Child’s Beach Portraits

 

Here are the 8 ways you can prepare for your child’s beach portraits:

1. Let Them Know It’s Going to Be Fun
Let your children know that even though they are being photographed, they’ll actually be playing on the beach. This turns what could be trepidation, into something they’ll look forward to.

2. Choose the Best Time of Day
For newborns and babies up to 6 months, I like to choose the best time of day for the baby and hope it falls within the window of good light. I normally like to photograph at dawn or late afternoon. For toddlers and young children, an afternoon nap or some quiet time before the session is a good idea.

3. Clothes – What To Wear (and What Not To!)
No: Bold patterns, stripes, or logos
Yes: Light, solid colors; subtle patterns
If you have more than one child, everyone does not have to be identical: have the clothing similar in tonality. Make sure girls can sit comfortably as well as stand (so stay away from tight skirts and short dresses). Babies need bloomers and girls need plain underwear for white dresses. Boys in collared shirts are a nice look. It’s important that the clothing you choose fits your child properly. Bring an extra change of clothing for all children 12 and under.

4. Don’t let them Be Hungry!
Please feed your children before they come to the beach.

5. It’s OK to Snack During the Photo Session
Children are very active during the session and will probably get hungry and thirsty. Bring drinks and easy-to-eat, non-staining snacks like Cheerios, Teddy Grahams, pretzels, apple slices, and carrot sticks. Please do not bring candy – we need the children to focus and stay relatively calm.

6. What about Props?
We have some wonderful natural toys and props we bring to the session. You may want to bring along some of their favorite toys like buckets, shovels, trucks, and sports equipment like baseballs, footballs, Frisbees, boogie boards, and surfboards.

7. No Cheese, Please!
Please do not practice “Cheese” or “Smile” before the session. Those words tend to produce a false or fake smile and freeze any expression. I prefer to capture a more natural smile by encouraging children to play, to use their imaginations, and to have a good time.

8. The Parents’ Role:
Please think about songs and stories that your children know and enjoy and may even think are silly. These songs and stories can relax them and make them laugh. At times, you may be called upon to act ridiculous, all for the sake of fine photography. We promise not to tell your friends that you danced on the beach or jumped up and down or made funny noises. We want you to have fun too. {Don’t worry, if you can’t be ridiculous, we can.}

Follow these simple 8 tips and your child’s beach portraits will be awesome!