The beach is a popular place at which to schedule family photos. It truly is a stunning location that lends itself to relaxed and connected family photos, but it can also be a challenging location to shoot at. Contrary to what many people think, there is a limited window of time during which the lighting is ideal at the beach. Furthermore, there tends ot be a lot of activity at the beach, so scheduling a sessiont here requires some strategic planning. Here are a few things to consider before scheduling your next beach family portrait session.

The beach is the most popular location here on Long Island for family photos. As a resident and family photographer based in Long Beach, NY, I absolutely understand why my clients choose the beach location. Not only is it aesthetically beautiful, but it is a place associated with family memories. We often go there for the quiet serenity of the ocean, the cooling ocean breeze, and to spend carefree days with our families, so it is no surprise that this location lends itself to images that tend to be more relaxed and interactive than other locations.

There are so many reasons why the beach is a wonderful choice for portraits. Here are some things you need to know about my approach to beach family portraits.

The earlier the better. My Summer sunset spots book out quickly. It is ideal to book a date as soon as booking opens for the 2024 season, which is usually around late February to early March. The best month to schedule your family photo session is late May to September. Although most people prefer June to August dates, I still schedule portrait sessions throughout September. In fact, September is my favorite month for beach family photos here in Long Beach, NY because the beaches are empty, the weather is milder, sunset is earlier and sunsets tend to be epic.

It has been a long and cold Winter here on Long Island, New York. Now that we are just a few weeks away from the Spring, I am pining for the warm weather, beach days and of fun filled nights on the beach with my clients for sunset beach family photos. My beach sunset family sessions always book up fast, so if you are considering one this upcoming Summer, now is the time to start planning for it.

It is hard to believe that it is Memorial Day weekend. Although this weekend is the unofficial start of Summer, my season of beach family photos has already begun. I started shooting on the beach in early May and I have been loving every second of it. The beach truly is the perfect place for family photos. It allows for interactive images, whether it be fun and playful or cozy and connected. Although the beach is a popular location for beach photos, there are some things you need to know ahead of time about scheduling your family photo session at the beach.

I know that right now everything retro is trending, but long before this trend, I have always had a passion for all things vintage. I like to take on personal projects every few months and for this project, I wanted to shoot something fun that had subtle nod to the 80's. Maybe it was my love of Xanadu or my favorite childhood doll, roller skating Kimberly, that inspired me, but as I rode past Marvel on the Boardwalk, an idea struck me. I needed to shoot a session that involved roller skates and ice cream. I mean, can you think of anything more fun than ice cream and retro roller skates?

I immediately thought of my beautiful niece for the session and she graciously agreed to lace on some skates for the photos. My niece recently turned 16 and we had not yet documented this milestone, so this was the perfect opportunity to finally capture those photos.

Is it me, or did this academic year fly by? It is so hard to believe that the end of June is nearly here, which means the end of the 2021-2021 school year for our children. What a wild ride the last ten months have been. It started in such a state of uncertainty and now things finally feel like they are back to normal.

June is such a great month; not only because the children are done with school, but because it is the kick off for my season of family photos on the beach at sunset. These are my most popular sessions and I understand why my clients love this location. The colors are beautiful, it allows for an uncluttered natural backdrop and there is something about being at the beach that inspires love and laughter.

This recent session was so much fun to photograph. I first photographed this family for an outdoor sitter session just a few years ago. Shortly after the holidays, my client messaged me inquiring about a photo session for her mother, who was about to turn 70. She and her brothers wanted to gift their mom a photo session of the entire family together. Like most families, the last time they had family photos taken was at a wedding and the photos did not include the grandchildren. Their mother’s birthday was the perfect opportunity to update their family photos.

It is so important to document your own relationship with your children, but also their relationship with their extended family. The bonds between grandparent and grandchild are precious and to capture that bond is a gift not only fro the grandparent, but for the whole family to treasure as well. I can’t think of a more meaningful gift to commemorate a special occasion.

Halloween has come and gone and the Summer seems like a distant memory. As I sit bundled up in my winter attire, I find myself longing for those warm nights on the beach. Although I love the Fall and the holiday season, I am partial to the warm weather of Summer and my busy nights photographing families on the beach. I am finally catching up on some of the blogging from those sessions.

This family is a local Long Beach family and I photographed them on a cloudy, but warm evening in July. I know most people prefer a sunset beach session, but cloudy evenings can provide a beautiful and soft backdrop for photos and the light is always super flattering. Mom chose the perfect attire for a cloudy day session. Her bright and cheery color palette provided the perfect pop fo color for these photos.

It is now officially the Fall and the weather has cooled off significantly. I had my first pumpkin spice coffee of the season, decorated my home for Halloween and have begun shooting my holiday mini sessions. Even though Fall seems to be in full swing, I still had time for one last beach sunset session this month on a warm and mild September night.

This client had her third baby six months ago and was not able to have a newborn session due to the COVID closures. She decided that she wanted to get some updated family photos and wanted her son to finally have his photographic debut, so she scheduled a family session with me in late September.

Although Summer is officially over, the weather the past few weeks has been spectacular. We had a few days of cold weather and then a stretch of 80 degree days crept in. I welcomed the warm weather, not only because I prefer warmer days, but also because I had a few nights of family beach sessions on my calendar for this month.

This client was originally on my calendar for a newborn session in the Spring. Due to the COVID closures, I was unable to photograph her, so I was super excited to finally be able to meet this family and capture some two month old photos of her baby. We originally had our session scheduled a few days earlier, but the weather was a frigid 62 degrees, so we decided to use the rain date instead. We made the right choice because not only was the weather spectacular, but so was the sunset.

Little Miss V was an absolute blast to work with. She was such a super cooperative child and sat for all of the posed shots that I took at the start of the session. Once it was time to move down to the shore, she was playful and silly, which is exactly what I want to happen at that point of the session. I always prefer the playful and candid captures from these family sessions.

If you haven’t noticed it yet, the recent forest fires out west have created some hazy skies over the past week. Consequently, the sunset has quite a different look to it lately. I am not complaining because I absolutely love the dramatic look that this unique sky creates.

I usually shoot at golden hour, which is the hour right before sunset, but because of the haze created by the fires, this recent session turned into a “blue hour” session, which is the 20-30 minutes that follows sunset. This time of day is equally as gorgeous. The light is soft and filtered, the sky has a blue and pink hue and it often creates for very visually interesting images.

I went to high school with this recent client and both she and her twin brother are amongst the funniest and sweetest people I know. After photographing this beauty with her family, I realized that her four year old daughter inherited that same gift of humor. Dad also was a hoot to work with. Seriously, I don’t think I have ever had more fun during a session.

Little Miss V was an absolute blast to work with. She was such a super cooperative child and sat for all of the posed shots that I took at the start of the session. Once it was time to move down to the shore, she was playful and silly, which is exactly what I want to happen at that point of the session. I always prefer the playful and candid captures from these family sessions.

It is Labor Day weekend and Summer is winding down, but in Long Beach, September is the absolute best time of year. After this weekend, crowds will dissipate, the weather cools off a bit, and the sunsets change in color and intensity.

I shot my first sunset family session of the month Friday evening and although the beach was a bit more crowded than usual, the session was amazing. We had the most gorgeous and moderate weather, the water was warm, and the colors of the sun and sky were constantly changing in hue and color. Best of all, I got to photograph one of the sweetest families I have met. I am so lucky to work with such awesome clients

When my goddaughter was born 16 years ago, it was my first experience with a newborn. At that time, I was a mere 28 years old and , quite frankly, knew nothing about babies. I remember getting the phone call that my sister was in labor. I was teaching at the time and after the last bell of the school day rang, I left the school and drove straight to the hospital to meet my parents, who were already waiting there. I can remember sitting in that waiting room for what felt like an eternity and then finally hearing the news that she was born. There are not many moments in my life that are etched as clearly and vividly as this moment, but I will never forget walking down the hospital corridor to the glass paned nursery and seeing that tiny little miracle for the first time. I didn’t know much at that age, but I knew that she was the embodiment of love and God all in one…and a true blessing.

Now, here I am 16 years later and she is a stoic and beautiful young woman. It is like I blinked my eyes and here we are. There is not much this girl can’t do. She is a stellar athlete and scholar, a master baker, crafter extrodinaire and, above all, she is kind, patient and strong beyond compare. We are all so proud of her.

I recently photographed a family with six children, the youngest of which are beautiful twin girls. I was amazed at how calm and relaxed mom and dad were and how amazingly happy and connected everyone in the family was. Love really abounds in the family; in particular, amongst the siblings. It was so touching to watch the way the oldest siblings interacted with their younger siblings in such a loving and nurturing manner.

The oldest daughter contacted me about this session because she wanted to gift her mom a session with all of her children. I know I might be biased, but I can’t think of a more meaningful gift for a parent to receive. The images will last a lifetime and will be treasured by not only mom and dad, but all of their children as well.

It has been many, many, many years since I celebrated my 21st birthday, but I can still remember the anticipation and excitement for the huge milestone birthday. It is a moment that is pivotal for young adults and is one that should definitely be commemorated.

I can hardly believe it, but my niece is about to turn 21. It feels like yesterday that I met her for the first time at my husband’s block party. She was the sweetest and most adorable child and it as been a pleasure to watch her grow into a kind and beautiful young lady.

Even though I photograph families at the beach, I never get bored of sunset family sessions. Not only is each family unique, but the sunset each night is unique and like a fingerprint, no two are ever the same. With that being said, the sunset on Monday evening was absolutely epic. I had to pause throughout the session to take a moment to just take the beauty all in. It really was the perfect night to photograph a family on the beach.

I photographed this family a year ago for an in home newborn session and they are one of my favorite families to work with. They are not only super nice, but their children are the sweetest and most fun loving children I have met. I don’t think I have many photos in which they are not laughing and smiling.

Is it me or does Summer seem to be flying by? Due to COVID restrictions, social engagements for most of us have been limited and, yet, here we are…halfway through July. I, for one, have been embracing every second of this beautiful warm weather and much of that involves spending time down by the shore.

The beach is a great place to go right now. You can easily maintain social distance, take in the fresh air, and calm any residual COVID anxiety by relaxing by the sea. My favorite time to go to the beach is late afternoon into the evening hours. I love how serene the beach is at this time of day and I love to watch the colors of the sky, sun and ocean change as sunset approaches. These gorgeous soft colors are what make it the perfect location for photos.

Although I Have a fully equipped studio space, I love shooting outdoor sessions. Photographing families and children outdoors allows for more natural, candid and relaxed images. A first birthday is the perfect opportunity to update your family photos and capture adorable images of the birthday child.

This client contacted me for a cake smash scheduled outdoors for her son’s first birthday. She wanted a very natural session with no props, which is perfect for me because I prefer a much more natural and simplistic look to my images.