Beach Session Tips

Sessions at the beach are beautiful, but they require a little extra prep work! Here are some tips to keep your session as stress-free as possible.

We have to shoot around the sun's schedule
You'll notice that the session start times are really early or pretty late in the day. At the beach, the only way to get nice, soft lighting (trust me, you'll want it!) is to shoot around the sun's schedule. It's just one day of having to throw schedules off, but you'll love the results. 

Not sure if you're willing to get up before the sun? Here are a few things to consider:
Did you know the beach is usually less windy in the morning? The temperature is usually cooler than the end of a hot southern day. Less people are at the beach which means less distractions for little ones. 

Don't be afraid to get sandy & wet
I love beach sessions because it gives us the chance to create some amazing images in the water. Please don't be afraid to get wet! We will start with all of the dry pictures so we can end your session having fun splashing in the water. 

The beach is windy but we're going to embrace it
Keep in mind when styling your hair that the beach is usually windy.

Plan a fun outfit
At the beach, you can totally get away with a fun outfit! And you're totally off the hook for shoes because we aren't going to wear any! You should have received a Welcome Guide, but here are a few beach specific tips.

Moms- I love maxi dresses at the beach. The way the wind catches them creates an ease to your look. I would avoid a short dress since the beach is windy. I'm a sucker for floppy hats in a few pictures.

Dads - shorts and cotton t-shirts are always nice. If you wear a button down shirt, roll the sleeve for a more relaxed look. 

Kids - I think the beach gives you the opportunity to dress your kids in a fun outfit. A sweet dress for girls or suspenders (no shirt required) for boys always look nice. Hats are also a nice touch to wear in a few pictures.
(Note: I do have bonnets, ruffle rompers, bloomers and shorts. Let me know if you'd like to borrow something from the client closet!) 
 
As always, neon colors and logos do not photograph well.
 

Things you might want to bring for your session: 
Sunscreen
Bug spray
Bobby pins
An activity (a toy sailboat, bubbles, etc. We can brainstorm ideas together.)


Things to pack in your car for after your session: 
Several towels
A change of clothes for everyone
A treat for well behaved kids
*Most beaches do not have showers. Plan accordingly!
 

Client Closet: Little boys

Hats

up to 2T

up to 2T

6-12 months

6-12 months

6-9 months

6-9 months

Bottoms

3-6 months

3-6 months

6-12 months

6-12 months

6 months

6 months

6-12 months

6-12 months

Rompers

3-6 months

3-6 months

12 months

12 months

6-9 months

6-9 months

Sets

Five Tips for Photographing Christmas Morning

A cell phone camera is better than no camera! 
Just because you don't have that "fancy" DSLR doesn't mean you can't take awesome pictures on Christmas. A cell phone camera is better than no camera. Keep in mind that iPhones don't handle low light very well, so make sure you have as much light as possible. 

Camera Ready?
After you read this, you're going to say, "Duh!" In reality though, how many times have you gone to take a picture and your card is full, your battery is almost dead or you get the dreaded white box that says "not enough room." The last thing you want to do is keep your kids waiting because you need to delete pictures that have been on your camera/phone since July. On December 23, make sure you have a clean card and full charge.

Clutter... 
Have you ever taken a super cute, perfectly timed picture of your baby only to discover (after you've already posted it on Facebook) that the laundry basket full of your underwear is in the background? Embarrassing. After the kids have gone to bed, take a second to do a sweep around the house and tidy up. Or you can do what I do and throw everything in the master bedroom, close the door and call it good! 

Let there be light!
Like I said before, iPhones don't handle low light very well. Even nice DSLR cameras perform better when there is ample light. Quality is just as important as quantity. Natural light is better than house lights which are better than no light. Our house gets almost no natural light (it's horrible, really) so I am going to run around before the baby wakes up and open all of the blinds to get as much light as possible. 

Get in the action! 
There are several ways you can get in the action. 
1. Most cameras have some sort of self-timers that will run continuously. You can set your camera to take a picture every minute and then you can enjoy the action while your camera snaps away. 
2. Buy a cheap remote. I got one at Best Buy that works like a charm. Keep it by your side and click the remote every so often so that you are in the action instead of behind the camera. 
3. Time lapse. I think I'm going to set up a time lapse on my iPhone so I can re-watch Christmas morning in 30 seconds.