Summer here at the Southern Outer Banks of North Carolina is filled with families who have worked hard, saved hard and planned far in advance with hopes of gathering all the relatives for a beach vacation. Powder white sand, beach dunes with sea oats, and emerald seas make for a beautiful backdrop. What better opportunity for a timeless photo session of the entire family! Your job will be to find the best photographer to capture the images you want from the session. My style includes both posed groups as well as modern lifestyle images that capture the spirit of your family.
The most important skill a beach photographer can have is not their camera. It’s experience. I’ve been photographing families at the beach for 12 years. I think of myself like the Farmers Insurance guy: “I know a lot because I’ve seen a lot”. There are many moving parts to successful beach sessions so I have made a list to better prepare you for what to expect.
- TIME OF DAY: The beach sun is very bright and the light bounces off the sand like a reflector until one hour before sunset. That’s why you can sometimes get sunburned even sitting under an umbrella—more on that later! Our session will be scheduled late in the day as the sun is setting for the beautiful golden hour light and hopefully the sunset drama the beach can bring. That is typically sometime between 7pm and 8pm. Parents of young children always wince here because it is disruptive to feeding and bedtimes. Unfortunately, unless we have a completely overcast day, the time is not an option. No one, adults or young children can avoid squinting when the light is bright. Most children will always turn their faces away to avoid the brightness. Their frustration will become yours and that doesn’t make for pretty pictures. Shadows are harsh and the heat will cause you to sweat through your clothes. Trust my experience. Try to make small schedule adjustments as our session approaches so the kids will be better prepared for the time of our session. When we start in that beautiful early evening light, your photos will exceed your expectations. Very early mornings for early risers is also an option but that means a 6:30am session and that is typically far less of an option for your vacationing family.
- WEATHER: It’s bright and sunny and the wind blows almost everyday. Or it rains in quick showers that no phone app or radar can possibly keep up with. Be flexible. Depending on your location and size of group, I can come to you. If we are having questionable weather, I have some great location options to help us avoid the worse of it. The number one most frustrating thing is wind. It will be windy. Be sure to plan ahead with ways to control long hair and keep it out of faces. Alternatives are pulling it up, braiding, using an up do or just accepting the natural look of windswept hair! More hairspray is not the answer. You will end up looking like Marge Simpson once the wind grabs it. If you are not sure that the wind will effect your hair, just walk out on the beach about 4pm and see if you think you’ll be happy with the way it will look in photos. I will always touch base with you the day before to confirm time and location based on weather. I want everyone to have the best experience so I am going to set you up for success. Once again, my experience is your key!
- WHAT TO WEAR: This will be where the hard work on your part will comes into play. Everyone looks good in blue jeans, denims and white or pastel shirts. Khaki is a perfect neutral that will blend with other colors and most people have that in their closet. If you want to try other combinations just make sure you keep everyone's outfit in the same tones. If you chose pastels then make sure everyone is wearing light colors. If you go with navy or a darker color then everyone has to wear darker colors. Stick to all light or all dark otherwise your group will look inconsistent and person wearing light colors will stand out. You don't have to look like you were cloned but it helps if everyone generally matches. The only hard and fast rule is do not wear logo t-shirts, plaids, stripes or loud patterns of any kind as they will distract from your face. Dresses, skirts and shorts are great but you will be sitting down in the sand so make sure they cover the essentials. Keep jewelry to a minimum. You will be in barefoot. It is the beach and shoes look out of place.
DON'T GET SUNBURNED! Tan lines and bare burned shoulders will stand out and will require costly retouching to correct. Try to schedule your session early in the week before your husband falls asleep in the sun!
- FOUR-LEGGED FAMILY: Yes! I’m all about including your furry family members but you probably won’t include them in every photo. Just remember, it’s very hot so be prepared with some shade and water. Keep in mind there will always be other dogs at the beach so give some consideration as to how they may react to seeing their furry friends.
- PATIENCE: I have the patience of Job. Crying children, barking dogs, grumpy relatives…yeah, it’s all part of the experience. Don’t get frustrated if everything isn’t perfect. Follow the tips above and you will have prepared your family for the best beach photo session possible. If things don’t go exactly as planned, we will embrace the crazy and just have fun!
Interested in setting up a session? Email me HERE and let’s make a plan!
Be sure to check out the FAMILY GALLERY on the website for more information or email me info@karendoody.com!
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