When Is The Best Time For A Beach Family Portrait Session?

FAQ’s: When is the Best Time For A Beach Family Portrait Session

The beach can be a really nice place to take family portraits. However, it can also be a challenging location to shoot at. The lighting is typically not ideal. And depending on the day, there may be a lot going on at the beach. So, when is the best time for a beach family portrait session? Here are three things to consider before scheduling your next beach family portrait session.

Keep In Mind That The Lighting At The Beach Is Not Ideal At Most Times of the Day

When Is The Best Time For A Beach Family Portrait Session?

Perhaps the most challenging thing about taking family portraits at the beach is the lighting. When it comes to photography, too much sun can create unflattering lighting. The best time to take outdoor portraits is when the sun is low in the sky. This is typically in the EARLY morning or as the sun sets in the evening. At these times of the day, the lighting is soft and creates beautiful lighting conditions for portraits. If the weather happens to be overcast, this is also great lighting. But it may be hard to predict the weather being overcast.

The Beach is a Popular Place on the Weekend and on Holidays

If your session is scheduled for a weekend, there are a couple of things to keep in mind. The beach can be a VERY popular place on the weekend. And depending on the beach, this can make it difficult to take family portraits. I recommend working with your Photographer to choose a beach that may not be too busy for your session. Especially if your session is on the weekend. Chances are that they know of a few great locations that won’t be too crowded. One of my favorite beaches, that is not too busy in the evening, is the Capitola Wharf Beach. Holidays can pose the same issue. And Holidays may be even more busy than a typical weekend. Make sure to arrive to the beach early – so that you have enough time to park and get to the beach by the start of your session 😉

Consider A Weekday Session

If you don’t like to take pictures when it is too crowded, I would consider a weekday session. Not only will the beach be less crowded, but chances are that your Photographer will have more availability during the week. My studio is 45-60 minutes from the nearest beach and so this takes at least 2-3 hours out of my day. On busy weekends, traveling to-and-from the beach won’t be possible.

Hopefully this quick article on when is the best time for a beach family portrait session has been helpful. Thanks!