Tips for a Beautiful DIY Beach Family Photoshoot
We decided to do our own family beach photoshoot, and it was a great idea. It saved us a ton of money and gave us the flexibility we needed with limited vacation time (5 days in island paradise is just NOT enough time!).
Doing our own photoshoot let us add our own personal touch. We had fun picking out outfits, from my flowy blue dress to matching colors that looked great in the beach sunlight. Everyone had fun with it. We got to explore new places as we searched for the perfect spot on the beach for our photos. It made the whole experience feel special and made our vacation even more memorable.
Why Do a DIY beach family photoshoot You Might Ask
- You save money! Doing your own beach family photoshoot will cut costs way down compared to hiring a professional photographer.
- Doing it yourself means you can pick the time and place that works best for your family, especially if you don’t have access to a car. No stress about booking a beach photographer during peak season either.
- It gives you freedom to make it yours: Taking charge of your beach family pictures lets you add your own special touch. It’s more personal and enjoyable for everyone. Take all the time you need to capture candid moments without worrying about the photograprers time limits.
The Most Important Thing You will Want to Have For Your Beach Family Photo Shoot
We found that a good tripod was going to be something we would need to purchase for our beach family photos. It kept my phone (yes we used my new iphone to take our family beach pictures) steady, even on the uneven sand.
Make sure to buy a tripod that comes with a bluetooth remote that will connect to your camera or phone. Using a remote control made it easy to capture candid moments.
My three year old giggled as we chased him, snapping the best photos without having to return to the camera. With the whole family dressed in comfortable beach clothes, and our bare feet in the soft sand, our family posed together perfectly. This was the best setup for our beach family photo session.
The natural light and the beautiful shades of blue from the ocean just made our natural smiles pop. No awkward stiff posing in front of the camera with a stranger trying to make us smile.
When the Weather Isn’t What You Hoped For Your Beach Family Portraits
During our beach family photoshoot, we quickly realized that weather was going to be unpredictable. We knew rain was going to be a real possibility the whole week we were in Hawaii. One cloudy day with fewer people on the beach turned out to be perfect for our session. Our outfits, featuring solid colors and light blues, stood out beautifully against the pretty sky and ocean water.
Managing a photoshoot with young children on a windy, rainy day will add excitement to your beach photo session. We kept our little guy engaged with fun poses and playful moments, capturing natural smiles despite the weather. Our tripod and remote were essential for our DIY beach photoshoot, allowing us to set up quickly and capture genuine moments of joy, even in between rain showers.
Best Time of Day For Beach Photos: Chasing the Golden Hour
The best time of day to take family beach photos is usually during the early morning or late afternoon. These times, usually called the “golden hours,” offer soft, flattering light that bring out the pop of color on your outfits. If you’re doing DIY photos like we did and want to avoid crowded beaches, these times are flexible and less busy compared to midday.
Professional photographers suggest aiming for the hour after sunrise or the hour before sunset. During these times, the sun is lower in the sky, casting a warm, golden glow that makes photos look natural and beautiful. Avoiding direct overhead sunlight (typically around midday) helps prevent squinting and shadows on faces. If you can’t shoot during these times, for best results try finding shaded areas.
Now, we didn’t quite follow the “golden hour” rules for our diy beach photo shoots but we had soooo much fun, that I don’t even mind the squinty eyes in some of our pictures. The memories that come from looking through our pictures are priceless!
Beach Family Photoshoot Outfit Ideas
I understand we all want our family to look coordinated and for everyone to feel good in their outfits. But, I encourage you to be flexible about this. If your older kids don’t want to match exactly with everyone else, give them some guidelines and let them choose their own clothes. For instance, suggest a color scheme like bright colors or white shirts for boys, and floral prints or white flowy dresses for girls – you get the idea.
Personally, I wasn’t too worried about what each person wore. My main goal was for everyone to feel comfortable and have fun, because that’s what makes family pictures turn out great!
Beach Outfit Ideas For Men
Outfit Ideas For Women
Beach Outfit Ideas For Kids
Outfit Ideas For Toddlers
Editing Your Best DIY Beach Family Photos
After your beach photo session, you may want to make your pictures look more professional. I believe even basic editing tools can turn good photos into great ones. Programs like Adobe Lightroom and free ones like GIMP or even Canva will help adjust brightness, contrast, and colors. Focus on enhancing the blues of the ocean and the golden tones of the sand, bringing out the natural light.
At first, editing your beach family photos might seem challenging. But don’t worry about it too much. Small changes can make a big difference. The best tip I can give you is to keep the edits subtle. This way, your family’s genuine smiles and the happiness of the day will be the focus, without looking overly edited.
Final Thoughts on Whether or Not You Should Plan a DIY Beach Family Photoshoot
To families thinking about doing this themselves, I say: Go for it!
I promise your entire family is going to have so much fun with it, beautiful beaches make the best stages for fun and family photography. These pictures will become cherished memories of togetherness. If you give it a try, I’d love to see your DIY family photos! Please tag me on Instagram @keeper.of.our.home so I can celebrate your moments with you.
We set out to capture the unique bond of our family and the memories of our once in a lifetime trip to Hawaii. The beach was the perfect backdrop for our laughter and fun. We weren’t just taking photos; we were creating memories with every click. It wasn’t about looking like a perfectly put together family but about showing the real us!
DIY Beach Family Photoshoot
