We’ve captured so many milestones and moments on our smartphones, but we finally decided it was time for our first official family photo shoot!

My parents have been together since they were 16 and are now 81! 💗 They’ve created a legacy of grateful family members to have fun with, so we thought this would be the perfect time to do a family photo session together. 💫

After much debate via text messaging, we chose South Pine Creek Beach in Fairfield, CT, as the location. The photographer scheduled the shoot for 7 pm to take advantage of the beautiful light.

The kids decided we should wear jeans with light-colored tops (as you can see, some of us followed the dress code, and some didn’t) 🤣!

Here are some tips I learned from the process:

* Shade is Key: Choose a location with some shade to avoid harsh shadows on faces.
* Variety in Backgrounds: Locations with diverse backgrounds add more variety to your photos. We used the water, sunset, driftwood, and a rock wall lined with flowers.
* Optimal Lighting: Late afternoon offers softer, more flattering light.
* Bug Spray Reminder: If you start just before dusk, don’t forget the bug spray!
* Footwear: If you plan to be barefoot on the beach, bring flip flops for comfort from pebbles and easy on-off use.
* Weather Considerations: ⛈️Be aware of weather variables. We had to move our shoot from Saturday to Sunday due to rain, coinciding with the rescheduled Fairfield fireworks. Verify road closures, traffic, beach crowding, and parking limitations. Luckily, South Pine Creek Beach was far enough to avoid those concerns.
* Capture the Process: The photo shoot itself is a fun and memorable experience, so capture some “behind the scenes” moments.

I’ll share some of the professional photos once we receive them, but here are a few behind-the-scenes snapshots in the meantime!

Have you done a family photo shoot? What milestone were you capturing? What photo shoot tips can you share? What lifestyle changes are approaching that may warrant a professional photo session? Let us know in the comments!

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