Last Updated on 09/06/2025 by Armands Sprogis

Beach Family Photoshoot Guide

Hi guys. Finishing my family photoshoots on the beach season. Today, wanted to share a few beautiful beach family portrait sessions I did on my favourite Gullane beach. Will give you some ideas and a few tips if you are planning family portraits at the beach.

I’m an Edinburgh based family photographer who creates family portraits at the studio and outdoors. I love it when families choose the beach for their family portraits. There is so much that you can do, and family photoshoots are always very relaxed. Kids definitely have an amazing time.

The reason why I love this particular beach is that it is pretty secluded and not very windy. Leading up to the beach, there is a grass area where I love taking a few more formal family portraits. Just before madness unravels and everyone gets soaked.

Best Time of Day for Beach Family Portraits

The best time to do family portraits on the beach is either early in the morning or during the evening. Evening sessions usually offer softer, more flattering light, which is ideal for photography. If the day is overcast, you have a bit more flexibility and can schedule the session a bit earlier.

I always recommend starting your shoot about one hour before sunset. This timing gives you that beautiful golden light and enough time to work comfortably. You can check the exact sunset time for your location to help you plan accordingly.

If you schedule a session around midday, the light can be very harsh on your subjects. I would only recommend a midday photo shoot if there are no other options available.
It’s important to communicate with the family ahead of time that this kind of lighting may result in squinting and stronger shadows, especially under the eyes. While it is still possible to get nice photos, being aware of these challenges helps everyone set realistic expectations.

Organising a family photoshoot can be more challenging when there are very young children involved, especially those under three years old. Often, little ones need to be in bed by early evening, which can make scheduling an evening session difficult.
Some families try to fit in a nap before the shoot to help their child stay rested and happy during the session. This can really help avoid tiredness and tantrums, giving you the best chance for a smooth and enjoyable experience.

How to prepare for the beach family photoshoot.

First things first—always check the weather the day before your session. I personally check it the night before, and most of the time, it is pretty accurate. Here in Scotland, I rely on the Met Office website, as I have found the BBC weather forecasts to be a bit hit or miss.

If you are shooting at a location where the water tide can change dramatically, make sure to check the tide times when planning your session. I use a tide tracking website for this. It might not always be crucial, but in places like Midlothian, it can make a big difference. For example, if I am planning a water splash session and the tide is out, I might have to walk nearly a mile just to reach the water—depending on the location.

Preparation depends a lot on the kind of session you are planning. Are you thinking of getting into the water? Will the kids be building sandcastles or playing games?

• I always ask families to think about activities they might want to do on the beach during the session. Planning ahead helps create more natural, fun photos.
• Footwear is worth considering. Will you be in flip-flops or barefoot? For more active sessions, barefoot is usually best and most comfortable on sand.

During the shoot, I tend to take the bag off you as I don’t want it to be in photos. So try not to load it with random things you might not need :)

• Even if you are not planning to go into the water, bring a small towel. I might suggest some playful activities, and wet feet are often part of the fun.
• Bring a spare change of clothes, especially if you are coming with kids. This is a must. Children often end up in the water, no matter what time of year it is

What to Wear for a Beach Photoshoot

There is no rule that you must wear light or dark colours. The key is to choose outfits within the same colour palette. Coordinated tones always look better in photos than clashing colours.

• Try to avoid clothing with strong horizontal lines, large logos, or busy patterns. These can be distracting in your portraits.
• Ladies, if you are not comfortable showing your arms, avoid sleeveless tops. It is much better to wear long sleeves or three-quarter sleeves than to rely on editing afterwards.

Simple activity ideas for family beach portraits.

• Bring a ball. There are loads of things you can do with the ball
• Play tag with each other. It is great to portraits in the moment while you’re chasing someone. I always do it with kids

• Bring a kite. Kids love running with it, and if the beach is a bit windy, it is a great idea.

• For younger kids, you can bring a spade and go treasure hunting. Bring a little bucket too. Maybe try to find some shells.
• Bring a larger plain colour blanket for all of you lay down and take a photo from the top. Always fun. Make funny faces photos too.

• Put kids on your shoulders and walk around.
• Wobbly walk with kids. Hold each other around the waist and slowly walk wobbly.
• A simple walk along the beach and run away as water comes in. Great for families or parents only. For parents, I ask if they can try to push each other into the water without actually doing it. Results into nice reaction shots.

• Hold hand in hands and have a race. This way, nobody is really a loser, and you don’t have a meltdown from a 3 years old.

I hope this will help you to prepare for your beach sessions and get some ideas going.

Feel free to check out my other blog posts and guides. If you are from Edinburgh or Midlothian areas, please check out my family photography page. Loads of different ideas there.