Pensacola Family Portraits | Perdido Key Family Beach Photography

Spring, Summer, and Fall you can usually find me, an hour before sunset, on a beach somewhere between Pensacola Beach or Navarre, FL and Gulf Shores or Orange Beach, AL. Family portrait sessions on the white sandy beaches of the Gulf Coast are a thing of tradition for many both local and vacationers alike. But there's something else I'd like for you to remember when you're envisioning the perfect family portrait session -
let the children play...

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Towards the end of family and child, after I've taken all of the more "traditional" or posed pictures, I often ask my clients to consider allowing their kids to get a little sandy and wet. More times than not I'm met with a look of shock and hesitation.
And, I don't push it. If you're not into it, I get it. Your kids (and you) are in nice (coordinated) outfits that you've spent a lot of time and energy assembling, and here I am asking you to let them not only get super sandy but wet too!
But consider it.
Let your children walk away from this session remembering how much FUN it was! (You might find that it ends up being your favorite part of the session as well.)

These pictures are of my own kids - taken a few weeks ago. 
Did I want to load them back in my car all wet and sandy?
Nope.
Had I even thought to bring towels?
Also no. (mom fail)
But when they asked if they could go splash in the water, did I let them?
Heck YES! Without a moment's hesitation.
And they had a BLAST! They chased waves, and danced, and LAUGHED until long after the sun had already crossed below the horizon. And next time, I'll do it again.
At home that night, my back floorboard was full of sand, and my seats were damp. But, the floor can be vacuumed, the seats were dry by morning, and all 3 kids burst into my office before bed that night wanting to see their pictures!

WORTH IT