How to Take a Family Portrait at the Beach

A family portrait can be anything from a happy memory of a great vacation to a testament to the growth of your family over the years, and a memorial for times to come. The setting of your family portrait can say a lot about you and your family, and some settings are easier to manage than others. The beach, for example, provides the unique danger of getting sand in the camera. Read on for tips on taking the perfect family portrait at the beach.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

1. Bring everything you need. A camera, a tripod if possible, and even a photographer if you choose.

2. Decide ahead of time if the portrait will be casual or formal, and dress for the occasion.

3. When you arrive at the beach, make taking the photo your first order of business. Especially if you don’t want wet, sandy kids in your photo!

4. Plan for the right time of day. If you want the ocean behind you, you should go in the morning on the west coast, or the evening on the east coast. The sun setting behind you might be a great mental picture, but it will leave your family as shadows in the portrait.

5. Position yourselves so that you are not in front of a gaggle of surfers or a volleyball game, unless you want those elements in the background.

6. Be prepared to edit stray people out of the final shot when you get home, or ask the photographer to do so.

Tips & Warnings

• Spot check each other for things like sunscreen blobs or spinach in your teeth before you take the photo.
• Digital is best if you are not hiring a professional, as you can make sure that the image did not blur, everyone smiled, and you all have heads in the final product.
• Do not take photos with the sun behind the subject.