When my client told me she wanted a session that wasn’t too posed, I knew that this family photo session was going to be special. She said that she wanted to document how much fun her children are at this age. After spending an evening with them on the beach for their sunset session, I can see why she feels this way.

The children, ages three and five, were not only fun, but super cooperative and engaged in the session. They were eager to participate in the fun games I had planned for them during the session and their laughter and happiness shines through in the images. This session really captures the essence of childhood and I think that is what I love best about it.

The night of this session was probably one of the most beautiful nights of the season thus far. It was a mild 70 degrees and the light was soft and golden. We started the session on the sand by the dunes for some cuddly images of the family. I made sure to capture lots of images of the family laughing together here. I then moved on to the sibling photos, which I always try to capture at the start of a session, especially with children under five. These two hammed it up for the camera and had a blast giving piggy back rides and dancing in the sand.

I always try to capture each parent with the children. Dad tossed his kids in the air, played superman with them and the images are magical. With moms, I try to capture some cuddly poses, but we were also able to capture lots of images filled with laughter.

If the family is willing and able, I like to end these sessions in the water. Typically, by this point in the session the sun is almost setting, so there is a beautiful golden glow and the reflections of the water add such visual interest. Big sister took right to the waves and didn’t miss a beat. Her dad is a lifeguard and the family spends a lot of time at the beach, so she is no stranger to the water. She ran in the waves, jumped over them and was completely soaked. Mom said she didn’t mind if the kids got wet and sandy, so we were able to get some pretty epic shots of the kids in the water. I am pretty sure that these are my favorite from the night.

I ended the session with photos of mom and dad together and this couple is clearly still very much in love. It was so sweet to capture their bond. The best moment of the night was when big sister started taunting her parents for kissing. I made sure to capture that very funny moment. It was hard for all of us to restrain our laughter.

I had an absolute blast with this family and I was sad when the night came to an end. Here are some of my favorites from the session.