Some of my favorite family sessions are the ones where we get the beautiful everyone looking at the camera portrait and then stop worrying so much about everyone looking at the camera.
This family session at Lighthouse Beach in Evanston, Illinois is a perfect example.
We photographed the whole family, sisters together, each of the girls individually, Mom with her daughters, Dad with his daughters and Mom and Dad together.
But some of my favorite photographs came after everyone had a chance to loosen up, explore the beach and play.
Lighthouse Beach is one of my favorite locations for family photography because one session can have so much variety. The rocks, beach grass, sand and Lake Michigan shoreline all create completely different backgrounds without having to leave the beach.
And for families with kids? There’s something even more important.
There’s room to move.
Family Photos Don't Have to Mean Sitting Still
One of the biggest concerns I hear from parents before a family session is some version of:
“What if my kids don’t cooperate?”
My answer is that I don’t expect young children to behave like adults during a photo session.
And I don’t want them to.
We’ll absolutely create those classic family portraits that belong framed on your walls. But your entire gallery shouldn’t depend on whether your child feels like standing in exactly the right place and smiling on command.
That’s where play comes in.
Instead of constantly telling kids what not to do, I want to give them something they can do.
Explore.
Walk.
Splash.
Run.
Snuggle.
Climb.
Be silly.
And interact with the people they love.
That little face is exactly why.
You can’t manufacture that expression by asking a child to “say cheese.”
Why Lighthouse Beach Is So Good for Family Photography
Lighthouse Beach gives us several distinctly different looks during one family session.
Near the shoreline, there are large rocks and driftwood that add texture and make family portraits feel completely different from a traditional open beach session.
Walk a little farther and we have soft sand, dune grass and greenery.
And then, of course, there’s Lake Michigan.
That variety is one reason I continue to love photographing families here. Your final gallery doesn’t look like we stood in one spot and created 40 variations of the same photograph.
It feels like a story.
Yes, We'll Get the Family Portrait
Because I know somebody reading this is thinking:
“Okay Melissa, but I still need ONE picture where everyone is looking at you.”
😂
I know.
And we’ll get it.
This is why I don’t think family photography has to be either completely posed or completely candid.
The best galleries have both.
I give families enough direction that nobody is wondering what they’re supposed to do, but I also leave room for things to happen naturally.
That combination gives you the photograph for Grandma’s frame and the photograph that instantly reminds you what your three-year-old was actually like at this age.
You deserve both.
The Photos Parents Don't Always Think to Ask For
There’s another thing I intentionally photograph during family sessions:
the relationships inside your family.
Not just everyone together.
Mom with the kids.
Dad with the kids.
Siblings together.
Each child individually.
And Mom and Dad without the kids.
Because somewhere along the way, once you have children, it becomes incredibly easy for your camera roll to contain 6,000 pictures of your kids and almost none of the two people raising them.
So yes, I’m pulling you two aside for a picture.
Even if your kids are standing five feet away asking when they can get back into the water.
And Then We Let Them Get Wet
This is where Lighthouse Beach sessions get particularly good.
Once we’ve created the portraits we need, I’m a big believer in letting kids have some fun.
For this family, that meant getting into Lake Michigan.
And once you’re already wet…
you might as well splash.
And run.
And forget about the camera for a while.
Those photographs aren’t perfect because everyone is perfectly posed.
They’re perfect because this is what being a family actually looks like.
What Should You Wear for Lighthouse Beach Family Photos?
This family’s wardrobe is also a great example of why I recommend coordinating instead of matching.
The cream, dusty rose, olive and soft neutral tones work beautifully with the natural colors of the beach without everyone wearing identical outfits.
Mom’s patterned dress adds interest while the girls’ dresses keep the overall palette soft. Dad’s patterned shirt ties into the colors without making everyone look overly coordinated.
For beach family pictures, I generally recommend soft neutrals, muted colors and natural textures rather than several competing patterns or very bright colors.
And there’s one wardrobe decision I strongly recommend:
Be prepared to take your shoes off.
Bare feet simply make sense at the beach and if we’re getting into the water at the end, you definitely won’t want to worry about shoes.
Family Photography at Lighthouse Beach in Evanston, Illinois
Family photographs matter because your children aren’t going to stay exactly as they are right now.
The missing teeth change.
The little hand that automatically reaches for yours eventually stops needing to.
The toddler who wants Dad to carry her everywhere gets too big to pick up.
And the relationship between siblings changes right along with them.
That’s what I want your family gallery to preserve.
Not just what everyone looked like.
I want you to remember what being together felt like.
And sometimes the best way to photograph that is simply to give your kids permission to play.
Planning Your Own Evanston Family Photo Session?
If you’re looking for relaxed, natural family photography in Evanston or throughout the Chicago suburbs, I’d love for you to explore more of my work and learn what a LibbyLou Images family session is like.