Booking a stress-free beach session on the Emerald Coast in Florida

We recently just got back from a trip to Destin, Florida. Let me tell you, it was a DREAM!

Here are 5 tips to help you have a stress-free beach session!

Don’t worry about your hair!

Yes, I know it sounds strange. As women, we tend to be super self conscious of how our hair looks. I am here to tell you, that even if you do your hair and you are near a beach- it’s going to get messy!  Honestly, the wind blowing your hair around in photos gives movement to your photo and looks gorgeous. Having the perfect hair on the beach isn’t necessary! You are going to look insanely gorgeous having a blast with your family or significant other on the beach no matter what your hair is doing.

Dress in fun, coordinating colors-not matching!

Yes, neutrals look great- don’t get me wrong. But I love the pops of color in outfits against the beautiful blues and greens of the ocean. If you book a sunset session, you will have the amazingly painted sky full of the most beautiful colors. We just wore our “beach outfits” for our session. When I was packing for our trip, I picked out coordinating colors that would compliment each other. I put my son in the cutest little beach shirt, my husband in some shorts and a short sleeve and myself in a light weight dress. It was something that we were going to wear while we were on vacation, so I didn’t need to pack any extra outfits just for our beach session.

Want a beach session with your family playing in the sand? DO IT!

Who cares if you get dirty or full of sand. Why not have those memories of your family playing together in the sand building sandcastles? Those are the moments you want to remember when your kiddos grow up. I am so thankful that I let my kid play in the sand while taking photos because that’s what made him so happy on vacation. I seriously look back at the photos and it brings a huge smile to my face being able to relive that moment, where he was the HAPPIEST! This was definitely a core memory for me. Want to get in the ocean for photos and get wet? DO IT! I promise you that you are going to love looking back at those photos. Seeing the pure joy on everyone’s faces.

When should you book your session to get the best sky colors? Sunrise or Sunset!

If you want the beautiful sky colors, I suggest booking a sunrise session or a sunset session. Yes, you can totally book a session during the day- but it is going to be super hard to get those beautiful skies because of the harsh lighting making the whole sky look “blown out”. Don’t worry though, your photos will still look amazing with the emerald colored ocean behind you! I did both a sunrise session and a sunset session, let me tell you–they are both gorgeous! You won’t be disappointed. If the sky isn’t important to you, then book your session anytime during the day! You will still get amazing photos to relive those beautiful memories for a lifetime.

Enjoy your session and the moments during it!

Yes, pictures usually make you feel stressed out. Trying to plan the perfect outfit, doing your hair, making sure everyone is looking their best, making sure the kids are behaving etc. I get it! I have just one piece of advice. “Let it go” When I look back at my photos, I don’t remember any of those things being important to me now. I look at my photos and  I remember being present with my son and husband, enjoying each other on the beach. Watching my son fill with joy while getting to dig in the sand. Yes, get some posed shots with everyone looking, but let your photographer capture those in-between moments where your kiddo is asking you a question, running around on the beach, playing in the sand, wanting to run in the water. Let them do it! You will be glad you did.

This is exactly the memories you want to have from your vacation. The beautiful moments were you and your family got to just enjoy each other.