Gloucester Family Portrait Session Wingaersheek Beach

GLOUCESTER FAMILY PORTRAIT PHOTOGRAPHER

What’s the best time of day to schedule your family portrait session at the beach?  Assuming a sunny day, the ideal time to start your photo session would be 45 minutes before sunset, finishing about 10 to 15 minutes after sundown. During this window, the sky and light undergo dramatic change in such a short time period, from warm tones to purplish blues once the sun sinks beneath the horizon. The range of color is wonderful, making for a variety of looks in your image collection.

Aside from light, the other logistical benefits of a late-day beach session include fewer people on the beach, minimal bugs, and cooler weather that is a lot more comfortable to shoot in verses a hot afternoon. However, if your family includes young ones, you’ll need to consider how well they do later in the day. Would a sunset session be past their normal bedtime? Do the kids do better earlier in the day? Quality light is important, but happy kids are the top priority when it comes to pulling off a successful session.

If the end of day isn’t an option for your beach photo session, the best alternative would be to shoot early morning. The earlier, the better.  Once the sun is up, it doesn’t take long to get overly bright at the beach, not to mention possibly crowded and hot.  For a morning session, you really want to be finishing by 9:30 or 10 a.m., unless it’s overcast.  Otherwise, the light can become too harsh and contrasty, which doesn’t make for the best pictures.

This particular family session was photographed just north of Wingaersheek Beach. Combined with a low tide, Gloucester beaches are excellent locations for family pictures.  For additional details on booking your family picture session at the beach, please get in touch!