Half Moon Bay | Beach Family Photos | Bay Area Family Photographer

Half Moon Bay Family Photography

Today I’m featuring two beautiful families that I photographed last weekend in Half Moon Bay! Both of these gorgeous mamas connected with me on Instagram. It was such a privilege to meet them and document their beautiful families in this stage of life.

Kind Words

This sweet mama wrote this kind note when she shared her images on social media:

“Thank you @irisandlacephotography for capturing such beautiful moments of our family! You were so patient, sweet and the kids listened to you so well - it was pure magic! I couldn’t choose which ones to put up because they were all so amazing.”

Choosing the Perfect Wardrobe

These two families both did an amazing job dressing and styling themselves. My first family opted for neutrals (white & brown) + green, and my second family opted for neutrals (white & gray) + blue. I love both of these solid, flowing dresses these gorgeous ladies wore. Both dads opted for pants and a neutral top, such as the white button down and the gray sweater.

Shooting family photos by the beach during Summer & Fall is pretty much a guarantee that it will be foggy. Although normally I schedule sessions about 45 minutes before sunset, both of these sessions were photographed about 2 hours before sunset. I typically wait until the sun is setting because the light softens and the photos turn out better. But by shooting in this foggy beach, the clouds diffused the harsh light, making for very easy shooting conditions after all!

Beach Family Photos

There are many options for beaches in the San Francisco Bay Area. However, not all these beaches are good choices! Some places like Gray Whale Cove require you to cross a busy highway. Some places are crowded. Some places like Moss Beach require an expensive permit. Some places have dark sand or excessive seaweed. Some places are consistently very windy. I love this particular location because as you can see from the photos, the sand is fine and white, and the coastline is very clear and clean. Though there are many beaches throughout this region, it’s important to be strategic about which beach you choose for family photos! Choosing an experienced photographer who can help navigate the options will be an important element in gorgeous family photos.

Capturing Connection in Family Photos

I could never in a million years “pose” a family as beautifully as this. This kind of connection in photographs is pure and authentic and unscripted. This sweet family wasn’t afraid to love each other fully & completely. And that’s how we created magic together.