Greetings!
When I was younger my family used to go to the beach every year. I loved that tradition
so much that I knew I wanted to adopt it for my own little family. Three years ago the tradition began for us and its held firm ever since.
Where We Stay
I can't remember how I stumbled upon it but I found this amazing resort in Hilton Head, SC called Palmetto Dunes. I am obsessed with it! The grounds and landscaping are immaculate. They have tons of communities, hotels, condos and amenities. From onsite bike rentals, restaurants, convenient store, canoe rentals, tennis, pools and beach access. It is perfect! Each time we have stayed here I purchased our lodging through Vrbo.com previously known as Homeaway.com. Very similar to airbnb. The process has been seamless from start to finish. Hands down the best experience with booking was with our most recent rental. The owner of the condo is who I had the pleasure to communicate with and she was so hospitable and accommodating. The condo was updated and spotless! I highly recommend this property.
What We Did
This trip we basically took it easy the entire time. We spent a lot of time on the beach. The tide was pretty low most of time which was perfect for Langston. On Sunday we did a family photo shoot with an amazing photographer named Rodney. I got so lucky because about 2 months prior to booking the trip I went online searching to Hilton Head photographers. I found Rodney with One Moment One Shot Photography on Instagram! Yes, Instagram! I can hardly believe it myself. His work on Instagram and his website is breathtaking. His booking process was so easy too. Correspondence with him the entire time was professional and quick. Because we were familiar with the Palmetto Dunes property and because of how beautiful it already is there it was a no brainer to do the photos right at the resort. This made everything very easy for everyone. Rodney was even able to do our shoot early to dodge the rain! I will definitely be booking him again in the future!
Tips and Tricks for Family Photos
1. Timing
2. Picking a photographer
Do your research! Extensive research. Many photographers specialize in certain types of photos. Studio, family friendly, portrait, maternity, etc. Its up to you to select a photographer that specializes in the photos you want. Ask them questions, check their socials and website. Even check yelp for reviews. There are a lot of scammers out there so be careful. Professional photos can get very pricey so just be careful that the price you pay is going to deliver the quality it reflects.
3. Find Inspiration
I get lots of inspiration from
Pinterest. I literally just searched "family beach photos" and take note on the wardrobe, the poses and the scenery. There is no new idea under the sun. Some photographers even ask you if you have inspiration photos you'd like to share with them.
4. The Wardrobe
Stay away from matchy matchy outfits! For a studio shoot I think matchy matchy family photos can look nice but for a natural setting I think its best to stay away from every person in the photo wearing the same exact outfit. Cohesive colors? Yes! Even the same color in different hues looks awesome for outdoor photos. I usually pick about four different outfits for myself. Then I run them by my husband so he can pick something out for himself and our son. Luckily, I am the most difficult to style so this makes the process easy. If you are doing more than one look for your family photos its best to try to pick two contrasting looks. A dressy and casual look or dark colors and bright colors, etc. Keeping it simple is something I like to keep in mind as well. This applies to everything. Outfits, makeup, hairstyle everything! Keeping it simple also makes changing clothes between looks quicker and easier. A lot of times different colors and patterns can be a distraction in the photos anyway.
5. Recruit Some Help
Pretty much every family photo shoot we have done I have been able to have either my mom or my sister come help us. This is going to be life saving if you are taking photos with children, pets or a large party. For this photo shoot my sister was a God send. She was able to not only get Langston dressed for me but she also made sure he didn't get sand everywhere prior to shooting. She was able to be make him simile, distract him when he wasn't in the photo and change his clothes when it was time for the second look. Mamas this is going to make your family photo shoot that much more seamless. Again one to two months notice should allow you time to recruit some help from a family member or friend.
 |
| I bought this cute set from Zara online and it turned out perfect. Also there were tons of black ants crawling on my feet in this photo. Watching all the ANTM in high school paid off lol. |
 |
| Rodney understood the assignment y'all! With the photo package we purchased he edited 30 photos! Turn around time for edits was about 1 week. |
Making memories with my family is one of my absolute favorite things to do. Time is precious y'all! Spend quality time with ones you love, put your phone down, work can wait. Play in the sand, take the photos, and relish in the memory of it all.
"A strong black family is one of the most impactful forms of resistance."
Love,
ALW
Posts
