Tips from a Butterfly Beach Photographer for your family photo session in Santa Barbara, CA.

If you are taking a family vacation to Santa Barbara CA or you live in the area and hoping to capture your family at the beach, I hope this blog, Butterfly Beach Photographer-Tips for your beach photo session is helpful in your planning process!

How soon should I schedule a Butterfly Beach family photo session?

Photographers book their calendars months before, especially in the summer and fall timeframes. If you are planning to vacation in Santa Barbara, CA area, make sure to plan your beach family photo session as soon as you book your vacation or have the dates you know you are going to book the trip! If you are local, as soon as you know roughly when you want to capture these memories, will be perfect.

Check out this beautiful beach session here at another gorgeous Southern CA beach!

What time should my family session at Butterfly Beach start?

I always recommend earlier in the day towards the pretty morning light hour or in the evening near sunset. The coast can get cloudy at times so we can always be flexible on those days. The light and whole vibe at Butterly Beach is truly a dream.

The softer golden light is what is going to make this session even better so I always recommend trying to make that hour work however if you can’t I have done many beach sessions in bright mid day light however my first choice would be sunset hour. If you have little ones, trying to get them to nap later (right before your session or on the drive) can be beneficial (I know not always possible, but worth a shot). Don’t forget to bring comfy clothes for after on the drive home!

What should we wear for our Butterfly Beach family photo session?

For myself, when I am doing photos with my family, I always like to find what I want to wear first as I find that the most difficult thing to find hehe. I don’t think I’m alone on this one! Where are my fellow mamas at?? I always recommend a more flowy longer dress, works out great for photos in terms of movement but also the longer ones work better if it is a windier day at the beach which does happen frequently.

Some top places I always recommend for mamas is Free People, Nothing Fit’s But, Bohme and Rylee and Cru (matching with your kiddos too!). Amazon always works in a pinch too if you are running short on time, I also can’t help but love the ease of returning since I feel like I buy 20 dresses to find one that works.

For guys it is a lot easier to find something. I think keeping it simple and complimentary to the colors in your dress is what your main focus is here. I recommend something neutral for this. I love pops of colors, textures, textiles, prints etc. but I feel like those usually work well in a dress and then keep the guys style a little more plain so it’s not overwhelming. The neutral look with soft tones really is a timeless look and can mix in well with all different home decor vibes based on what you like and how you decorate your home throughout the years.

For the kiddos, keep the colors similar to what you are using in your dress, there are so many different cute brands out there. I find these outfits to be the easiest to shop for since the littles look cute in everything. Zara kids, Old Navy, Rylee and Cru and H&M are just a few of many great options.

Also, keep in mind if you ever have any questions on outfits and are needing guidance, once you book with me I can help you out with those details.

What types of shoes should we wear for our Butterfly Beach family photo session?

This is my favorite part of beach sessions, you can go barefoot!- and you SHOULD go barefoot. I don’t know about you but walking on the sand with shoes is such an ordeal and just doesn’t look great for photos. No shoes is comfy, casual, fun and whimsical!

Should I bring any props for my Butterfly beach family session?

This is definitely not necessary since less is more with photos and I try to keep things simple and timeless for my photo sessions. However, if you were going to bring anything, some cute beach toys (colors that might be more appropriate for photographing) would be so cute to have the kids moving and entertained. These candid more in the moment photos are the best ones to capture! Another awesome idea are a pair or really cute little kids sunglasses. These are just a couple of fun ideas, not necessary but also could make for a cute photoshoot vibe.

What is the most important thing to be prepared for our Butterfly Beach family photo session?
Honestly, the biggest advice I can give families (especially parents) is to care LESS. Keep calm, enjoy the moment, the vacay you’re on and appreciate the moments you’re having on this beautiful beach vacation. I am going to be there to capture those authentic, raw, organic timeless memories. That is found in those casual in-between moments. What I have found after photographing families for years is that the more stressed and forced the parents are and try to get their children to be the harder it is to capture those real shots that turn out to be the most beautiful.

Where can we get ice cream after our session in the Santa Barbara area? (such a great bribery for kids as well hehe)-

There are A LOT in the area:
Mission Street Ice Cream and Yogurt
Rori’s Artisanal Ice Cream
Mister Softee Santa Barbara

Check out this amazing beach session in Ventura, CA not far from Santa Barbara for more beachy photo inspiration!

If you are planning a trip to Santa Barbara, Ventura or Butterfly Beach I hope these Butterfly Beach Photographer-Tips for your beach photo session was helpful and I hope we can work together in the future. If you are ever interested in a session, reach out below and let’s connect!