These are a few samples from recent family beach portraits taken in the Orange Beach, Alabama area including Gulf Shores, Perdido Key, and Dauphin Island. It has been a typical summer with rainy afternoons and evenings. These type of conditions can really enhance the backgrounds and make for some great and memorable family photography.

Dusk Family Beach Portrait in Perdido Key FloridaA family beach portrait taken in Perdido Key, Florida after sunset. This little girl just woke up when we started the session and so was a little tired and not feeling great at the start of the session. At the end of the hour session, we had a great sky after sunset and she got her second wind! Lifetime of Memories Perdido Key PortraitsThe gentleman in this portrait has been having a rough time. His family told me that this may even be the last time they have a family vacation with everyone together. I could tell it was struggle for him to even be with his family during this session. As a result his expressions had tired eyes.
I wanted to give the family a portrait that they could see his spirit.

I tried a few things and they were just okay. I then asked them to just look at each other. What happened next was more than I hoped for. I got a story told by just their reaction to each other. He was telling me they have been looking at each for years. From my perspective it looked like they were looking at a lifetime of memories together. For a brief moment he had a spark in his eyes I was trying to capture. Family Beach Photography in Perdido Key, FloridaA child's portrait taken at the beach in Perdido Key during a family reunion beach vacation Gulf Shores Family Portrait PhotographerA little girls portrait taken at a beach house in Gulf Shores among the sea oats and fence. Orange Beach Candid Beach PortraitLet the kids play! A candid family portrait taken while playing on the beach during a family vacation. Family Beach Photography in Gulf ShoresA candid moment during a family session in Gulf Shores as a girl plays hide and seek with her cousins. Orange Beach Family PhotographerA family beach portrait taken at the edge of the surf. I tend to save these kind of portraits for last as a reward for the kids. Most children like to be around the water. After I get candid shots of them playing around the water they are typically in good spirits for some quick family group shots. Candid Beach Photography in Perdido KeyAfter the posed shots are done and all the portrait checklist is taken care of, it is time to let the kids just be kids. I like these kind of candid portraits because it lets the children withdraw into their own little world and enjoy the beach on their terms. Gulf Shores Multi-Family Beach PortraitThis family beach portrait was for a family reunion at a beach house in Gulf Shores Alabama near Fort Morgan. For large groups like this, especially with children involved I will take multiple pictures so I will have something to work with for the final image. For this portrait I needed three pictures to get this image that had everyone looking. Gulf Shores Family PhotographerA family reunion at a beach house in Fort Morgan near Gulf Shores, Alabama Perdido Key Family Beach PhotographyA rainbow appears in the background during a family beach portrait session in Perdido Key Orange Beach Photographer | Perdido Key Beach PortraitThis is a portrait taken after sunset in Perdido Key, Florida. Just before and after is my favorite time to shoot because the sun isn't as bright and it is more comfortable on the beach. When subjects feel comfortable it makes for better portraits. For this shot it was flat lighting since it was after sunset. I used off camera flash to give the portrait a little more pop and depth while also preserving the colors of the sky at dusk. Family Beach Photographer in Perdido KeyJust a stroll on the beach at Perdido Key Family Photographer in Dauphin IslandA family portrait taken after sunset at Dauphin island Family Beach Photographer Orange BeachA family portrait session taken in Perdido Key, Florida near Gulf Shores, Alabama