Family Summer Vacation Photos | OBX Photographer

Summer is coming and that means time for fun trips with your family and friends! I am very fortunate to live near Emerald Isle and Topsail Island in North Carolina’s Outer Banks. When coming to town for your family vacation, there are a few things I highly recommend. Take a day to drive to New Bern, North Carolina’s capital at the time of the Revolution! In addition to the amazing historical interpreters at the Governor’s Palace, it’s also the birthplace of Pepsi, the location of many of Nicholas Spark’s novels, and has so many delicious restaurants you could easily make the day one to remember. In Wilmington, take a stroll through Airlie Gardens, a stunningly gorgeous place filled with flowers, sculptures, art pieces, and more. Raining? Head to Jacksonville and check out Altitude, an indoor trampoline park!

In addition to the many, many more amazingly fun options for your vacation, take the time to have your photos done. The beach is my favorite location for a photo session, and what better way to remember your vacation than having photos of everyone who came with you?!

When it comes to planning a summer beach vacation photo session, it can be a bit tricky. The weather here is a tad unpredictable at times so I plan for your session to be in the first few days of your trip so we have time to reschedule if the skies decide to open and there is never a penalty for having to reschedule because of weather. Sessions are done in the hour immediately following sunrise, or immediately before sunset, also known as “golden hour”, this is the best time of day for natural lighting on the beach. Plus, our sunrises and sunsets are breathtaking!

When it comes time to plan outfits, fight the urge to all wear one color (especially black or white!) and go for something with a bit of variety. Not only will this add some visual interest to your photos, it stops everyone from blending into each other. Navy blue, turquoise, coral pink, even a pop of rich red will photograph beautifully and allow everyone to show their own style and flair. On the bright side, because we’d be on the beach, there’s no need to coordinate shoes unless you really, really want to.

Whether you’re travelling with the whole extended family, just you & your spouse, or maybe want to make your daughter’s vacation a bit magical, we would love the opportunity to create some memories with you!