10 Tips: to Prepare for your Milwaukee Beach Family Photography Session

 There is nothing more beautiful in the summer here in Milwaukee than a family beach photography session! Sun up to sun down, I love capturing fun family moments here in our beautiful state of Wisconsin!

However, with the business of life and preparing your family, certain details can get overlooked. So to help prepare you and your family for your upcoming beach session I am giving you 10 tips to help make this the smoothest, stress-free beach photography experience!

Before we dive into the list let’s talk about the timing of your session. Many of my clients ask, “what time of day is the best to take photos on the beach?”. While the colors of the sun beginning to set can be absolutely breathtaking, the colors of mid-morning or sunrise are also great times to consider as well.

Sunset family photos in Milwaukee are best taken 1-2 hours before the sun actually sets and provides a beautiful golden glow to your photos. Mid-morning photos (around 10 am) will give you a beautifully soft clean white color, and sunrise will give your photos a soft pink cast to them. However, if you’re anything like me; our family photography sessions are scheduled to fit around my little one’s nap schedule (naps are sacred around here). So we will take whatever natural beauty God decides to paint the sky at that time!

Think about the colors you would like your family to wear so that the natural colors in the sky will complement your family wardrobes and the color scheme in your home. It may sound like a crazy little detail, but these are the types of tiny details I consider when styling my clients for any session. During my planning process, I style my clients based on a variety of elements; location and time of day are two big factors that I take into account. You can read more about what it’s like to work with me for a Milwaukee Family Photography session here. 

10 Tips: to Prepare for your Milwaukee Beach Family Session

1. Bring both adult AND children’s sunscreen
2. Pack a beach blanket for your family to sit on! These make such sweet and cozy photos and help keep your clothing clean!
3. Style your session with a straw hat or a straw bag. These items can also be functional pieces during your session – to shade your eyes and keep your essentials close by.
4. White is my absolute favorite primary color to style my clients in for their family sessions. It looks good for any time of day on the Milwaukee beaches and is easy to pair with other colors in your family’s wardrobe.
5. Pack non-staining, bite-sized snacks – for everyone! We all can get a little hangry sometimes..! A quick bite can help keep everyone happy!
6. Don’t be afraid to get wet! In fact, PLAN ON IT! Mama’s – that means wear your waterproof makeup because you’re bound to get splashed!
7. Shoes can be optional during photos. This is a big perk in my book! Just make sure your pedicure is freshened up before your session!
8. Pack towels for everyone – and bring them with you to the beach! We are in Milwaukee after all! So it’s going to be cold on your walk back to the car if you got wet and forgot to bring towels with you.
9. Let your children play and wonder. It’s ok if your little one wants to play in the sand or skip rocks during your session. We have plenty of time to capture some beautifully posed photos and some natural lifestyle photos of your family playing on the beach together.
10. Have fun with your family! Family beach sessions are some of my favorite because there is so much fun to be had on the beach! Snuggle them up and soak it all in!

Even if you don’t remember everything on this list, you can rest assured that I will capture some beautiful moments that you and your family will love!

When to book a Milwaukee Family Beach Session?

• I recommend booking your session 1-2 months in advance to secure your date.
• Early June – July is beautiful beach weather. However, sessions can be scheduled into late August.

Ready to book your Milwaukee Family session? Let’s chat! 

Rachel Harmeling Photography is a maternity, newborn, baby & family photographer serving the greater Milwaukee area, including Kenosha, Madison, Oak Creek, Wauwatosa, Franklin, Sturtevant West Allis, Brookfield, New Berlin, White fish bay, and Milwaukee County.

Looking to book a Houston newborn photographer in home? Checkout my friend Karla