Classic bay area beach photoshoot; Baker Beach, San Francisco

mom, dad, daughter, and toddler boy walking on the beach

You're at the beach, your hair tousled by the wind into perfect beach waves, cuddling with your daughter on the sand. You look like you've stepped right out of a magazine spread. Sounds dreamy, right? Well, for most of us, reality has a different story!

Take Irene's family, for instance. Their photos might scream "effortless beach stroll," but behind the scenes? It was just the opposite! We're talking runny noses, a kindergartener on the loose, and yes, even a meltdown or two. But you know what? Those high-energy moments made for some of the most precious photos (and authentic).

After Irene filled out her questionnaire, we settled on a classic Bay Area beach: Baker Beach in San Francisco. Perfect for this East Bay family looking for a touch of a sweater weather kind of vibe.

mom and toddler boy standing while daughter is piggy packing dad, while on the beach

From the moment I met Irene's family, I knew we were in for a fun, high energy ride. The energy radiating from them made this photoshoot unique, especially from the father-daughter duo. I corralled the whole family for some quick shots in the first 10 minutes.

Then, the little kindergartener took off, then the dad :)

I used this opportunity to capture some tender moments between Irene and her baby boy. It quickly became clear that forcing poses and smiles would lead us straight to stress-town. So, I shifted gears and decided to go with the flow.

And boy, did we flow! I captured sweet, playful moments between Dad and his mini-me, all while keeping an eye out for those precious seconds when the whole family came together in a whirlwind of laughter and sand.