Scouting Locations for Family Portraits

Meet the Dowdell Family. They live down the block from this serene bay spot which just so happens to be home to a charming lighthouse! It was quite picturesque and a no brainer when it came to scouting locations.

That being said, I still made two scouting trips prior to the photoshoot. I knew where the sun would be at the time of their session, and I wanted to find a few spots that would make for the most pristine shots. I love taking pictures in romantic tall grasses. This bay has lots of dunes with such grasses, but not every grassy dune is created equal!

For example, there was a spot a few blocks further that had a prettier shoreline. The lighthouse would have been smaller and more blurred in the images, creating that dreamy bokeh that photographers love so much. However, the sand dunes did not work in our favor. If the Dowdell family was positioned on these dunes with that dewey golden hour sun highlighting their faces, the houses would have been the backdrop rather than the water and the lighthouse.

So I found a nice flat area with tall grasses where the water and lighthouse could serve as the background. I kept the second location in the back of my mind as a possibility. Being a mom to smaller children, I had a hunch that we weren’t going to get to that second location.

It turned out we didn’t need it. This captivating family was so amazing, I was super happy with the pictures we got. And I will keep that second location in mind for another family portrait session!