A sunrise session on the beach always sounds like a daunting task with a larger group. But with the way Charleston's evening thunderstorms roll in unexpectedly I almost guarantee it's a less stressful situation when you bite the bullet to get up early one day to avoid the anxious waiting around for one or two days. In my many years of photographing families of all sizes on the beaches here I have seen that kids are noticeably more excited and happy in the morning times, even if it meant they had to get up early. We get to see the turtle tracks, sometimes we find cute creatures in the surf, and we get to run around with the whole beach to ourselves. 

When Kaleigh contacted me to schedule their family session she said that it was something her mom had always wanted, and now that she is a mom herself, she totally gets it. The times when your kids are small are just fleeting moments of time. They'll never be that small again, they'll never giggle the exact same way. They're always learning and always changing. 

The morning on the beach of places like Kiawah Island and Seabrook Island are quite magical and yet so peaceful. We hear the sound of the waves, the giggle of the kids, and see the early morning shrimp boats out at sea. I take dozens and dozens of extended family sessions throughout the summer months, they are quite possibly my favorite thing to shoot. It seems like it goes quick, but for me is clockwork and a process I'm so familiar with. I think my favorite part though is once we get our formals done and we can really explore the beach, play in the water, and let the kids- be kids!

The best thing you can do is book your sessions early. All of my clients get two dates in my schedule to account for any unfavorable weather so my schedule fills much more quickly than you would think since I take a maximum of 5 beach sessions per week. If you have your travel dates for this year or next, book your photographer when you book your accommodations!