Our Annual Beach Portrait Tradition | Kristin with an I Photography | Ocean City, Maryland
Our Annual Beach Portrait Tradition | Kristin with an I Photography
Every summer, there’s one tradition I make sure we keep: taking a portrait of our girls at the beach.
This year, our family spent time in Ocean City, Maryland, and of course, my camera came along.
As a Lehigh Valley photographer, I take thousands of photographs of other people’s families throughout the year. I get to document babies being welcomed home, toddlers with the sweetest little personalities, siblings laughing together, and families in seasons they’ll never quite get back.
And maybe that’s exactly why photographing my own family each year means so much to me.
The Photos I Know I’ll Treasure Someday
Of course, I love the beautiful portrait where everyone is looking at the camera. There will always be a place for that photograph. But when I look through these images of my girls, I find myself drawn just as much to everything that happened in between.
They’re such ordinary pieces of our life right now—and I know they won’t always be ordinary.
Every year when I photograph them at the beach, I’m reminded just how quickly things change. They’re a little taller. Their faces are a little different and their relationship has grown and changed. And somehow, another summer has already come and gone.
Letting Kids Be Kids
One of my favorite things about photographing children is letting them move. I don’t expect little ones to stand perfectly still, look at the camera, and smile on command for an entire session. Some of the photographs I love most happen when kids are simply being themselves.
Yes, we’ll make time for the classic family portrait. But I want to photograph the laughter and connection, too.
Because when your children are grown, I have a feeling those photographs will mean just as much—if not more.
Remember the Little Things
Sometimes the photographs that become the most meaningful aren't even the obvious ones.
A tiny curl. A favorite hairstyle. Chubby toddler legs covered in sand. The way one sister reaches for the other's hand without thinking about it.
These are the details that are so easy to forget because we see them every day. Until one day, we don't.
And that's one of the reasons I believe so deeply in documenting your family regularly—not because every year needs to look picture-perfect, but because this version of your family only exists right now.
Another Summer to Remember
Our annual beach portrait has become a little marker of time for me. Someday, I'll be able to look back at each summer and see my girls growing up right in front of me.
This year, it was Ocean City.
And when I look at these photographs years from now, I don't think I'll care whether everything was perfectly posed.
I'll remember them.
Your Family Is Worth Remembering, Too
This is the same thing I hope to give every family who steps in front of my camera. Beautiful portraits for your walls, absolutely—but also photographs that bring you right back to what this season of your life felt like.
You can't stop them from growing.
But you can remember.
If it’s been a while since your family has been photographed, I’d love to help you document the season you’re in.
Kristin with an I Photography specializes in natural, light-filled family and newborn photography in the Lehigh Valley and surrounding areas. Reserve your session with Kristin here.