Beach Days & Family Moments at Ocean View
- Angela Haig
- 2 days ago
- 2 min read
There’s something about a family session at the beach that just works — plenty of space for the kids to move, beautiful natural light, and no pressure for anyone to stand perfectly still and smile at the camera.
For this session at Ocean View Beach near Braids Hill Playground in Dunedin, we had the whole family together; Mum's, Dad's, kids and grandparents. I love photographing these bigger family groups because you get so many little relationships within the one session, not just the obvious “everyone looking at the camera” family photo.
We made sure to get those important photographs with the whole family together, but there was also plenty of time for smaller combinations — grandparents with the grandchildren, Mum and Dad with the kids, siblings together and those lovely in-between moments that happen when everyone starts to relax.
The beach is perfect for that kind of session. Kids can run, explore and be themselves, which usually means the adults relax a little too. Rather than trying to make everything feel overly posed, I’ll gently guide everyone when needed and then leave some space for the natural laughs, cuddles and interactions to happen.
Having grandparents along makes these sessions extra special. Family photographs become more valuable as the years go by, and images that bring several generations together often end up being some of the ones people treasure most.
Ocean View is also such a beautiful spot for Dunedin family photography. The open beach, soft coastal light and relaxed feel give us plenty of variety without needing to wander too far, and there’s something timeless about family photographs beside the sea.
For me, these sessions aren’t about creating a picture-perfect family. They’re about photographing your family as you are right now — the personalities, connections, chaos, affection and all the little things that make you you.
And when Mum, Dad, kids and grandparents can all be in the frame together, that’s pretty special.
Comments