The Best Beaches for a Bay Area Family Photo Shoot

Reflections in the surf, sunset at Ocean Beach.

Ask me where I’ll send a family for our photo session if they have no strong preference, and probably nine times out of ten, I’ll say the beach. It’s no secret that the beach is one of my favorite places to shoot. We’re spoiled in the Bay Area, having so many beautiful beaches, each with its own unique characteristics. Besides my personal love of hearing waves and feeling sand underfoot, beaches offer many qualities that make for ideal outdoor photo sessions.

If you’ve been on the fence about booking a family beach photo session in the Bay Area, or you’re trying to decide which beach makes the most sense for your family, this post is for you.

Why Beaches Are Perfect for Bay Area Family Photo Shoots

The Colors at the Beach Are Ideal for Family Photography Sessions

Golden sand, a blue horizon, the dusty earthen tones of cliffsides, the muted greens of coastal scrub and dune grass. All of these colors are ideal for photography. They are subdued enough not to cast color shadows on anyone’s skin, yet they still retain a ton of visual interest and beauty. When photographing people, I find a tension between locations with a lot of vibrancy and interest (which can sometimes overwhelm my subjects) and locations that lack much color or detail (which are great neutral situations for capturing true color with my subjects, but sometimes come off as visually boring). The beach is kind of the perfect in-between. ✨

Beaches Are Great Locations for Kids to Run Free

Wide open spaces with no car traffic are hard to come by in the San Francisco Bay Area. Places where your kids can really run free and be as wild as they want to be are even more rare. Where else can you kick off your shoes, embrace some dirty feet, and just frolic with your kids? The beach is where it’s at! 🏃‍♂️

Beaches Inspire Joy and Connection During Family Sessions

One of my favorite aspects of the beach is that it offers an opportunity to immerse yourself in the natural world, sensing the elements around you. This, to me, is one of the true gifts of photographing families at the beach. That immediate immersion grounds people and requires them to get out of their heads and into their bodies, which is exactly where I want them to be. Embodied and connected. Also, it’s hard not to smile when you’re running through the surf or watching V-formations of pelicans overhead. 😍

Best Bay Area Beaches for Family Photos

Ocean Beach – San Francisco

Vast and wide-open, Ocean Beach offers a landscape with dunes covered in dune grass and coastal plants, a wide, flat playa with opportunities to play in the surf, and expansive skies with little geography or skyline to get in the way.  Because it’s so open, Ocean Beach works best closest to sunrise and sunset. It’s gorgeous and moody when it’s foggy and dazzling when it’s sunny. Because this beach has a direct sightline to the setting sun, it’s an amazing spot to do ‘blue hour’ and silhouette shots. 👇

Rodeo Beach – Marin Headlands

Rodeo Beach has dark sand and striking cliffs that create a bold backdrop. It also gets a ton of pelican visitors and the occasional seal. It’s a favorite for families who want unique, nature-centric photos. Lightwise, this location is great in early morning or at sunset, with sunsets being more high drama. I’m such a softie for this particular location. I used to work in the Marin Headlands at Fort Cronkite (back when I was a biologist) and I would often walk Rodeo Beach during lunch breaks. Now, twenty-something years later, I love coming back here any chance I get. 👇

Baker Beach – San Francisco

If you want iconic landmarks in your beach family photos, Baker Beach is unbeatable. The Golden Gate Bridge looms large over Baker Beach and the cliffside covered in gnarled Cypress trees creates a Hitchcockian feel that’s uniquely San Francisco. Lightwise, I like mornings better at Baker Beach. Crowd-wise, it’s no question that morning shoots win. Baker Beach’s beauty is no secret and the weekend crowds are proof of that. 👇

Muir Beach – Marin County

Muir Beach offers a more intimate setting with cliffside views of gorgeous houses and giant boulders strewn about the beach. This spot is gorgeous in the fog and stunning at sunset. It’s great for exploring the nooks between boulders, tiny tidepools, and when the tide is out, offers a large, flat area to play in the gentle surf. It’s a perfect spot for families with young kids who want something to distract them from their urge to run straight into the sea. 👇

FAQ: Bay Area Beach Family Photos

What is the best time of day for beach family photos?
Early morning and golden hour are waaaaaaay better than shooting later in the morning or mid-afternoon. Because beaches, in general, are open spaces with little to no cover, we want to make sure we’re shooting in softer, more flattering light. If you’re curious about how the time of day impacts light quality, I’ve written all about it here.

What should we wear for beach family photos?
I usually encourage casual-leaning clothing that is easy to move around in. We don’t want anything too structured or too precious. Shoes tend to come off pretty immediately at beach shoots, so I recommend folks wear shoes they can easily slip off/on. For anyone who hates the feeling of sand on their feet (there are legions, I know), I recommend a boot or high-top that will keep sand out. Earthy tones work beautifully, playing against the colors of the beach landscape. That said, bold colors can work here as well. Just avoid bright neon colors or reflective fabrics that can cast color shadows on the skin.

Are there other Bay Area beaches that work well for family photos?
Of course! There are beautiful beaches south of San Francisco, especially in Pacifica and Monterra, and beaches in Marin County north of Muir Beach.

Which ages work best for family beach sessions?
With the exception of newborns and young infants, the beach can be great for babies and kids of any age. Crawlers, walkers, and runners alike can all let loose at the beach. One thing to keep in mind, though, beach sessions get sandy and your kids will likely get dirty. You must have a certain level of comfort with this. 😜

Ready to Book Your Bay Area Beach Family Photo Session?

Every beach has its own strengths, and my job is to help you choose the one that fits your family and your vision best. If a family beach session sounds like memories you want to make, get in touch! The waves are waiting. 🌊