After 15 years in business and photographing well over 1,000 family sessions, I realized I’ve never actually written a blog post answering one of the most common questions parents ask me: “What should I bring to my outdoor family photo session?”

Whether we’re meeting at the beach, in the hills, or at a favorite park, knowing what to pack can make your outdoor photo session not only run more smoothly, but cut back on the unnecessary stress of packing a bunch of stuff you don’t need.

Keep It Simple: Bring Only the Essentials

The biggest tip? Less is more. The less we have to carry, the easier it is to move around and capture candid, connected moments. Before tossing something in your bag, ask yourself: “Will I truly need this in the next 60 minutes?”

I’m always happy to stash phones, wallets, or car keys in my backpack so your hands are free. But overall, traveling light helps us stay more mobile, relaxed, and focused on each other.

For many of the moms out there: I can already hear you groaning that you at least need your make-up bag and sunglasses and hairbrushes for the kids’ hair. Spoiler: You don’t need these things. 😱 You’ll brush your kids’ hair before our session. You’ll apply your make-up at home (or in the car) and it will last the whole hour*. And I’ll tell you remove your sunglasses immediately when I see you to avoid sunglasses marks on your nose and let your eyes adhust to the light. See? We keep in simple.

*Okay fine, bring your lip gloss. But I bet you won’t use it. 😉

Outdoor photo of family of 4 on Ocean Beach in San Francisco. They are lit with golden hour light from behind and the setting sun is reflected in the ocean. Small waves roll in behind them and footprints are visible in the wet sand. — *Just you and your loved ones (and some pretty light) is all we need.*

Families With Little Ones

If you’re bringing a baby or toddler, a small bag of essentials is a smart idea. Some things you might want to pack include:

A burp cloth or warm layer
Diapers and wipes
A change of clothes (spit-ups and blowouts happen!)
A small, non-messy snack for toddlers or a bottle for baby

Older kids, on the other hand, usually don’t need extras. Your 6-year-old doesn’t need a wardrobe change, but your 5-month-old might. Trust your parent instincts. You know your little ones best.

A family of 3 and pet dog walk down front porch steps of red brick house. Baby is on the father's hip and the mother holds the dog’s leash. They are smiling at the camera as they walk. — *Essentials Check: Parents, Baby, Small baby bag, family pup.*

What Not to Bring

This is just as important as what to pack! A few things I suggest leaving at home (or in the car):

Toys and lovies: While it’s tempting, kids usually discover them in the bag and then don’t want to let go. That tug-of-war isn’t worth the stress and often dysregulates toddlers.
Screens: Please, please, please don’t give your child a screen right before the session. It’s very hard to transition from screen time to engaging with the session.
Extra “entertainment”: You don’t need to bring anything to keep your kids busy. I promise. We’ll be outside, interacting with the environment and I’ll guide the interactions so they feel fun and natural.
Perfectionist Stress: From one recovering perfectionaist to another: I see you. You want this session to be the best it can be. You want your kids to act right, you want your spouse to enjoy the experience, you want that frame-worthy shot of all you together. I promise you, these things are my job to manage.
Messy Food: This mostly pertains to breakfast or snack your kid will undoubtedly be eating on the way to the session. Use your best judgement about how spills will impact your child’s clothing.

Outdoor photo of a couple and their pet dog on the beach. They hold hands and face the ocean with waves rolling in. Their dog plays in the sand between their legs. — *Dogs are always welcome at my family sessions!*

Match Your Clothing To the Environment

Highly structured or overly tailored clothing and fussy shoes are not a great fit for a family lifestyle session. We tend to move around a lot at sessions and everyone should be comfortable in their clothing. This doesn’t mean joggers and a t-shirt (for grown-ups), it just means wearing something with a little give and something that can withstand the groping and grasping of dirty child hands.

It’s also good to consider the environment we’re shooting in. Will there be a lot of sand? Wear sandals you can remove. Will there be moss-covered logs to sit on? Don’t wear a white dress. We don’t want to miss fully interacting with our family in that particular setting because we’re not wearing the right clothes or shoes.

Finally, it might be a given for all my families living in San Francisco, but it can be easy to forget when you’re in sunny Marin or the East Bay. No matter what the weather is like at home when you’re leaving, prepare for different weather at our shoot location (especially if we’re shooting at the beach!). Bring layers!!

A mom and toddler daughter stand outdoors in a brown grass field. The mom is squatted down adjusting the daughters fluffy jacket on her shoulders as wind blows through their hair.

Bring a Positive Attitude

It can be stressful to get your family out the door on your shoot day. Add to that being on-time, keeping food off your kids’ clothing, and getting photo session buy-in from your spouse. It can feel like a Sisyphean task. And… and… the more you can stay calm and regulated, the easier it will be for your family to do the same.

That said, something usually goes awry before or at sessions and my motto is ‘say yes’ to whatever gets thrown our way. Your kids has a meltdown 15-minutes into the session. We “say yes”. There are nude sunbathers at our beach session. We “say yes”. Your kid falls into the surf and gets wet and sandy when we’re only halfway finished. You get the picture.

The more we can stay positive and allow whatever is happening to be there, the more we can be present with our families. For me to capture true connection, your family has to be in connection.

Outdoor family photo of a brother and sister laying in green grass. The daughter has her hands on her face and eyes closed in laughter. The son holds a hand up to the camera and smiles widely.

Final Thoughts

So, what should you bring to your outdoor family photo session? The short answer: only the essentials. Keep your bag light, your hands free, and your focus on being present with your family.

I’ll handle the rest. I’ll be guiding you, engaging your kids, and making sure we capture those beautiful, natural moments that are the reason you hired me in the first place.

If you’d like to see examples of what’s possible during an outdoor family lifestyle session, you can find them here, and if you are ready to have images like these for your family, please get in touch.❤️

What To Bring To Your Outdoor Family Session (and What to Leave at Home)