Family

I spend a lot of each summer doing Sandbridge beach photos for families and it truly is such a highlight of the year for me, there is just no better place for a session! The beach provides the best backdrop for a photo session, especially for my style of photography. I aim for photos that are full of light and timeless, and also that have lots of movement and candid moments. The beach is ideal for that – not only for the beautiful scenery but also for the wide space and opportunity to move!

Are you currently planning a trip to Sandbridge and considering family photos while you are in town? I am sharing some tips below that I hope will be helpful in this process! 🙂

Reach out early as possible! – Sandbridge is such a popular destination for vacations in the summer, it is best to reach out to photographers early to make sure there is space on the calendar! I book sessions year-round and my summer sessions tend to book first as this is one of my busiest times of the year.

If possible, plan a day during the first part of your vacation! – However long you are staying in the area, it’s best to plan your photo session one of the first couple days (if possible!) so that if it does rain or is super cloudy, we have flexibility. Coastal Virginia can be unpredictable and as a photographer, I am always watching the weather – and I love to have a back-up option if we are able to!

Use the Back Bay location! – In my experience as a Sandbridge beach photographer, the best spot for photos in that area is Back Bay, which is no more than a ten minute drive from most of the rental houses in Sandbridge. Back Bay is beautiful (one of my favorite places to shoot at anywhere in Virginia Beach!!) and is typically not very busy like many of the spots in Sandbridge. This provides a better experience for everyone and is ideal for the best outcome of your photos!

Plan for golden hour! – I shoot almost all of my sessions during golden hour, or the hour before sunset. I know this can be late during the summer, but I promise – it is worth it! The photos during that time of day have the magical glow that you just cannot recreate at any other times. As a mama of four myself, I understand this can be past kids bedtime but they will almost always surprise you! Plus, you are on vacation. 😉

Invite the extended family! – Many vacationing families in Sandbridge are in town with the whole extended family, it’s a perfect opportunity to capture everyone together in a beautiful location (truly a memory you will look back on forever!). I offer both full and extended family sessions, and have lots of experience in photographing big families.

Utilize the Session Prep Guide from your photographer! – Once a family books a session with me, I send over a detailed Session Prep Guide in order to make the planning process easy. I offer styling tips, information on what to expect during the session, and other commonly asked questions! For more information or advice on styling, you can visit this blog post – styling is truly one of my favorite parts and makes such a big difference in the outcome of your photos!

If you are visiting Sandbridge beach + are interested in documenting your family while you are here, I would love to connect with you! You can inquire here or email me at ashleybricknerphoto@gmail.com. It would be an honor to be a small part of your vacation!!