beach family photo inspiration

San Clemente Beach Family Session | The Geer Family | Orange County Family Photographer | Cori Kleckner Photography

San Clemente Beach Family Session | The Geer Family | Orange County Family Photographer | Cori Kleckner Photography


This session with the Geer Family at San Clemente Beach was one of my all-time favorites. Despite the overcast sky, the photos turned out absolutely stunning. It just goes to show how beautiful a cloudy day can be for capturing family moments. The soft, natural light of a cloudy day at the beach creates a timeless, serene backdrop, and I love how this session perfectly captured the natural, loving bond between the Geer family.

As an Orange County family photographer, one of my favorite things about shooting on the beaches of San Clemente is the versatility that the location offers. Whether it’s the rolling waves, the iconic lifeguard towers, or the expansive stretches of sand, every element combines to create the perfect canvas for family photography. The Geer Family was such a joy to work with, and their two little ones had so much fun exploring the sand and surf.

If you’re looking for a San Clemente family photographer or want to book a San Clemente Beach family session, don’t hesitate to reach out. I love helping families capture these special moments at the beach, no matter the weather. From the gentle shoreline to the coastal cliffs, Orange County beach sessions always result in beautiful, natural portraits that will be cherished for years to come.

Let me help you preserve these precious family memories with an Orange County family photography session that captures the love, joy, and connection your family shares.


CORI KLECKNER PHOTOGRAPHY IS AN ORANGE COUNTY PHOTOGRAPHER SPECIALIZING IN MATERNITY, NEWBORN, BABY, FAMILY, CHILDREN’S AND LIFESTYLE PHOTOGRAPHY


The Hay Family | L Laguna Beach Family Session | Laguna Beach Family Photographer | Cori Kleckner Photography | Orange County Family Photographer

The Hay Family | L Laguna Beach Family Session | Laguna Beach Family Photographer | Cori Kleckner Photography | Orange County Family Photographer


CORI KLECKNER PHOTOGRAPHY IS AN ORANGE COUNTY PHOTOGRAPHER SPECIALIZING IN MATERNITY, NEWBORN, BABY, FAMILY, CHILDREN’S AND LIFESTYLE PHOTOGRAPHY


The Cho Family | Orange County Family Photographer | Newport Beach Family Session | Cori Kleckner Photography

The Cho Family | Orange County Family Photographer | Newport Beach Family Session | Cori Kleckner Photography

 

CORI KLECKNER PHOTOGRAPHY IS AN ORANGE COUNTY PHOTOGRAPHER SPECIALIZING IN MATERNITY, NEWBORN, BABY, FAMILY, CHILDREN’S AND LIFESTYLE PHOTOGRAPHY

The Weber Family | Lisa+Tyler+Sloan | Orange County Photographer | Beach Family Session | Newport Beach Family Photographer | Cori Kleckner Photography

The Weber Family | Lisa+Tyler+Sloan |  Orange County Photographer | Beach Family Session | Newport Beach Family Photographer | Cori Kleckner Photography 

 

Cori Kleckner Photography specializes in family , maternity and newborn photography in the Orange County and surrounding areas

 
 

Orange County Family Photographer

The West Family | Malibu In-Home Session | Lifestyle Photography | HomeAway Vacation Rentals | Cori Kleckner Photography

The West Family | Malibu In-Home Session | Lifestyle Photography | HomeAway Vacation Rentals | Cori Kleckner Photography

It’s been so incredibly busy around here for us photogs trying to juggle busy season that my blog tends to be the first to suffer! I am the first to admit I put blogging on the back burner but know how important it is to keep sharing fresh content with you guys too! I wanted to start by sharing this gorgeous in-home family session in Malibu .

I had the pleasure of documenting blogger & mommy , Roxanne West, and her adorable little family visiting here from Canada! They were vacationing here with HomeAway Vacation rentals and the space we had for the day was seriously unreal! I’m talking ocean view, super kid friendly, cozy little space filled with yummy light & sea salt air! This shabby chic, ocean front beach house had panoramic views of Santa Monica and surrounding LA, large sea level deck and the most adorable built-in-wall bunkbeds! 

Not only was our space breathtaking but The West Family was a dream to photograph! For this session, I really wanted to push myself as an artist to find ways to freeze the connection between them . Lately, as an artist, I have been digging deep within myself , soul searching as an artist, pushing myself to newfound ways to capture families in their most authentic state . For this reason, during the session we did ALOT OF PLAYING. I'm talking coloring pictures, taking polaroids, bed cuddles, tickling, upside-downing, dancing in the kitchen, piggy backs kind-of-playing. I feel this type of play nurtures an environment to capture those authentoc moments , to capture those memories we all want as mommys to look back on one day.  

 

The Mickey Family | Newport Beach Family Session | Newport Beach Family Photographer | Cori Kleckner Photography

The Mickey Family | Newport Beach Family Session | Newport Beach Family Photographer | Cori Kleckner Photography

Orange County Family Session | Orange County Family Photographer | Newport Beach Family Session | Cori Kleckner Photography


Orange County Family Session | Orange County Family Photographer | Newport Beach Family Session | Cori Kleckner Photography

Family sessions in Orange County offer so many beautiful beach locations with such dreamy light! I try never to take for granted the gorgeous beaches we live near, especially during Spring and Summer! I love when vacationers email me to capture their memories while visiting beautiful SoCal , I mean what better way to remember their vacation? So thankful I get to call this my "job" , being a family photographer here in Orange County is such a dream! 

Get in touch to book! Spring is here with Summer quickly approaching and my calendar fills fast! 


 

CORI KLECKNER PHOTOGRAPHY IS AN ORANGE COUNTY PHOTOGRAPHER SPECIALIZING IN MATERNITY, NEWBORN, BABY, FAMILY, CHILDREN’S AND LIFESTYLE PHOTOGRAPHY

THE BERENGUER FAMILY- Orange County Family Photographer - Crystal Cove Family Session

THE BERENGUER FAMILY

 Orange County Family Photographer - Crystal Cove Family Sessio - Newport Beach Family Photos

 I love giving the children in our session free roam to play and run around, capturing their real selves, their little but oh so BIG personalities as they interact with mom & dad in front my camera. Play is the key in a successful family session. Lots of tickling, chasing, jumping , splashing - I live to capture that raw beauty that lies within family connection. Sometimes asking a toddler or child to sit still and smile doesn't exactly give us a true memory of them at this age, this is why I feel its important to sing with them , giggle with them, ask them questions. This is how I capture family sessions, like a casual day with mom & dad at the beach.

The Barron’s Family | Orange County Family Photographer | Montage Laguna Family Photos

The Barron’s Family | Orange County Family Photographer | Montage Laguna Family Photos

A few of my recent clients have asked me , “Does the time of day you shoot at the beach make that much of a difference?”

Heres my answer : The golden hour occurs from about half an hour before, until about an hour after sunrise in the morning, and then an hour before sunset, to about 20 to 30 minutes after the sun has gone down in the evening. When you shoot in this soft light the light is golden in colour and often changes colour from yellow, to orange to magenta. 
-The light is soft, i.e. no major contrast such as hard shadows and very bright highlights. 
-Colors are more exaggerated, the color of the light is far more emphasized, much more oranges, reds and magentas are visible in the scene.
It is for these reasons that photographers choose to shoot in the early morning or early evening, these times produce the most dramatic images.

Many of us were taught to shoot under bright sunlight, in the middle of the day, with the sun behind us. Sure, that can work, but you won’t get dramatic results every time, in many cases, your images will look very average. This is because light is harsh at this time of day.

So to many of you who are wondering, yes, the time of day can make a HUGE difference in the outcome of your photos.

Crystal Cove Family Session | Orange County Family Photographer

Crystal Cove Family Session | Orange County Family Photographer | Cori Kleckner Photography

Shaw’s Cove, Laguna Beach | The Dunbar’s Family Session

Shaw’s Cove, Laguna Beach  |  The Dunbar’s Family Session   

The Dunbar Family has allowed me to photograph them for quite some time now, all the way from when their sweet Paisley was just a little baby! She is now 2 yrs old  & going to be a BIG sister this coming April! I just seriously adore this sweet family and love being able to document this special time for them and watch their little family grow! I feel so honored when families trust me to capture such precious milestones for them . One of the most rewarding parts of being a photographer is getting to witness & document a couples journey into parenthood and so on. It was a gorgeous day for a maternity/family session and we lucked out on some of the best sunset light at a gorgeous little beach location