This session started with toy race cars zooming across a checkered floor and a dining table, with the windows spilling in that iconic orange glow of a Southern California sunset.
An Anniversary Stay at the Crystal Cove Cottages
This family reached out hoping I’d have availability to photograph them during their stay at the historic Crystal Cove beach cottages. They had reserved this sweet cottage to celebrate their five-year anniversary and wanted to document this season with their toddler son.
Since we were shooting at golden hour, right before their son’s bedtime, we decided to begin inside the cottage so he could warm up to the camera. The light was perfect, and because it disappears quickly this time of year, I wanted to make sure we had enough of it to capture all the details of their stay.
What to Wear for a Crystal Cove Cottage Session
The cottage was full of mint green, warm browns, and burgundy tones in the floor, so I pulled three color palettes I knew would stand out against the interior and still work outside for the beach photos. My client told me how helpful it was: it let her organize her ideas around pieces they already had in their closets.
Letting Toddlers Lead with Play
We used just two rooms in the cottage. I chose them for the light, the background, and the fact that their toddler would love a soft place to land after sitting at the dining table doing pretend play with his parents. So much of a session’s success comes from giving toddlers a few minutes of playtime before bringing them in closer for photos. Play can look like these photos: a glance or a smile at your kids, a soft hug, waving to people outside, being silly because toddlers absolutely love it. This is the language of kids. It’s how they communicate before their words begin to arrive.
Golden Hour on the Crystal Cove Boardwalk and Beach
I loved photographing at Crystal Cove State Park because the beach is so easy to reach from the cottages. The long boardwalk gave the family a runway to play with their son, giving him space to run without disappearing completely, and I could hop down onto the sand throughout to capture a variety of angles.
Beach photos with a toddler can be so much fun. They’re in such an explorer mood at this age. Everything is new and exciting, so it’s great to lean into their curiosity and see what comes through when you spend time interacting with them. With the right family photographer, your gallery can feel like a story instead of a session spent trying to smile for the camera.
One Last Quiet Moment
Before we wrapped up, I wanted to sneak in one more intimate moment. The corner of the cottage near the entrance had the loveliest light, so I captured a quick image of mom and her son together, with dad nearby. This session felt like a sweet little film playing out in front of me. When families trust me, it’s so easy to simply step back and document them just as they are.
If you’re planning a stay at the Crystal Cove cottages or looking for a lifestyle family photographer in Newport Beach and Orange County, I’d love to hear from you.
