Little Treasures by the Sea


There is something about children at the beach that makes you want to remember every little detail. Sandy palms holding a newly discovered shell. Bare feet stepping into the water. A small hand reaching for a sibling as a wave rolls toward shore. This family session was full of those moments. With grassy dunes, open blue skies, and sunlight spilling across the sand, the coast gave their family of four room to play and simply enjoy being together.


Their clothing brought such a lovely softness to the photographs. Cream tops, faded denim, their little boy’s overalls, and their daughter’s blue dress echoed the colors of the sea and sky. I especially loved her embroidered white collar—a sweet, nostalgic detail that felt right at home among the beach grass and sandy little feet.


In the dunes, dad lifted their son high overhead while mom looked up smiling, their daughter’s hand tucked into hers. Later, the children stood side by side in the shallows, holding hands as the water rippled around their ankles. Those photographs hold so much of this season: a little boy still small enough to lift into the sky, and a sister beside him as they explore.


One image I keep coming back to is the close-up of their daughter’s hands holding two white shells. There is sand on her palms and delicate embroidery on her sleeves. It is such a small part of the day, but it says something lovely about childhood—the way an ordinary discovery becomes something worth keeping.


There was plenty of playfulness, too, with the children nestled together in a cream blanket, their faces full of laughter. Mom and Dad shared a moment of their own along the shoreline, smiling at one another as he lifted her into his arms. I love including photographs of parents together. Your relationship belongs in the family album alongside the beautiful life you are building.


What I love most about this gallery is how those pieces belong together. The family portraits, the laughter, the shells, and the sandy hands each preserve something different. Years from now, I hope these photographs bring them back to the feeling of their children at these ages—and a day when there was time to hold them close and follow them toward the sea.


Smiling young girl in a blue embroidered collar dress stands with hand on hip among beach grass and sand dunes at sunset.
Smiling family of four in matching blue and white outfits posing together on a sandy beach with dune grass and coastal buildings behind.
Toddler in denim overalls and a white tee sits barefoot on a sandy beach with soft dune grass and the ocean glowing in golden light.
A flock of birds flying in a loose V formation across a soft pale blue sky fading to warm peach tones near the horizon.
Family of four in matching blue and white outfits plays on a sandy beach as a father lifts a toddler into the air under a bright blue sky.
Smiling woman with long dark hair holding a young blonde girl in a denim jacket among beach dune grass with buildings in the background.
Child in a light blue striped shirt holds two small white seashells in cupped hands on a sandy beach.
Two smiling young children hug while sitting barefoot on a sandy beach dune with ice plant and dune grass near coastal houses.
Adult and child hold hands on a wide, sandy beach at sunset, with gentle waves rolling in under a soft, hazy sky.
Toddler in blue denim overalls walking barefoot along the wet sandy beach shoreline at sunset with reflection in the water.
Family of four in casual white and denim standing barefoot in shallow ocean waves at the beach while holding two young children.
Toddler in denim overalls and white shirt holds an adult's hand while standing in shallow ocean water at the beach.
Smiling man carrying a laughing young boy on his shoulders while standing among beach grass dunes near the ocean on a sunny day.
Adult hand wearing a dark ring gently holds a toddler's tiny hand and bare foot outdoors in soft, warm natural light.
Two laughing young children in matching soft blue outfits snuggle together in a cozy hammock on a bright, sunny day.
Barefoot couple embracing on a sunlit beach as the man lifts the smiling woman off the ground at the water's edge.
Two people walk along a sandy path through grassy coastal dunes toward a row of modern beachfront buildings overlooking the ocean.

Planning Your Own Bay Area Beach Family Session


If you love natural movement, soft coastal colors, and photographs that leave room for your children’s personalities, a beach session can be a beautiful fit. We can make time for family portraits alongside exploring, cuddling, and playing together. Simple clothing in creams, soft blues, and comfortable textures works beautifully with the sand and sea, just as it did for this family. I would love to help you preserve the little details of your own family’s season—the ones you notice every day and the ones you may not realize you will miss.

Use the link below to get in touch to plan your beach family session.


Chelsee Rawe Photography creates nostalgic family, motherhood, maternity, and newborn photographs throughout the Bay Area, California coast, and Central Valley. Based in Morgan Hill, Chelsee serves families from San Jose, Los Gatos, Willow Glen, Saratoga, Palo Alto, Gilroy, Santa Cruz, Half Moon Bay, Carmel, Oakdale, Modesto, and surrounding communities. With an approach rooted in natural light, connection, and the timeless beauty of film, each session preserves a meaningful piece of your family’s story.