It’s a common concern in beach pictures that the best lighting is at sunset.  Many small children have bedtimes that are before sunset, which can be as late as 8:25 in the summer in our area. Here’s our best advice.  The biggest factor in getting you quality pictures is the softness of the light.  If adults are having to squint, you can be sure that babies and toddlers will have their eyes practically closed.  We can ask adults to open their eyes on the count of three, but this doesn’t work with children.  The light doesn’t soften naturally until about 30 minutes before sunset.  So, here are your options: Have the session at sunrise instead.  This may seem like a great plan, but sunrise in the summer is as early as 5:55am.  This means everyone needs to be up, alert, and ready 15 minutes before sunrise to get the best quality of light.  Unless your children wake up before sunrise normally, they will likely be just as cranky having to wake up that early than having to stay up late, and now the rest of your group is likely to be cranky as well.  We rarely see a sunrise session that is as good as a sunset session. Have the session earlier in the afternoon.  If this is your only option, then your photographer may choose to take some safe pictures on the porch by the house where it is shaded before going out into the bright light.  Once out on the beach, if  we turn you away from the sun, you won’t squint as much, but your face will be in shadow.  To expose your face correctly, we have to underexpose the background, which means the ocean and beach behind you will show up almost white in the pictures.  Most people are getting their pictures made at the beach because of the background, so this is not a great option either.  If we turn you towards the sun to get the best shots of the ocean, then you will likely be squinting and there will be harsh shadows, which are generally unflattering and bring out skin flaws.  With this option, you must be willing to accept these things.  There is a chance of cloud cover, which could help mitigate these problems. Have the session at the best time for lighting (near sunset) and plan to help the child adjust.  Slowly alter the child’s naptime/bedtime to be later over the course of the week preceding the session.  You’ll be on vacation, so schedules are usually more flexible.  This isn’t a permanent situation, and you can go right back to your normal schedule when you are done.  If you are choosing this route, then scheduling later in the week may be a good idea. In the end, there is no ideal solution, and this is a personal decision for you based on what is most important for your family.  Your photographer will adjust accordingly and do the best with whatever you decide.