How to Photograph your Children on Vacation

I was feeling nostalgic, so I decided to take my three daughters – Claire, 12, Mary, 11, and Sadie, 4 – out to Folly Beach for some sunset lifestyle photos. Here are a few tips I have for capturing the essence of your children and freezing time, if just a bit. 

Lifestyle Photos of my children: Claire, 12, Mary, 11, and Sadie, 4 at Folly Beach, SC, Summer 2024

1. Timing is key - aim to shoot early in the morning or near sunset for the best lighting and to avoid squinting in the sun.

2. Set limits - dedicate about 20 minutes each day to taking photos to prevent burnout and allow you to fully enjoy your vacation.

3. Let them be themselves - encourage natural expressions by letting your children be themselves and interact with them in a fun and engaging way.

4. Get on their level - squat or kneel to create a more intimate composition and capture their expressions at eye level.

5. Focus on the details—instead of just smiles, pay attention to unique details like hands, sand between toes, or their oh-so-valuable seashell collection. 

Remember, the most important thing is to enjoy the moment and create lasting memories with your family! 

2024 Folly Beach Vacation Guide

Family portrait near the Morris Island Light House on Folly Beach by Larry, our associate photographer

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Charleston Spotlight on Folly Beach

Folly Beach is a fun, funky little beach island that has not changed much at all in 20+ years. The waves are bigger than any other beach, so it draws a local surf crowd. The main commercial hub, Center Street, is only a few blocks long and is packed with the kind of tee-shirt shops you might expect from a beach town. There are also tons of delicious restaurants and fun bars hidden all around. It’s a bit grittier than the surrounding islands, but that’s exactly how locals like it. 

Folly Beach, SC family portrait by Larry, our associate photographer

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Where to Stay on Folly

While there are tons of beach house rentals and B+Bs dotting the island appealing to families and groups, The Tides Hotel is a great place for romantic getaway or if your group prefers a hotel. It’s directly in the center of the island, beachfront, walking distance to restaurants and shops. It has a great restaurant, Blu Beach Bar and Grill, where you can grab lunch or dinner overlooking the beach (or a cocktail at the tiki bar outside!). 

Engagement portraits near the Morris Island Light House by Larry, our associate photographer

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What to Do on Folly

Escape Room

The new Escapade escape room is incredible! There are two challenging puzzle rooms that fit groups of up to 6 people. There’s even a Harry Potter themed room that’s awesome for kids. 

State Park

Folly Beach State Park is a great beach park for the whole family! With easy parking, restrooms, showers and even a snack bar, it is incredibly convenient with small children. There are ramps (hello, beach wagons and strollers!), lifeguards and dressing rooms. The park covers the western tip of the island and is a beautiful beach for swimming, playing, fishing and sunset walks!

Playgrounds

Pirates Cove Playground is located on E. 5th between Erie and Hudson. It’s a pirate-themed playground for all ages, with a climbing structure and tall lighthouse slide for big kids, a smaller ship structure for little kids, and swings for everyone! Wave Watch Playground is another fun, gated playground located on the opposite side of town. Situated at the end of West Cooper Avenue, it’s a colorful playground with clean bathrooms and even a little lending library. 

Pickleball 

Folly Beach is becoming obsessed with pickleball! There are 4 courts at the Pirates Cove Playground tennis courts (bring your own net for 2 of them).

Folly Beach family portraits by Larry, our associate photographer

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Where to Eat

Coffee: Center Street Coffee

There may be a line, but Center Street Coffee serves up the island’s best lattes and pastries to start your day. 

Snacks: Bert’s Market

Open 24/7, you can find almost anything at Bert’s Market! From tasty breakfast sandwiches and a lunchtime deli to bottles of wine and late night ice cream, it has saved us time and again. Stop by on your way to the beach for a cup of boiled peanuts and a corndog!  

Lunch: Chico Feo

Stop by Chico Feo after a morning at the beach for an unforgettable experience. The outdoor-only, dirt-floor-and-picnic-tables restaurant and bar serves a small but tasty (seasonal) menu of tacos, noodle bowls, pulled pork and kimchi sandwiches, and more under the palms, usually to the live tunes of a funky local band. 

Dinner: Jack of Cups

 Jack of Cups is the unassuming gem of Folly Beach, drawing foodies away from Charleston for “globally inspired comfort food.” The restaurant has a full bar and a large back deck, so there’s plenty of space to spread out with a bigger group or the whole family. 

Folly Beach family portraits by Larry, our associate photographer

Discover Folly Beach

Because Folly Beach is practically in my backyard (and since we’re “beach people”), my family spends a lot of time on this 6 mile island. A funky little beach town with a low key vibe, Folly is a unique place to visit. With delicious dining options, great surf waves and beautiful beaches, it draws a mix of surfers, hippies, families and college students. While a mere 20 minutes from downtown Charleston, it feels a world away tucked into the overgrown palms and lush greenery. 

Folly Beach Restaurants

Breakfast: The Lost Dog Cafe

The Lost Dog Cafe is a Folly Beach institution. The menu has a little something for everyone for breakfast, brunch or lunch…even your dog! There’s often a wait for a table, but it is worth the extra time and you can explore the Folly Beach Library next door or Folly River Park around the corner. 

Lunch: Chico Feo

Stop by Chico Feo after a morning at the beach for an unforgettable experience. The outdoor only, dirt-floor-and-picnic-tables restaurant and bar serves a small but tasty (seasonal) menu of tacos, noodle bowls, pulled pork and kimchi sandwiches and more under the palms, usually to the live tunes of a funky local band. Kids can grab a corn dog or burger at Bert’s Market next door if they aren’t into the eclectic menu. 

Dinner: Jack of Cups

 Jack of Cups is the unassuming gem of Folly Beach, drawing foodies away from Charleston for “globally-inspired comfort food.” There’s a full bar and large back deck so there’s plenty of space to spread out with a bigger group or the whole family. 

Weekends: Crosby’s Food Truck

On weekends, the local seafood store Crosby’s Seafood opens their food truck in the parking lot. Feast on local fish tacos, fried shrimp and seafood chowder, eaten on their fishing dock out back. It doesn’t get any fresher than that!

My family at Folly Beach! My girls are 10, 8 and 2 years.

Folly Beach with Kids

State Park

Folly Beach State Park is a great beach park for the whole family! With easy parking, restrooms, showers and even a snack bar, it is incredibly convenient with small children. There are ramps (hello, beach wagons and strollers!), lifeguards and dressing rooms. The park covers the western tip of the island and is a beautiful beach for swimming, playing, fishing and sunset walks!

Pirates Cove Playground

Pirates Cove Playground is located on E. 5th between Erie and Hudson. It’s a pirate themed playground for all ages with a climbing structure and tall lighthouse slide for big kids, smaller ship structure for little kids and swings for everyone! There’s also a public dog park, tennis courts and pickle ball courts for whole-family fun! 

Wave Watch Playground

Wave Watch Playground is another fun, gated playground located on the opposite side of town. Situated at the end of West Cooper Avenue, it’s a colorful playground with clean bathrooms and even a little lending library.

Folly Beach Sights

Lighthouse Inlet Heritage Preserve

Lighthouse Inlet Heritage Preserve is located at the far east end of the island and is the best place to view the Morris Island Lighthouse. Fish off the beach or walk or bike down the graffiti covered pathway to the end of the island. There’s a trail around the island to the river that’s fun to hike with the whole family. 

Morris Island

If you’re on the hunt for shells or shark teeth, hire a boat or kayaks to Morris Island! Pack your walking shoes and a picnic lunch for a day of exploring… and maybe even megladons! 

Rainy Day 

Charleston Aquarium 

Head downtown to the Charleston Aquarium for an incredible experience! From the touch tank to hands-on exhibits, it’s full of interactive fun for all ages. 

King Street

When the weather won’t cooperate (or you need a break from the beach!), explore all the shopping on King Street! There’s an endless array of iconic local shops, with award-winning restaurants throughout when you need a shopping break. 

Patriots Point

A visit to the Patriots Point Naval and Maritime Museum is both educational and exciting for kids and adults alike. Tour the enormous USS Yorktown aircraft carrier and more. 

My husband and 2 year old! ♡

Folly Beach Vacation Guide

Folly Beach is the area of town I know the best. My family and I live close to this beach and have many friends on the island. My husband surfs a longboard at the pier most mornings. My three girls, ages 9, 7, and 1 spend hours playing in the sand on the weekends with friends.

Don't miss these Folly Beach Restaurants

Bowens Island Restaurant is a fried seafood and oyster dive restaurant with plenty of character and incredible views of the water and sunset. Look out for dolphins swimming by, and bring your bug spray.

https://bowensisland.com/

Taco Boy has a fun beach vibe with incredible food. It's a four-story restaurant with unique decor. I love their fried avocado tacos!

https://www.tacoboy.net/

Rita's Seaside Grille is authentically Folly. They have live music nightly on the patio. My kids love the chicken fingers served on a frisbee. My favorite is the tuna watermelon nachos.

https://www.ritasseasidegrille.com/

What to do on Folly Beach

Morris Island Light House Trail on the east tip of the island is an easy 1-mile walk to the ocean. There is graffiti everywhere along the path through the marine forest. There is a beach at this end of Folly, perfect for viewing the lighthouse or dolphin watching, but you do not want to swim here. The east end of Folly has deadly currents and sharks. Bring your bug spray as well.

http://savethelight.org/

Learn to surf with an instructor. I recommend taking a lesson at Shaka Surf School or Isla Surf School over renting a board on your own. A lot goes into reading the waves and popping up at the right time. Surf schools provide big foam boards that make it easier to stand up on the wave and safer when you fall.

http://www.shakasurfschool.com/

https://www.islasurfschool-charleston.com/

Visit Bert's Market on Folly for some incredible people-watching and snacks. This 7 Eleven style market got a facelift a few years ago and is a great place to grab a sandwich, shop for local beer, and buy some Doritos. Berts is the local's favorite place to shop; you will find beach bums, surfers, college students, and families running earns here.

http://www.thebusiness.company/bertsmarket/phone/index.html

A view of East Ashley Avenue from the top deck of Taco Boy

Tips for Photographing Young Children

Young kids usually do best at sunrise. They are fresher and have not had any mishaps or skipped naps. It's always tougher on the parents who strain to look good that early but worth it for the smiles. You have your whole day ahead of you, and you're not stressing to schedule everyone, so they are in a good mood later that day. 

Bring a surprise juice box and bust it outright when they start to meltdown. Especially if they never get juice at home, this is a big treat, and it's nice to take a break halfway through the shoot and get sugar in their system. They tend to go an extra 20 minutes! 

Sometimes it's better to plan the photoshoot around the child's sleeping schedule instead of the light. I usually like to photograph at sunrise or an hour and 1.5 before sunset. These times vary throughout the year. If you know your child gets grumpy at the ideal time, let your photographer know, and we can work around that. Maybe more photos in the maritime forest on the way to the beach or in a nearby park with shade. 

Leave the M&M's and goldfish at home. Promise them after the photo shoot and not during. When they have a ziplock bag of treats nearby, they tend to focus on that or even want to hold the bag and panic if it appears and then disappears. 

I always bring a ball or noisemaker with me to engage children. This works well because it is a totally new toy for them to focus on and I hold and toss the ball near the lens. Another trick is singing songs or asking about animal noises. If your child is a "Baby Shark" fan let us know and we will break out into song for a smile.