Pismo Beach Monarch Butterfly Grove Photohoot

The Pismo Beach Monarch Butterfly Grove does not disappoint. Combine that with professional portraits and you get some stunning images.

Pismo Beach Monarch Butterfly Grove off highway 1 in downtown Pismo Beach is an amazing place to be. From November to the end of February, you can see thousands of Monarch Butterflies hang out among the tall trees. Scientists have even studied here and guess that there is usually about 28, 000 Monarch Butterflies at one time in the park. And want to know the cool part? It’s free to come see them, just make sure to bring your binoculars. There is a sweet walkway that leads to the beach and it’s perfect for photo sessions. With all the rain we have received lately the creek was full and with a ton of ducks and birds enjoying themselves.

When I do a family portrait session with kiddos, I always bring my goodie bag full of prizes for smiles. I dress up with silly glasses and hair and really put on a show to get a natural belly laugh or smile. This really helps with the kiddos attention span and helping them not to look scared or nervous in the photos. I actually do not enjoy being photographed myself, so I really work hard at making my clients feel at ease.

If you want to look your best in family photographs, it’s best not to dress identical, like this sweet family. The colors go together and go with the location but it is not like a uniform. I feel it’s best to express your style and personality in a way that compliments the group. Most people like the look of white shirts on the beach but then you just blend into the background. For beach photographs, you want solid, dark colors with a little pop of color in the accents. I’m always happy to share with you what works and what doesn’t in photo examples when you book your session.

When families live in different states, it’s very special when they are in the same town for a photo shoot. Here is a sweet family session that we timed perfectly between rain storms to make happen.