The Hite Family | Family Photos at Crystal Cove State Beach | Newport Beach Family Photographer |Cori Kleckner Photography

The Hite Family | Family Photos at Crystal Cove State Beach | Newport Beach Family Photographer | Cori Kleckner Photography

What to Expect During a Beach Family Session

If you’ve ever worried your kids won’t “behave” for photos, I promise you’re not alone. Most families feel that way going into their session. The truth is, the best family photos don’t come from perfect behavior. They come from movement, laughter, snuggles, and little moments that happen in between.

During this session, we kept things simple. We started with a few classic family images, then moved into more natural prompts so the kids could relax. Some of the sweetest photos came from the moments where the kids were exploring the shoreline, holding hands, or running back to their parents.

That’s the beauty of photographing families at the beach. It naturally creates a session that feels like a memory.

Wardrobe Tips for Beach Family Photos in Orange County

One of the biggest things that impacts how your photos look is wardrobe. As an Orange County family photographer, I always recommend keeping outfits soft, neutral, and cohesive without being overly matchy.

Here are a few wardrobe tips that photograph beautifully in Newport Beach and Laguna Beach:

  • Cream, beige, tan, soft browns

  • Soft blues, muted sage, dusty rose

  • Linen textures and flowy fabrics

  • Barefoot or neutral sandals

  • Avoiding bright neon, heavy logos, or bold patterns

The goal is to keep the focus on your family, not the clothing. Neutrals also reflect the beach light beautifully and help keep skin tones looking warm and natural.


Book Your Newport Beach Family Photographer

If you’ve been searching for a Newport Beach family photographer, a Newport photographer, or a Laguna Beach family photographer, I would love to photograph your family.

I offer family sessions throughout Orange County, including Newport Beach, Laguna Beach, Huntington Beach, and surrounding coastal areas. I also offer maternity and newborn photography, but I do only take on a limited number of newborn clients each month to ensure flexibility on the calendar when babies make their debut.

To inquire about availability, you can reach out through my contact page, and I’ll help you choose the best location, timing, and wardrobe for your session.

CORI KLECKNER PHOTOGRAPHY IS AN ORANGE COUNTY CALIFORNIA PHOTOGRAPHER SPECIALIZING IN MATERNITY, NEWBORN, BABY, FAMILY, CHILDREN’S AND LIFESTYLE PHOTOGRAPHY

The Chang Family | Crystal Cove Family Photos | Newport Beach Family Session | Orange County Family Photographer

The Chang Family | Crystal Cove Family Photos | Newport Beach Family Photographer | Orange County Family Photographer


Crystal Cove Family Photos with a One-Year-Old | Newport Beach Family Photographer

This Crystal Cove family session with the Chang family was such a sweet reminder of how quickly the first year goes by. Their baby girl just turned one, and this stage is one of my favorites to photograph. If you’re looking for a Newport Beach family photographer or Newport Beach baby photographer, this is such a perfect age to document because your baby is full of personality, curiosity, and those little expressions you never want to forget.

Crystal Cove State Beach in Newport Beach is one of the best locations in Orange County for family photos, especially for families with young kids. The open space, soft coastal light, and natural scenery make sessions feel relaxed and effortless, without needing stiff posing. It’s also a great spot for one-year-old milestone photos because there’s room to move, cuddle, and let your little one explore while I capture the real moments in between.

For this session, we focused on a mix of classic family portraits and candid connection. We captured sweet snuggles, walking along the shoreline, and playful moments with their one-year-old as she took in everything around her. These are the kinds of family photos that become more meaningful as time passes because they don’t just show what your family looked like, they capture what this season felt like.

If you’re searching for Crystal Cove family photos in Newport Beach and you want a session that feels natural, timeless, and full of connection, I’d love to photograph your family. This is such a special stage of life, and it deserves to be documented in a way that feels beautiful and true to you.

CORI KLECKNER PHOTOGRAPHY IS AN ORANGE COUNTY CALIFORNIA PHOTOGRAPHER SPECIALIZING IN MATERNITY, NEWBORN, BABY, FAMILY, CHILDREN’S AND LIFESTYLE PHOTOGRAPHY

Extended Family Photo Session | The Tom Family | Generational Family Photos | Crystal Cove State Beach | Cori Kleckner Photography

Extended Family Photo Session | The Tom Family | Generational Family Photos | Crystal Cove State Beach | Cori Kleckner Photography

If you’re planning an extended family photo session at Crystal Cove in Newport Beach, you might be wondering how it all works. How do we get the big group shot? What combinations will we photograph? Will each family get their own portraits too?

The answer is yes, and I’m very intentional about it. When families book an extended family session with me like this one at Crystal Cove State Park, my goal is always to create a full gallery that feels complete. That means we absolutely capture the full extended family portrait, but we also take the time to photograph all the smaller groupings that matter just as much.

During your session, I’ll guide you through a variety of combinations so nothing important gets missed. We’ll capture grandparents with the grandkids, each individual family unit, cousins together, adult sibling photos, couples if desired, and smaller groupings like aunts and uncles with the kids. I also make sure each family walks away with their own portraits, including parent and child photos and individual images of the kids, so you don’t feel like you only received the big group shot.

Extended family sessions can sound overwhelming, but my approach is organized while still relaxed. Crystal Cove is one of my favorite Newport Beach locations for large family sessions because it gives us beautiful light, open space, and a timeless coastal backdrop, while still allowing kids to move naturally and families to feel comfortable. When you’re coordinating schedules, travel, and outfits, you want it to be worth it, and my goal is for your Crystal Cove extended family session to feel meaningful, easy, and beautifully documented for generations.

CORI KLECKNER PHOTOGRAPHY IS AN ORANGE COUNTY PHOTOGRAPHER SPECIALIZING IN MATERNITY, NEWBORN, BABY, FAMILY, CHILDREN’S AND LIFESTYLE PHOTOGRAPHY

Crystal Cove Family Session | Newport Beach, CA | Orange County Family Photographer | Cori Kleckner Photography

Crystal Cove Family Session | Newport Beach, CA | Orange County Family Photographer | Cori Kleckner Photography

CORI KLECKNER PHOTOGRAPHY IS AN ORANGE COUNTY PHOTOGRAPHER SPECIALIZING IN MATERNITY, NEWBORN, BABY, FAMILY, CHILDREN’S AND LIFESTYLE PHOTOGRAPHY

6 Month Baby Milestone Session | Orange County In-Home Baby Photographer | Cori Kleckner Photography | Newport Beach In-Home Lifestyle Photos

6 Month Baby Milestone Session | Orange County In-Home Baby Photographer | Cori Kleckner Photography | Newport Beach In-Home Lifestyle Photos

CORI KLECKNER PHOTOGRAPHY IS AN ORANGE COUNTY PHOTOGRAPHER SPECIALIZING IN MATERNITY, NEWBORN, BABY, FAMILY, CHILDREN’S AND LIFESTYLE PHOTOGRAPHY

Newport Beach Newborn Photographer | In-Home Lifestyle Newborn Session (Orange County, CA)

Newport Beach Newborn Photographer | In-Home Lifestyle Newborn Session (Orange County, CA)
| Cori Kleckner Photography


This in-home newborn session in Newport Beach was the perfect example of what I love most as an Orange County newborn photographer: capturing the quiet, fleeting moments that unfold naturally in those first days at home. While mom breastfed the baby in soft window light, dad sat close by reading Dr. Seuss to their toddler , the kind of real-life scene that says everything about this season without anyone needing to “pose.” In between the calm, there were bursts of toddler energy too,  jumping on the bed, climbing into snuggles, and circling back again and again to check on the baby. With a neutral, film-inspired aesthetic and a timeless approach to storytelling, I focused on the details that matter most , tiny fingers, sleepy stretches, and the way big siblings hover close while they’re still figuring it all out. These are the moments that will mean everything years from now, long after the newborn days are gone.

CORI KLECKNER PHOTOGRAPHY IS AN ORANGE COUNTY PHOTOGRAPHER SPECIALIZING IN MATERNITY, NEWBORN, BABY, FAMILY, CHILDREN’S AND LIFESTYLE PHOTOGRAPHY

Newport Beach In-Home Newborn Session | Orange County Newborn Photographer | Cori Kleckner Photography

Newport Beach In-Home Newborn Session | Orange County Newborn Photographer | Cori Kleckner Photography

Home is where your story actually begins.
where you rock your baby to sleep in the quiet hours,
prepare late-night bottles,
and pace the floors learning their cries.
It’s the place where tiny routines turn into lifelong memories, where one day those same floors will hold first steps and familiar corners will witness how your family grows.

That’s why documenting these early days at home feels so meaningful ,

this is where your story starts.
Photographing those early days holds a kind of meaning you can’t recreate anywhere else.

There’s no pressure to get out the door or look a certain way.

You’re already where you’re most comfortable, and that ease shows in the photos.

The moments unfold naturally because you’re simply living them.

Your home holds memory.
Years from now, you won’t just see your baby, you’ll remember the couch you paced on, the bedroom light you left on, the window you stood by rocking them to sleep.

Those details matter more than you realize.

Home has a way of slowing things down. There’s more patience, more tenderness, and more room for real connection , especially with adjusting to a new rhythm.

These photos age differently.
Studio backdrops fade out of relevance. Home images become heirlooms. They don’t just show what your baby looked like , they show where your life was happening.

And that’s where the magic lives.

CORI KLECKNER PHOTOGRAPHY IS AN ORANGE COUNTY PHOTOGRAPHER SPECIALIZING IN MATERNITY, NEWBORN, BABY, FAMILY, CHILDREN’S AND LIFESTYLE PHOTOGRAPHY

In-Home Newborn Session in Huntington Beach| Orange County Newborn Photographer | Welcoming Baby Duke | Cori Kleckner Photography

In-Home Newborn Session in Huntington Beach | Orange County Newborn Photographer | Welcoming Baby Duke | Cori Kleckner Photography


There’s something truly sacred about being welcomed into a family’s home during the first days of newborn life. This in-home newborn session with the Dillon family in Huntington Beach was everything I love about this work, soft light, quiet pauses, and the tender beginning of baby Duke’s story. As an Orange County newborn photographer, I feel especially grateful when sessions like these happen close to home, but I also regularly serve families looking for a Los Angeles newborn photographer or San Diego newborn photographer, bringing my lens to wherever these fleeting moments unfold. In-home sessions allow for an honest kind of storytelling…no rushing, no posing, just a family wrapped up in newness, letting love take the lead.

CORI KLECKNER PHOTOGRAPHY IS AN ORANGE COUNTY PHOTOGRAPHER SPECIALIZING IN MATERNITY, NEWBORN, BABY, FAMILY, CHILDREN’S AND LIFESTYLE PHOTOGRAPHY

Montage Laguna Beach Maternity Photos | Laguna Beach Photographer | Orange County Family Beach Photos | Cori Kleckner Photography

Montage Laguna Beach Maternity Photos | Laguna Beach Maternity Photographer | Orange County Maternity Beach Photos | Cori Kleckner Photography

There is something profoundly beautiful about a woman’s body in this season , carrying new life while still nurturing the one already here, a toddler balanced on her hip as her body continues to give, comfort, and nurture.

As an Orange County maternity photographer, these are the moments I’m most drawn to documenting. The quiet, everyday magic of a woman’s body.

This maternity session at Montage Laguna Beach felt especially meaningful, set against the soft light and coastal backdrop that make Laguna Beach maternity photos so timeless. A woman’s body stretches and adapts, holding both anticipation and memory at once. One day, I hope these images become reminders of just how much love lived in her body during this season , how fleeting it was, and how extraordinary it truly is.

For families searching for a Laguna Beach maternity photographer, this is the heart of what I hope to preserve.

CORI KLECKNER PHOTOGRAPHY IS AN ORANGE COUNTY PHOTOGRAPHER SPECIALIZING IN MATERNITY, NEWBORN, BABY, FAMILY, CHILDREN’S AND LIFESTYLE PHOTOGRAPHY

San Clemente Family Session at Calafia State Beach | Cloudy Beach Session | Cori Kleckner Photography

San Clemente Family Session at Calafia State Beach | Cloudy Beach Session | Cori Kleckner Photography | Orange County Family Photographer

This family session with the Seghal crew felt especially meaningful because it brought us back to San Clemente, a place that holds so much history for them from when they lived here in California. We photographed their session on a cloudy day at Calafia State Beach and between the soft, diffused light and neutral rocks, it couldn’t have been more perfect. Letting the kids run in and out of the water, climb the rocks, and watch the train go by, added alot of diversity and fun layers to their session. Their youngest was completely fascinated by the trains passing behind us, and some of my favorite frames from the session came from mom or dad simply holding him while letting him soak in the magic. Documenting them here, while they were back in California visiting a place that holds so much meaning for their family, made the session even more special. It’s always an honor when families come back and reach out again , getting to see how much their family has grown since the last time I photographed them is one of the most rewarding parts of what I do, and I feel incredibly lucky to call this my work.

CORI KLECKNER PHOTOGRAPHY IS AN ORANGE COUNTY PHOTOGRAPHER SPECIALIZING IN MATERNITY, NEWBORN, BABY, FAMILY, CHILDREN’S AND LIFESTYLE PHOTOGRAPHY

Montage Laguna Beach Family Photos | Orange County Family Photographer | Cori Kleckner Photography

Montage Laguna Beach Family Photos | Orange County Family Photographer | Cori Kleckner Photography

This sweet session at Montage Laguna Beach was a fun one to shoot with the Miller family. We started with soft sunlight breaking through clear skies and eased into pastel purples as the evening settled in, with the coastline stretching behind us. It’s just a really gorgeous beach and one I love photographing for family sessions because it offers so much variety , from rocky areas and cliffs to open sand and water moments.

I first photographed Sophia as a newborn, so coming back to document her again at six months felt especially full-circle. And honestly, this age is one of my absolute favorites , the chubby cheeks, the little rolls, the expressions that change by the second. It’s that in-between stage that often gets skipped when families jump from newborn photos straight to one year, and I’m always a little sad when it’s missed. Six months holds so much sweetness and personality, whether they’re sitting with a bit of support, standing while holding onto mom’s hands, or melted right into her hip , it’s such a special stage worth documenting.

CORI KLECKNER PHOTOGRAPHY IS AN ORANGE COUNTY PHOTOGRAPHER SPECIALIZING IN MATERNITY, NEWBORN, BABY, FAMILY, CHILDREN’S AND LIFESTYLE PHOTOGRAPHY

Montage Laguna Beach Motherhood Session | Orange County Family Photographer | Cori Kleckner Photography

Montage Laguna Beach Motherhood Session | Orange County Family Photographer | Cori Kleckner Photography

Most families have no shortage of photos of their children. And usually, dad is in plenty of them. But moms? They’re usually the ones behind the camera.

They tend to be the memory keepers, the ones taking the photos, organizing the albums, and making sure every milestone is preserved. And in doing so, they quietly slip out of the story themselves.

Years from now, your children won’t only want to see what they looked like, they will want to see who loved them. The way you wrapped them up when the wind picked up. The way they leaned into you when they were unsure. The way your body was their safe place.

That’s why I approach motherhood photography in Orange County with a documentary, connection focused style. No stiff posing. No pressure to perform. Just gentle guidance that allows real moments to unfold, the way your child reaches for your face, the way you instinctively brush hair from their eyes, the way they melt into you when they need comfort.

These are the images your children will one day treasure most.

And if you’re searching for an Orange County family photographer or Laguna Beach motherhood photographer who values emotion, presence, and storytelling over perfection, I’m your gal. A motherhood session is a beautiful way to preserve this season, not just for how it looked, but for how it felt.

CORI KLECKNER PHOTOGRAPHY IS AN ORANGE COUNTY PHOTOGRAPHER SPECIALIZING IN MATERNITY, NEWBORN, BABY, FAMILY, CHILDREN’S AND LIFESTYLE PHOTOGRAPHY

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