What Makes the Gold Coast, Tweed Coast and Byron Bay the perfect place for Family Photos

I’ve lived in quite a few different places around Australia, so I think that is part of why I still notice how beautiful this part of the country is.

Since moving to the Northern Rivers, I genuinely feel a little bit spoilt by how much variety there is around us. Within such a short drive you can be at the beach, in the rainforest, beside a creek, looking out over cane fields, or somewhere with the mountains sitting quietly in the background.

It is one of the things I love most about photographing families here. There is no one look that every session has to follow because the landscape changes so much from the Gold Coast, through the Tweed, and down towards Byron Bay.

Beaches that all feel completely different

We are obviously surrounded by beautiful beaches, but what I love is how different they all feel.

Along the Gold Coast you have wide stretches of sand, rocky headlands and little coves, while the Tweed and Byron Bay have their own feel again, with bushland, pandanus, quieter beaches and places where the headlands seem to wrap around the water.

The beach also works so well for kids because there is already something for them to do. They can run, paddle, climb over rocks, collect shells or just wander, which means the session can move with them instead of asking them to stay in one place.

Then there are the mountains, cane fields and rainforest

As much as I love the coast, some of my favourite places to photograph are further inland.

Around Murwillumbah especially, the landscape changes completely. There are cane fields, creeks, rolling green spaces, rainforest and mountains almost everywhere you look.

That is something I never really take for granted. I can be photographing by the ocean one day and then somewhere surrounded by green the next, and both can feel completely different without having to travel very far at all.

For families who do not feel like a beach session is quite them, there are so many other options that still feel really connected to this area.

The light is always changing too

Golden hour gets a lot of attention, and I completely understand why. That warm light just before sunset can be beautiful, especially when it hits the water or comes through the trees.

But I also love photographing at other times of day.

Early mornings can be so much fun, especially with little kids who are already awake and happy. The light can be brighter, the colours feel fresh, and the whole session can have a completely different energy.

I photograph families at all different times of day and work with whatever the light is doing, whether that is soft sunset light, bright morning sun or an overcast afternoon.

There is so much space for kids to move

One of the biggest things I love about photographing families outdoors here is how much room there is for kids to just be kids.

They can run, explore, climb, get their feet wet, disappear into the grass for a minute and then come racing back. There is no need to keep pulling them back into position. I would much rather follow what they are doing and photograph the family around that. That freedom is such a big part of what makes sessions feel natural.

Looking for a Family Photographer?

I photograph families across the Gold Coast, Tweed Coast, Byron Bay and the Northern Rivers, and I am always happy to help you work out what kind of location will suit your family best.

You can have a look through my family photography packages for more information, or head to my contact page if you would like to chat about a session.