Family Photography for your Newport Vacation

Newport, Rhode Island has the prefect combination of history, incredible restaurants, mansions, art, and stunning beaches - no wonder it’s a huge summer destination for families and groups!

While you are all together, enjoying everything our area has to offer, why not get those family photos done you’ve always said you’ll do together? Your photography session will be fun, easy to plan, and by the time you get home you’ll have a gallery of edited images to enjoy and share.

Don’t wait until fall to update your family photos, this year get them taken while the kids have sun-kissed cheeks!

Everything you need to know about family photography

For families visiting Newport this summer

• All photography sessions are done by Jessica McHale
  
  
• You will receive a fully edited collection of print-ready images delivered to you via online gallery within one week, with downloadable jpegs for you to keep.
  
  
• Photography sessions are done on weekdays with start times according to sunset times and group size.
  
  
• One booking per evening, so you have flexibility if needed.
  
  
• I’ll reserve two dates for your family, one early on in your stay and another back-up date in case of inclement weather. Please keep both dates open and I will do the same!
  
  
• Sessions are priced at 30 minutes for immediate family and 60 for extended families, but leeway is given for either if needed.
  
  
• A deposit is required to reserve your date and back-up dates. These are non-refundable.
  
  

A couple of notes:

*I recognize that the value for most clients lies in the digital files, which is why I don't play games with that and include a full edited collection. They are yours to enjoy, print, and archive. If you are comparing photographers make sure to look at this very valuable portion of what your final cost of your photography session will be.

*I am often asked to charge each individual family their own portion of Extended family photography sessions, and I am happy to do that. It’s a great value with at least 2 families!

*Yes, pets are invited! We need to keep in mind pet rules with your choice of location.

Immediate family photography $995

These sessions include 30-45 minutes of photography at the location of your choice, where we will take both posed and candid images of your family. Siblings, individual kids, and the whole family together will all have time in front of the camera. For little ones we’ll play games and get them giggling. Older kids enjoy more posed photos, but I can (almost) always get tweens and teens to loosen up and capture those candid expressions! View a full family photography portfolio.

Extended family photography $1495

These sessions are often over an hour long - and yes I know that sounds like a lot but we’ll break it down to “mini” sessions for each immediate family, some time with cousins (or other groups as appropriate) and of course time with the entire group. Once you get everyone organized and in one place all dressed and ready we want to make sure to photograph all the combinations you are looking for. These sessions are a ton of fun and are very often regarded as the single best gift that a grandparent has ever gotten! I’ve had clients give these for holiday, retirement celebration, birthdays, or mother’s/father’s day. View extended family photography portfolio.

Best locations for family photography sessions in Newport

Second Beach. Evenings here in the summertime have a relaxed, easy-going vibe and stunning sunsets! Photographing at Second beach in the evenings includes strolls on the beach, sun-kissed sea grass, playing in the waves, and even crawling on signature Rhode Island rocks if you’d like. An added bonus as we chase sunset times: after 5pm in the summer parking is easy and free!

Ocean Ave. This road is a must-see when visiting Newport! Twisting along the rocky Rhode Island Coast, the views are unmatched. If you are a family where everyone is comfortable walking on large rocks, there are spots on Ocean Ave that are stunning for family photography.

Honesty time here! Newport is a great vacation playground but not everywhere is appropriate for a photography session, even though the are often requested. Here are the places I try to avoid for family sessions, and what to do if your heart is set on professional photography there:

Newport Cliffwalk. The Cliffwalk is a great place to visit, but on an average day not a good place at all for family photos. It’s far too busy and the walkways are skinny with little room to really move around as far as photography. Please don’t ask for a group photo on "40 steps" on a weekend, this just doesn’t set us up for success. If the Cliffwalk is your dream spot I’ll tell you that we would need to meet at one of the more accessible spots on a weekday morning. There’s also the “other” end of the cliff walk, where parking is tricky but absolutely worth the effort for photography on Rhode Island’s signature rocky coast.

Newport Mansions. If you would like photography at a mansion, please know it is the client’s responsibility to obtain permits and pay all fees attached to those permits. If you would like to organize that, then yes I’m happy to follow you to a mansion! But trying to wing-it in this case does not have a great chance of success.

Downtown. Newport’s downtown has such an incredible vibe. So many people want to experience it that it makes it very difficult for formal photography downtown. But, while larger groups and families are tough with general crowds, I have had a lot of luck with a couple photos downtown. We can stroll along and capture engagement or wedding photos, both of which are allowed on public streets. Just don’t have your heart set on one spot in particular, and make sure you’re comfortable with people in the photos as part of the scene. We’ll include boats, flags, the incredible storefronts and, if we plan it right, the glow of nighttime falling on Bowen’s Wharf.

I'm so excited you are coming here to Newport for your family vacation. I could recommend so many things for you to do on your trip that you couldn’t possibly squeeze it all in in a weekend, or even a full week. Polo, art, shopping, great coffeeshops and incredible artists tucked along the outskirts of town will keep you busy and your whole group happy! For more information and list of current events, head over to Discover Newport, and don't forget to take advantage of Newports free trolly that runs all summer. A great way to get around headache-free!