Most family photo sessions happen on the shore. You pick a nice stretch of sand, everyone takes off their shoes, and you stand at the water's edge while someone counts to three. These are not those. Lake Michigan family photos done in the water are a different thing entirely — kids soaked to the knees, parents barefoot in the shallows, everyone actually in it together instead of posed in front of it.
That's the whole idea. Kids do what kids do in water. They splash. They run. They fall down and come up laughing. Parents stop worrying about staying dry and start actually being present. The performance drops away fast when you're standing in a lake.
I shoot these sessions in the water with the family. Not from the shore with a long lens. I'm in there with them, which means I'm close enough to the real thing to actually photograph it.
What the Session Actually Looks Like
We meet at the lake in the evening, usually an hour or two before dark. The light in Northern Michigan at that time of year sits low and warm across the water. It's not something you plan around — it just happens, and it's worth being out there for it.
Nobody needs to have a plan going in. Parents ask me sometimes what they should do, and the honest answer is: let the kids lead. They will figure it out within about thirty seconds of hitting the water. That's when the real session starts.
I stay out of the way until I'm not. I'm watching for the moments that aren't directed: a kid face-down in the water trying to be a seal, a dad throwing someone so high it looks impossible, two siblings holding hands walking out into water that's suddenly deeper than expected. That's the session.
Northern Michigan in Summer. The Season Is Short.
Lake Michigan water sessions only work in July and August. That's it. The water is cold enough in June that nobody's actually happy in it, and by September the evenings drop fast. There's maybe a six-week window where everything lines up: warm water, long evening light, kids who want to be in the lake.
Families who have their heart set on this kind of session need to book early. I fill the summer calendar fast, and in-water sessions specifically are limited because of the time-of-day window they require. If you're planning a trip to Northern Michigan with your family and want Traverse City family photos that actually look like summer up here, this is worth locking in before you get here.
Most families visiting Northern Michigan have one week, maybe two. Getting the session on the calendar before you arrive means we can pick the evening with the best conditions, not scramble to find a slot that works. It also means no stress when you get here. The session is sorted. Your vacation stays a vacation.
What to Wear, What to Bring
Wear something you can get wet. That's genuinely the only rule. Linen, chambray, simple solids — anything that won't be ruined when a seven-year-old launches off your shoulders. Skip the white shirts unless you're committed to the bit. Bring a dry change of clothes for the kids for the drive home, and a towel. That's it.
Don't overthink it. The less coordinated the outfits, the less it looks like a photo shoot. Which is, honestly, the whole point.
Sessions run about an hour. By the end, everyone's wet, happy, and usually ready for dinner. The photos from that last twenty minutes, when the light goes pink and the kids are past caring about anything except the water, are almost always the best ones.
Summer fills up. If you're planning a Lake Michigan family session, the best time to book is before your trip north. Let's get something on the calendar.
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