This was a sunset family session at Huntington Beach State Park in Murrells Inlet, South Carolina, photographed at the end of June. A dad, his two kids, and his wife met me on the beach about an hour before sunset. The evening gave us everything you want on the Grand Strand. Soft gold light, a calm sky, and almost no wind.
Wind is the one thing no photographer controls, and on the coast it can undo an entire evening. This night stayed still. The air was calm, the tide was easy, and the family settled in from the first frame. That is why this session is worth showing. It is what a good beach evening actually looks like.
Where Is Huntington Beach State Park, and Can You Photograph a Family There?
Yes. Huntington Beach State Park sits in Murrells Inlet, South Carolina, just north of Pawleys Island and about fifteen minutes south of Myrtle Beach. It is one of the quietest and most protected stretches of coastline on the Grand Strand, which makes it a favorite for family sessions.
The park gives you tall dunes, thick sea oats, a wide open beach, and a salt marsh behind the tree line. Crowds are lighter than the main Myrtle Beach strand, so backgrounds stay clean. It is a state park, so a per person admission fee applies at the gate. Check the current South Carolina State Parks rate before you come, and plan to arrive a few minutes early to get through the entrance.
What Makes a Sunset Session Here Work?
The light and the dunes. In the last hour before sunset the sun drops toward the marsh behind the beach, and the whole shoreline turns warm and soft. The dune line and sea oats give the frame depth, so a simple family portrait has something behind it instead of flat sand and sky.
On this evening the calm air did the rest. With no wind, hair stayed put, dresses fell clean, and the kids were comfortable. We moved from the dunes down to the water line as the light dropped, and every stretch of that beach gave us something.
How Do You Photograph a Family That Is Still Coming Together?
You direct for connection, not arrangement. This session was a dad, his son and daughter, and his wife, a family building something new together. My job was to photograph them as they are now, warm and easy with each other, without making anyone hold a pose.
Directing is simple. I give people small things to do. Walk this way. Pull your daughter in. Look at each other for a second. The moments that happen in between are the real ones, and those are the frames families keep. This group made it easy. They laughed, they leaned in, and the images look like them because they were not performing for the camera.
When Is the Best Time for a Sunset Family Session in Murrells Inlet?
The hour before sunset. In late June on the Grand Strand that puts golden light roughly between eight and eight thirty in the evening, so I start sunset sessions about ninety minutes before the sun goes down and finish as the last color leaves the sky.
Come early. Beach parking and the park entrance take a few minutes, and the best light does not wait. If the wind is up, we work with it. When it is calm, like this evening, everything gets easier.
What Should Families Wear for Beach Photos at Huntington Beach State Park?
Coordinate, do not match. This family wore white and khaki, and it reads beautifully against the dunes and the warm sky. Soft neutrals like ivory, cream, sand, and light blue always photograph well on this coast because they sit in the same tones as the beach. For the full breakdown, see my guide on what to wear for family beach photos.
This session is one of many I photograph across the Grand Strand each season, from Murrells Inlet and Pawleys Island up through Surfside and Myrtle Beach. If you are planning portraits closer to the main strand, start with my page for Myrtle Beach family photographers, then send me your travel dates. You can also read about a recent sunrise family session in Pawleys Island if a morning shoot fits your trip better.
Common Questions About Family Photos at Huntington Beach State Park
Can you take family photos at Huntington Beach State Park?
Yes. Huntington Beach State Park in Murrells Inlet is open to family photography. A per person admission fee applies at the park gate. Sessions work best in the hour before sunset when the beach is quiet and the light is soft.
Where is Huntington Beach State Park?
It is in Murrells Inlet, South Carolina, just north of Pawleys Island and about fifteen minutes south of Myrtle Beach, off Highway 17.
When is the best time of day for beach family photos in Murrells Inlet?
The hour before sunset. In summer that falls around eight in the evening. Sunrise is the other strong option when you want the beach at its emptiest.
How soon will we get our photos?
Every gallery is edited and delivered within 2 to 3 days, so many families see their images before they leave the beach.
If your family is heading to the Grand Strand this year, I would love to photograph your session. Send me your travel dates and group size through the contact form and I will reply within one business day with timing and location options.
Pasha Belman is a Myrtle Beach photographer specializing in family, wedding, engagement, and senior portraits. He photographs on location across Myrtle Beach, North Myrtle Beach, Surfside Beach, Garden City, Murrells Inlet, Pawleys Island, Litchfield, Georgetown, Conway, and Little River, with every gallery delivered in 2 to 3 days.
