Three Generations at Depoe Bay | Alex + Justin | Oregon Coast Family Session

There is something about the Oregon Coast that strips everything back to what matters. The fog sits low over the water, the waves push in steady and unhurried, and the beach has a way of making everyone feel small in the best possible sense. It is the kind of place that makes you want to reach over and hold someone's hand.

That is exactly what Alex and Justin did.

I first met this family in Nampa, Idaho, where Alex and Justin own and operate Prefunk Beer Bar, a beloved cornerstone of downtown Nampa's craft beer scene since 2014. There is a warmth to the way they run that place, a genuine investment in community and connection, and it carries right over into the way they do family. When they told me they wanted to bring everyone together for photos on the coast, I knew it was going to be a good day.

We met at Depoe Bay with three generations in tow. Alex's parents were there, and from the first frame, it was clear where Alex gets it from. There is an ease in this family, a comfort with each other that you cannot manufacture in front of a camera. It just lives in them.

We worked through the full range: the big group shots with all six standing together against the surf, the parents stealing a quiet moment while the kids ran ahead, grandparents swinging a little one between them, and the teenager leaning into her dad with the kind of relaxed trust that takes years to build. Alex and Justin slipped away for a few frames just the two of them, and those are some of my favorites from the whole session. There is something so easy about watching a couple who genuinely like each other.

The Oregon Coast in its moody, overcast glory is one of my favorite backdrops on earth. The flat light is forgiving and soft, the reflections on the wet sand add a quiet drama, and the waves remind everyone that the world is bigger than whatever was stressing them out that week. This family leaned right into it. Barefoot and laughing, all the way to the water's edge.

If you are dreaming of an extended family session and wondering where to do it, I will always advocate for the coast. There is nowhere else quite like it. And if you happen to be in Nampa, Idaho, go find Alex and Justin at Prefunk Beer Bar and tell them their photos are beautiful. They already know it, but they will love hearing it.