Lighthouse Park Has Magic Baked In
There are some locations that just do the work for you. Lighthouse Park in West Vancouver is one of them. Ancient arbutus trees, rocky outcrops overlooking the Pacific, dappled forest light that makes everything look like a film still. It’s one of my favourite spots on the North Shore, and this early summer session reminded me exactly why.
This little family of three came ready for all of it. Mum in a gorgeous coordinated dark denim and white, effortlessly chic without trying. Dad in soft neutrals. And their little one? Fully committed to exploring every rock, sniffing every flower and making the whole session feel like exactly what it was: a Tuesday with the people you love most.
The Chaos Was the Point
Here’s the thing about photographing toddlers: the best images almost never come from the moment you asked for. They come from the moment right after when everyone dissolves into laughter because they just did something completely effortlessly adorable.
This session had all of it. The full-send lift-off, dangling little legs mid-air and absolutely loving it. The flower that had to be sniffed and then immediately shown to mum. The walk down the forest path where he marched between his parents like he owned the place (because he did). The quiet moment on the rocks, all three of them tucked together watching something small and important only a toddler would notice (but we all should notice more).
I just kept my camera ready and waited.
Why Lighthouse Park Works So Well for Family Sessions
West Vancouver’s Lighthouse Park offers something genuinely rare: the feel of being completely in nature. Old-growth forest, exposed granite and ocean views without having to hike all day to get there. For families with young kids, that’s huge.
The light in early summer is particularly beautiful here. The forest canopy filters it into something soft and painterly while the open clifftop areas give you that big, bright West Coast sky. You get dramatic variety within a short walk which means we can move through locations without burning everyone out before the session is over.
It’s also just so stunning. Backgrounds do a lot of heavy lifting in photography and this park gives you several genuinely world-class ones.
What I Love About This Gallery
Every family session produces images that stop me mid-edit.
The black and white of the little one tucked into mum’s shoulder with the texture of her top, the dappled shadows, that tiny hand gripping on, that’s a print-worthy image. The kind you frame and keep for decades.
The low-angle shot of all three of them laughing against the open sky, dad mid-belly-laugh, the baby lit from below, that one’s pure joy and it proves that everyone’s genuinely having a good time.
And the forest walk shot, backs to camera, little hands held between two parents. Simple, quiet and somehow says everything about this season of life.
If you’re looking for a North Shore or West Vancouver family photographer who’ll give you real moments over posed perfection, I’d love to hear from you.
Tasha is a family and portrait photographer based in North Vancouver, BC. She photographs families, couples, lifestyle and personal brands across North Vancouver, West Vancouver and the greater Vancouver area.
