Family sessions don’t have to be perfectly calm to be beautiful. In fact, they rarely are.

Children run, laugh, get silly, need snacks, want to be held—and that’s exactly how it should be. As your Bay Area family photographer, I’ll meet them where they are, play along, and guide things in a way that feels easy and natural. The result? Images that feel like your real life: full of movement, personality, and love.

Serving Oakland & East Bay, San Francisco, Palo Alto & the Peninsula, Marin County, and the greater Bay Area.

→ The complete guide to Bay Area family photography

Real life, real connection, beautifully documented

Family photography in the Bay Area

Bay Area Family Photographer

Rebecca Pattison Photography

Christine & Mike

"The kids talked the whole way home about how much fun they had playing with REbecca"

Marin Family Session

These Bay Area family sessions are light, playful, and gently guided.

We move, we play, we pause when needed. I’ll help prompt connection without forcing anything, so your gallery reflects your family as they truly are—full of personality, warmth, and real connection.

You can simply show up and be together. I’ll guide everything else.

What it feels like

Get in touch

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"Shooting with Rebecca felt effortless and fun, and our kid’s personalities are bursting through in every photo. Consider it a play date, but your goodie bag is full of beautiful photos that you will cherish forever. The sounds of their belly laughs will replay in our heads forever when we look through these photos. Who knew a photo shoot with children could be so easy and fun?"

"Consider it a play date."

Christine & Mike

Marin Family Session

Taking family photos can sometimes feel stressful, especially with a child and baby in tow, but this session was pure magic.Rebecca managed to turn a sunset stroll in the Oakland Hills into a collection of memories we’ll have for a lifetime. She was so patient with our five-year-old and knew exactly how to get those sweet looks from our six-month-old. Not only is she an incredibly talented photographer, but she is also a wonderful human who makes the whole experience fun. If you need photos that feel authentic and beautiful, you need to book Rebecca.

"Pure magic."

Danielle & Matt

Oakland Family Session

"We loved working with Rebecca for our family photos. She is so warm, patient, easy going and playful. Which was especially helpful for my camera shy toddler! We all felt comfortable and the photos turned out amazing. Super responsive to last minute logistical changes and was very fast on sharing the gallery afterwards as well. So so happy! Looking forward to more of these photo shoots as our kids grow."

"So warm, patient, and playful."

Viktoria & Hunter

Berkeley Family Session

"Rebecca took the time to get to know our family and understand exactly what I was envisioning, while also offering thoughtful suggestions that made the final result even better.
I especially appreciated how amazing she was with my daughter, who is typically very timid and shy around new people. Rebecca had her smiling almost immediately and was so patient and warm with her. She also worked so well with us while we had our infant with us, making the whole experience feel relaxed and enjoyable rather than stressful.
And the photos… absolutely AMAZING! We are so in love with how they turned out and feel like she truly captured our family and the vision I had in mind. We couldn’t have asked for a better experience!"

"She truly captured our family and the vision I had in mind."

Samantha & Jeremy

Palo Alto Family Session

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Love Notes

Within a few weeks, your gallery will be ready — beautifully edited, ready to download, and available in heirloom quality prints and albums.

Your gallery

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Your only role is to be with the ones you love. I’ll guide you throughout the session. 

Your Dream session

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From wardrobe styling to location planning, I’ll be there to help you—so everything feels easy and beautifully aligned.

Thoughtful Preparation

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Once you reach out, we'll set up a time to discuss the season you are in and what you're hoping to remember most.

Let's Connect

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From First Hello to Final Gallery

Get in touch

Yes! Your gallery comes with the option to easily order prints, albums, etc from a printing company I trust. You are also welcome to download your images and print elsewhere, just note that image color does vary across print shops.

Do you offer prints?

Week of your session, I will become your personal weather woman and watch out for rain. I will reach out to discuss options and rescheduling if the weather is less than ideal for an outdoor session.

What if weather looks bad on our session date?

Wardrobe greatly impacts the results of your images. I provide detailed tips on styling your family, and am available to help you coordinate outfits so everyone looks and feels beautifully in sync.

Do you offer styling?

Please do! I am a dog mom and would love to capture ALL of your family. Just be sure to give me a heads up so we select a dog appropriate location.Also please bring treats and a plan that fits your dog's personality for when they aren't in photos.

Can I include my dog?

We are lucky to have many beautiful locations in the San Francisco Bay Area that I can recommend! We can discuss what locations fit your family's timeline and vibe once you book, whether that's a park, trail, beach, garden like Filoli, or even your home.

What location is best for my family?

Yes! I have two of my own, volunteer weekly in a school classroom of 3-5 year olds, and primarily photograph younger families. While some children may need time to warm up to the camera, I know we will be able to capture memories you'll cherish during our session.  

ARE YOU EXPERIENCED WITH TODDLERS / young children? 

Frequently Asked Questions

Get in touch

No stress, no pressure, no perfect behavior needed. Just show up and be together—I'll take care of the rest.

Tell me about your Family