What’s the flow for family portrait beach sessions?

For the best light, our shoot would start the hour before sunset and spend an hour together. In most cases, I will meet you at your vacation home to say hello to everyone to get comfortable before we head to the beach. During the shoot I will capture the entire family, individual family groupings, and favorite fun candid shots.

What if it rains the day of the shoot?

I will do my best to make the best of the situation. If there is rain in the forecast, I will communicate with you throughout the day and if there is opportunity for flexibility we may move the shoot to miss the rain. If this is not an option or if I have an open slot later in the week, I am happy to accommodate a different day. I don’t require payment until the day of the shoot, so if we have to cancel you are not out any money.

Suggestions on how to prep everyone for the shoot.

Kids: Since our shoot is typically one hour before sunset, adjust naps accordingly and ensure kids are rested and fed. Get them excited for the shoot by making it sound exciting and fun. You might consider a reward or something fun after the shoot. Most of all, let them be KIDS! Trust me, I have done this for awhile and it’s best to not try and force a child to “give their best smile” …. give them the grace to be who they are and trust I will capture their personalities no matter what!

“The Men”: Make sure they are also rested and fed, LOL! Take a minute to show them a few of your favorite photos from my website so he can see the relaxed nature of my work as this will help them know what to expect. Let him know that the best thing he can do is to just enjoy his family and let me do the work. Most important, let him know how much this means to you and your glad he is willing to be a team player for one hour.

How to prep yourself: I realize the amount of coordination is required for the family photo shoot, so my best advice is to let go of any thoughts that this must be “perfect”. It’s ok if the kids aren’t “perfect” during our time together. Don’t worry about your kids not giving me their “real smiles”. Most of the time, being told “not that smile, your real smile!” only makes it worse, so don’t worry. I will work hard to get them laughing and be sure to capture them at their best. Most importantly to remember is to just enjoy your family! Let this be a time you have fun with each other. Tell silly stories and laugh a lot! Down the road, it won’t matter nearly as much if you're having a “bad hair day”, or if your son wasn’t listening well. You will look back on this moment in time, and how quickly it went.

What happens after the shoot?

I will take hundreds of pictures during the shoot, review the best ones to edit. Therefore, I will need about 2 weeks to finish editing your pictures. I will send you a sneak peek within 48 hours. Typically, I come away with 40+ edited images. The photos will be posted online via an on-line gallery. You will receive an email with the details and can forward that to family and friends. From this site you can view, download hi-res images and easily order print products from this site.

Can I order prints and other products from you.

Yes, I offer a wide variety of prints and wall decor. If you like photo books or other products, we can discuss your needs.

How do we book an appointment with you?

That’s easy, just use the “contact me” link to me some basic information about your photography needs, date range for the shoot, how many people, etc. I will respond within 24 hours and we can correspond to firm up details. I only do 2 to 3 sessions a week so that I can offer you a personalized and energized session. Please note that summer sessions book up very quickly, so please make your appointment as early as possible in your vacation planning.

What other types of photography do you do?

In addition to family portraits, I love working with high school seniors, professional headshots, and branding. Let’s chat and see how I can help you.