I’M BOOKED, NOW WHAT?
I just paid my retainer, what’s next? Congratulations!! You will be receiving an email from me outlining everything so double check that you have the correct date, time and location of your shoot. I’ve had a few people over the years show up on the wrong date because of vacation brain…yes it is a real thing! There is also a style guide attached to help you figure out your outfits, so give it a look. Below are a few of the most asked questions, so give them a read.
DO NOT ARRIVE HUNGY!
I can not stress this enough. You are on vacation and meal times are out the window. Eat a snack before your session, and if you don’t want to do that, pack them. Gummies and crackers are good things to bribe the littles with. Just don’t tell them you have them. DO NOT bring chocolate unless you want them to look like they have pooped on themselves. Avoid anything red also. Make sure and pack snacks for dad/husban/boyfriend also. They typically prefer the adult beverage kind. And that is a great treat for them after the shoot when they’ve been good boys! haha!
GIVE YOURSELF PLENTY OF TIME TO ARRIVE AT SHOOT LOCATION, SHOW UP EARLY!
If we are meeting at a designated location, give yourself PLENTY of time to arrive…I cannot stress this enough! Traffic during peak season is CRAZY and with all the road construction on 30A right now, it can become a parking lot quick! It is better to arrive early and have 30 minutes to hang out than arrive late and only have 15 minutes for a shoot. I’m good, but I’m not God…I can’t stop the sun from setting.
WILL YOU PHOTOSHOP ME?
Ahhh the most often asked question! Included in the fee is general color correction/brightness. If you have a little and they have a LITTLE booboo, I’ll try to edit that out of the close-up photos. (below have ALL been asked of me at a shoot)
*I do NOT photoshop your hair in every photo to make it look like you are not on the beach. It is the beach and there is wind. I do my best to position you in the best possible way to avoid crazy hair. But the wind changes directions when it feels like it, ssssooo..
*I will NOT add hair to your husband’s head. Genetics win.
*I don’t switch heads or eyeballs.
*I won’t make you look 25 if you are 55.
*I won’t make your husband look like Andrew McConaughey.
*I won’t use the ‘skinny’ lens, there is no skinny lens.
*I don’t add a sunset sky if it happens to be overcast/gray on the day of your shoot.
*I don’t take out tan lines. If you know you are having photos made, please try to pick out a shirt or dress that doesn’t show the tan lines or try to find a strapless bathing suit. Please and thank you.
I CAN swap heads to anyone who is overly annoying or rude during the session. haha
All this being said, for a fee of $300 I WILL photoshop (or attempt to) up to 20 images however you wish. I can smooth wrinkles and shave off a FEW inches in certain places. Want a more defined waist, thinner arms and fewer crows feet? I got you. Just let me know your request and I can let you know if it is possible.
HOW DO I FIX MY HAIR?
If you have naturally curly hair…leave it curly. It is humid on the beach and straightening curly hair is just not going to last. Unless it’s November – March and the humidity level is really really LOW. I love that tme of year lol! I have tried every product out there because my hair is curly. The humidity always wins…ALWAYS!. ALSO if you have board straight hair… curling it is usually futile. Once again, the humidity wins…ALWAYS. At least with straight hair, the curl will fall and your hair will look like it did before you started. NOT the case when your hair is curly and you straighten it. It won’t be pretty…trust me!
TO WEAR AND NOT TO WEAR:
-Colors – Color choice is personal. The only color I suggest staying away from is red…it just does not look good against the gulf water…but that’s just my personal opinon.It’s best to keep a neutral palette without a lot of pattern. You don’t want to compete with the scenery. Dress your hardest to dress person first, and then pick everyone else’s outfits out. And during biting fly season avoid black and dark navy. They will be drawn to you and you will regret it. Get your color palette inspiration from your living room because that is where you will be hanging the pictures…you are going to print them right? Also, feel free to text me a pic of your photo color ideas!
– Let’s talk about ruffles. I’d suggest NOT wearing dresses that have ruffles around the neck and shoulders as on windy days…that’s a problem. Those off-the-shoulder dresses for women that have a 4-8 inch ruffled flap…not good. If you get lucky enough to have no wind, great. If we are doing your shoot at one of the parks instead of the beach, wear the ruffles. Otherwise the wind will have a field day with that flap. Ruffles at the bottom of the dress, below the waist, are lovely. Short wrap skirts are also difficult on a windy day. Long skirts are amazing on the beach. Long dresses, that are fitted at the waist, are beautiful. Long dresses with no shape (no defined waist) that spread out to double the dress size …well, not so great in the wind. Think sail of a ship…that’s what your dress will do…on you. Add a waist band or belt…then it just looks flowy. If that makes sense.
– For babies and toddlers- those one piece outfits with the big square collar that is embroidered? Same as a ruffle on a dress, so just don’t do it. One piece outfits for babies and toddlers are the best if you intend to hold them. They won’t ride up. If a dress for a walking little one, then maybe bloomers to hide any diaper. Oh yeah, and those really pretty long WHITE frilly dresses for girls? They are GREAT…just remember to pack neutral underwear. You can almost ALWAYS see through those dresses in the sun. White underwear shows through as well as colors and prints. I’ve seen it all. I know it’s not popular to find beige underwear for little ones…if you don’t remember to pack any…then let them go commando. :).
–Accessories – Hats are fun. Sunglasses are fun.
WILL YOU COME TO MY LOCATION?
Yes, for sunset shoots I prefer to come to your location. Traffic isn’t fun and it’s less of a hassle for you guys especially if you have a big group. Let me know where you are staying and I will let you know if that beach is a good location. If I don’t think it is a good location, I have 2 preferred areas I will suggest to ensure you get the best scenery.
WHAT IF IT RAINS?
It’s Florida, it will probably rain. Every day the heat builds up and we have pop up showers, so don’t panic. I’ve become quite the meterologist, so unless you hear from me, don’t worry. I do NOT cancel early. It might be raining at my house but a mile down 30a…be fine. So, it’s location dependent. I can say, that I rarely have rain outs…which is great. We will start a little early if necessary to beat the rain. I don’t even consider cancelling until after 3pm. Even then, unless it’s 100% chance, I usually just show up to see what happens. In the past, I would cancel at 3 and then at sunset it would be amazing. The best sunset colors are after a rain. Just saying. There are two types of people, those that want the memories no matter what the sky/beach look like and those that ONLY want the pretty colors. It’s fine either way, but on the day of the shoot, at 3pm, let me know which category you are in. If it DOES rain during your session time, I will attempt to reschedule for another day. Usually, I will not have another sunset timeslot open. Sunrise will usually be available or an early morning shoot. We just play it all by ear. If it just doesn’t work out, then I’ll refund your retainer. 🙂
WHAT HAPPENS AT A FAMILY SHOOT:
First thing to remember is that you are at the beach! On vacation! I prefer a relaxed and laid back photo session. We will take what I call the “Christmas card” pictures first, you know the ones of everyone looking at the camera…the boring one’s grandma wants to put on her walls. Momma, please don’t get upset if your little will not look at me. The beach is a big place and there are a lot more fun things to be looking at than me! I promise I will get at least one image of them looking, but it’s better that they are having fun and not crying.
Husbands, dads, boyfriends…I know that you endure this process. I know that you have already protested and know that most of the time you will attempt to not smile. I promise to make it as painless as possible if you will behave. Plus, we get finished faster when all parties behave. If you need a treat to endure this process, have one before the shoot and bring one in the coooler to reward yourself after.
I always start by taking the family group shots first. If it’s a large group, we start with the whole group. Then break it down by families. I start with the family units that have the youngest or LEAST user-friendly children. We will take couples shots, grandparents with grandkids, siblings, individuals of the kids. Whatever is important to you.
CAN WE TAKE PICS AT 10:30 AM OR NOON…. IT’S BETTER FOR MY KIDS.
No. The lighting is WAY to harsh and nobody looks good in it, not to mention it’s HOT and you will be sweating…and squinting…makeup will have those sweat marks running down your face…yeah, not a good look. If we shoot at one of the parks that has shade we can go as late as 9ish in the morning or as early as 3ish in the afternoon, but you still run in to the potential of it being super hot and sweating.
DO YOU TAKE SUNRISE PICS?
I LOVE sunrise sessions!!! The light is so completely dreamy! And I am a morning person, and the beaches are completely free of people so there are less distractions for your littles. I will always come to you if we do a sunrise session, so you don’t have to worry about putting the family in a car.
WHAT IF I WANT PICS IN THE MORNING BUT NOT AT SUNRISE?
The latest I will start a morning session is 7 a.m. in the spring/summer. You start having a lot of activity, they are putting up the beach chairs, people are getting their morning exercise, etc. But past that time you get the white white sand and the blue, blue water and the sand acts as a reflector and you start getting the harsh lighting. And if it’s a sunny day it will also be bright. And then you’ll be squinting and sweating and have makeup streaks lol! ALL that being said, I have done pictures at Seaside and Rosemary Beach and Watercolor early in the morning because we can start around the town, where there is shade and then finish on the beach. Plus, around town is usually less wind, if there is wind…so, better hair. One thing we have to watch for the morning sessions is if it’s going to rain. In the afternoon we can watch the rain and chance of rain and plan accordingly or change the time accordingly. We can’t really do that in the early morning because you have to start getting ready right away.
WHAT IF I WANT LATE AFTERNOON PICS BUT NOT SUNSET BECAUSE OF BEDTIMES?
VERY popular question. I have a couple of locations that are great options for this. We would start around 5pm and would need to be in a park. Watercolor, Seaside, Rosemary Beach (if you are staying there) and Panama City Beach all have parks that are good. You would get half of the session at the park (out of the wind and sun) and finish on the beach. But remember, it’s earlier and will most likely be hotter and when we do go to the beach, you wil be squinting. Don’t worry, I’ve done this a long, long time and can get some great candid shots at the beach while it’s earlier. But if you are really wanting those golden hues and amazing sunset….then this is not for you.
HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO GET MY PICS?
Your beach session photos should be online to view in 2-3 weeks during Fall/Winter and 2-4 weeks during Spring/Summer. During the summer, it can get crazy though and I can get behind on editing and it’s closer to 4 weeks. I will let you know at your shoot my current turn around time. You will receive an email from me with a link to your gallery and all the details on downloading and such. Wedding photos take 4-6 weeks to be online. And emailing to “just check on your pics” will not make me go any faster. I promise I pretty much have no life in the summer. I shoot, edit, shoot, edit, sleep, and repeat. I shower occasionally as well.
DO I GET THE DIGITAL IMAGES?
Yes! You are gaurenteed for a family session 60 edited high resolution images with digital download. But there may be a few extra in there lol! For weddings I gurantee 50 edited high resolution images per hour of photography.
WHAT CITIES DO YOU SERVE?
For beach photography, I serve the following areas: Destin, Fort Walton Beach, Miramar Beach, Sandestin Beach Resort, all of Hwy30a (Dune Allen Beach, Blue Mountain Beach, Grayton Beach, Seaside, Watercolor, Seagrove, Seacrest, Watersound, Rosemary Beach, Alys Beach), Santa Rosa Beach, Inlet Beach, Panama City Beach). For Navarre or Pensacola Beach, there is an additional $100 travel fee. Who am I kidding… in the summer I’m not willing to fight traffic for the 2 hour drive. Sorry. Hit me up in the fall/winter months. I got you.
For Weddings– I’ll go anywhere. No, really. Have passport will travel!
REVIEWS: Still not convinced to hire me? See what others have said about me. 🙂