AFTER THE SESSION
I upload the images to my computer and back them up on an external hard drive. Then get to work culling and editing.
Once completed your images will be uploaded into an online gallery where you can download the full resolution digital files.
We will set up a time to chat and go over your online gallery. You can ask questions and we can help you decide on what to order and get the best choice for your budget. We are fully educated in the printing process and can help you decide what to print at what size. 
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WEATHER
Ahh, weather. The only job where you can be wrong 80% of the time.  In a traditional Florida summer it is raining somewhere, it could be a mile down the street and sunny where you are! I have five weather apps that I refer to constantly, I go with three out of five similar forecasts. The short version is we try to wait until the session day and just before everyone begins the process of getting ready to decide. You can read more about the weather policy HERE. For more information on what to expect during windy conditions, you can read HERE.  
TIMING
Timing is especially important in a mini session. Our beach sessions are held just before sunset so we do not have the option of starting and ending late. When the sun is down we are out of time. If you are not sure if you may need longer time let us know. We can begin earlier and if we have everything after 20 minutes great, if not we can go for a Classic session. We have an article you may want to check out titled 'Is a Mini Session right for us?"
We do account for time walking to the location when setting the meeting time so we aim to meet at the agreed upon time. Traffic here is unreliable however so you may want to leave early. We have a lot of bikes and golf carts that like to ride on back beach roads and in most areas there is just 98 so if there is an accident there is no way around it. However arriving early does not necessarily mean we will begin early,  light is everything in portraits. 
We will typically meet in the parking lot and from there we will walk down to the beach while discussing final details. I will ask if there is anything you especially want to get or if there is something you are wanting printed large. We will prioritize getting those shots first to capture optimal lighting suitable for large prints. ​

Florida weather can be finicky, beautiful one minute, pouring the next. It can be tricky to anticipate, you can't always rely on the app because 100% may mean it will rain down the street but not where you are. 

Our best bet is always to schedule early in the vacation. If the weather does not cooperate we will try to reschedule. 

Our biggest weather concern actually isn't rain. Our biggest concerns are lightening and wind. There are not many lightening rods near an open beach and we do not want to be responsible for anyone getting hurt, nor do we want to end up on the front page of Yahoo as 'the photographer who let their clients get struck by lightening'. 
Wind is not just annoying to deal with (check out our blog about beach blown hair) . Once it gets around 15mph the wind will pick up the sand and sandblast you. And by sandblast I mean blast, in the movies you see the annoyance of sand storms with sand in their eyes and mouths but what they don't tell you is how much it hurts! Each piece feels like a little ant bites and yes, it does get in your eyes, your hair, your clothes, and our equipment. We will not shoot in wind above 12mph. Anything above 10mph will blow your hair and clothing, making editing extremely long and hard.
Other weather concern we look at are fog and high humidity. I have had to cancel shoots in the past after showing up and attempting to shoot but not be able to see the clients 3 feet away or my inner lens fog up and not work properly.

If your goal is not to have just a picture on the beach but to capture a special moment or finally have everyone in one place, we WILL find a way. I can come to your home, rent a conference room at a hotel, I have been known to wait inside my car next to my clients and rush out when there is a break in the rain to at least grab that one group shot. 

Weather apps are constantly updating. It can help give us an idea of what to expect on the day but we do not depend on them. We like to wait until the day of to make a decision. We will wait until just before the clients begins getting ready for the session. We don't want you to spend a long time getting all dressed up, bribing the kids and hubby, only to do it all over again the next day. We will get in touch a few hours before we are to meet and make a judgement call. We take in account the weather radar, the percentage at the time, the presence of thunder. While we do keep an eye on several weather apps the most reliable information can be found with the radar a few hours before the session. We may just need to move it up a few minutes to avoid early sunset or we may need to reschedule to a later mutual date.
We are not opposed to shooting in light rain, at the request of the client. Pouring rain will effect our equipment and hinder the shot.   

The retainer fee is non refundable however it is transferable. If we cannot find a mutual date to reschedule during the current vacation we can transfer it to a future date. 
If Amy or Caitie find the conditions not favorable and the client wants to try anyway we will drive out and wait for the rain recede up to 15 minutes. Any longer than that and we lose the light. In this instance the retainer fee is utilized that day and is no longer transferable. 

Who doesn't love a beach vacation!?
A day at the beach, relaxation, free from work and home responsibilities. 
Only to find new ones, sand in everything, sunburn, over heated and tired kids, carrying everything but the kitchen sink, wondering if your keys will still be there when you get out of the water. 

​Read below to see how we've come to combat a few of these problems! Between Caitie being a Florida native and Amy's 14 years in the area, they have learned a thing or two about making a trip to the beach a little easier. Read on for some tips on how to deal with sand and heat. 

We love furry friends and are always pleased to add them into our sessions! While pets are not allowed on the beach without a permit we can get some images nearby or in other locations. 
Here are some things you should remember to bring to ensure everything goes smoothly:

We love photographing children! They are entertaining, honest and wear their emotions on their sleeves. We are well rehearsed in children, Caitie has four, Amy has five, and has taught at the elementary school level areas of preschool, special education and art for many years before turning to to photography full time. 
          Our ultimate goal is for your child feel safe and to make sure they are having a good experience. Working together with you we will help your child feel comfortable and truly happy so we may capture your child's true self and personality. We want you and your child to smile when looking back at these images!

                       We understand that some little ones with big emotions cannot always keep it contained (I'm sure we've all met a few adults who have trouble with this as well...). Amy has taught special education and has trained as a registered behavior technician under a behavior therapist so there's not much she hasn't seen or dealt with. We have never considered any child to be 'bad', no one wants to be in trouble, they simply lack the tools to convey what the problem is even if it is just 'I need attention' or 'I need some space'.  Some little ones may have not been diagnosed with a sensory disorder, ADHD or the autism spectrum or are simply especially sensitive to the feel of the sand or are very shy and cautious. We want your child to have real smiles and will never force a situation they are not comfortable with. There are always options. We have our tips and tricks, all we ask of you is to relax and assure your children that this is going to a short and fun time!  Be sure to let us know if there is anything that may trigger your child such as a certain song, topic or sensory or the adverse, if there is anything they especially like.    ​

        Let's look at it from your toddler's perspective for a minute. Toddlers are just realizing things may be going on outside their little circle and that caregivers are not always able to control every situation. This can cause new behaviors as they experience new emotions. Many times they have not visited a beach so it is a whole strange and new environment for them; all senses are on high alert and emotions are ramping up for all the fight/flight love it/hate it. This can be seen in many forms depending on the child. They can be shy, scared, nervous, anxious, or happy until they figure out what is going on in this new place. They will look to you to guide them, if you are stressed and anxious they can feel that.

  Once we are at the session we won't have a lot of time to coax out natural smiles for each shot. So how do we get the little ones to understand the concept of smiling on command when there's nothing in particular to smile about? We have a few tricks but there are things you can do to help as well. ​

Even as an adult if you put a time to anything you do not want to do it's so much easier to get through it. I save bribery for last. For one thing, it doesn't last long and I don't want to give away my secret weapon too soon. I keep a roll of Smarties on me because not only is there no saturated fat, very very little sugar (just 6 grams for a whole roll), they are also gluten, dairy, and peanut-free, according to the official website. It dissolves quickly enough for toddlers to not present a choking hazard, it does not leave candy trails on the face or hands and comes in rolls of 15 so it can be used more than once. I essentially buy their happiness and pay them to like me. "After every picture we get a Smartie!".  (We do permission beforehand).  ​

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​Start showing pictures and videos of the beach to get your child familiar with environment. A lot of children are amazed with the sand, they either love it and want to roll in it and eat it or they're scared it will stick to them and never come off. Try putting some dirt in a bowl for your child to play with and get used to the idea that it's ok. If you know your child has tactile sensory issues and will not get in the sand let us know and we can be prepared with something for him/her to stand/sit on during the session.

Photographing clients is the one part of our job clients see, we do much of our work before and after the session. Editing is harder, and easier, than one would imagine. It takes a lot of classes, research and testing to get it right and we are always learning and expanding as our programs are. Take a look below to get an idea of how we like to edit.

             As photographers and not digital artist we strive to retain the integrity of the image and subject while enhancing the overall image. For instance, a general rule is 'if it will be there in a month it stays'. Tattoos, birthmarks, scars will remain unless requested and face blemishes, bruises, spots on clothes will be edited out. We smooth the complexion while retaining wrinkles. We want you to look like the best version of you while not feel like you are a stranger. 
              We edit out flyaway hair,  extra subjects in the background,  cars/buildings if possible. My goal with each image you get back is for it to be a 'portrait', not simply a photograph someone took of you. 
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      We take hundreds of pictures during a session, making real time adjustments to each shot. Every click is intended and planned for. Sometimes it's to get extras to use for face swapping, sometimes to catch the hair not billowing to the sky, or to expose for different lighting situations, or it's to ensure there's no eye blinking. There are just way too many reasons to list here. It’s necessary to take these images, they are part of the working process of art, just as a painter sometimes tries a few colors before making the final stroke. 
​        We then go through the images and cull them, marking the ones that will be edited, discarding the eyeblinks and my own testing shots to select the real pieces of art that all the other shots helped create.  We choose the best of each 'pose', combining several photos together if necessary so hopefully we can get some of everyone smiling, not blinking and looking their best. We love to add extra shots, the story telling images taken throughout a shoot in addition to the posed images. ​

We take those shots and spend a great deal of time working with them by hand to tone the color, smooth any imperfections, and produce heirloom pieces of art that are up to our artistic standards – the same quality of work you saw in our portfolio. 
​And finally, to answer the question of why we do not give out all the images we shot. Not all shots are created nor intended as final products – they simply enabled us to work out issues that arose to ensure you’d get the high quality images you received. ​

      We understand in this day and age people prefer their images digitally so they may immediately show them off and delay thinking about the whens' and whys' of prints. That's great! We have no problem with that, sharing helps our business grow and we want you to have all the beautiful images we spent time creating for you! This is why we offer digital images with our packages.  But it is not our preferred way to deliver images to you, we much prefer prints and here is why. ​
            When you invest in professional portrait photography you are looking for more than some pictures to store inside the computer and forget about. You invest in someone with the knowledge and expertise that allows you to present your family and memories in an artistic way that brings you joy when you view it, whether it be a wall collage, a heirloom canvas or memory album. Something you can hold when you need to remember that nostalgic feeling of togetherness. I could go on forever with this topic and with much less eloquence than others have, so let's just move on to the second reason we prefer prints over thumb drives. 

     The technical aspect. We simply cannot guarantee prints you have printed yourself.  We cannot guarantee each image will print equally as lovely at 30x46 as a 4x6 and colored correctly. There are many factors into prepping an image to print, large or small. We consider the size, product, company and add-ons when prepping images to print. 

We are often asked what to do to prepare for the portrait session. While no two sessions will be the same, there are a few things that would be helpful to have on hand.

While we do shoot towards the end of the day, it can get hot! A handheld fan or cooling cloth can be greatly appreciated when the sweat starts dripping. A water bottle is great not just for drinking but to clean off any items fallen into the sand, such as a pacifier. 
A folding chair is nice for anyone having trouble standing for long periods of time.
You can bring a towel or blanket to lay purses, keys, shoes and sunglasses on in an attempt to remain sand free. 
Speaking of sand, a simple Ziploc bag can keep your car keys and phone protected from sand getting into places it doesn't belong. The most brilliant idea I ever heard was to use a clean diaper to wrap up your valuables in then leave it wadded up on the towel. No one is going to steal a dirty diaper!
If you have any special items you would like included in the pictures be sure to bring those as well. Framed picture of loved ones, toddlers favorite toy/blanket, etc. 
You may want to bring a change of clothes or towel to keep in the car for after the session. 
 
CHILDREN
You can find more in-depth information in this article from the blog.
You can bring baby powder and a cloth or make up brush to wipe any sand that gets on their face. 
I will have Smarties on hand but if there is a snack they like better you can bring that. 
Try not to bring a large toy you wouldn't want in the session. 
A rattle or noise maker can get their attention so they look towards the camera. 

WOMEN
​You might want a back up hair choice in case it is windy. We have an article on windy day hair you can read HERE.
Add hairspray to everyone, even the men. 
You will want a face spray such as THIS to keep your makeup in place. I do smooth the skin texture and tone as well as remove any sweat drops in editing however it helps keep it natural when I do not have to do as much.
You don't want to add dark eyeliner under the eye, it can create a racoon look and distract from your actual eye. 
If using a make up and hair artist keep in mind if the weather does not cooperate then you may not get your deposit back. 

I have a Pinterest board with tips on posing, make up, hair, what to wear and more, check it out!

"Can you handle our big, crazy family?!"  YES! YES WE CAN! Here are some of our favorite examples, and a little information on how we run our large group sessions.