Frequently Asked Questions/ West Palm Beach Photographer

Getting ready for a family beach session, a maternity session, an engagement session or any session for that matter can raise a lot of questions. I love being involved in the process of making sure your session is as perfect as possible. Whether it's just you and your love or a family of 25, these Q&A's will give you an idea on what to expect during your upcoming photo session.

I have tallied up the most frequently asked questions I receive from clients and I am sharing them with all of you. So without further ado...

The #1 question I receive is...

-What should we wear?

I tell my clients that this is the time to get fancy. Take a look at your Pinterest boards, you know the ones where you have saved for your dream Caribbean vacations, and bring out your best beach vacation outfits. For couples I suggest the ladies wear long dresses, bring a beach hat if you are into that, and nice accessories. Your makeup should be fancier than normal and also your hair. I do suggest for ladies with long hair to bring a hair tie or even wear a cute pony tail, braid or updo just in case it is a little windy. If dresses are just not for you, then be yourself. The idea is to feel comfortable and just dress it up a bit. For the gentlemen, nice khakis and a linen shirt, or shorts with a long sleeve shirt rolled up. I LOVE a combination of prints and solids. It photographs beautifully. This goes for all types of couples ;-) For families, I suggest to pick between 2-4 colors and combine the whole family in those colors. For example, blue, white, khaki and mint green. Combine the family in these colors and perhaps mom or daughter can wear a dress with a print that has all those colors in it.

-What happens if it rains?

Here in West Palm Beach, Florida it can be raining one minute and absolutely gorgeous the next. Well that's anywhere in Florida really but especially on the beach. One of the perks of living on the water is that I live where I work. I can literally monitor the weather right from my balcony and of course I watch my weather app. I pay close attention to the weather the day before your session and the day of. If I see that it is going to rain during the time your session is scheduled, I will reach my client and schedule the session an earlier or later time. There have been just a handful of times where I have had to reschedule an afternoon session for the next morning. In 2017, I photographed about 110 vacation beach sessions and not 1 was a complete wash out. I can always make it work with this gorgeous Florida weather.

-How long does it take to get our photos back? Do we get them while we are still on vacation?

Due to the amount of clients I currently have, my turn around time is about 21 days. I take my time to personally curate an edited gallery for you to choose your favorite vacation memories. I understand how excited everyone is to see their photos but I can promise you it is worth the wait. Although you will not have your photos ready while you are still on vacation, you can more than likely see a little sneak peek on my Social Media accounts. Be sure to follow me on Instagram and Facebook. I love to post sneak peeks because it makes my clients happy to have a photo to share and an idea of what to expect.

-What is the best time for a session?

All the photographers in the world dream about that beautiful golden light that makes our hearts burst and makes us feel like we are dancing on clouds. That beautiful light happens twice a day, during the sunrise and the sunset. If you are brave enough to wake up in the wee morning hours, I promise you will not regret it. The light during the sunrise is absolutely a dream. There is something so magical in watching the sun rise on the beach.

The most popular time for a session is during the sunset. I usually start my sessions about an hour to an hour and a half before the sun sets, depending on the duration of the session. During this time the light is even, soft and beautiful. The sky turns all sorts of gorgeous colors and the golden light makes all sorts of magic happen. It is important to have the best light for your photos so everyone looks their best and squint free :-)

-Do you retouch (edit) the photos?

Yes! I do edit all the photos that clients see in their galleries. I make sure the color is right, the photos are cropped correctly and I remove people that are not part of the session. I soften blemishes and give it a few of my extra touches. Editing a family gallery can take up to 5 hours and weddings can take a few days. Edited images is the signature of the artist, which is what us photographers are. That is why once my images are edited and sent to clients, there can not be any changes made to them, like adding filters online or on apps. 

I hope that these Q & A's help give you an idea on what to expect on your next vacation session. As always I am here to answer any and all questions that you may have. Just leave them in the comments and it will be my absolute pleasure to help.

I hope to see some of you on your next West Palm Beach, Florida vacation. Together we can create the best souvenirs, your memories.