Family Photography
Ryan Smith Photography’s portrait prices and information
Including Sunset Family Beach Portraits | Maternity Portraits | High School Senior Portraits & More
I specialize in candid and creative family beach photography for Myrtle Beach and the Grand Strand. My beach photography sessions are fun and relaxed, and I’m glad to try any ideas and family groupings you desire. I do a small number of appointments each week, typically around sunset time. As a small local business, I also do everything myself, from the photography to the adjustments and touch-ups of the pictures. I’ve been doing family photography in Myrtle Beach for over 15 years, so I’ve experienced every type of family situation imaginable.
My style as a Myrtle Beach family photographer
What I do is different from a typical inside studio portrait photographer. While I suggest traditional poses and family groupings, I take hundreds of shots in an hour or so session to capture the best moments and natural expressions. My favorite photos look like a family enjoying the beach together. I stay focused on keeping families happy and being patient no matter what happens. Being patient and calm is sometimes the most important part of being a great photographer!
We can do any family groupings you like. I usually take full group pictures, couples, families, grandparents with grandkids, groups of kids, individual portraits, and anything else you want. I also do everything in multiple locations, so we have plenty of opportunities to get some great shots. I’ve had many clients tell me it was the nicest experience they have had with a photographer. I hope I can make you feel the same way.
What makes my family photos stand out from other photographers in Myrtle Beach?
I prefer clear, crisp, and pure color or black-and-white images I create with the best lenses and an expert understanding of lighting and flash. I only schedule one family photo session daily to take your pictures at the ideal time and lighting. This also allows me more time to perfect your final pictures and deliver them in a reasonable time.
I use the same equipment as at my weddings, like expensive prime lenses and powerful off-camera studio strobe lighting. This looks different from ordinary “natural light only” or “light and airy” family beach pictures. You will see the colors of beautiful skies and the sparkle from off-camera flash in my subject’s eyes. I include a reasonable amount of artistic and general touch-up Photoshop work at no charge. Make sure to check out my family photography gallery for more examples.
High School Senior Portraits
The pricing and information on this page also apply to high school senior portrait sessions. I like to keep these pictures fun and low-stress as well. I’m always happy to try any ideas for poses that you like. I love when clients have ideas they want to try, such as things they have seen on Instagram or Pinterest. I also try to be helpful with poses and positioning so you look your best. Props are also great for senior portraits. I’ve had an artist bring her canvas and paints, a basketball player with his ball and jersey, and even an athlete do the hammer toss for a picture. Make sure to check out my high school senior gallery here.
Make sure to view my Family portraits or High school seniors photo galleries.
Latest features on my blog
All-Inclusive Family Photography Prices for Myrtle Beach
This information includes family photography sessions, maternity portraits, and high school senior portrait sessions. All sessions are done by myself personally.
Since my prices change over the year and I can offer discounts depending on availability, I now send my price list on request. I have very reasonable prices, so please click below and let me know your available dates, and I will send you more info. Thanks!
Includes:
Sunset Photo Session
Full-resolution digital files with copyright release
Credit for ordering prints
More Details
Location: This photo session can be anywhere on the Grand Strand, from Pawleys Island to North Myrtle Beach. I travel to many more locations, but there may be a small extra charge. I like to plan the sessions about an hour or so before sunset. Check out sunset times here.
All-Inclusive Package: There are no sitting fees or other charges. This includes the photo session with no set limit on pictures. I typically take 200-400 shots in about an hour or so. This also includes a download of the full-resolution digital files from the session (with copyright release), perfect for making your own prints of any size. These are not “straight from the camera.” I adjust each picture for color, lighting, and artistic quality. You will also get a $75 credit for ordering prints through your gallery. For example, this credit would get you one 16×20 and four 8×10 prints. Shipping is not included and varies from about $8 for standard prints and up, depending on product and location. Check current prices here. If we do the pictures at one of my preferred State Park locations, I also have passes for two cars to get in at no charge.
Other Recommendations: If you are very concerned about the look of your hair, I would highly recommend Huntington Beach State Park. There is a nice beach that can be windy, but also a castle and trees area that are more sheltered. Or an off-the-beach location like the Conway River Walk. Also, think about what your outfits will look like if there is a strong wind. See more recommendations here.
Deposit: To book your photography, I request a $200 deposit, deducted from your total, that can be paid by CashApp, Venmo, Check, or Credit Card. Please see the Q&A section for details. This deposit is refundable up to 3 months from the session date. After that, I can’t refund the deposit for cancellation. Of course, I will give you a full refund for rain if we can’t reschedule during the week. Rain is often in the forecast in Myrtle Beach, and it ends up nice at the session time, so I can’t cancel based only on the forecast.
Most questions people ask me about the photo sessions I’ve answered on my Q&A page. Please click below for much more detailed information.
Latest Family Portrait Reviews – Click here for more
Ryan is a fantastic photographer! With 3 young children, I was nervous on how our session would go. Ryan was incredibly professional, friendly, and most importantly, patient! We were blown away with the shots that he got and will use one of them for our(...)
Ryan did an amazing job with our crew! He was professional and fun. Pictures can be a task when you have 4 littles, but he made it a breeze! It was hard to choose our favorites as we loved them all!
We are so glad we had Ryan take more pictures for us! We used him to take our surprise engagement pictures 6 years ago and came back this year for maternity photos. He was again great to work with, made us feel comfortable during the shoot, took fantastic(...)
Ryan was great to work with! Very accommodating and picked a great location! We love our family photos and were pleasantly surprised how quickly we got them back.