Portrait photography common questions and answers

What is an all-inclusive package?

There are no sitting fees or hidden charges. Please contact me for the current package price. I typically take 300-400 shots in about an hour or so. This includes downloading the full-resolution digital files from the session (with a copyright release), which is ideal for creating 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 print credit for ordering prints through your gallery. For example, a $75 credit could get you one 16×20 and four 8×10 prints. Shipping is not included and varies from $8 for standard prints and up, depending on the product and location. Check current print prices here. If we take the pictures at one of my preferred State Park locations, I also have passes for two cars to enter at no charge.

Where and when for the session?

I like to schedule the appointment about an hour before sunset, if possible, at Myrtle Beach or Huntington Beach State Parks (See Q&A Section Below). I have two extra park passes that allow us to enter the park without paying the fees. If you prefer an alternative location, such as your beach house or a spot away from the beach, just let me know. There is no set time limit for an evening session. Usually, it takes about an hour or sometimes more for large groups. There are also no limits on family groupings, poses, or candid shots.

Professional photography is prohibited on the beach within the Myrtle Beach City Limits. Please note that this is a relatively small section of the beach. It’s fine to work on the beach from Myrtle Beach State Park and anywhere south, as well as areas north, such as North Myrtle Beach. I have the required permit for photography in North Myrtle Beach. I have many clients who ask me about Brookgreen Gardens. Photography has to be scheduled with the gardens, they don’t allow pictures after 3:30 pm, so no beautiful sunset, and they have a special fee.

Myrtle Beach State Park vs Huntington State Park for photography?

I can come to your location if you prefer, but these are my usual spots if you don’t have a preference. Both of these state parks are located on the beach. Some of the pictures you see in my gallery from years past are from Myrtle Beach State Park. It is conveniently located near the south end of Myrtle Beach near the airport. They have a nice area with old oak trees, a pier, and a lovely beach. However, due to recent hurricanes, the dunes at Myrtle Beach State Park are more damaged, and they have roped them off. Additionally, Myrtle Beach State Park is very crowded in the summer, making it more challenging to take pictures there.

For these reasons, I have switched my usual beach picture location to Huntington Beach State Park. If it’s not too far of a drive for a client, I think this is a much better location. Huntington is located at the south end of Murrells Inlet before Pawleys Island. They have an area with the Atalaya Castle, palm trees, lovely dunes, and a beautiful, much less crowded beach area. The only thing missing from Huntington is a pier. If you want to check out more of my recent work, please visit my blog.

If pier pictures are significant to you or if you are staying at the north end of the Grand Strand and you don’t mind dealing with a little more crowds, Myrtle Beach State Park might be best. If you’re looking for a more relaxed location with a castle and better dunes, I recommend Huntington. Of course, if you don’t want beach pictures at all, there are other locations, such as the Conway Riverwalk and Caledonia, that are great.

What is the deposit for the photo session?

I request a $200 deposit to hold the date, which will be deducted from your total. View invoice payment options here. If you use a credit card, a fee of 2.9% will be added. You can make the final payment at the session or send it sometime after, it’s no rush. If, due to rain, we have to cancel the session and cannot reschedule, I will fully refund the deposit. This deposit is refundable up to 4 months from the session date. After that, I can’t refund the deposit unless rain prevents us from doing the session, and we can’t reschedule.

Do you send employees out, or do you handle all the photography yourself?

I will always be your photographer for the photo session. I also handle all post-processing tasks, including Lightroom adjustments, Photoshop work, and album layouts. That is why you always get consistent quality with my work. This is far different from some companies in Myrtle Beach that send out various employees to do the job and even have someone different edit the images. I take pictures knowing how I will adjust them later for consistent results. My wife has also started working with me. If you book with her, you will know at the time of booking, and I will send you her photo gallery and information.

What is your satisfaction guarantee policy?

Please have reasonable expectations at the beach and be aware that there can be a lot of wind and varying lighting conditions. I like the more natural, candid outdoor look and do a great job working with available conditions. However, I always work with a satisfaction-guaranteed policy. I never want someone to be unhappy with my work, so I would be happy to work out any situation where you are not completely happy, even with a full refund. Please, though, don’t expect studio-perfect lighting and perfect hair in the pictures.

If you are extremely concerned about your hair’s appearance, I highly recommend Huntington Beach State Park, where there are more areas to escape the wind. That location has a beach, but also a castle and trees area that is more sheltered. Alternatively, we could opt for a completely off-the-beach location, such as the Conway River Walk or Caledonia Golf Club. The beach can be very windy. I try to keep the wind blowing your hair back so it’s not in your face, and many people don’t mind the hair having a windblown look. However, please let me know if this is a significant concern.

What is the price if I order prints through you?

Prints can be easily ordered through your client gallery using your photo credit (if included) and by credit card. Of course, you can download and get prints made anywhere you like with your included digital copies and copyright release. These are all printed at one of the top national photo labs, offering a variety of mounting and paper options. I try to keep the cost of the prints reasonable. Visit my print store for a complete list of prices. I make a small commission when clients order prints through their galleries, so I would appreciate it if you choose to do so.

What are Digital Copies, and can I print from them?

The digital copies you receive as part of a package will include high-resolution pictures from your session. These are suitable for large prints or any other use you may have in mind. I often take multiple shots of the same pose to pick the best couple from the series. There could also be a picture that doesn’t turn out, and those won’t be included. All the images provided will have been color corrected and adjusted, and will look very nice. If needed, select a few that you would like specific touch-ups. For example, removing people from a background, face touch-ups, etc. Refer to the Photoshop touch-ups section below for more information.

You can print as many images from the digital files as you like. There are no watermarks on the pictures. I will also send you a link for a copyright release that you can print out. This is required at some locations, such as Wal-Mart.

How long do I have to purchase my images? How long will they be stored?

I still have image backups from 15 years ago and plan to keep them indefinitely. However, I will keep your images in your online gallery, ready for download, for about one year. If you wish to keep copies of images forever, ensure you have downloaded your digital copies and created your backups. I’ve had clients return to me ten years later, and I’m always happy to provide copies of the pictures again. However, I don’t guarantee I will keep them forever.

What should we wear to a beach session?

A family group needs to look unified, and the style and color of clothing should coordinate. For example, you don’t want colors and textures on the clothes that clash. A popular look at the beach is a white or black T-shirt paired with khaki pants or Blue Jeans. I’ve also had many families wear different colored shirts and patterns, giving the pictures a nice variety. For example, with a large group portrait, it can be fun for each family unit in the group to wear a different color. I’ve found that if the family thinks the clothes look good together, they will look nice in the pictures. Look through my photo galleries and see what you like!

If you tend to sweat when it’s hot and humid, which most of us do, you might want to consider wearing a white shirt or an undershirt to avoid water spots in your pictures. Be sure to consider how the wind will affect an outfit. For example, a thin dress might blow tightly against or between your legs. If a dress is too short, it might be challenging to take pictures sitting by the dunes or dipping in front of the ocean for engagement pictures. I’ve noticed that women’s blouses can have lace or an area at the top that blows up in the wind and onto the neck. Try to avoid wearing anything on your clothes that will blow around too much or look unflattering on a windy day.

What can be requested for Photoshop touch-ups?

Sometimes Photoshop is thought of as magic, and I can change anything in a picture, but there are limitations. I skillfully adjust all your images in Lightroom software, allowing me to correct color and exposure. That is all most pictures need before printing. If they require specific editing, such as removing people from the background or making hair touch-ups, I need to use Photoshop. You can request a small and reasonable number of particular touch-ups at no extra charge if required. I am skilled in Photoshop, but some things may be impossible to correct, such as if hair covers a large part of your face.

Why do you suggest beach photography close to sunset?

Unlike in a studio, in nature, you have to use whatever light you can find, in addition to some added flash. On the beach, finding shade is tough. In direct overhead sunlight, shadows on the face can be very harsh. For example, there will be shadows under your eyes and nose. If you have ever seen a typical beach snapshot, you will see faces that look unattractive and eyes that are closed or squinting. This is why it’s best to avoid the times of the day when the sun is overhead.

Later in the day, very close to sunset, the light becomes much softer and easier to deal with. I have tricks that can help reduce the effect of harsh sunlight, like good positioning and using fill flash. For larger family groups, managing the light becomes even more challenging. Of course, if we need to do a session earlier in the day, I can, but you will get the best results close to sunset. Sometimes, clients will think I’m planning the session too late, but I’m always considering the best time for a particular group size and sunset that day. I’m not perfect, though. Sometimes, daylight saving time change can throw me off, so if I tell you a sunset time that doesn’t make sense, please let me know.

A frequent request from parents with small children is to do the pictures earlier in the day. I know many toddlers are asleep by sunset time in the summer. But I’ve also had many parents who give the kids a nap during the day and keep them up late for one special evening. It makes such a huge difference to take pictures at sunset vs. earlier in the day. There is less heat, no sweaty faces, harsh shadows, and squinting eyes. Kids usually wake up and get in better moods once they get to the beach, even if it’s after their usual bedtime.

When and why do you have to pay the 8% South Carolina State Sales Tax?

If you live in SC and I’m delivering your pictures to an SC address, I’m required to collect sales tax on your purchases, just as if you were to purchase in a physical store. This tax is required on the total price of the package; SC does not allow a photographer to separate the labor or sitting fee from the final taxable price. If you find a photographer who doesn’t charge sales tax on the total package price, they are not following the state tax laws correctly. If you live outside of SC and I ship your items out of state, I don’t collect this sales tax.

If you are interested and want to ensure my information is correct, please view this official SC rules pdf here. View the examples section of the pdf.

What business licenses do you have, and why is this important?

At Myrtle Beach city-owned locations, they will check photographers’ license status. North Myrtle Beach also has a new permit system that requires a business license as well as a photography permit, which I have. I hold a general Horry County license, as well as licenses for North Myrtle Beach and Myrtle Beach. I’m also a licensed retail business with SC.