Frequently asked questions.
What is included in your rate?
The quote covers the cost for me to come to photograph your family, edit the images & give your family access to them through a password-protected online gallery. The contract we will sign has a copyright section allowing you to download and post photos online. I prefer to keep it simple! You can use the images from your gallery however you want once I give you access! Professional-quality prints are available to order inside your online gallery if desired.
Where do we meet you? / Where do you take photos?
If your family is staying at a place within walking distance of the beach, I will plan on parking there, and then we will all walk to the beach together. However, if the closest beach access point to where you are staying is a heavily populated area or if it is not within walking distance, I will recommend a public beach access point for us to meet at that is great for photos.
How much time do you allow for photo shoots?
My photoshoots tend to last 45-60 minutes, with the last 15-20 minutes of the shoot being centered more on candid/relaxing on-the-beach-type photos.
When do you usually schedule your photo shoots?
I schedule sessions during the early evening, offering two timeslots: 2.5 hours before sunset and 1 hour before sunset. Although the best time for taking photos is during the sunset period, starting a photo session at around 7:30 PM during summer months can be quite late for some families. That is why the 2.5 hours before sunset timeframe is available as well. Sunrise and morning sessions are available upon request.
We rented a big beach house, and all our family is here. Are you equipped to photograph a large group?
The more the merrier! As a wedding photographer, I live and breathe photographing large groups! I usually hire a 2nd photographer to come with me to help split up the workload during the photo shoot if your family has more than 40 people.
Are you open to taking photos somewhere other than the beach?
Absolutely! I designed this website to reach families vacationing on the beach, but I photograph in parks and in downtown Charleston for many of our locals. You are more than welcome to suggest having photos taken somewhere other than the beach. I also have a photographer’s pass to Boone Hall Plantation and can bring four guests inside their gates free of charge for photos on their grounds. If that interests you, just be sure to mention it in the location section of the form on the Contact page.
What happens if it looks like it will rain during our photo shoot?
I encourage families to book a session at the beginning portion of their vacation. This way, we have the flexibility to reschedule the shoot for another time while you are still in town. If we are unable to reschedule, our contract is voided, and you are not charged for a session.
How many images will we receive?
Family photoshoots receive back, on average, between 50-100 edited images. There are many factors that play into this, such as the size of the group and the desire to have just a few or many photos taken. I do not give a hard cut-off on images that I’ll edit… If a great picture was taken, I will edit it and give it to you.
Is there an additional fee for the shark photo?
The shark photo takes around 2-3 hours of careful Photoshopping to make that one image just right. Because of the extra hours, there's an add-on fee of $250 to include this photo in your family session. If you're interested, please let me know in the message section of the contact form, and I'll happily provide a quote that includes this special moment.
“We have family pictures professionally done at least once to twice a year and this by far was the best experience we have ever had! I’m so excited we discovered Rhett! He was timely in his communication, he got our 14 year old (who is usually annoyed by having to take photos) completely engaged in the pictures and our photos turned out amazing! He made the entire experience relaxed and fun, it really showed in the pictures that everyone was enjoying themselves. These will be photos we cherish forever! I can’t wait for our next photo session with him!”
— Melissa F.