Frequently Asked Questions

850-637-8734 or Email

Is a deposit required to hold the date?  If you wish Alabama Beach Photography/Pensacola Photography to hold a date/time just for you, a deposit of $100.00 is required.  You will be sent an online invoice for the deposit once you have called or emailed us for an available date.  You can pay the invoice online by credit card, OR if you wish to pay by check, you may mail a check (make sure there is time for us to receive the deposit check prior to the session).

What if the weather doesn't cooperate and it rains during our scheduled time?  If possible, schedule your portrait time early in your stay in the area.  This way if it does rain, we will make every attempt to schedule another day while you are here. 

What should we wear?  You should wear whatever you are comfortable wearing, and whatever is natural for you.  The standard beach choice is khaki pants and a white shirt; however we welcome your own choices or alternatives.  Blue jeans and a white or light colored shirt is also a good choice.  We would recommend a solid color shirt, and if people are wearing different colors, just make sure they are in the same color tone.  For example, pinks, blues and yellows are fine as long as they are in the same tonal range--toss in a neon green, and it will not work as well.  Your portraits should look natural when you or anyone else sees them; not like you are dressed up in someone else's clothes.  For a couple, shirts do not have to be exact--she can wear a dress that coordinates with his shirt, for example.  For a family, a multitude of different prints and colors puts the focus of the photo on the clothing instead of the subjects.  Coordination, not necessarily matching, is the key.

The beach at our hotel/condo/house is very crowded, or there is construction, or it is not particularly versatile--is there another location for our portraits?  Call us and we can easily direct you to another nearby location that is virtually free of beach-goers, buildings or other obstructions.  Most areas we use have wonderful sand dunes with beautiful sea oats (seasonal) an attractive boardwalk, clean sand and beautiful shoreline. 

We would like a portrait while we are on vacation, but not necessarily at the beach--are there other locations?  Yes, we will be happy to plan your portrait session anywhere you would like--a park, historic area, even your boat!

What style, and number of poses can I expect at the portrait session?  First of all, we want you to be comfortable, we want your portrait to reflect your personality.  We are not the type of photographer that sets up a tripod in one spot and takes a few shots of the same poses.  We move around, we're in the sand, we're even in the water sometimes.  We will take shots of the whole family, some of just mom and dad, some of the children, mom and infant, dad and son, and any other combination, including individual shots of each family member.  We will move you from the boardwalk, to the dunes and to the shoreline.  If your portrait session is at a location other than the beach, we will use the areas natural environment and architectural structures to enhance your portraits.

We are from out of town, how do we get our photos?  We will mail your proofs to the address you provide us.  You should receive your proofs within three weeks depending on the time of the year.

What is a proof?  A proof is the picture you receive in order to make your selections for enlargements and reprints.  If a proof is not necessarily perfect, don't worry, all pictures selected for enlargement are individually adjusted prior to printing.  Your proofs are presented in a custom designed bound proof portfolio.  These photos are printed on 8.5x11 pages and bound; they can not be removed.   If you wish to purchase a set of 4x5 proofs, you may do so.  Please see the examples below.  The 4x5 proofs will have the studio name printed on the bottom of the proof and are printed with a professional proofing process to inhibit copying.   If you are including multi-families in your portrait session, please look at the family reunion options and select your package accordingly.

How do I order enlargements? 

• All proofs are posted to our online lightbox system and can be ordered from there.  The lightbox system gives both views in black and white plus traditional color and offers checkout via a shopping cart.  It's ideal for friends and family to view your photo session and order prints too!
• Alternatively you can email the list of your enlargements, just make sure that the email arrives formatted as a list, with one photo listed per line, to whitesandsweddings@yahoo.com with the subject ENLARGEMENTS.

Example:

Two 8x10, three 5x7, photo 207-Smith
One 8x10, two 5x7, one 4x6 photo 398-Smith

If you have any questions about ordering your enlargements, just contact us, we will be happy to help you with your order.

There is no shipping charge for enlargement or prints that are included in your photography package, or any enlargements or prints ordered at the same time.  Orders placed after the initial order will incur a  shipping charge. If your order is over $500.00, shipping is free.

Professional Photography by Pensacola Photography