Why You Should Hire a Professional Photographer.

Blog Team on February 25, 2022

With iPhone camera quality advancing the way it is, we want to talk about why you should hire a professional photographer.

This is the perfect session to use as an example of all you can get out of a beach portrait session.

These beach portraits are generations celebrating a milestone together. Sometimes there’s no milestone to celebrate but just BEING TOGETHER.

We understand that sometimes getting the whole family together can be difficult, so why not document that? It is worth celebrating.

That’s what it’s all about to us! We go out to the beach night after night to capture beach portraits for families from all over the country, and we LOVE it.

If you think you can skip out on hiring a professional, we challenge you to consider the following: quality, memories, and a good experience.

If you are taking the picture, you don’t get to be a part of the memory.

Setting up a timer and running back to jump in the photo, no way! Using an iPhone? Your photos will eventually be outdated. Thinking about paying low prices for someone with less experience? You get what you pay for. 😬

With the help of a professional photographer, you won’t have to worry about things like awkward posing and lighting. A photographer can also help capture candid moments that you should be a part of.

If we could sum it all up, we would say, HECK YES hire a professional photographer for your next beach trip!

What to Wear for Beach Portraits

Blog Team on February 18, 2022

When it comes to family portraits, what you wear is HUGE! It determines the mood of your photos and even the overall coloring. We are here to tell you not to overthink it.

What we mean by that is, put effort into coordinating your outfits, but don’t overdress. Beach portraits are meant to be laid back, so you don’t want to overdo it. Think, sundresses for the ladies and t-shirts and shorts for the kids.

Now let’s talk about colors; neutral colors like white, tan, and beige will always work at the beach. It works for a reason! It almost always compliments skin well, and it photographs well.

Avoid loud colors like coral, red, bright orange, yellow, or even some shades of blue. This is a big challenge for photographers and editors, as it does not compliment the skin and tends to leave people looking orange or sunburnt.

With that being said, we want your family to have a good experience, so dress how you feel comfortable and have fun!

The Kling Family – St. Augustine Photography

Blog Team on January 4, 2022

The Kling Family

When I visited St. Augustine last March, I knew it was special. There was so much about the city I was surprised by. It felt at times like I was in Europe! But then driving over the Bridge of Lions I was in for an even bigger surprise!

The small beach town of St. Augustine has all the vibes I enjoy. Laid-back surf culture, tacos (plenty of tacos), a few breweries, and incredible beaches. The high-rise condos and chain restaurants are nonexistent. The mom-and-pop surf shops are alive and well. It’s not overwhelming, it’s relaxing in the best way.

So naturally, I go to Instagram to find things to do (basically the best coffee shops) and I come across Gabe and Megan Kling who are realtors in the area. They do an incredible job of showing what makes the town and the lifestyle of St. Augustine so magical. I even joked with Megan that we should move to the area (jokes on us, here we are, going on our 7th month living here).

Fast forward to this shoot, with their family. We worked with them to purchase our home and absolutely loved them. Doing these photos for their family was special because they are such a great family! The boys are so much fun to be around!

We also have some other projects in the works with the Kling’s. Make sure to follow us on Instagram and Facebook so you don’t miss out!

-April Loyle

St. Augustine Family Beach Photos

Blog Team on December 12, 2021

I’m so happy this local ( St.Augustine) artist reached out for a family session. They just had the sweetest little boy three months ago and she explains that she didn’t want a session that was stiff or forced looking.

She admitted that she knew that could be a challenge with a new baby that couldn’t run and play yet, but that she trusted my vision to make something great and we as photographers truly appreciate that.

When it comes to Shore Shooters, we work with so many different types of clients, and meeting their expectations is always our priority. A lot of times that requires traditional posing with candid moments. Since this is something we face daily, we are so excited to announce that we will be releasing a course on this very topic after the first of the year! So stick around for that, it’s going to be a good one.

Meanwhile, enjoy this beautiful family we had the pleasure of meeting and hanging out with at sunset along to Matanzas River.

Top Three Reasons To Have A Winter Beach Wedding

Blog Team on December 11, 2019

Shore Shooters co-owner April Loyle recently hosted a fun all girls photography workshop and one of their main content focuses was small beach weddings. A lot of couples decide to say their vows along the Gulf Coast and we do not blame them! The white sand and gorgeous emerald water makes the Gulf Coast a perfect backdrop for all seasons.

These photos inspire us to encourage couples to simplify their wedding. The beaches are already so perfect, sometimes there is no need to add more to it. In fact, sometimes adding more is actually taking away from the stunning backdrop. All you need is an officiant, your dress, the rings, and of course, us! Side Note: we do have a few simple beach wedding packages available if you need a small set up. Just ask! We also love the November sunset because it’s such a different color at this time of the year.

Pro Tip: Getting married along the Gulf Coast in the “off season” provides a fair amount of bonuses. Here are the top three reasons to have a winter beach wedding:

1. The Sunset Is Actually Over The Water!

During the warmer months, the sunset is going to be over a parking lot or condos. So the golden look that you see in these photos is because they were shot in November. Not to mention the temperature is almost always perfect in November – think mid 70’s.

2. Less People

Unfortunately, your beach house or your wedding permit for the state park beaches does not guarantee that the beach will be empty, and honestly, warmer months attract bigger crowds. There is almost always a chance that summer weddings will have crowds of people hanging around watching you get married.

3. Less Expensive

“Off Season” is the perfect time to visit the Gulf Coast of Alabama and Florida because the hotel, condo and beach house rentals are far less expensive. It’s also the perfect time to get married for that same reason. Since it’s off season, you won’t wait in lines for restaurants and other touristy things that you may want to do on your honeymoon and you’ll save a good amount of money on your stay.

So there you have it! Our top three reasons to have a Winter Beach Wedding!

Planning a beach wedding along the Gulf Coast? Visit our wedding page to see pricing and get the ball rolling.

Sunset Beach Wedding – Gulf Shores Wedding Photography

Blog Team on November 18, 2019

A few highlights from Desiree and Ryan’s sunset beach wedding in Gulf Shores.

If you’re planning to tie the knot at the beach, visit this page for more information about our Gulf Shores wedding photography packages.

Destin Florida Elopement Photography

Blog Team on January 7, 2019

We were honored to be a part of Robert and Chitsancha’s intimate elopement on the beach at Gulf Dunes on Okaloosa Island (between Fort Walton Beach and Destin, FL).

Our wedding and elopement photographers are available in Gulf Shores and Orange Beach, Alabama and throughout the Florida Panhandle (Perdido Key to Panama City). To see our affordable beach wedding photography pricing, please visit this page.