Morgan Wallen’s “Sand In My Boots” Festival replacing Hangout Fest

What do you think about Morgan Wallen’s “Sand In My Boots” Festival replacing Hangout Fest?

If you’re on the fence about going to the festival, let’s talk about the pros and cons 👇🏼

Sand In My Boots Festival Gulf Shores Alabama Morgan Wallen Music Festival

First of all, I think we can all agree that Country music is definitely having its moment! We kind of think you might as well embrace it and let’s face it, this lineup is actually good.  Plus, it’s more than just Country!  The lineup features plenty of “non-Country” artists.

Morgan Wallen Gulf Shores Alabama Festival Sand In My Boots

If you’re not a Country music fan and you are thinking about sitting this one out, maybe we can help sway you.

Here’s what we would do if we were coming in town for this festival.

Gulf Shores Alabama Music Festival Morgan Wallen Hangout Music Fest

Gulf Shores is a small beach town on an island along the Gulf Coast of Alabama just a few minutes west of the Florida state line. Some people don’t even know about it! We think that’s part of it’s charm 😉

Foam Coffee Gulf Shores Sand In My Boots Morgan Wallen

Above photos from Foam Coffee’s Instagram

1. Start your morning at foam coffee! It’s hands down the best coffee on the island. The shop has the cutest vibes. They are usually located inside the festival as well but you don’t want to miss their super instagramable shop!

2. Grab a breakfast biscuit or donuts at Parlor Doughnuts. This place may be a chain but it’s worth the hype!

3. This may sound crazy, but try and squeeze in a Sunrise walk on the beach. It’s totally worth it!

Music Festivals In Gulf Shores Alabama Sand In My Boots Morgan Wallen

Most importantly, if you are planning to attend the Sand In My Boots Festival in May, we hope you’ll book a beach photo session with us while you’re here, and we hope you enjoy your time on the beautiful beaches of Gulf Shores, Alabama!

Fall Beach Photography In Gulf Shores

Fall beach photography in Gulf Shores with the Guffey family. We were so happy to see this family for the second year in a row. When they visited us in October of 2022, Megan was pregnant with Daisy. This year, Daisy was a part of the family’s beach photos along with mom, dad, and her 5 siblings.

Family Photography At Martinique On The Gulf

Family photography at Martinique On The Gulf on the Fort Morgan Peninsula along Alabama’s Gulf Coast. This beautiful resort offers luxury condos, cozy cottages, and rental homes along 600 feet of sugar-white sand beaches. It’s away from the crowds, but still close to Gulf Shores, so it’s the perfect peaceful retreat on the Alabama Gulf Coast.

This family needed to update their photos because they have added a grandson and daughter-in-law since their last vacation.

Extended Family Photography In Gulf Shores

The Farley family spent their Fall Break vacationing on the Alabama Gulf Coast and scheduled us for extended family photography in Gulf Shores. Their group consisted of 11 people, including a couple of 2 year-old cousins.

If you are looking for a photographer for your extended family vacation, we would love to be your beach photographer! To book your session with one of our experienced, fun photograph

Fun Gulf Shores Engagement Photography

This couple was a dream-come-true for photographer Brianna.  They were very much in love, very relaxed, laid back, and down for anything!  Brianna said it was one of the most fun Gulf Shores engagement photography session she has ever done!

How to Spend the Perfect week in Gulf Shores Alabama

If you are looking into booking a stay on the beautiful island that is Gulf Shores, Alabama, we have lot’s of tips for your week. Let’s hop right into it, with some of our top picks!

Of course we’ll start with some of the restaurants that should be on your list. There is so many to choose from, and this is just a few. For breakfast make a stop at Foam Coffee to fulfill your latte, and breakfast needs. Even equipped with a grab n go cooler, you can make a stop and then make your way to the water. When lunch time come around, there is a new spot right on the water, and we recommend the Mango Tuna Tacos, this will be found at “Coastal” a new restaurant concept that was brought to the Gulf Coast. Lastly for your late night dinner stop, you and the family should try out Cobalt, with menu choices for every age, and liking! (we recommend a reservation).

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Now to kind of state the obvious here, in order to make a perfect week in Gulf Shores, you should definitely book a session with Shore Shooters. You and your crew are all together, so let’s update those family photos for you guys. We can make it even easier by clicking right here to book!

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A week in Gulf Shores wouldn’t be made with out trying some of the local breweries and bars! Check out the Big Beach Brewing Company, or if you’re looking for some hectic fun, head down to FloraBama, right on the Alabama, Pensacola Line. This will give the adults that fun, and break from the kiddos they are looking for, time permitting 😉

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Lastly, of course – Just HAVE FUN!! There is so many hidden gems along the coast for you to explore. Spend lot’s of time on the water, eat lot’s of good food, and wear sunscreen. You and your family will have the greatest time here in Gulf Shores, and oh book your session with Shore Shooters here!

Booking with a Company vs. an Independent Photographer

We know, or at least we hear, there is a stigma when it comes to booking a company for your photography needs as opposed to booking an independent photographer. We wanted to bust those myths in the blog today as well as point out some of the benefits to booking a photography company (in this case us, Shore Shooters)

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Lets's Start with the Assumptions!

1. A big company doesn't care

A lot of people think that a big company means we don’t care, when in all actuality, we probably care the most. We have a year round staff that is here to please our clients and our photographers. When you call or email, they will always answer quickly. They are dedicated to helping you do things like download images, place print orders, book your appointment, plan your shoot, etc…

2. They just hire and anyone and send them out there with no experience

Our entire team has gone through an application process and multiple training sessions before going out on their own. All of our photographers are also required to meet certain equipment standards. This is really just a small part of what goes into our onboarding process.

3. You don’t know what style of photography you are going to get with a larger photography company.

Every one of our photographers are shooting how they are trained to shoot by our team.  No matter how photographers shoot on their own time, when they are shooting for Shore Shooters, they are shooting “on brand”. On top of that, all editing is done in house. We have staff editors also trained to create the “Shore Shooters look”. 

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Now that we’ve gotten that out of the way, let’s talk about the pros to booking with our company. The main thing is that we have a staff that works for us full time and their job is customer service. Not to throw any other photographers under the bus, but we are constantly receiving calls and emails in our office from people saying that the photographer they booked didn’t: show up, return calls,  send their photos, canceled last minute, etc…

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With Shore Shooters, none of those things would be a concern. Our company is a well oiled machine with six staff members who care greatly about our photographers and our clients. In the case of emergencies, because we are a team, we can generally re-schedule as well. Something to consider if you are hesitating about booking with our company vs seeking out an individual. 

Today on our podcast our owners discuss this very subject.  Hear more on this topic  here.

 

Why You Should Hire a Professional Photographer.

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.

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

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

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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. 😬

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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. 

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

Gulf Shores Sunrise Photography

There aren’t many things that would get us to wake up before the dawn while on vacation. Gulf Shores sunrises are at the top of that (very short) list!

There’s just something about getting to the beach before the hustle and bustle of the day. Before the white sands are painted over by beach towels and striped umbrellas. There aren’t many times you get the beach all to yourself, and choosing a sunrise session is a way to experience just that.

The subtle pastel skies and golden Gulf Shores sun; it’s hard to beat a background like that!

What To Wear For a Small Family Beach Photography Session

Deciding what to wear for a small family beach photography session and getting coordinating outfits together doesn’t have to be as stressful as you may think. We at Shore Shooters Beach Photography believe “the simpler, the better”! If your colors and prints are too bright and bold, it can be distracting to the eye. Keeping your looks more towards the neutral side and the prints on the smaller side, makes you the center of attention– not your wardrobe!

Plus, it’s best not to try and compete with these Gulf Shores beaches, right?!

The Leppert family went about this perfectly! Mom and dad sporting muted tones, while baby boy brought the whole look together with his subtly printed overalls.

We hope this helps you out and we can’t wait to see what looks you put together for your family beach photography session!

Hylie’s 2021 Gulf Shores Senior Portraits

Senior portrait sessions are a favorite of ours to shoot! Not to mention one with a perfect Gulf Shores sunrise. Luckily, Hylie and her family shared that same exact thought when they scheduled with us for Hylie’s 2021 Gulf Shores Senior Portraits

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They were met by one of our incredible photographers, Jaylee, and set out for some golden sun soaked photos.


Hylie is actually a 2021 senior, and we think getting those portraits done during your family beach vacation is the perfect idea. Especially somewhere that’s sentimental, which in this case for Hylie was the beautiful Gulf Shores. We loved that she showed her school pride and even brought her cheerleading uniform!

Senior portraits are meant to showcase your personal style and personality, and we think the beautiful beach of Gulf Shores is the perfect place to do just that!

Visit this page to schedule your appointment with one of our Gulf Shores photographers.

The Fields Family – Gulf Shores Photography

The Fields family just had their fifth Gulf Shores photography session with us! So this year, they wanted to change things up and do something a little different. Co-Owner / photographer April took them to one of her “top secret” locations with more trees and grass than you would normally find along the beach in Gulf Shores. Looking at these pictures sort of gives us some Outer Banks, North Carolina vibes (which happens to be one of our new locations for this summer…more details coming soon!)

We always love seeing our regular clients and greatly appreciate them coming back year after year! If you’d like to start a family tradition of having beach pictures every summer, just visit the main page of our website, then choose your vacation destination.

Multi-Family Beach Photography – Gulf Shores Photographer

Here’s a question we get asked a lot: “If I schedule a multi-family beach photography session, will each family get their own pictures?”. The answer is YES!

We’ll take pictures of each individual family, the whole group together, couples, kids, and anything else you want! Our photographers are experts at maximizing the time they spend with you so you get lots of variety!

Ready to schedule your appointment with a Gulf Shores photographer? Visit this page for pricing and information. If you’re headed to one of our other beach towns, visit our home page and choose your vacation destination.

What To Wear For Beach Photos

When it comes to what to wear for beach photos, there really are no rules! We loved how this family chose to dress for their Gulf Shores photography session!

We worked with the Gray family a couple of years ago. The first time, they went with the more typical “dressed up” look. This time, they chose a more simple look by just having fun as a family playing on the beach!

At Shore Shooters, there is no dress code for our beach photos. Wear whatever best shows your family’s personality! If you need suggestions or ideas, feel free to contact us any time. You can also get ideas by visiting our Pinterest page. For information on scheduling a session with us, please visit our home page, then choose your vacation destination. We look forward to meeting you and seeing how you choose to dress for your beach pictures!

Gulf Shores Family Reunion Photography

Several generations of this family gathered together to spend the holidays at a beach house in Gulf Shores, Alabama. While they were all together, they contacted us for their Gulf Shores family reunion photography.

Family Photography At The Beach Club Gulf Shores

We love to see the same families year after year! The Wredling family scheduled their first beach photography session with us in 2017. Here’s a link to their 2017 session from our blog archives. This fall, they returned to the Alabama Gulf Coast and booked with us again for their second year of family photography at The Beach Club Gulf Shores.

If you’ve worked with us before, we’d love to see you again! We even offer a repeat client discount, so please contact our office before you schedule so we can tell you how to get the discounted price!

Here are some of the pictures from the Wredling family’s second Gulf Shores beach photography session with us…

Here are a few other photography sessions at The Beach Club, Gulf Shores:

Senior Portraits

Sunrise

 

Engagement Photography In Gulf Shores Alabama

We always love to hear comments and feedback from our clients after they’ve looked through the pictures from their beach photography session. We especially love comments like this one we received from Natalie after she scheduled us for her engagement photography in Gulf Shores Alabama…

“AMAZING!!! Colette was so great! Unfortunately the weather made us reschedule but Colette was super flexible. The photos are gorgeous…like they are so good, I can’t pick a single favorite. I cannot say enough good things about Shore Shooters, especially Colette!!! She was so fun to work with, made posing easy, and captured some of the most beautiful pictures I’ve ever seen! I cannot stop looking at them. We got our pictures super fast as well! Shore Shooters is the best, hands down!!!”

If you are planning a vacation to Gulf Shores, we’d love to work with you! Please visit this page for pricing information and to schedule your beach photography appointment with one of our talented beach photographers in Gulf Shores Alabama! If you’re coming to a different area, please head over to our home page and choose your vacation destination.

Here are a few of Natalie’s engagement pictures:

 

Beach Portraits At Kiva Dunes – Gulf Shores Photographer

If you’re looking to “get away from it all” and discover the Gulf Coast the way it was meant to be, we suggest scheduling your next beach vacation at Kiva Dunes on the Fort Morgan Peninsula.  In addition to being the home of one of Alabama’s best golf courses, Kiva Dunes also includes four pools, two restaurants, and over a mile of sugar-white private beachfront.

 
Kiva Dunes is also a great place for your beach portraits!  Our Gulf Shores photographers love shooting family beach sessions there!  After you book your stay at this beautiful resort, click here to schedule an appointment with an experienced, fun Gulf Shores photographer.

 
 
Visiting one of our other coastal resort communities?  Visit this page for a list of all of the towns where you’ll find our Shore Shooters beach photographers.

 

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