There are no beaches like Charleston Beaches.  We have the Isle of Palms (off limits for pro-photographers), Sullivan’s Island (also off limits to professional photographers), Folly Beach (our preferred beach) and Edisto.  All are pristine.

More about the restrictions below:

PRICING for Beach Portraits – Packages (Families, Children)

• Package I – $390
  Includes Sitting Fee
  Includes all digital images in high resolution with a license to print wherever you would like.
  Includes the following prints: (1) 11×14, (4) 8×10, (16) Wallets (two poses)
• Package II – $690
  Includes Sitting Fee
  Includes all digital images in high resolution with a license to print wherever you would like.
  Includes the following prints: (1) 11×14, (4) 8×10, (16) Wallets (two poses)
  Framed art print from your session.

What should your wear for your Charleston Beach Portraits?

Many people ask us what they should wear to take their portraits.  I have come up with a little list to help you think about your attire for the shoot.

What to wear for your photographer who takes beach portraits near Charleston SC:

1. Ladies: wear something flattering.  So many times we get the families dressed alike and some women forget that they don’t look great in a white button-down collared shirt.  If you are wearing khaki and white, then ladies wear a nice blouse.  It will make your pictures so much better if you are wearing something feminine.
2. Matching: Don’t worry so much about matching.  You should coordinate, but you don’t have to look like wait-staff or like you work at Target for the pictures to turn out well.
3. Kids: Put your kids in something cute that can get dirty.  Kids will want to play on the sand a bit during the session. We will get those formal photos done early when they are clean and then let them do their thing.   If you are more worried about their cleanliness than great pictures, your children will sense it and want to get dirty that much more.  Cute clothes on the beach look more natural than suits.

Professional photographers cannot shoot on the Isle of Palms

We shoot them on another beach instead that is 10 minutes away.

You are reading correctly.  It is actually illegal for a professional photographer to shoot on the beach on the Isle of Palms.  Illegal to the tune of $1,100.00.  An $1,100 ticket for taking photos of people.  It is one of the highest fines that you can get.  Much higher than speeding, reckless driving, public nudity and other things that endanger residents and visitors.

Yep, the city council of the Isle of Palms actually thinks that taking pictures on the beach is worthy of a HUGE fine. Therefore, as you can imagine, we do not shoot on the beach on the Isle of Palms.  It is way too high of a risk for us.

We were interviewed by two local papers on this very subject.  Please see:

• Charleston City Paper – Photographers turned away by beach business ban
• Moultrie News – Professional photographers banned from doing business on the beach

Can we fight it?  You can help.

Since the photographers in the area have gotten no traction on fighting this law, perhaps you the visitor could do something.  If you have not rented a home on the Isle of Palms yet, choose Folly Beach instead.  Along with that, you should call the city of Isle of Palms and tell them that you rented elsewhere because they won’t let you have your picture made on the beach.  Perhaps with your help, we can change it.