Portrait & Family Photography


Session Guide

Thank you for scheduling & choosing Jay Grubb Photography in capturing your photography session!


With over 10 Years of family photography session captured, you will be delighted to know you are in great hands. From beach sessions, state parks, unique venues, to theme parks I personally have photographed over 500 sessions in 100+ locations throughout Florida & Georgia multiple times. I have my personal favorites and welcome you to reach out where the best scenic locations are.


Please feel free to refer to this guide as you plan your session, have questions, or just want to learn more.

Best Times For Sessions

If you would like me to photograph during the middle of the day, I would be delighted to work around your schedule.

Morning

The Perfect Time of Day For Kids


1-2 Hours after Sunrise

Golden Hour

Pro Photographer's Ideal Time of Day for Portraits


Starts 1.5 Hours Before Sunset

Quick Guide & Tips

Do you travel?

Of course! I love venturing to epic locations throughout North Florida, Central Florida, and Southern Georgia for family photography sessions.

Pricing is generally based on the Jacksonville, St Augustine areas and a small travel fee for further distances. Entrance fees over $5.00 will need to be covered by our clients.

Learn sunrise and sunset times.

It is no secret that early in the morning or the 1-2 hours before sunset offers the best lighting for photo sessions. Simply do a google search asking the following key words to find out what time sunrise or sunset is. "City. Date. Sunset."

Weekends & Holidays

Local parks, beaches, and gardens are packed on weekends at most public locations. Most sessions and availability is Monday- Friday and we are closed All major holidays. Some private locations may be booked for weddings or other events so keep this in mind. It may be challenging scheduling your session during the week but it is well worth it! You also have a lot more flexibility when it come to weather and potential rescheduling. I want the best possible experience for your portraits. Please consider that playing hooky from school or work is worth it for memories that you will enjoy for the years to come!

If weekends are the only option for you, please plan for an early session time to avoid crowds as much as possible. Please note, I may not be available for weekends due to weddings.

Proofing & Delivery Of Photos

Generally within 1 week of your session, you will receive an emailed online gallery link with what we call Proof Previews. I edit all the photos from your session and upload them to a private password protected photo gallery. Inside the Photo Gallery you will be able to create a favorites list using your email & selected the specific number of images included in your package. Once you have selected your qty of favorites, simply reach out to me you are finished. Shortly after you will receive a download code to download those specific photos in FULL HIGH RESOLUTION with No Watermark to enjoy for a lifetime.

Inside your Photo Gallery you will also have the option of ordering prints, canvases, request guest
passwords, and more! Please refer to your package for how long your Photo Gallery is available online. Photo Gallery Extensions are available for a small additional fee.

Inclement Weather & Reschedules

Life happens and I understand you may have something come up. Simply reach out to us if you need to reschedule your session. The first reschedule is free but please keep in mind the new date you desire may not be available. In the rare instance I need to reschedule due to weather conditions, I generally reach out within 12-24 hours before the session is scheduled. I use very expensive cameras and lenses and need to make sure extreme rain will not affect the gear....It is Florida and quite often the weather is unpredictable, especially the afternoons and I usually recommend lets "wait and see".

BIG TIP! Clouds and stormy weather make the BEST Sunsets and Sunrise photos.

Midday Sessions

Ideally if Morning or Golden Hour doesn't work for your schedule, we can still scheull your session sometime during the middle of the day. I do not recommend between the hours of 11pm-3pm as either the sun is very bright causing squinting eyes, harsh facial shadows, and in Florida can be extremely hot. (No One likes sweaty photos). Of Course if you are having a Beach Session we can incorporate a family splash session for epic kids Candis they will love.

Attire & Outfits

You are welcome to wear the outfit of your choice for your session.

With that said I highly recommend coordinating outfits still look best.
Wear appropriate shoes to the environment for your session. For instance if we are taking a hike wear hiking boots or shoes, not running shoes with neon swhooshes.

Logos on clothes should be not be present or at least incredibly small unless you are specifically going for a Branded Styled Look.

Invest in a Lint Roller and use it prior to your session beginning to get the most out of your investment.

Highly Recommended: Google search "family session outfits" and find the best style that you would like to go for.

Earthy tones are ideal for rural or rustic locations.

Plaid is not recommended for the beach guys!

Florescent colors reflect very easily its color onto skin tones and are not recommended.

High Heels on the beach not only don't match the scenery but are quite hard to stand in sand.

Arrive Early & Plan For Travel Time

Arriving on time to your session is important. In fact arriving early is recommended. Please consider traffic, parking the car, walking to a location, or even paying an entrance fee, can cause delays for your session. Keep in mind, we may have another session scheduled after yours too.

Gratuity & Tips

I strive to give the best photography session experience possible. that is fun and interactive. Gratuity is greatly appreciated and can be given during your session. You are also welcome to use ApplePay, Venmo, or request an invoice for a specific amount emailed to you to pay online with your card.