A family photo session in St. Augustine, either while you are on vacation with the WHOLE family or everyone is in town over a holiday, or, honestly, just a family holiday session, can send dread through every part of you. But something that we should remember is it is ALWAYS worth it!!! But in today’s crazy world, finding time to get everyone together can feel like an impossible feat. That’s why extended family pictures hold so much value, they’re not just photographs; they’re a celebration of connection, legacy, and love. These memories will last a lifetime and you will cherish them far more than the initial dread while planning them.
These sessions can be stressful, especially if not everyone is 100% on board. Whether you are planning an extended family session in St. Augustine or your immediate family session. I hope that this can be super helpful! Mollie Jane Photography is passionate about photographing family memories that will last forever! And the best part is, IT WILL BE FUN!!!
TABLE OF CONTENTS:
- Finding the Right Photographer in St. Augustine
- Making Forever Memories at your Family Session
- What is a Mollie Jane Photography Family Session Like?
- Favorite Spots for Family Pictures in St. Augustine
- How to Keep Your Pictures FOREVER!
FIND THE RIGHT PHOTOGRAPHER FOR YOUR FAMILY PICTURES IN ST. AUGUSTINE
- Emphasize Experience: The first thing is to find a photographer that has experience with family photo shoots. Especially with whatever stage you are in. For example, newborns or toddlers or TEENAGERS. I cannot emphasize this enough!
- Peep their portfolio: Review their work to make sure that their style matches the look that you have envisioned. I would ask for a full session of a family to make sure that there is consistent work throughout the entire gallery. Not just one or two good images.
- Cares about Communication: Is there anything that adds stress more to an already stressful activity than if your photographer is uncommunicative. No. Make sure that your photographer is organized and communicates clearly about timing, location, and posing.
- Prioritize Personality: Choose someone who will engage with every family member, from toddlers to grandparents, ensuring the session will be enjoyable for everyone. Someone fun, but can take charge and lead your session.
Experience, confidence and personality is EVERYTHING in helping your session run smoothly! Look past the pretty pictures! (Look at those too, but once you’ve decided that you like those, look deeper). Do the pictures look consistent, look at reviews, look at their blog, look for their process, etc.
At Mollie Jane Photography we go over everything before your session, plus you have our famous Client Experience Guide to always go back to.
MAKING A FOREVER MEMORY AT YOUR ST AUGUSTINE FAMILY SESSION
There are certain groupings you’ll want at every family session, especially during extended family sessions. That’s why one of the most important parts of your questionnaire is talking through your goals for the session and, just as importantly, your family’s personalities.
Is there a two-year-old who loses interest in pictures after five minutes? Or maybe a dad who acts like a two-year-old? (It happens!)
Knowing these things ahead of time helps me come prepared and organize your session in a way that works for everyone. I can plan the groupings and timing around different ages, personalities, and attention spans so we can capture the best smiles, interactions, and genuine moments from your whole family.
But at Mollie Jane Photography, it’s about more than just the posed pictures (although we love those, too!). We want you to play, snuggle, laugh, and enjoy each other. A family session on a St. Augustine beach makes that so easy and gives us the chance to capture more than just what your family looked like that day. We get to tell the story of the memories you made together.
Smiling at the Camera Poses
We’ll start with these to ease everyone into the session. Sometimes little ones need a few minutes to warm up to me, but that usually doesn’t take long. We’ll keep things light and fun, and before you know it, your session will naturally turn into play!
Preparing Teens for your St. Augustine Family Pictures
From a photographer’s standpoint, teenagers are basically bigger two year olds. I handle them much the same way, getting to know them individually and figuring out what they need to relax, have fun, and give us the images you’ll love.
Luckily, I have teenagers of my own, a boy and a girl, and I’ve taught high school and middle school and photographed teenagers for many years. Honestly, it’s never been a problem. We’ll get the smile, even if it’s a quick one!
As a parent, a little pep talk before your session is always a good idea. But just like with a little one, negative emotions or harsh corrections can quickly change the vibe. Positivity is the name of the game. Let them know we’re going to have fun, and then let me take it from there.
And one more thing: please have them leave their devices in the car. I have a strict no device policy during my sessions. It helps everyone stay present, engaged, and connected, which means better photos and a much more enjoyable experience for everyone.
All of This Work: What is the Whole Point of Family Pictures?
I’m a little biased, but I’m going to say it anyway. Investing in a family portrait session in St. Augustine is better than another souvenir, a new decoration for your house, or another toy for the garage.
Because in 20 years, it won’t be those things you miss. It will be these moments. The way your kids looked at you, how little they were, the way everyone laughed together, and what it felt like to have your whole family in one place.
Those are the things worth remembering.
And I want the real you! I don’t want you to feel stiff or uncomfortable in front of my camera. I want you to play, love each other, laugh, and make memories together. That’s how we capture true feelings, and that’s how we get the real smiles, from the two year olds to the teenagers and young adults, and even Dad!
AND DON’T FORGET TO SAVE TIME FOR A FAMILY WOBBLE DANCE PARTY!!!
A MOLLIE JANE FAMILY PHOTO SESSION
Are you ready to book your Mollie Jane family photo session? Let me walk you through the steps.
Inquiry & Booking
Tell me all about your family and what you’re hoping to capture! We’ll talk through the different session options, pricing, and what you want most from your experience. I love hopping on a quick Zoom or FaceTime so we can get to know each other, answer your questions, hear all your ideas, and make sure we’re a great fit. This is where the fun starts, and I can’t wait to start planning a session that feels completely like your family!
Preparation
Once your session is booked, the fun really begins! You’ll receive my FAMOUS Mollie Jane Client Experience Guide with everything you need to start planning, from what to wear and how to prepare, to my favorite locations. We’ll set up a virtual planning calling to go over everything in detail! With plenty of experience photographing families throughout St. Augustine, Ponte Vedra, and Jacksonville, I’ll help you choose locations that fit your style and vision. This is your time to tell me all your ideas! We’ll talk through outfits, locations, and the details that will make the session feel completely personal. And I’ll also put my unofficial Florida meteorologist skills to work and keep a close eye on the weather as we get closer.
It’s Session Day!
It’s finally here! You’ve planned the outfits, picked the location, and now it’s time to have some fun together. I’ll guide you through the session and give you plenty of direction when you need it, while also leaving room for the hugs, laughter, snuggles, and silly moments that make your family yours. If there’s something special you want to include, just let me know ahead of time so we can make it happen. My goal is for everyone to relax, enjoy each other, and leave with photographs that truly feel like your family.
Favorites to Family Heirlooms
Either virtually (via Zoom) or at my home office in St. Augustine, we will meet for a Reveal & Ordering Appointment. You’ll see your images for the first time in a slideshow set to music to truly experience the magic. We’ll talk about how you would like to enjoy your images today or in 10 or 20 years. We can design a bespoke linen or velvet album or museum-quality wall art so your images are printed and remembered. I’ll walk you through everything from artwork and albums to digitals and gift prints, with options for a variety of budgets. My goal is to make it easy and fun to turn your favorite images into something you’ll treasure for generations! There are payment plans for purchasing artwork.
After your appointment, I will finalize your high res online gallery and deliver that to you within 48 hours.
Delivery Day!!
Once we’ve finalized your order and everything is ready, I’ll take care of the rest. Your beautiful artwork, albums, prints, and digitals will be ordered and delivered right to you. And honestly, this is my favorite part! There is just something about holding your own photographs in your hands that makes them feel even more special. I love seeing families open their albums, admire their artwork, and get excited about the memories they’ve chosen to bring home. It’s the perfect way to finish your Mollie Jane Family Experience!
AMAZING SPOTS FOR FAMILY PHOTOS IN ST. AUGUSTINE
Beach Locations
There are 2 options that I think are wonderful for a large family session while you are on vacation in St. Augustine:
- Vilano Beach: It is less crowded than a lot of the beaches and an easy place to meet from anywhere in St. Augustine.
- Guana River Preserve: It has beautiful dunes and the long beach perfect for group pictures and individuals!
- St. Augustine Beach: St. Augustine Beach is LONG with so many options. If you are on vacation with a beach house, it is so easy just to go to the closest part of the beach and we can’t lose.
Nature Locations
These sessions are a little bit away from the tourist-y part of St. Augustine, but worth it to have a little more peace and privacy for your session:
- Nocatee Trails: Bridges and trails and green and quiet. It is perfect for an session!
- Ponte Vedra Park: Classic park pictures with green and pathways.
- Gourd Island Forest: This is lots of trees and has a forest-y feel
Historic Locations
Depending on the time of year, these options can be busy, but so worth it for the beautiful historic sites of St. Augustine. This might be a good time to schedule a morning session, because it is definitely easier with less tourists around.
- Historic Downtown St. Augustine: beautiful old alley ways and colored walls and cobblestone streets. It’s iconic.
- Castillo de San Marcos: Instantly recognizable and stunning. It is a classic choice. A lot of the time we can combine Downtown and the castillo.
I would love to schedule your family session while you are in St. Augustine! Click the link below to go to the Mollie Jane Photography website to get more information.
THE BEST SOUVENIR!
You had your session, you made amazing memories with your family…don’t let those stay on your hard drive! Before you leave, let’s create family heirlooms to last forever! I know your busy and you have the best intentions to do something with these precious pictures, so let me take it off of your hands.
Our beautiful heirloom albums and artwork are archival and guaranteed to last forever! This sweet family, since this was an extended family session, each family got an album that featured their individual family and then the combined pictures. This is what it is all about!
Digital images, which you get, are not a complete product. Print your images! It is absolutely worth it! Check out one of the albums from this session:
At Mollie Jane Photography, we are a full service photography studio. We walk you through all of the preparation, from wardrobe, location, tips and tricks for the best family session EVER! But we don’t stop there! We have beautiful albums, books, and wall art to get your out of the cloud and into your home.
Family pictures are one of the only investments that grows more valuable with time. Click the link below and let’s start planning your next family session!
