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As a family photographer in Jacksonville and St Augustine Florida, I am blessed to have met so many wonderful families. Most of the time,...

One thing that as a family photographer, is the most flattering, is when clients return to you. This sweet family met me in 2020 when we...

Welcoming a new little life into your family is such a special time. Newborn Photography is a wonderful way to capture all the joy, love...

When you're due date is close you begin to think about how you are going to take this little life in the car, keep up with feeing them, bathing, cleaning yourself, cleaning the house, sleep.....all of it. It can feel overwhelming, but what if I told you it didn't have to be. Newborn photography at home can alleviate many of those concerns. Ok, yes you have to feed the baby (& yourself), yes you have to bathe because it will make you feel SO much better, but the rest??? The re

Though Spring in Florida doesn't last long (summer comes in hot and fast), it is gorgeous. As a family photographer, I have been lucky to see many gorgeous locations in spring for family photos, maternity photos and even outdoor newborn photos. This beautiful place is one of my favorite spring family photo locations (and a favorite of many in the area). Washington Oaks Gardens thrives in the spring. Though, it's one of the only places where you can see flowers year round, in

Is sunrise early? Obviously. But coffee exists and the sunrises here in Northeast Florida are GORGEOUS. Am I a morning person? No. But I NEVER regret scheduling sunrise beach family photoshoots. First, once I'm at the beach I'm awake and for some reason just happier (apparently the ocean does that to you). Second, for some reason, kids are usually happier in the mornings. Parents? Maybe not, but the kids are and truthfully that alone makes it worth it. This sweet family sched

Um, yes. EVERYDAY. DANG. DAY. YES. Of course, that's the short answer. As a Maternity Photographer in Jacksonville and St Augustine, Florida we are blessed with no snow and many gorgeous areas for beautiful maternity photos. Depending on what is a client's style or vision for their maternity shoot I try to suggest various places, BUT my favorite..... Every time.... Is a sunrise beach maternity photoshoot. I can't explain why, but I do so love them. This wonderful couple conta

So, depending on your age, you probably remember Olan Mills and the traditional, static family photos we all had to get. Our parents dressed us in what they deemed the best outfits (no matter how uncomfortable), did our hair, repeatedly told us not to get messy, drove us to a studio space (which sometimes had an outdoor area). Where were told where to sit, smile at the camera and had to smile as long as possible. Now, if your parents were creative, you may have gotten the "lo

Not every maternity photoshoot has to be over the top and stressful. A beautiful location. Classic dress and your family is all you need to create simple and classic maternity photography session that you will cherish. To see more of my maternity portraits CLICK HERE or to grab my guide with all the information CLICK HERE and fill out the info for all the details. ~Melody

One of the many amazing things about living in Florida, is that we CAN in fact do beach family photos year round. Are some beach sessions a little chilly? Well, yes because St Augustine, Florida is in north Florida. BUT they are still beautiful and the time of year doesn't guarantee cold weather. One week in January may be highs in the 50s the next week it could be highs in the 70s or 80s, you just don't know. So, if you're traveling to Jacksonville, Florida or St Augustine,

Wednesday, I shared my Top Maternity Photography images, yesterday, my Top Newborn Photography favorites and today....my Top Family photos of 2022. You have NO IDEA how hard it is to choose as I was SO blessed this year with all of the amazing families I photographed. So, to help me decide I turned to my old trusted friend, social media data. Who knew as a family photographer I would utilize my Communications and Marketing degrees so much, lol. So, on this New Year's Eve-Eve

So, I do this post every year and EVERY year it's SOOOOOOO hard. So, I decided this year to use something I battle, "social media likes" to help me decide. Based on that exceptionally scientific method (and yes, my own opinion when needed) here are my TOP MATERNITY PHOTOS of 2022. These are not in any sort of order because I can't do that I love them all! I am currently booking Maternity sessions for 2023 at 2022 Pricing so CLICK HERE to grab all the info! ~Melody And because

This one is for the moms out there. I know when you have 2 or 3 young kids you get nervous. How will the photos turn out? Will we get any good images? Is it worth all the chaos? WHAT IS THE SECRET? The answer, is relax. No seriously. Let go of whether they have a lovie, want to run, want to be held. Relax. Cuddle. Play. Sing. Tickle. Love. If your kids are super rambunctious, choose a location they can explore safely. If they are super clingy, embrace all the snuggles and the

Years ago, when I first started doing photography, I thought I had to only do posed newborn sessions. Studio like setting, plain backdrop, as many poses of the baby as possible (even if I couldn't do them well). All the things. Then, one day I had a newborn session an hour away. I couldn't bring the studio, so I had them use the master bedroom bed. And, that's when I realized, I preferred that kind of newborn photos. So, "Can you do newborn photos at home?" Absolutely. The ki

Let's be honest. To most of us, the idea of getting up to watch the sunrise is not exactly enticing. I have never been a morning person. I live on coffee and need 7-8 hours of sleep to be fully functional. BUT I LOVE SUNRISE SESSIONS. I may be struggling as I get ready for them, but once I get there...meet the family, see the skies and the perfect golden light. .. I am SO happy to be there. This sweet family was on vacation visiting family when we met for this beautiful morni

As a family photographer, my Watch Me Grow families become special to me. I am able to capture so many milestones for them with maternity portraits, newborn photos and meeting up 3 times during their little ones first year for family photos. I've actually known this sweet family since their oldest was 6 months old and have loved watching the girls grow! We met at a well known beautiful park, Washington Oaks Gardens state park, and were blessed without the intense heat a Flori

If you have been following me for any amount of time you know, I LOVE Maternity Photography. If I ever had to pick one niche to focus on this may be it...or newborn photography....it may be a hard choice. As a Maternity Photographer I am lucky to meet many wonderful couples and this sweet couple even choose one of my favorite spots for our session. The weather, the light, all of it worked together to give such gorgeous images for their maternity portrait session. I am current

Summer is always filled with beach family photos for this St Augustine and Jacksonville Florida family photographer. And who could complain about that? The beach is usually a little cooler (thank you beach breeze), a always beautiful. This large family portrait session turned out absolutely perfectly and I was able to capture SO many photos. In an effort to not have a ridiculously long blog post, I choose just a few of my favorite photos so scroll on to see them all! To book

When large families are vacationing near St Augustine Beach, Florida it's always fun and quite the honor to be asked to do family photos. As a family photographer capturing the love and joy of a family is my main goal. Add more family members and you are just adding more love. Since summer of 2020 I have been so blessed to capture many large family groups on the beaches in and around St Augustine Beach, Florida. Want to see just what I can capture in an hour with a large fami

It's not secret if you have been following me, that I LOVE my Watch Me Grow baby plan families. With my baby plans I am able to meet families as a maternity photographer, then capture newborn photos for them, then meet 3 more times as a family photographer to capture how their little one grows over their first year. When we meet for that one year, first birthday photoshoot it's always a little bittersweet for sure. This sweet family first contact me for a family photography s