Shoott Orange County
Please let me preface this by saying…read morethat Sharon was very kind and nice to work with. However, we were extremely concerned about the lack of attention to safety and the apparent lack of flexibility to adjust the location when the conditions were clearly unsuitable for a maternity shoot.
The location selected for our maternity shoot was a beach, and unfortunately, the specific area we were directed to was not a safe or practical location for a maternity session. There was essentially no sand or stable walking area--only water and rocks. The rocks were extremely slippery, and both the photographer and we were repeatedly slipping. Thankfully, my husband was there to hold me up and carefully assist me with every step so that I would not fall. I even had to stop at one point to check whether the photographer was okay after she slipped herself.
What is particularly concerning is that we were not simply uncomfortable after spending a long period of time in the heat. We were already sweating by the time the first photo was taken. The photographer had us walk to what appeared to be the furthest and least safe part of the beach first, rather than beginning in a more accessible area or taking a moment to assess the conditions and determine whether another part of the beach would be more appropriate.
I had never been to this side of the beach before, so I arrived early specifically to make sure we were in the right place. However, the photographer was not there when we arrived, which meant we could not even confirm that we were at the correct location. We ultimately saw her walking toward us only a few minutes before the scheduled shoot.
When we asked about the conditions, we were told, "This happens sometimes, I didn't know it was going to be high tide." Later, the situation was described as "the memory part of it." That was particularly concerning to us because this was not simply an unconventional or adventurous setting--it was genuinely unsafe, especially for someone who is pregnant.
The fact that the photographer was reachable by phone and was available to conduct the session also makes this more frustrating. There was ample opportunity to communicate about the conditions, explore another portion of the beach, or pivot to a safer area before proceeding. This was a large beach, and we believe there should have been an effort to assess whether another part of the location was safer and more suitable.
The heat was another significant concern. We completely understand that weather conditions cannot be controlled. However, there was a heat warning that day, and the business's policy states that when conditions are sunny, "our photographers will help find shaded areas that work" that did not happen in our experience. There was no meaningful effort to find a shaded area that was both safe and practical. Instead, we were directly in the sun, and the only shaded area we encountered was also the furthest and most dangerous area to reach.
My husband was primarily being used to help block shadows rather than us being moved to a location where shade was naturally available. Again, we were sweating almost immediately, and the heat significantly affected the experience and ultimately the appearance of the photos. My husband's shirt became drenched in sweat from carefully supporting me as we navigated the rocks, my hair became wet and fell flat, and my makeup had essentially sweated off you can actually see this in the photos.
We understand that no one can control the weather. Our concern is that the conditions were apparent from the beginning and that there did not appear to be an effort to adapt the session accordingly. The issue was not that it was a sunny or hot day; the issue was the decision to proceed in direct sun, on slippery rocks surrounded by water, when there was apparently an opportunity to explore a safer and more appropriate area.
If clients are expected to independently assess the location, tides, and safety conditions, I would strongly suggest adding an arrival time of at least 30 minutes before the scheduled session and photos if the location if the photographer is not present to so clients have an opportunity to assess without risking a late fee and pictures of the actual location.
This was, unfortunately, one of the most unpleasant photography experiences we have had. This was not an "adventure" or simply an imperfect beach day. This was a situation that was just unsafe. We strongly urge the business to give photographers clear discretion and support to make reasonable location adjustments when safety or accessibility becomes an issue, particularly for maternity sessions.
A simple decision to pause, assess the tide and conditions, and move to a safer part of the same beach could have completely changed our experience.
