2026 Summer Season By the Numbers
Summer 2026 was amazing. I spent a lot of time on the beach with some very kind, easy-going, beach loving families and couples. I’m so happy I got to work with each and every one of you. You showed up with your dogs, your grandparents, your cousins, and a whole lot of patience when the fog rolled in, the flies were biting, or the wind had other plans. I got to meet brand new babies, celebrate couples getting ready to become parents, and watch families laugh their way through a beautiful morning or evening on the beach. I left most sessions covered in sand and sweat and saltwater – and with a big grin on my face.
Thank you for trusting me with your photos. It means a lot anytime someone hires me.
I’m also a little sentimental and a lot nerdy, so I track everything. Big data nerd over here. Here’s a bit of a breakdown on how my Summer Season shook out:
The Sessions
- 127 sessions photographed between May 24 to September 24 (about 7 per week, if you’re wondering how often I was filling my car with sand – much to my husbands disapproval)
- 59% at sunset vs. 41% at sunrise (read: Timing Your Session)
Types:
- 87% were families, broken down into:
- Signature Family (7-16 people): 58%
- Single Family (up to 6 people): 28%
- Extended Family (over 16 people): 14%
- 13% were couples, broken down into:
- Maternity: 59%
- Newly Engaged: 23%
- Just because they wanted portraits together: 18%
The Milestones
- 12 families & 4 couples brought their dogs along for the session (all good pals, all fantastically photogenic)
- 7 families have since welcomed a new baby!!!
- 2 couples have gotten married since I photographed them!
The Photos
- 768 photos taken per session, on average
- This does vary a bit based on type and group size! I take less for smaller groups.
- On average, I delivered 92 finalized, edited images per gallery
- That adds up to 97,536 photos taken and 11,684 hand-picked for delivery this season
- My average turn-around time was 19 days. This is more than I would have liked. Getting the flu in July put me behind.
The Locations
- Fenwick Island: 58%
- Bethany Beach: 30%
- Everywhere else, OCMD, private beaches, backyards, the bay: 12%
The Season Itself
- 24% of clients were people I’ve photographed before (Always honored by folks who come back!!)
- July was the busiest month… and I also got the flu that month. That was a little brutal.
- Books closed for the season in mid-June
- I work a 9-5 job, so I have to really draw a line in the sand of not over committing myself. It is wild to have to put a stop to the biz, but important for my sanity and relationships!
- 3% had dense af fog roll in
- 11% had to be rescheduled for rain
- The most popular color palettes were cream and blue, and red, white, and blue
- Youngest client: 6 weeks old. Oldest: 92.
- Most popular monkey name: A tie between George and Banana.
Learning Experiences
So freaking many lessons learned!! It is always great when I get inspired by something or learn a new tactic to incorporate into my business. I’ve been a professional photographer since 2014 – I’m always learning. If I weren’t, I probably would have called it quits on this biz many moons ago.
- Limiting my locations was a fantastic decision.
- I over re-touched one family. Felt bad about that. Fully re-edited their session. I hope they forgive me. Took that into the remainder of my season to not over do it.
- I’m learning how to use AI in my editing process in the most sustainable way but in a way that still helps my editing workflow.
- I didn’t make people sign a model release this summer. That was tough – I’m still trying to figure out what to do about this for next summer. When folks do not sign a model release, I cannot share the images I take online. In today’s digital age though, I have to respect that people don’t want their or their kids images online. But marketing a photography business without being able to share images is… almost impossible??
- I have to make some more guides for clients! Folks ask some great questions.
What’s Next
2027 dates and portrait session packages are being sorted out right now. Dates will my email first access list in April. If you want first pick of your preferred morning light or golden hour slot next summer, that’s where to be.