Where are you located and do you charge travel fees? We have two locations – beachfront in Kitty Hawk and soundside in Jarvisburg, but we serve the island from Corolla to Hatteras! Our service area includes the towns of Corolla, Southern Shores, Duck, Kitty Hawk, Kill Devil Hills, Nag’s Head, Rodanthe, Waves, Salvo, Avon, Buxton, Frisco and Hatteras!  

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Is a deposit required to reserve a date? Yes, an initial deposit of $100 is required at the time of booking for family sessions and a 25% deposit for Weddings. The remaining balance will then be due on the day of your session. Details and instructions will be on your Reservation. 

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How can I pay? For the initial deposit, we accept Venmo, CashApp, Zelle or good old-fashioned checks in the mail. Once you book, you will receive a reservation with directions on how to make your deposit. On the session date, we accept cash or any of the electronic payment methods listed above. We will issue a receipt for all cash received for your records.

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What if I have to cancel?  We understand life can be unpredictable and we want to be as fair as possible! The $100 Initial Deposit is non-refundable (some exclusions apply – see below) as we have held the date and may not be able to rebook. This is applicable for cancellations of Couples, Families and Groups photo shoots only. For Weddings, the 25% deposit will be forfeited as we schedule entire days for weddings and may have a difficult time rebooking that day as many full days book up a year in advance. IMPORTANT EXCEPTION: IF YOUR SESSION HAS TO BE CANCELED due to named Hurricanes, Nor’easters, National Emergencies or forced OBX Evacuations that are out of your control, YOUR DEPOSIT WILL BE REFUNDED! 

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What if the photographer has to cancel? This would be exceedingly rare! Mary K. looks forward to photo shoots the same way a child looks forward to their birthday! Unless it is an emergency, she WILL NOT cancel. In fact, she has never once had to cancel in her 10+ years! However, if an emergency ever was to occur, please rest assured that she would make all efforts to find a replacement photographer for your event – especially if it is a wedding or other one-time event. If we are unable to find a suitable replacement photographer, a FULL refund will be issued.

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What if it rains? This is the most commonly asked question we get and the one thing we have no control over and must deal with on a continual basis. Please do not worry! Mary K. will be in touch with you by text prior to your shoot and will make sure you are aware of any imminent weather conditions. Weather is highly unpredictable in the OBX and although we can do nothing to change it, we are aware of common patterns and do monitor wind and radar conditions closely via weather apps. We may keep your shoot scheduled if it rains earlier in the day and then clears up, or we may try to do it earlier than planned. We will be in contact with you to see what works best. Sometimes the most beautiful shots happen just before or just after a little rain! We don’t throw in the towel because we see a few clouds – We have caught rainbows, double rainbows and some amazing cloud formations along the way, so as long as it is safe, we will always try, but we will NEVER put you or ourselves in harms way for a photograph! Safety is ALWAYS our priority. Also, please note that if it is actively RAINING, we will likely need to reschedule as our equipment is very expensive and we must protect it, plus we doubt you want photographs of your family soaking wet! If you are here on vacation and your shoot is canceled, we will do our very best to reschedule before you leave town! 

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How will my photos be delivered? You will receive a password protected link via email with both web-sized and HIGH RESOLUTION images! You will receive a copyright release as well. This link will allow you to digitally download all your photos and store them on your computer, phone or other personal storage device. You can share your Password with family and friends so they can access and download the photos as well. Your album will be available on our site for a minimum of 180 days and there is no limit to the number of times your photos can be downloaded during that time. If you would like to purchase a Keepsake USB with high-resolution copies of all your photos, we sell those for $50 each including shipping anywhere in the U.S.

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Will my photos be posted on the photographer’s social media or websites? Mary K’s Photography respects your privacy, therefore we will never post your photos without your consent. However, if you would like to grant us permission to use your images, we will be more than happy to share them on our website, social media platforms and other advertisements! 

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Can I share my photos online? Absolutely! And please do! We love seeing our clients’ photos on social media! Feel free to tag Mary K’s Photography, OBX as well. We love that! ♥

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How long will it take to get my photos? Mary K. is a very diligent editor and she is as excited to deliver your photos to you as you are to get them. Most albums are processed and delivered within 2-3 weeks. During the height of the summer season, this process might take longer, like 3-4 weeks, but rest assured that we take great pride in our work and work very hard to ensure your photos are delivered in a timely manner. We will never rush as we refuse to sacrifice quality for speed, but we promise not to make you wait any longer than absolutely necessary!

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Does your company offer same-sex photo shoots? Of course! Mary K’s Photography does not discriminate on any basis. We respect everyone. Our job is to take amazing photographs.

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Does your company offer photo shoots for people in wheelchairs or those with limited mobility? Yes. We do not discriminate on any basis. If you or a loved one are in a wheelchair or require special assistance in order to participate in your photo shoot, please reach out to us. We are aware of local area beach accesses with wheelchair accessible ramps, etc. and will be happy to help find the best place for your needs! Everyone deserves beautiful photographs!

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Do you have any tips/tricks to help us get the best photos? Yes! We have found that it is best to avoid anything with geometric or large, busy patterns/tie-dyes/overwhelming prints. Families and couples do not have to dress alike, but if you choose to, some timeless classics include jeans with white, black or navy blue shirts, white- or pastel-colored dresses, or floral dresses that work well with the wind. Different shades of blue also work well. Coral, peach, orange, purple and other beachy colors are always flattering and work well with the scenery. Cotton candy colors are a great choice for the OBX sunsets. Yellow is a beautiful contrast to the sand and sky as well. Mary K. recommends hanging or laying clothes near a window or outside to see how the colors look together in the daylight as opposed to indoor lighting. It is best to wear shoes like flip-flops or sandals that are easy to remove as we will likely be doing most of your session barefoot! (Yay!) Also, GENTLEMEN, PLEASE remember to leave your cell phones and bulky items like wallets and large sets of car keys etc.in your cars or at your rental home as they do not look good in your pockets and you will regret having them there! Trust us on this! Your photographer will have a carry case to put your car keys/remote in if needed, but she can’t carry around 15 cell phones, so it is best to leave them behind if possible. (It’s only an hour! You will survive!) You may also want to forego the sunglasses and hats! It is best to remove hats and glasses you will not be wearing in the photos at least 30 mins or so before the session so you won’t have outlines or red streaks on your foreheads or faces! Ladies, you may want to consider wearing your hair up or pulled back on one side as the wind ruins more photos than anything else! We will position you facing the wind at an angle to help minimize this, but we are outside and generally it is breezier beside the ocean, so we have to work with the elements. And last, but not least, please do not stress! Stress will show in your photographs! Your photo shoot is meant to be a fun, creative process and Mary K. will do everything in her power to ensure it is, so no worries there! Some tips include not scheduling your photo shoot on the same day you plan to arrive in town or on the day you plan to leave as it’s just too hectic. We have found that photo shoots a couple of days into your vacation are optimal and tend to work best as everyone is excited, hopefully no one has a sunburn yet and we still have time to reschedule later in the week if the weather does not cooperate with our plans! We understand it is easy to feel overwhelmed, especially when you are spending time and money and you just want to get good photos of everyone while you’re here, but try to relax and enjoy the process and we promise to do our very best so you and your family will have priceless photos that can be looked back on and enjoyed for many years! We’re excited to be working with you and we look forward to seeing you through our lens! ♥