Jetty Park Senior Pictures | Marley’s Florida Beach Senior Session

Marley came to Florida from Seattle with her mom, grandmother, and best friend, and her mom had actually booked her senior session with me months before their trip. The plan from the beginning was to take advantage of being in Florida and give Marley a beach senior session that would look completely different from what she could do back home.

Originally, we were headed to New Smyrna Beach, but the week of Marley’s session was SO rainy. On the day we were supposed to shoot, New Smyrna was getting rain pretty much all day, and there was bad weather north and south of us too. We started checking other areas to see if there was anywhere that might work, and somehow Jetty Park was sitting right in this little pocket of good weather.

So we changed the plan and headed to Cape Canaveral instead, and it ended up being the perfect decision. Even with storms happening around us, the weather at Jetty Park was beautiful during Marley’s session, and everything came together so well. What could have been a stressful last-minute change ended up giving us such a pretty evening for her senior pictures.

Senior Pictures While Vacationing in Florida

One of my favorite things about Marley’s session is that her family planned it as part of their Florida vacation. Her mom booked with me months before they traveled from Seattle, so we had plenty of time to plan a beach session that would give Marley senior pictures that looked completely different from what she could have done back home.

If you’re coming to Central Florida from somewhere completely different, doing your senior pictures here can give you a gallery that doesn’t look like what everyone else back home is doing. For Marley, a Florida beach was the perfect choice, and having her mom, grandmother, and best friend along made it even more fun.

The only thing we couldn’t plan months ahead was Florida weather, but apparently we handled that part pretty well too.

When Florida Weather Changes Your Senior Session Plans

Anyone who has spent time in Florida during the summer knows how strange the weather can be. It can be pouring in one area and perfectly fine a short drive away, which is exactly what happened on the day of Marley’s session.

New Smyrna wasn’t going to work for us, but that didn’t mean the entire evening was a loss. Once we realized Jetty Park was staying dry while storms were moving through the areas around it, we decided to go for it.

This is one of the reasons I try not to panic too early when rain shows up in the forecast. Sometimes we need to adjust the time, sometimes we need to change locations, and sometimes we really do need to reschedule. Marley’s session just happened to be one of those times when changing the location completely saved the day.

By the time we were photographing her at Jetty Park, it didn’t feel like a backup plan at all.

Two Outfits That Gave Marley’s Gallery Plenty of Variety

Marley started her session in the cutest white dress, and it looked so pretty with the sand, water, and softer beach colors around her. It gave us a really pretty first look without competing with the location.

For her second outfit, she changed into a skirt and pink top, and I loved the pop of color it brought into the second half of the session. The two outfits were different enough that they gave her gallery a lot of variety even though we stayed in the same general location.

That’s something I talk about with my seniors when we’re planning outfits as part of the Senior Experience. You don’t need to bring half your closet to make your gallery feel varied. A couple of outfits that photograph differently, combined with moving around the location and changing the backgrounds we use, can give you plenty of different looks.

Bringing Her Best Friend Made the Session Even More Fun

Marley’s best friend came along for the session too, and I could see how much having her there helped Marley relax. She had somebody who knew exactly how to make her laugh, joke around with her, and help take some of the attention off the fact that there was a camera pointed at her.

Of course, once her best friend was there, we had to get some photos of the two of them together too. Those ended up being such a fun addition to Marley’s gallery because they weren’t posed, formal friendship portraits. They could laugh, have fun together, and have photographs that also documented this trip they took together.

This is why I’m always happy when a senior wants to bring a friend. If you have somebody who makes you feel comfortable and can make you laugh when you start overthinking what you’re doing in front of the camera, bring them. You don’t need to know how to pose or what to do with your hands before you show up. I’ll take care of that part, and having your person nearby can make it even easier to relax.

Why Jetty Park Works So Well for Senior Pictures

One thing I really liked about Jetty Park was how many different looks we could get without having to leave the park. Obviously, you have the beach and shoreline, but there are also sea oats, sandy beach paths, boardwalk areas, the rock jetties, and even a colorful lifeguard stand that can give you another completely different background.

That kind of variety is especially helpful for senior pictures because I don’t want your entire gallery to look like we stood in one spot on the sand for an hour. We can move around as the light changes, use different parts of the park with each outfit, and then work our way toward the shoreline.

Jetty Park is also right at Port Canaveral, so cruise ships are part of the scenery there. The official park information even highlights watching cruise ships pass from the beach and pier, which is a pretty fun detail that you don’t get at every Florida beach.

Now, I’m definitely not promising a cruise ship in the background of your senior pictures because I have zero control over that schedule, but it would be pretty fun if the timing worked out.

What to Wear for Jetty Park Senior Pictures

Marley’s two outfits are a great example of why you don’t have to overthink beach-session clothes. Her white dress photographed beautifully with all of the natural colors around her, and then the pink top and skirt added more color and gave us a second look that felt completely different.

Jetty Park works with more than just traditional “beachy” outfits because the rocks, sea oats, boardwalks, paths, and shoreline all give you different backgrounds to work with. That’s helpful because you don’t have to feel like every outfit needs to be a long beach dress just because we’re photographing near the ocean.

I do like clothing that gives us a little movement at the beach, and there’s a very good chance your shoes are eventually coming off. Walking along the shoreline barefoot just makes sense once we get out there.

The Best Time for Senior Pictures at Jetty Park

For a beach session, I generally want to photograph later in the day when the light is getting softer. That gives us time to use several areas of the park before finishing closer to the water as the light changes.

The exact starting time is going to depend on the season, the weather, and what we have planned for your session. I don’t want to give every senior the exact same start time just because they chose the same location.

Marley’s session is a perfect example of why I want some flexibility built into the plan. We knew the type of session we wanted, but once the weather started doing its own thing, being willing to adjust made the difference between canceling the evening and ending up with a beautiful session.

A Few Things to Know Before Going to Jetty Park

There are also a couple of practical things that are good to know if we decide Jetty Park is right for your senior session.

Jetty Park currently requires visitors arriving by car to have a parking pass purchased before arriving at the entrance. The park does not accept cash or credit card payments for parking at the entrance gate, so that is definitely something we would want handled ahead of time. Jetty Park is currently open daily from 7:00 a.m. until 9:00 p.m., although I would always recheck the current park information before a session since rules and hours can change.

The park can also reach vehicle capacity. According to Port Canaveral, a pre-purchased day pass for a specific date guarantees your initial entry, although re-entry can be limited when the park is full. That’s one of those little details that isn’t very exciting, but it’s much better to know about it before we’re trying to get to your session.

Jetty Park Senior Pictures: Frequently Asked Questions

Can I book senior pictures in Florida if I live in another state?

Absolutely. Marley lives in Seattle, and her mom booked her Florida senior session months before their trip. If you already know when you’ll be visiting Central Florida, reaching out ahead of time gives us plenty of time to plan the location, outfits, timing, and the overall look you want before you ever get here.

What happens if it rains on the day of my beach senior session?

We look at what the weather is actually doing and make the best decision from there. We might adjust the time, change locations, or reschedule if we need to. Marley’s session is a perfect example of why I don’t automatically assume rain in one area means we’re done for the day. New Smyrna was getting rain, while Jetty Park happened to be sitting in the little pocket of good weather we needed.

Is there enough variety at Jetty Park for a full senior session?

Definitely. Along with the beach, Jetty Park has sea oats, sandy paths, boardwalk areas, rock jetties, and other little areas that can give us several different backgrounds during one session.

Should I bring a friend to my senior session?

If you have a friend who makes you feel comfortable and can always get you laughing, I think it’s a great idea. Marley’s best friend helped her relax during the session, and we also got some really fun photos of the two of them together.

How many outfits should I bring for beach senior pictures?

Marley wore two outfits, and that gave us plenty of variety. She started with a white dress and then changed into a skirt and pink top. I’d rather help you choose a couple of outfits that photograph really well and give us different looks than have you spend a big part of your session changing clothes over and over again.

Do I need a parking pass for Jetty Park?

Yes. Jetty Park currently requires a pre-purchased day pass or annual pass for parking, and you cannot purchase one with cash or a credit card at the entrance gate. I would always check the current park information again before your session in case anything has changed.

Can you help me choose the right beach for my senior pictures?

Yes. You don’t need to figure out your location on your own. We can talk through the kind of setting you like, how far you want to travel, the outfits you’re thinking about, and the look you want for your senior pictures. Then we can choose the beach that makes the most sense for you and keep another option in mind in case Florida weather decides to get involved. You can also explore my Best Locations for Senior Pictures in Orlando guide for more ideas.

Thinking About Jetty Park Senior Pictures?

Marley’s session may not have happened at the beach we originally planned, but I don’t think it could have worked out much better. She had her mom, grandmother, and best friend there with her, wore two really cute outfits, got some fun photos with her best friend, and ended up with the Florida beach senior pictures her family had been planning for months.

Jetty Park gave us beautiful weather right when we needed it, plus enough variety around the park to create a gallery that didn’t feel like the same beach photo over and over again. After Marley’s session, it’s definitely a location I’ll be keeping in mind for future seniors who want beach pictures.

If you’re visiting Central Florida or you live here and have been thinking about a beach senior session, I’d love to hear what you have in mind. We can figure out the location, outfits, timing, and all the little details together, and if Florida weather decides to change the plan, we’ll figure that out too.