Studio notes
General information about our sessions, not about the photographs above.
Quinceañera Photography in Summerville and Charleston, SC
Studio FB USA photographs quinceañeras across Summerville, Charleston, North Charleston, Goose Creek and the wider Lowcountry, from the formal portrait session before the celebration to the mass, the reception and the dances. A quinceañera is one of the most photographed days in a young woman's life, and it deserves a photographer who understands the traditions and the timeline, not one who is learning them on the day.
Our team works in Spanish, English and Portuguese. That matters at a quinceañera more than at almost any other event, where the grandparents, the padrinos, the court of honor and the quinceañera herself may each prefer a different language. Directing the group portraits and coordinating with the family in Spanish, and switching to English for the friends, keeps the day relaxed.
The Charleston area's Hispanic community has grown quickly, and quinceañera celebrations here now range from intimate family gatherings in Summerville to large receptions at event venues in North Charleston and Mount Pleasant. We photograph all of them.
The Pre-Quince Portrait Session
The pre-quince session, or sesión de quince, is a formal portrait session photographed before the celebration, usually a few weeks ahead. The quinceañera wears the gown, the tiara and the jewelry, and the session is dedicated entirely to her: full-length portraits, details of the dress, the shoes and the bouquet, and a series of images that can be displayed at the reception, used for the invitations and printed for the family.
The session can take place in our Summerville studio, with controlled light and a clean backdrop, or on location in the Charleston area. Popular choices include the historic streets and gardens of downtown Charleston, the oaks in Summerville, and the beaches at Folly Beach and Isle of Palms at sunset. Many families combine a studio portion with a location portion, and some include a second outfit for a more casual set.
Hair and makeup should be done as they will be on the day of the celebration, so the portraits and the event images match. Plan the session with enough lead time for the images to be printed and displayed at the party.
Ceremony, Reception and the Traditions
Coverage of the celebration itself follows the traditions of the day. The mass or blessing, the entrance with the court of honor, the changing of the shoes, the last doll, the waltz with the father, the surprise dance, the toast and the cake are each photographed as they happen, with the family and the guests reacting around them. Between the formal moments, we photograph the guests, the decorations and the details the family spent months preparing.
Formal portraits are made in a planned window: the quinceañera with her parents, with her padrinos, with the court, with the grandparents and the extended family. We prepare the list with the family in advance and work through it quickly so nobody misses the party.
Video coverage is available alongside photography for families who want the waltz, the speeches and the surprise dance in motion as well as in stills. One team handles both so the photographer and the videographer coordinate rather than get in each other's way.
Booking Your Quinceañera Photographer
Studio FB USA is located at 115 Crosscut Lane, Summerville, SC 29486, and covers quinceañeras throughout Summerville, Charleston, Mount Pleasant, North Charleston, Goose Creek, Moncks Corner and Ladson. Dates fill quickly in the spring and summer, so contact us as soon as the venue is confirmed.
Call or text (843) 727-5264, or use the booking form on our website. Tell us the date, the venue, whether there is a mass, and whether you want a pre-quince session, event coverage, video or all three, and we will propose coverage that fits.
Families planning a quinceañera in the Charleston area often ask how far in advance to book photography. The answer is: as soon as the date and the venue are fixed, ideally six months or more ahead, because the pre-quince session needs to happen early enough for prints to be ready for the reception, and because the same spring and summer weekends are in demand for weddings. Once the date is reserved, we help build the photography timeline around the mass, the entrance and the dances so that nothing important is missed and the family spends the day celebrating rather than posing.
Reserve your quinceañera date with Studio FB USA, or call or text (843) 727-5264.