Newport Beach, CA & Gilbert, AZ • Sessions by appointment only

Drive By Family Portrait Photography Sessions in Orange County

Meet the #DRIVEBYPHOTOSHOOT

We couldn’t just sit and watch our 18 year old business burn to the ground. Our studio has been closed since the stay at home order mid March. We sent our employees home and started trying to come up with a plan to save our business. We were devastated and knew others were in the same boat. We wanted to give our clients a moment of happiness with a sweet and simple drive by photo shoot.

We expected the drive by photo shoot concept to last for one weekend but boy, we were wrong! The demand for our drive by photo sessions went off the charts. Our socials blew up with people asking how they could get one! We have now been shooting these sessions (at a distance from our SUV) for 2 weeks and have booked solid.  People’s mental health is a huge part of this.  We have heard time and time again that it was the one thing they were looking forward to, or how it was nice to get dressed and put makeup on after sitting around for weeks.  One client mentioned that she had been so sad about missing out on her newborn session, but this little 5 minute session from her front door was just what she needed to feel like she didn’t miss a moment she could not go back to.

How it works…

The 5-10 minute session is $40 and includes an online gallery with one digital file download. When you get your gallery, you can download the one image, or you can purchase additional images. You stay on your porch and we stay in our car. Let us know what time your front porch has the most shade. This will help us determine if you need an AM or afternoon session.

From mild to wild – Have fun!

You can document this crazy time by showing what you are doing each day, or bringing out your family’s prized stash of toilet paper.  You could also put on your favorite outfit, wear some makeup, grab your dog, and step onto your porch for a portrait in front of your home.  With seniors not being able to have a graduation, it’s also an opportunity to do your senior session for 5 minutes from your front porch.

We will come to your neighborhood- anywhere in Orange County!

This started out with just trying to do a weekend in our neighborhood in Costa Mesa / Newport beach to be able to pay our lease, but quickly spread all over Orange County, CA. If you want us to come to your city, ask a handful of friends (5-10) around your area to commit to a drive by session and we will be there.

Click here to request a session

 

Meet the Gilmores:

Gilmore Studios serves Orange County, Los Angeles, and Phoenix. We specialize in wedding photography, family portraits, newborn and branding photography. Our studio has been in business since 2002.

Fun Facts:

PLace we call home:

Newport Beach & Queen Creek

Number of kids:

3 boys

Years in business:

Since 2002

As seen in:

Family photography

Featured On the blog

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Simple Sophistication

We are on Instagram
Dream job? Honestly, yes. But it’s so much more than a job.

For 24 years I’ve been trusted with the moments people will hold onto forever.
First cries. First birthdays. First lost teeth. Graduating high school and college. Vows. And then repeating the cycle all over again.

I’ve been there for the joy and the grief, the beginnings and the goodbyes. And somehow, after all of it, I still get to wake up and do it again tomorrow and it still takes my breath away every single time.

I’ve watched entire lifetimes unfold through my lens, and I don’t take a single frame for granted. 

To my clients … you haven’t just given me a career. You’ve let me into the moments that matter most.

That’s everything. 🤍
What actually happens during prom photos 👀
Here’s how to instantly make your prom photos look better:
• Don’t stand stiff
• Keep movement in the poses
• Relax your hands and shoulders
• Stay close together in couple photos
• Laugh, talk, and i
That’s what I’m guiding the entire session.
Because the best prom photos don’t always happen from perfect posing...
They happen when everyone finally relaxes and starts having fun. #
Save this and send it to your date so everyone is on the same page
If younger me could see the amount of emails, sessions, editing, timelines, client calls, blogs, courses, and random to-do lists now… she’d be SHOCKED. 😅

I started Gilmore Studios in 2002 with no roadmap. Just a camera, a love for photography, and honestly… a huge love for the business side of it too.

Since then, I’ve photographed so many stages of life:
weddings, newborns, seniors, cake smashes, families, commercial shoots, events… and somehow many of those clients became lifelong friends along the way. 🤍

What started as “I think I want to do photography” turned into over two decades of documenting people’s biggest moments and helping other photographers grow businesses of their own.

And honestly?
I still love it just as much.

Hi, I’m Jennifer Gilmore — photographer, business owner, and mentor for photographers ready to grow ✨

Comment LEARN if you want to grow as a photographer
Senior year is better with your best friend. 🎉🎓

Class of 2026

📸 by Cody - Gilmore Studios
Top locations in Arizona for a senior session 👀

And each one gives you a completely different look.

Riparian Preserve 
Greenery, paths, variety, and softer natural tones.

Queen Creek Fields 
Open space, warm light, and that dreamy golden hour look everybody loves.

Queen Creek Wash 
More texture, desert tones, and a slightly edgier feel.

Here’s how I help seniors choose:
We don’t just pick a location because it’s pretty. We pick one that fits your outfits, personality, and the overall vibe you want your photos to have.

Because location changes EVERYTHING.

Save this for your senior photo inspo later 
Which one would you choose?

Newport Beach, CA & Gilbert, AZ

Session by appointment only

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