Welcoming in the New Year with Family Photos

How beautiful is this family?  Let me share the story behind these images.  Right around Christmas Tania contacted me about doing a family session which included her, her husband, her child and her husband's brother and sister.  The reason?  They wanted to surprise her Father-In-Law with updated family portraits which they haven't had done in YEARS. One of the first things I did was to take an individual photograph of each of the siblings.  Sometimes people are a bit hesitant to have individual portraits taken...it makes most folks uncomfortable to be the center of attention, especially in front of a lens.  But here's the thing...most folks end up LOVING these photos.  Why?  Because having a professional portrait done is WAY different than having a friend take your photo and it's also different than having your school portrait done.  I take time to explain how to stand, work through facial expressions and take advantage of the light. It doesn't take long, but it does take experience.  The two siblings on the left are still in high school. Both told me that they HATED their school photos so I set out to snag a perfect portrait for each.  Needless to say they were THRILLED with the outcome. Tania had run into me several years back at one of the Street Fairs in Highland Park.  She had signed up to be on my mailing list and had kept me in mind for future.  She contacted me a few weeks before her Father-In-Law's party and we set this session up for New Year's Day.

It was a bit chilly but they all handled it well...even the baby!

Tania's brother-in-law even braved "the wall".  This is one of my favorite photos...you see, it can be a bit scary getting out on this ledge.  There is water on both sides and it is only about 3 ft. wide - less in some parts.  Add to that the wind and cold - well - you get the idea!  But now he has a great story and an image to go along with it!   The main goal of the session was to get photographs of the three siblings and all variations of them.  It's really helpful for me to know the WHY behind any session BEFORE we start.  Since I knew going in that these photos would most likely be hung on a wall in some sort of collage on Dad's wall, I made a point of getting photographs that tell a story and that work well together. Just as we were finishing up I convinced Tania, who had her first child only 6 months prior, to get some photos of just her.  You've heard me say this before - I think it is SO IMPORTANT for women, especially MOMs to EMBRACE themselves.  We so often get lost in our children and day to day lives that we can easily forget who we are and what we are about.  Taking photo solo not only provide a little reminder that we are strong, confident and beautiful, but allow for a little self-indulgence which is important to do from time to time.  Now Tania has these beautiful photos of herself that she can share with her daughter. So there you have it.  What a great way to bring in the new year!!!  Happy 2017!

Kicking Off Fall Photo Season with an Amazing Family Session

The time is finally here!  The leaves have started changing color and I have begun my busy family portrait season.  Every October my calendar fills up with tons of family and child sessions.  Why?  Two reasons - the warm red, yellow and orange colors of outdoor fall portraits is pretty much unattainable any other time of the year AND everyone wants beautiful pictures for their holiday cards! This year I kicked off the season with a beautiful family of five.  Two adults, two boys and one adult size pup...well, I suppose most wouldn't consider a 100+ pound bull mastiff a pup, but to me all dogs are "pups".

This year I ran several Fall Session Promos.  This was a 1/2 session which allowed for time and location flexibility.  This session was done in East Brunswick at 4pm to take advantage of the evening lighting.

Evening sun, during the Autumn months, are among every photographer's favorite.  The golden warmth is like no other time of the year and the changing leaves offer pops of color that just bring a portrait to another level.

When shooting family sessions I have several goals.  One, to get at least one nicely posed family picture for the wall.

Two, to snag individual portraits of the children.

And three to get at least one photo of Mom & Dad together without the kids.  After years of taking family portraits I quickly realized that most parents haven't had a professional picture taken of themselves since their wedding and that just isn't right!

For families with older children I sometimes love to grab an image that captures a little attitude because, let's face it, this is the side of any pre-teen or teenage child that a parent sees a lot of, and photographs are all about solidifying memories.  While we may not like the attitude as it happens, twenty years from now it will be something to laugh about.

And finally, if time permits I make a point to have some fun with the kids because I believe that photo sessions should be enjoyable.  Posing can get a little boring, especially for the children, so after we get what we need I just let the kids be kids.  And here's a little secret...this is typically when I get some of the most fun pictures.  You know, the ones that really let personality shine!  The above pictures were 100% the idea/request of these boys and I absolutely LOVE them.  By doing this I also build a nice rapport with my young clients which makes any future sessions more relaxed for both the kids and the parents!

So, that about sums up this Fall Session.  I am really looking forward to seeing all of my return clients and meeting my new ones in the upcoming weeks.

Oh, and if you haven't booked and still want to I have a few weekday evening spots still available.  Just contact me and we'll get the ball rolling.

A Mom & Daughter Session and The Importance of Trust

There is nothing I love more than to get a Mom and her children in front of my lens.  Let me tell you a little story about this particular family....I met them two years ago when when I had offered some Mini Sessions. F, the eldest daughter was quite weary of me and my camera while I, the little one, was doing her best being a toddler and running around exploring everything! Now, let me tell you that mini sessions can be quite challenging simply because there is very little time to relationship-build with children.  Think about it, a stranger is pretty much sticking a big camera in their face asking them to "smile" and act natural.   It took almost the whole session, but we manage to get some cute photos of the girls. A year later the whole family came back and we spent a bit more time together.  I'm not sure if the girls remembered me from the prior year but by the end of the session I had built enough of a rapport with them that they felt quite comfortable with me and let their personalities show through.

THIS year was the year that I enjoyed the biggest reward any child photographer can receive....As soon as these girls saw me I was immediately greeted with warm smiles and a huge hug from I!!  F quickly started up a conversation and our time together was extremely relaxed, comfortable and fun which resulted in amazing photographs!

Looking back on this family's photographs over the past three years you can see how the building of trust and familiarity can significantly impact a photo session, especially with children.  Not to mention you can also see how dramatically my style and skill has changed/improved over the years!   One of the most wonderful things about my job is building such nice relationships with my clients.  I'm looking forward to 2017!!!