Mom called me from Buffalo, NY to set up a joint senior portraits session for these best friends. I was highly recommended by a familky here in NYC whom I have been photographing for a decade.
The drive was 6 hours and it was sunny and HOT! We covered at least 6 locations in Central Park and 5 outfit changes thanks to the two moms toting around a wagon with the outfits, water and a pop up tent for changing!
Here are two parties a year apart for these identical twins. Each year the venue never ceases to amaze me!
This mom wanted a mix of a simple dramatic inside session and some in nature. That red dress! We had a blast! The first time this park was empty. Canadian fire week… we worked quickly outside!
The location, the lighting and the family were perfect! There were well over 1250 images! After editing down and retouching over 500 images, I chose my favorites to show off.
This family asked to have the studio brought to their home and if we can take family photos first before the “mess”. Mom baked this small perfect cake herself…The session was perfect!
The photographer in Aruba called them after they returned home to let them know her memory card was corrupt and she lost all the images from their maternity session on the beach. We needed a beach asap and it was 45 degrees! She said she wanted to do it in the cold and even wear a bikini at the end!
I was dressed in my warmest sweater, a long down coat and a hat. Hubby was bundled as well. We went to work right away! Lots of wind and three outfits changes later… these images! We had the beach to ourselves and no one looked cold!
I had an elopement inquiry for Christmas Day. A Jewish elopement. Christmas Day 2022 was the coldest in history and it was important to them this take place on the street, where a year ago, these two had first kissed. It is a beautiful street during the winter. A tree lined street illuminated with hundreds of lights, creating what felt like a chupa for this couple. The rabbi came with her boyfriend, who would be one of the two witnesses to sign the katuba. I was the other… I brought a friend to record the ceremony on my iphone. The groom used an orange cone to block the street. While there were alot less cars on that street, detered by the cone, a few ubers and cabs made it through during the ceremony. Not to mention deivery men on bikes. Much of the ceremony took place on a manhole cover, including the breaking of the glass!
I love to travel to the Hamptons for family sessions when the crowds are gone and its still warm but not hot. This day started out rainy and dark. When I arrived it had just stopped raining and there were overcast skies. They were concerned the images would look gloomy. I guarenteed everyone they would be bright and cheerful, which they were! The wind really kicked upon on the beach and as soon as I finished the rain returned in a torrential way! This was the ONLY hour that day it did not pour! We were lucky! The goal at the end was to capture an image of their youngest dog jumping in the water while the kids posed…
I had the pleasure of meeting and photographing the famous designer, Elie Tahari, with his family in the Hamptons. They were relaxed and alot of fun to work with! There were some family visitors who we incorporated in our session on this wonderful property which provided for the best backdrops!
These gorgeous moms were ready to go when I arrived. The baby had just finished her bottle and wide awake but very calm and curious. She was an ideal newborn, both when she was awake and when she was sleeping.. I was able to do a large variety of photos of her and her parents. Not a peep in two hours and she was adorable! Each mom had something from their childhood, they hoped to include in the session. A baby blanket from one parent and stuffed animals from the other,. As if it could get better, she smiled in her chair at the finale!
Dad told me the space was small. I came prepared with a large textured blanket and climbed onto the small space on the bed. She was gorgeous and sweetly sleeping the whole time. Later we went up to the roof and found a patch of shade in frony of a brick wall.
She wasn’t actually a newborn, but one month old. Mom said she sleeps during the day and is up at night so we planned on getting the newborn look. That day she did not sleep much but the session was wonderful! It was actaully great timing with her older 2 year old sister as she was not as overwhelmed with the new baby as she was when the baby first came home. I love these sweet captures!
There were 100 people, teenagers and adults, and they danced for 4 hours straight! It was exhausting just to watch and wow, could they dance! The music was stellar so no one wanted to stop!
A true and unusual love story. They had met in boarding school, she was his student. He was married with children and she would babysit for his children occasionally. They remained friends for many years then had lost touch. She lived here in NYC and he was in Boston. She had heard his wife had passed away and had reached out to him. A year they were married.
They flew me to Boston to capture their wedding, her first. The years that separated them in age meant nothing as they had always loved each other.
This session took place on the top floor of a west village apartment. A few flights of stairs within the apartment lead to this amazing rooftop space, which mom admitted, they rarely use. It was perfect for the photo session with sweeping views of the west village. The time was 5 pm, perfect low soft light. Mom warned me in advance that her daughter, a teenager, didn’t smile easliy…I told her not to worry. The session was for headshots of each of them. Shortly after we started, mom out of sight, she smiled, lauighed and helped me come up with brilliant ideas!
I had met this family right before Covid at the hospital after their second daughter was born. I was there to photograph the new baby and the sisters meeting for the first time. A year later, mom had reached out during the pandemic to see if I would photograph her first birthday cake smash in Central Park. Six months after her first birthday they asked me to document her baby naming, which had been postponed due to Covid. They had a small outdoor area outside their window. Immediate family and the rabbi. The paternal grandparetns could not travel so they were streamed in by zoom. The ceremoney was sweet and meaningful. I am so happy to have captured this important milestone for them.
I have been photographing this family since the children were toddlers. Mom told me she was having a pre prom party for her son and his classmates at her apartment for the seniors followed by a small private prom organized by the parents. Their regular prom was cancelled due to Covid, I was excited to see all three of them again as young adults and be part of a fun celebration. The family had relocated to this space during Covid. The neighborhood was eclectic and the wrap around balcony with veiws of Tribeca was the perfect place to capture such a colorful evening!
Mom reached out to me in December inquiring about senior yearbook photography. She said her daughter will need them in January. Her best friend, who attends the same school, needed a session as well so we combined both sessions together . This made it fun for them and they were able to encourage each other and share ideas as well as coats!
Senior yearbook photographs must show the best possible versions of who they are as they enter a new chapter of their lives. Scouting out the perfect backdrops and working closely on the best and most genuine expressions are key. These published images will live on for friends and family to visit for decades.
The family’s second baby. Mom wanted beautiful sleeping baby portraits like she had for her first son, which were done a day after birth at the hospital. Since Covid, hospitals were not allowing photographers so this session was done a week later at home. The baby was about 4 days old, his cord was still intact. He would not sleep. Mom had a list of images she wanted and they all invloved a sleeping baby…
After 2 hours, dad was able to get him to sleep and finally, we got those images. I like both the awake ones and the sleeping ones!
Each year we pick a new location. This was the most unique for me as the girls literally stood on a raft mid session. I was afraid they would definitely fall over. Each year the family tradition is dad carrying all three on his shoulders and images of the girls laying down, just faces . I have a session tomorrow with them and wonder if dad can support all three yet again on his shoulders this year!
