Beautiful Moms with their New Baby. Nina Drapacz Photography

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!

Newborn Baby At Home. Nina Drapacz Photography

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.

Newborn Baby with her Sister. Nina Drapacz Photography

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!

A Mitzvah Dance Party. Nina Drapacz Photography

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!

Senior Portraits for the Yearbook by Nina Drapacz Photography

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.

Newborn Session at home by Nina Drapacz Photography

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!

Mom, Baby and Baby Nurse by Nina Drapacz Photography

When I arrived at this newborn’s apartment, I was greeted by her mom. The baby nurse was busy getting her ready. The baby nurse was full of creative ideas for this newborn girl and with her patience and swaddling talent we were set!. I could’nt have pulled off the shelf idea without her!

Three Girls under 5! Nina Drapacz Photography

Mom and dad contacted me together on speaker phone to photograph their newest daugher, only 8 days old. They had recently moved to their new home and were concerned there was not enough furniture or that it may look too empty. I reassured them that minimal is always best! When I walked in I found a beautiful apartment with amazing light warmly decorated with many options. The two beautiful older sisters, I was warned, both wanted to hold the baby as much as possible. What a gift for the photographer for those hard to get sibling moments! All three girls were such a pleasure to photograph. We all had fun!

A Studio Session On Location. Nina Drapacz Photography

She’s 8 months old and just started sitting on her own. I brought a simple piece of black vevet, the rest was a matter of capturing her personality. I love photographing babies in their natural surroundings at home but i felt like the simple black background provided the viewer with less distraction and more focus on the facial expressions.

A Newborn Session at Home and Outside. Nina Drapacz Photography

A week after birth I was contacted by this lovely family who had newborn photos done at the hosptial with their first child. Due to Covid they were unable to do the same two years later with their second son. I brought a basket and some of the same letter blocks that were used at the hospital and recreated similar images for this family as they requested. They lived across from the park and the light was fading but we trudged the gang out. It was mom’s first time out since she came home from the hospital!

Headshot for ASRT Scanner Magazine by Nina Drapacz

This is the second cover I have done for ASRT’s magazine, Scanner. The session was done on a day where the wind was 40 mph and the temperature was 38 degrees. The doctor had limited time to do the session, this was the only day. I suggested we meet at the Metropolitan Museum. I chose four locations around the front of the museum. Her smile lit her face and her confidence beamed. There was no evidence of the inclement weather. She was a pleasure to photograph!

Indoor Newborn Session During Covid. Nina Drapacz Photography

I was contacted by a new mom who had just delivered a week before to schedule my first indoor session during this time. I came wearing two masks. The parents couldn’t have be more chill or easier to work with! Their space had wonderful light and good locations to put newborns. The bonus was a sweet beautiful baby who slept the entire session!

Central Park in the Fall of 2020. Nina Drapacz Photography

I had the pleasure of photographing this family when the little girl was a newborn. As I walked to meet the family, I was walking next to the children and their nanny for many blocks before realizing these were the children for the session! One had a mask and the other was just a few weeks old the last time I saw her. After struggling up a hill with my equipment and them with a double stroller, we found this bench… empty! Perfect!

The rest is history in the making of these images…. they were wonderful!

Charlie is Two Months Old! Nina Drapacz Photography

My granddaughter Charlie. I try to take my camera everytime I see her. My son tells me to just relax and not to feel the need to photograph her everytime. There is such a joy in capturing her evolving personality and to know she is my grandchild!

Newborn Brother to These Two Boys. Nina Drapacz Photography

This family has had newborn sessions at Mount Sinai Hospital for their first two sons but Covid made this impossible with the third. It’s a family who had always lived in New York City until Covid made it impossible to function with their growing family. Both parents have high power jobs and were forced to work remotely with two young boys at home. Childcare was closed so their only work option was to take turns working and caring for the kids. This schedule began to take its toll and they decided they needed to move out. Comfortable in Dobbs Ferry now, the new addition arrived. Everyone is satisfied with their decision.

This outdoor socially distant session with the masked photographer was relaxed and fun. Fighting over who was going to hold the baby was the big deal.

Socially Distant Newborn Session in Central Park. Nina Drapacz Photography

Two years ago I photographed this newborn’s older brother in his home. The parents had given birth mid pandemic so the same indoor session was not safe with their second son. They met me with their toddler and two week old baby at the entrance to the park. The entire session was in the cool shade. We able to get his older brother to hold his little hand… apparently a first!

Family Photography on Location by Nina Drapacz Photography

There’s nothing more rewarding than a family who is relaxed and excited about creative images. The baby had only taken half his normal nap so I needed to work quickly before his short window was up. Thanks to his big brother’s patience and his easy going parents we ended up with some memorable unique images!

A Girl and Her Horse in Bridgehampton by Nina Drapacz Photography

I traveled to the Hamptons to photograph this gorgeous girl whom I have photographed since she was 2 years old. The goal of the session was headshots at the stable and then some images with the horses. It was scheduled the last day before she got braces so no time to redo… We started with the her with the horse, a mistake. The horse stepped on her toe as she led him out to the area we decided would be the best backdrop. The shoot was over after these images and just a handful more! It was too painful to continue and the toe expanded and throbbed for days!

A Family in Central Park by Nina Drapacz Photography

I have photographed this family since the children were infants! To see how they change from year to year is a treat! The siblings are a close knit team, they actually don’t mind sitting close and even hugging each other! The funniest part was at the end when the parents were sneaking in a kiss and youngest stood there wondering why I shifted focus on them and not her!

Fall Fun in Central Park by Nina Drapacz Photography

Yearly tradition for dad- after swinging each daughter one by one, he holds all three at once. Admits this may possibly be the last year since they are getting too big !