When did 10 become the new 15? I came to photograph this small gathering of cousins celebrating a tenth birthday. The goal was fashion images of each girl. We started inside but we ended up outdoors - mid February and the birthday girl had on shorts! We were all surprised by the unusual weather that afternoon but no one was disappointed. Plenty of great backdrops.
One of the last warm days of winter. (yes, no jackets or sweaters and this was December!) Three beautiful children traveled in from Westchester for the yearly photo session. The red pants were a perfect choice with the greenery of Central Park. I love the "pop" of color!
What to do when a child shows up to a photo shoot in costume? The costume, the identity of the day, is very important to the child and they may be very hesitant to remove it....
Batman, aka Henry, came with his parents to my studio last week. As an experienced mother I immediately started calling him Batman which was exactly what he wanted to hear, step one. I ask if he could perhaps demonstrate some flying techniques, something he was thrilled to perform. After a few clicks of the camera and lights, I gently asked him to show me who was under the mask, he pulled it up and with coaxing eventually shed it completely with the cape!
Mom didn't pressure him at all and had brought a white button down shirt for the shoot. Henry liked what he came in but mom asked him if he would like to look like dad in the white shirt, bingo! He agreed and let her change the shirt. It was a fantastic session! Light, lively and captured him perfectly!
As an experienced children's photographer and mother, I had realized that the costume was important and it was who Henry wanted to be for the day. Indulge the need, pay attention and the rest will fall into place! Hours after he left the studio with mom and dad, I noticed the mask was left on my desk, completely forgotten! His mom is coming by in a day or two to pick it up...
It started as a rainy day and continued to rain and got harder by the hour as I drove out. The family had this one window of time to do the holiday shoot, having postponed due to weather several times. Not know what to expect or where to photograph in the rain since their house was under construction, I was panicked! Just as I pulled into the driveway, the rain stopped. The parents dropped the kids off and said they would be back in an hour.
Not know when the rain would return, we started taking photos immediately and even made it to the beach a ways away. Just as we felt a drop of water we started running towards the house. The rain had begun AND the photo was complete! Yay! I was excited to capture these images and thankful for the even light. My first November taking images in the Hamptons. It was quiet and so pleasant!
Parks aren't always the best when it comes to holiday portraits, apartments are way to go when its freezing outside! Of the five plus years I have photographed this family, the two apartment sessions were the best! No trees to climb, no expansive places to run and best of all, controlled lighting!
Dogs are a must for family photos! Sometimes they are more work, but mostly they are the easiest subjects....this is a case of a dog walking a boy!
When I arrived, this gorgeous girl was watching her father and brother playing basketball. She was dressed to go and they ran into the house to change. I met this the family when the kids went to Bridgehampton Tennis and Surf Club Camp a few years back and they all keep getting more beautiful each year.
Unseasonably warm, why not? Its never the wrong time to have beach portraits! This day was extremely cloudy, a photographer's dream! No shadows and the ability to shoot from any direction without squints!
There was a small mouse running around behind me until a seagull swept down and captured it! I don't know who screamed the loudest, the mom, the kids or me!
I began photographing these two when they were just 2 years old and now they are applying to schools for kindergarten! They had a great time so I kept going to almost 6:45 when the sun was setting! Lolly pops of course, were my specail treats for them and function well as an "incentive".
I needed to add these images as I was burning memory sticks for the family. It was such an awesome shoot combining the gorgeous backdrops with the art and the family.
The sun was still this bright at 6:30, and incredibly golden orange. The girls, who have been among my favorite subjects for years, were really excited to be photographed! The combination made this early evening session magical!
This past Saturday was not warm enough to swim, especially in a huge lake! When we went to the dock to take pictures, the dad put the boys on a swing above the lake. Needless to say the boys stayed dry holding on tight and I was able to make amazing images with "natural" smiles! A win win situation.
This past Saturday was not warm enough to swim, especially in a huge lake! When we went to the dock to take pictures, the dad put the boys on a swing above the lake. Needless to say the boys stayed dry holding on tight and I was able to make amazing images with "natural" smiles! A win win situation.
These beautiful little sisters had the best clothes! We had plans for at least 7 outfit changes but the girls allowed just 4 or 5. We had to choose wisely...I could have kept taking photographs all day, there was so much beauty and many special moments. Identical twins have a symbiotic bond like no other twins. My goal was to capture it! I especially love the image where one discovered her sister hidden in the bushes and it looked as if she was looking in the mirror at herself.
I love photographing this family! Every year its a treat and this year was just magical! Too windy for the beach but the house was the perfect backdrop, filled with natural golden sunlight.
There is no better combination than the Hampton's and New York City as a family and event photographer! The Hampton's provide a serene respite from the hot city. Beautiful families and parties on the beaches are a joy to photograph!
I photographed this beautiful sister and brother over 12 years ago! The dad had saved my contact information from when I was still shooting film! There was a beautiful new baby to photograph, some graduation portraits and family portraits. A simple commute to Brooklyn to this lovely townhouse, replete with an incredible outdoor space! Why go to the park?
The traffic was ridiculous and I arrived late. The mom was anxiously texting me to hurry as all three were losing patience. The lighting was soft and beautiful but all were upset and not into the shoot. Slowly but surely as we scouted for locations in Central Park, we came across an amazing tree, then rocks that lined up and more. So with the perfect backdrop and lighting, I needed to work on the adolescents. I resorted to politics and sure enough, it worked!
The traffic was ridiculous and I arrived late. The mom was anxiously texting me to hurry as all three were losing patience. The lighting was soft and beautiful but all were upset and not into the shoot. Slowly but surely as we scouted for locations in Central Park, we came across an amazing tree, then rocks that lined up and more. So with the perfect backdrop and lighting, I needed to work on the adolescents. I resorted to politics and sure enough, it worked!
Her mom reached out for a photography session expressing she waited until now because she was born premature. She arrived with mom a few days ago on a beautiful early evening in her comfortable snuggly. She hadn't been outdoors for more than a few hours at a time so this was new for her. She was the sweetest baby, her mom gave me the honor of holding her, I rocked her to sleep in my arms! When she woke up she was ready to continue! Those cheeks!
