September is only a week away and that means it is time for my annual holiday mini sessions. I recently announced this year's family campfire sessions and now it is time for me to reveal this year's beach holiday session. I am thrilled to finally be able to share the details of this year's holiday theme and I think you are all going to love it as much as I do.  

Last year, we built a sand snowman together on the beach and this year, I invite your child to set sail with me into the holiday season with my nautical themed holiday session. Your child will board my handmade driftwood sailboat, which will be decorated with subtle holiday decorations and a strand of globe lights.  The boat will be placed along the shoreline to give the appearance that it is about to set sail.  Your child will even be able to hoist the sail of the boat!  

I am excited to announce the first of my series of holiday sessions for the 2018 season.  Not only am I offering a beach holiday session, but for the first time ever, I am offering a  family mini session. Although this session works for just children, I always encourage my clients to get into the frame with their children and this session is the perfect opportunity to get some fun family images.  

The campfire holiday session is not only unique, but it will be an interactive and fun experience for everyone. As a family photographer, my goal is to always provide you with an experience that allows you to connect and have fun with your children.  I chose this particular theme because a camping expedition provides the perfect opportunity for parents to have uninterrupted and quality bonding time with their children.  

Although the weather in August has been very tricky this year and I have had to reschedule most of my shoots due to rainstorms, I still believe that August is the ideal month to schedule a family session on the beach. The sun sets right over the shore line during this month and creates a magical sunset that is the perfect backdrop for your family photos.  

I have been photographing more family newborn sessions in my studio lately.  I love that so many families are opting for the family session because I believe it is so important to get in the frame with your newborn. I know sometimes as moms we don't feel our best right after delivery and would rather not be in photos, but you will want photos that document those precious first moments with your baby because they are gone in the blink of an eye. Besides, new moms are always gorgeous and always seem to be glowing.  

I met and photographed so many great families on the beach this Summer. What I love the most about sunset photo sessions on the each is the fact that every single session is unique. The sunsets are different each night and depending on the weather and the time of year, the colors fo the sky will take on different hues. The shoreline is constantly changing.  Some days it is replete with shells, other days seaweed, and even starfish. Living on the beach has given me such a new appreciation for nature and being a photographer has made me more conscious of weather patterns.

My client recently contacted me because she wanted to capture photos with her three sisters as a gift to her parents for their anniversary. I can't think of a more thoughtful and lasting gift to give a family member.  I was thrilled to be able to photograph my client again and to capture these images for her parents.

I love photographing extended families. The sessions are always filled with lots of love, energy and laughter.  This family was a blast to photograph and to say that beauty runs in the family, is an understatement.  

With the exception of the Winter months, I always encourage my clients to schedule their child's first birthday session outdoors. There is nothing more beautiful than using nature as a backdrop and photographing outdoors allows me to capture your child exploring the world in a natural way.

To capture that soft and gorgeous golden light, I only schedule beach photos at sunset. I have recently been photographing families who have young children at sunrise. Because sunset is so late in the summer, this time of day seems to work better for toddlers. I will be the first to admit that getting up early enough to catch a sunrise at around 6 am is very difficult; however, the light at this time of day is absolutely breathtaking and I can't think of a better way to start your day than watching your child frolic and play in the sand while the sun is rising.   

Since launching the studio segment of my business last year, I have had the honor to work with many families and their newborn .  I always feel so privileged to be able to document those first moments for them. What many of my clients have told me about the studio is that they love that they were able to capture connected lifestyle inspired images with their baby as well as polished portraits.  I am thrilled that I can offer my clients such diversity in their galleries.

I have been busy photographing families this Summer on the beach and I love every second of it. There is no better way to spend the evening than on the beach watching the sunset and capturing the love and laughter of families.

I recently photographed these two cuties for a beach sunset session. These siblings were all smiles and did nothing but laugh, play and hug each other. It was really so sweet to watch and their laughter was contagious.  

Pregnancy is such a special time in a woman's life and although it is draining, it is also a time when women look absolutely breathtaking. At the time, those few months may feel like they last forever, but long after your baby is born, you will realize that all went by in the blink of an eye.  

To encourage my newborn clients to capture their pregnancy, I offer them the option to add on a maternity mini session.  It is important to capture this time and my goal wit these sessions is to show mom just how gorgeous she is.  I want moms to look back at their maternity photos and realize how beautiful they looked and how special that time truly was.

Ever since we started dating, my husband, Tim, has told me about his love for camping.  As a child, he and his family spent many weekends camping with their pop up camper. He recounts these stories with so much love and appreciation for his childhood and the gift that his parents gave him extends well beyond those years.

t is no secret that I love to capture moms with their babies, which is why each year I offer my Motherhood session in the Spring. I focus this session on capturing images of mom interacting with their children in a natural and relaxed way. 

This recent session was a thoughtful gift from my client's husband for Mother's Day.  I can't think of a more meaningful and lasting gift to give a mother. The night of the session was the most perfect night.  The weather was warm and the soft golden light from the sunset was spectacular. 

When I was pregnant with both of my girls, I had to find out the gender before they arrived. I am a planner by nature and the thought of waiting nine months to discover the gender of my baby always seemed daunting to me. In retrospect, I wish I had the patience to wait it out. Although I will not be having any more babies, I am able to share in the excitement of my clients, most of whom are patient and discover the sex of their baby at birth. 

My season of Spring family photography sessions is in full swing and I am loving every second of it. It is so refreshing to be outdoors again and most of the families I have photographs so far have been so fun loving and energetic. 

The beautiful sisters in this session gifted their mother a surprise  extended family session . I was thrilled and honored that they chose me to document this special moment for them.  I photographing larger families because there is always a fun energy and unique dynamic to these sessions and, of course, I absolutely adore capturing grandparents interacting with their grandchildren.

Like many Long Island family photographers, I schedule my sessions around the light.  The best time of day to schedule a session forfamily photography or children's photography is an hour before sunset, which in the photography world is known as Golden Hour. In the Summer, this means that a photography session would start at around 7:00 or even 7:30, depending upon the month during which we shoot. Shooting during golden hour is especially important for beach photo sessions for families and children .  

The weather last week was dreary and it felt like the rain would never end. Finally, the clouds melted away and we were left with an amazing Spring day. It was the perfect night for my first family session of the season.  We had to reschedule this session because of the weather and, at first, I wasn't sure that the weather would hold up. Thankfully, the weather improved and I had a great time photographing this beautiful family.  

I recently had the privilege of being a part of a top secret surprise proposal. The groom and his family put together the ultimate surprise proposal plan that took place right here on the Boardwalk in Long Beach.  When the groom's sister contacted me to see if I could photograph the engagement, I was thrilled to be a part of it and I knew that it was going to be fun filled and momentous.  

It is always wonderful to see my maternity clients return for their newborn sessions.  What makes it even better is when those clients are local Long Beach residents. I know how busy new moms are and I am pleased to be able to offer the convenience of studio newborn sessions for them.  The session lasts 2-3 hours during which time I pose baby comfortably and gently into natural poses. 

I have been busy in March and April photographing expanding families and their newborns. It has been great getting to know each family and I am always honored to capture these moments for them.  I am so very happy that most of my clients are opting for family newborn sessions. I feel it is so important that in addition to portraits of your baby, you capture those sweet moments that encapsulate the first few days home with him.  

When potential clients contact me about newborn sessions, I always recommend scheduling a family newborn session. This type of session allows the client to get a blend of posed portraiture, as well as some lifestyle images of the family interacting with the baby.  Many clients want to schedule in home family newborn sessions, but fear their home is too dark or does not have the "look" they want for their baby's first photos. Other clients have told me that they prefer the "polished" look and brighter aesthetic that a studio session provides.