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 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.  

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.  

Oh, how I wish more women would schedule maternity photo sessions for themselves during their pregnancy. There is nothing that can surpass the beauty of an expecting mother; as cliche as it might sound, the natural glow of a pregnant women is simply unsurpassed. Sadly, so many women do not see themselves as beautiful during this momentous time in life. Many women tell me that they just don't feel their best during their pregnancy and, consequently, shy away from the camera during those nine months. I completely understand and I too felt this way about myself during both of my pregnancies. Although I did not shy away from the camera and took my monthly photos of my bump, I never scheduled a photo session with a photographer and I still regret it to this day.

t may be the dead of winter, but I am dreaming of Spring, which is also the time of year when I offer my mother and child sessions.  These are my favorite sessions to offer because I personally know how hard it is to get out from behind our cameras and get IN those photos with our children.  It is so important that you take the time to get in the frame with your children;  it is something you will never regret doing and years from now, you and your children will be thankful to have these photos.  My approach to the session is geared toward capturing mom with her children in a natural and organic way; so, moms don't worry about whether or not your child will be cooperative. I am going to capture you being a mom and doing what you do best, nurturing and loving your child, no matter what his/her mood is.  So, expect to cuddle and hug those kids..a lot!  No matter how many times I photograph moms and their children, I am always moved by their love and bond. 

Now that the busy Fall season has come and gone, I can finally catch up on my blogging.  I photographed so many beautiful children and families this season and had so much fun getting to know the families and photographing them. I also wanted to finally share a few photos from a few recent Fall family sessions and provide some insight into family photography for those who are considering booking Spring or Summer family lifestyle portraits.  

This recent Fall family session was so special to photograph for a multitude of reasons.  One reason is because Alison is a former colleague of mine from my teaching days.  It is always a thrill and an honor to be able to spend time with my beloved colleagues, many of whom I worked with for over a decade, and document their family memories for them.  Secondly, this was Alison's first family portrait session with her beautiful two month old daughter. 

I recently photographed a gorgeous couple celebrating their fiftieth wedding anniversary.  From the moment I started the session, it was so abundantly evident to me that they were still very much in love and it completely moved me; like I said, I am a sap.  I hope when I am married for fifty years, my husband and I radiate that same love and affection for one another and I also hope that I look as amazing as they do. 

I absolutely love photographing families in the pretty Autumn foliage. I love to capture connected and cozy images of families and I love the rustic backdrop that the season provides.  So, if you have been waiting to update your family photos , now is the perfect time to do so.  

What could be better than photographing twins on their second birthday?  Well, photographing those twins with their mom and dad for a  family sunset session!   This family session has everything that we photographers dream of: a gorgeous mamma, a stunning pink sunset, a loving husband, and two beautiful and cuddly twin siblings.  

I have been busy lately photographing lots of beautiful families on the beach.  There is nothing I love more than photographing families, but it is even better when we get to take those family photos on the beach at sunset.  As we get into the month of August, the sun begins to set closer to the ocean here in Long Beach, New York.   This means it is also the perfect time of year to book a photo session; there is no better backdrop for your pictures than the beach with a spectacular Long Beach sunset.   

Like most New Yorkers, I eagerly await the arrival of Summer all year long.  It is my favorite time of year and because the season is so fleeting, I try my best to enjoy every second of those eight precious weeks of warm weather and care free fun.  Like most of you, I am busy building memories with my little ones and as a family photographer, I try my best to document as many of these memories as possible to authentically document the story of our summer vacation together.    

There is nothing quite like spending time with an old friend, especially when you get to share that time with your children.  My friend Laura recently visited from North Carolina.  Laura and I were college friends and lived a town away from each other post college.  Laura moved to North Carolina about 15 years ago and this was only the third time we have seen each other in those years. Laura is one of those friends that no matter how much time passes, it feels like it was just yesterday that we were together.  I always laugh when I am with her.    

My grandparents were an integral part of my childhood and I know that there is nothing quite like the bond between grandparents and their grandchildren. My approach to these sessions is to capture your children interacting with and loving on their grandparents.  
It is so important that you document that bond for your children; they will thank you for the photos when they are older. 

The warm weather is finally here and Summer is right around the corner.  For most of us, Summer is a fun and relaxing time of years during which time we can spend some quality time with our children and build some lasting memories.

Melissa contacted me in the winter about a first birthday session for her daughter and I was thrilled when she decided to do a family session instead.  Although I love photographing one year olds on their special day, there is nothing quite like a family session.  I love getting to know my families and having fun with them on the day of their session to capture the unique dynamic of their family.  

Even though we spend a lot of time with our extended families, how often do you really take the time to photograph yourselves together?  For most families, the last photo that documents them together as a family is from a wedding years ago and most likely does not include the youngest generation.  When I was contacted to photograph this family of over 20 people, I was excited about the endeavor.  After all, it is no secret that I love photographing families, so what could be more exciting than photographing a family with over 20 members?   I had a lot of laughs with this family and I absolutely love the images from the session.  Here are a few of my favorite.