It is Labor Day weekend and Summer is winding down, but in Long Beach, September is the absolute best time of year. After this weekend, crowds will dissipate, the weather cools off a bit, and the sunsets change in color and intensity.

I shot my first sunset family session of the month Friday evening and although the beach was a bit more crowded than usual, the session was amazing. We had the most gorgeous and moderate weather, the water was warm, and the colors of the sun and sky were constantly changing in hue and color. Best of all, I got to photograph one of the sweetest families I have met. I am so lucky to work with such awesome clients

When I get asked to do a large group family session, I always get excited. These sessions are filled with energy and laughter. I also love to photograph these because I get the opportunity to document grandparents and their grandchildren together, which is always such a special bond to capture. These sessions are a great gift to give to grandparents for the upcoming holidays and it is one that not only the grandparent will cherish, but you will too.

One of my favorite clients contacted me about a last minute extended family session. Her brother in law was visiting from Hawaii and she wanted to take this opportunity to capture the whole entire family together. It was also the first time they were meeting the newest baby of the family, so it was an extra special visit.

When I spoke to this particular client via phone in early July about a proposal session, I knew that this session was going to be really special and I was both elated and honored to be a part of it. He really wanted to keep this plan a secret and had told no one, with the exception of me, about his plans. To avoid arousing her suspicion, his plan was to ask her to marry him on his birthday. I thought this was a genius idea, as no girl would ever suspect this momentous occasion to occur on her boyfriend’s birthday. It also was super romantic.

During our initial phone consult, he had a few ideas on location and I helped him to narrow it down to the site at which he planned to pop the question. There are a lot of things to consider when planning a secret proposal. You have to make sure that the location is one that will not arouse suspicion and is one that is likely for you to visit together. There are also other things to consider and I go over all of these details during the pre proposal meeting that I schedule with each and every client who books a proposal session.

When my goddaughter was born 16 years ago, it was my first experience with a newborn. At that time, I was a mere 28 years old and , quite frankly, knew nothing about babies. I remember getting the phone call that my sister was in labor. I was teaching at the time and after the last bell of the school day rang, I left the school and drove straight to the hospital to meet my parents, who were already waiting there. I can remember sitting in that waiting room for what felt like an eternity and then finally hearing the news that she was born. There are not many moments in my life that are etched as clearly and vividly as this moment, but I will never forget walking down the hospital corridor to the glass paned nursery and seeing that tiny little miracle for the first time. I didn’t know much at that age, but I knew that she was the embodiment of love and God all in one…and a true blessing.

Now, here I am 16 years later and she is a stoic and beautiful young woman. It is like I blinked my eyes and here we are. There is not much this girl can’t do. She is a stellar athlete and scholar, a master baker, crafter extrodinaire and, above all, she is kind, patient and strong beyond compare. We are all so proud of her.

I always tell my clients that getting engaged is the happiest moment one can experience in life. Of course, there are other moments, like the wedding or having your children that are joyous, but those first few moments right after you get engaged are like no other moment in life. It is because of that pure joy that I love photographing surprise proposals so much and I am always honored to be a part of the moment.

Not only does photographing this type of engagement session require the client to have faith in my ability to capture the moment, but he must also depend on my reliability during what is amongst the most intimate and joyous occasions that one can celebrate in life. Because I know how nerve wracking this process can be for a groom to be, my first priority for this type of session is to put the groom at ease and help him to feel confident in my ability to capture the moment. I do this by maintaining open communication throughout the planning process.

I recently photographed a family with six children, the youngest of which are beautiful twin girls. I was amazed at how calm and relaxed mom and dad were and how amazingly happy and connected everyone in the family was. Love really abounds in the family; in particular, amongst the siblings. It was so touching to watch the way the oldest siblings interacted with their younger siblings in such a loving and nurturing manner.

The oldest daughter contacted me about this session because she wanted to gift her mom a session with all of her children. I know I might be biased, but I can’t think of a more meaningful gift for a parent to receive. The images will last a lifetime and will be treasured by not only mom and dad, but all of their children as well.

We purchased a 1969 Playmor canned ham style camper back in 2018. When we found her, we knew we had uncovered a true gem. We spent a little over. a year renovating her and it was worth the work because we enjoyed many trips in our little beauty. You can see what she looked like when we first purchased her in this post and the renovation process here and in this last post.

While on camping trips, I am always amazed by the amount of compliments we get from fellow campers who drop by our campsite for a quick tour of the interior. In the age of modern technology, most of the RV’s you see on a campground are modern and massive. Although our camper is tiny, she still attracts a lot of attention.

It has been many, many, many years since I celebrated my 21st birthday, but I can still remember the anticipation and excitement for the huge milestone birthday. It is a moment that is pivotal for young adults and is one that should definitely be commemorated.

I can hardly believe it, but my niece is about to turn 21. It feels like yesterday that I met her for the first time at my husband’s block party. She was the sweetest and most adorable child and it as been a pleasure to watch her grow into a kind and beautiful young lady.

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.  

Even though I photograph families at the beach, I never get bored of sunset family sessions. Not only is each family unique, but the sunset each night is unique and like a fingerprint, no two are ever the same. With that being said, the sunset on Monday evening was absolutely epic. I had to pause throughout the session to take a moment to just take the beauty all in. It really was the perfect night to photograph a family on the beach.

I photographed this family a year ago for an in home newborn session and they are one of my favorite families to work with. They are not only super nice, but their children are the sweetest and most fun loving children I have met. I don’t think I have many photos in which they are not laughing and smiling.

Is it me or does Summer seem to be flying by? Due to COVID restrictions, social engagements for most of us have been limited and, yet, here we are…halfway through July. I, for one, have been embracing every second of this beautiful warm weather and much of that involves spending time down by the shore.

The beach is a great place to go right now. You can easily maintain social distance, take in the fresh air, and calm any residual COVID anxiety by relaxing by the sea. My favorite time to go to the beach is late afternoon into the evening hours. I love how serene the beach is at this time of day and I love to watch the colors of the sky, sun and ocean change as sunset approaches. These gorgeous soft colors are what make it the perfect location for photos.

Although I Have a fully equipped studio space, I love shooting outdoor sessions. Photographing families and children outdoors allows for more natural, candid and relaxed images. A first birthday is the perfect opportunity to update your family photos and capture adorable images of the birthday child.

This client contacted me for a cake smash scheduled outdoors for her son’s first birthday. She wanted a very natural session with no props, which is perfect for me because I prefer a much more natural and simplistic look to my images.

Natural and Bohemian Photography Studio

I am in the process of renovating my photography studio. I have made some minor changes to the space to give the studio a more modern, beachy and bohemian look. I have added furnishings and decor that have a lot of texture and will provide visual interest to the images I take in the space.

Accent pieces such as my new rattan arm chair and velvet sofa, both provide a comfy space for my clients to relax, but I also incorporate these furnishings into my studio lifestyle newborn sessions, which are geared towards capturing families interacting with their baby.

Another key design element is the use of textures, such as macrame pillows, the chenille bedding, and faux fur side table and blankets. Not only do these items beautifully decorate the space, but they add dimension and depth to the photos I take in the studio.

I have always taken the safety of my clients very seriously, but now due to the recent findings of COVID-19, I have heightened my safety measures. I am a mom of two, so I know how nerve wracking it is to be a new parent. I always want my clients to feel comfortable, confident and, most importantly, safe during a session with me, so I have instituted new safety guidelines for my business. To see the new safety measures I am taking, you can click here to view my post on those guidelines.

Although I am primarily a family and newborn photographer, I also photograph events occasionally. When this bride contacted me about her wedding a few months ago, I knew that the day would be a special one and I was excited and honored to be a part of it. On the day of the wedding, we started at the Garden City Gazebo to capture some family photos.

In the midst of the “stay in” during the COVID-19 pandemic, there have been many moments of anxiety and fear. To helps assuage those fears, I have opted to focus on the positives during the last few weeks. For example, I am enjoying this relaxing time at home, nurturing bonds with my children, reading voraciously, creating art and catching up on some blogging. When I choose this perspective, the situation actually seems more like a vacation than a quarantine.

Speaking of vacations, we traveled to Florida in early February for our annual trip to the Florida Keys. This year, we spent a few nights in Orlando and visited Walt Disney World. Although we visited Disney in 2017 and 2018, this trip was extra special because our youngest is currently princess obsessed and both girls are now old enough to really appreciate the trip.

We are now almost through the second week of the quarantine in response to the COVID-19 outbreak. While we all want to do our part to flatten the curve, this time can be stressful and anxiety producing. Like most of you, I have felt a wide array of feelings over the last two weeks, including fear, anxiety and anger. The first few days of this situation awakened anxiety in me that I have not felt in many years. Thankfully, a conversation with my seven year old daughter changed my entire viewpoint.

At bedtime this past weekend, I asked my oldest how she was feeling in response to the stay in. She happily exclaimed, “I love it!” That night, I reflected on how our past week was going. My daughter is prone to explosive tantrums and meltdowns and in the last two weeks, she has experienced barely any. She is happy and does nothing but laugh and sing all day. When I asked her why she was so happy, she said simply, “because I am home with mommy.” It is that simple for a child and the moment truly put things in perspective for me.

In the wake of the COVID-19 outbreak, the last two weeks have been a whirlwind of uncertainty and fear. The media has been bombarding us with terrifying stories, the local grocery store shelves are bare and social media is filled with memes, articles and posts that further perpetuate the fear and madness.

In the midst of the hysteria, I had the privilege to witness what life is all about: love. I photographed an adorable couple as they embarked on a new stage of life together at the swanky TWA hotel. This couple’s love story is much like a storybook. The groom is from the Amalfi Coast in Italy. He met his bride while she was there visiting her father’s family, who also lives in Italy. The two began courting when he visited the states. Afterwards, they engaged in a long distance relationship that involved commuting between countries to see each other until he ultimately moved to the US.

I photographed this sweet man for his newborn session last year. Although I did see him for his holiday photos a few months ago, I was still so happy to see how much he has grown in the past year. I love that I am able to watch my clients’ families grow each year and I truly am always honored by the fact that they choose me to document their milestones.

Mom wanted a simple and uncluttered set for her son’s first birthday portraits, which is perfect for me because I always take a minimalist approach to my sets. Once she sent me his outfit, I knew exactly what type of set I would build for his birthday pictures.

I held several newborn sessions in my Long Beach studio over the last two months. I absolutely love working with each and every family. This recent session is no exception. I know I say it all the time, but I really do have the nicest clients. It is always a pleasure to chat with the family while I photograph their new bundle of joy and I truly love learning new things about each family I meet.

I got to know my recent client during our pre session consultation and I knew she and her family would be fun to work with. During the consult, mom told me that Dad is a police officer for NYPD and she wanted to incorporate a nod to his profession in the photo shoot. I was thrilled to accommodate this request, not only because I love to customize my studio sessions, but because I have tremendous respect for police officers. Even though mom was going to bring along Dad’s badge and hat, I decided to purchase a hand knit outfit for baby to wear for one or two photos. I always love incorporating the look of textures such as knits into photos.