NYC High Line: Jackie & Danny's Engagement: NYC Engagement Photography

I had such a great time with Jackie and Danny photographing their engagement session in Chelsea, The West Village and on The High Line in NYC! Looking forward to their wedding at St. Ignatius Loyola & The Metropolitan Club later this summer.

Monmouth County: Family Portrait: New Jersey Fine Art Photography

Family portraits make a great Father's Day gift! I loved working with Cara, Brandon, and their beautiful baby boy.

I met Cara & Brandon last spring at her sister's wedding at the Manasquan River Golf Club.  When we discussed where Cara might want her family portraits taken, we decided that their historical 1920s home would be the perfect location. With very young children,  I recommend having your session at your home. Staying home means that you are protected from the elements but still have the option of going both inside and out.

Cara and Brandon have done an amazing job decorating their craftsmen home - traditional with a modern twist. I loved their bright yellow front door. Cara did a great job coordinating their outfits to fit their style.  Photographing at someone's home is an honor that allows you to capture even more of a family's taste and personality.

Summer is coming! Take the time to capture life's precious moments - sign up for your family portrait session today!

Dressing for Success: Portrait Attire: NJ Portrait Photography

When it comes to attire, many clients aren’t sure what to wear.  What you wear is key for a successful session! The clothing you choose should complement who you are as a family and speak to the environment in which the session is taking place.  Additionally, you’ll want to coordinate with your home where the final images will be displayed, so your style should be as unique as your family!  With this in mind, we have a few tips for putting together the perfect style for a creative yet comfortable session.

• Adults:

Remember to coordinate well with the rest of the group in addition to these four tips…

1. Select solid colors (they tend to photograph best).
2. Choose clothes that flatter your body type.
3. Men will want to get a haircut a week or so before the session and arrive to the shoot clean-shaven.
4. Women should style their hair the day of and wear natural makeup that is slightly heavier than usual.

Sleeveless shirts and short shorts tend to be unflattering.  Large logos and bold patterns can be overwhelming and should be worn with caution. Furthermore, you’ll want to avoid dressy clothing unless the session is specifically for a formal event.

• Babies and Kids:

Newborns are sweet sleepy bundles, so keep things simple with these four tips…

1. Solid onsies, simple cloth diapers or plain swaddling blankets are perfect.
2. Accessories such as a knitted cap can be adorable for a few shots.
3. Sentimental objects like an heirloom silver rattle can add a special touch.
4. Additional blankets help add variety.

Adult clothing with collars and buttons should be avoided with young babies.  Socks, shoes, and large bows are unnecessary.  However, toddlers and children can be bolder with color and style…

1. Choose light layers to show off their fun style.
2. Comfortable, casual, but fitted clothing is best in order to capture natural expressions and personalities.

Kids are best when they’re allowed to be kids.  Avoid makeup and hairspray as well was overly baggy clothing.  We want this to be a great experience for everyone, so come prepared to have a bit of fun to not only capture real smiles, but also create positive memories.

• The Whole Family:

You will want to coordinate and plan your complete outfits a few days prior to the session.  Follow these tips and you can’t go wrong…

1. Make sure all clothing and clean and pressed a few days before the scheduled shoot.
2. When coordinating outfits, don’t forget about the importance of accessories!
3. Layers are a portrait session’s best friend, so choose a color palette of 3 or 4 colors and mix it up.  You want a consistent theme, but avoid anything to “matchy.”
4. Depending on the location of the shoot, keep in mind that light clothes look best on a lighter background while dark clothes look best on darker backgrounds.
5. Don’t forget about shoes! They should be stylish and clean!

If you need ideas for colors or coordinating the whole group without matching, just look through magazines and adds.  Our favorite stores include GAP, J. Crew Crewcuts, Janie n Jack, and Brooks Brothers!

Follow these tips and your session is destined for success!  And if you need more help, never be afraid to go directly to the photographer with questions!

Fall Engagement: Stephanie & Tim: New Jersey Fine Art Photography

We are so excited to be working with Tim and Stephanie! They have scheduled their wedding for the summer of 2016 at The Ashford Estate, but, in the meantime, they decided they wanted some stunning autumn engagement photos.

Fall is a great time to take portraits, whether as an engaged couple, family, maternity, or wedding.  With the colorful foliage and the weather starting to cool down to allow for some playful layering of clothes, autumn days offer the best variety for portraits.  Overcast days allow for beautiful, even lighting. But on the other hand, sunny crisp days bring a bright blue sky as a breathtaking contrast against the warm bright leaves.  We were so happy when Stephanie and Tim decided to do a fall engagement session!

Senior Portraits: Isabel: New Jersey Fine Art Photography

Isabel remembered the Red Bank estate from her childhood.  The amazingly talented singer/songwriter/actress triple-threat knew that when it came time for her senior portraits, they had to be shot there.  We were so honored and excited when she invited us to capture the fantastic space with her.

When the time came, Isabel and her mom made the long trek from western Pennsylvania to central New Jersey, an assortment of beautiful outfits in their trunk.  Both mother and daughter were very excited to get started.  Isabel not only needed a photo for her yearbook, but a headshot for her professional aspirations and portraits for her family.

Isabel’s charm and beauty were mimicked by the scenery, highlighting her free-spirit and genuine personality.  The grandeur of the estate mixed with Isabel’s classic grace made for some breathtaking portraits.

Jersey Shore Home & Garden: Love and Family: New Jersey Fine Art Photography

I had the privilege of spending the better part of a week documenting Sarah with her beautiful her 18 month-old daughter, Schuyler, home, and garden this summer.  Sarah and Schuyler are now off to start a big new adventure in Florida, so she asked me to document her labor of love - her circa 1920s farmhouse that she painstakingly gutted and renovated to look like it had never been renovated, just beautifully kept.

Photographing her home and garden was a photographer’s dream. Everywhere I looked were stunning collections of heirloom antiques and modern finds poised into a still life. You can tell Sarah has an artist’s eye. The garden and farewell party décor were a collaboration with Karen and Bob of Stirling Hands LLC. The gardens, with their elaborate stonework and winding paths through the forest, were just magical for the visiting children, even including a white wrought iron fairy house that had belonged to Sarah’s mother. It was a pleasure and an honor to spend that time with Sarah and her family.

Jersey Shore Home & Garden: A Labor of Love: New Jersey Fine Art Photography

I had the privilege of spending the better part of a week documenting Sarah with her beautiful her 18 month-old daughter, Schuyler, home, and garden this summer.  Sarah and Schuyler are now off to start a big new adventure in Florida, so she asked me to document her labor of love - her circa 1920s farmhouse that she painstakingly gutted and renovated to look like it had never been renovated, just beautifully kept.

Photographing her home and garden was a photographer’s dream. Everywhere I looked were stunning collections of heirloom antiques and modern finds poised into a still life. You can tell Sarah has an artist’s eye. The garden and farewell party décor were a collaboration with Karen and Bob of Stirling Hands LLC. The gardens, with their elaborate stonework and winding paths through the forest, were just magical for the visiting children, even including a white wrought iron fairy house that had belonged to Sarah’s mother. It was a pleasure and an honor to spend that time with Sarah and her family.

Spring Lake: Summer Portraits: New Jersey Fine Art Photography

The most treasured portraits tend to be filled with smiles of the moment.  When planning portraits with a young child, the key is not to restrict them.  Let them have fun and their personalities will shine through, creating beautiful candid works of art that will be cherished for a lifetime.  Engage kids in whatever they're doing and the love you share will make for one-of-a-kind images.

8 Tips for Great Maternity Portraits: NJ Portrait Photography

1.  Ask for Help: New moms have so many things to worry about that sometimes the day of a portrait session they don't have enough hands to get ready.  Have a friend, sister, or sitter - someone your comfortable with - to come for a few hours the day of the shoot so you have time to get ready.

2. Treat Yourself to New Lingerie: Many new moms to be get out their fancy lingerie from pre pregnancy and find that the fit is not the same.  Treat yourself to a trip to the store and have a professional find you the correct bra size.  Get your nails done with a light colored polish as darker polishes can appear almost black in photos.  You deserve it!

3.  Think about Wardrobe: Lay out a few different outfits to give your photographer some options.  Flowing fabrics are beautiful but remember to show of your new shape. Grab your husbands white button down.  A crisp white button down makes a great outfit with your new bra underneath and boy shorts.  If your have a wall portrait in mind, think about the colors you decorate with and coordinate your wardrobe to compliment.

5. Invite Your Husband or Partner: Having your significant other with you on the shoot can be a touching reminder of the new bond you share.  It is less about the styling and more about capturing those emotions and the growing love between you two.

6. Put Your Wedding and Engagement Rings on a Necklace: Swelling is normal during pregnancy and sometimes rings don't fit properly.  Putting your wedding and engagement rings on a nice chain and wearing them on your neck is a way to keep those precious items in the photos.

7. Prep Your Nursery: Having a few photographs in your new nursery is a fun way to remember the first moments.  Details of the new crib, stuffed animals, baby blankets and other baby shower gifts are wonderful images for memory books.

8. Think About Display:  Before you shoot think about how you want to display your images.  Some new moms get a fine art print from the session to display in their bedrooms, nursery or changing rooms.  Starting a collection of custom photo books is also fabulous way to document your little ones life and when they get older children love to look through their books.  If you like to keep things a little more private a silk trifold with a few images can be a beautiful intimate reminder of this amazing moment.