The beach is the ultimate place of tranquility, peace and beauty. For most of us, it is a place that we frequented during our own childhood and is associated with fun and laughter. Now that you have your own kids, I am sure that you visit the beach often for fun filled days at the ocean.

Did you know that the beach is also the perfect location for family photos? This location lends itself to images that are not only beautiful, but playful and packed with emotion. A Summer family beach session is centered on you spending time with your family at sunset, the most magical time of day.

I don’t know about you, but time surely seems to be flying by these days. Maybe it’s because I’m a mom of two active girls, who seem to be growing at the speed of light, or perhaps it is because my own parents are getting older. Whatever it is, I can’t help but reflect on my own childhood and how important my grandparents, parents and siblings were to me. I loved spending time with them and I wish I had professional photos that documented my time with them.

I know life is busy, but I can’t encourage you enough to prioritize extended family portraits. Years from now, you will be so very grateful that you made a point to get everyone together for a large family session. It is more than worth the effort, and I guarantee you’ll love every minute of it.

A first birthday is a special milestone for every family. Your baby has grown and developed tremendously over the past twelve months and now your little one’s personality is shining through. It is a good idea to take this opportunity to schedule a photo session for your child. If you There are many types of sessions you can book to commemorate this special occasion. If you are unsure about what type of photo session you want, I will go over each of the options below.

A lot of families will wait until the Fall to do their family photos. Most people do so because they want to also use their images for holiday cards. However, just because that’s the norm, doesn’t mean there isn’t an alternative. In fact, Summer is a great time of year to capture those family photos and you can still use your gorgeous images for those Christmas cards. Here are some reasons why Summer on Long Island is the perfect time for family photos.

For most people, having your family photos taken is a special occasion. What you wear to your photo session will dramatically impact the overall aesthetic for your images. It is important to choose outfits that will not only look good in the photos, but also make everyone in the family feel comfortable.

Now that the Fall season is upon is, you have likely been hearing about mini sessions. Although I capture families throughout the year for full length sessions, I offer mini sessions once a year during the Fall season. I offer minis because as a mom, I understand the appeal to capture some beautiful, professional photos for a lower price point in a faster time frame. Mini sessions are a great option for some families, but they aren’t for everyone. Here are some things to consider when deciding whether a mini session is right for you and your family.

No matter if it is your first, second or third baby, your pregnancy should be documented. This is such a special time and one that goes by so quickly. It is a milestone that you will want to remember in years to come. Each stage of your life with your children is different and that is why it is so important to have photos that document that evolution and development of your family. I know that it can feel challenging to schedule a maternity family session with young children, but I will make the process simple for you an you will even have tons of fun while having your family photos captured.

I receive tons of inquiries for multi generational family sessions. I photograph many of these large group sessions. They are really special sessions for the families and, often times, are gifted to grandparents for special occasions. This is a special gift that the entire family can appreciate.

As you can imagine, working with large groups like this involves a large degree of planning, flexibility and an open mind. It also requires lots of additional time, both during the session and in particular when it comes to editing these sessions, especially when the session involves multiple children of young ages.

Updating your family photos is important. You are documenting each stage of your life with your children and giving them tangible memories to hold on to. There is so much more importance attached to this than just pretty pictures. A family photo session is not just about having photos to hang on your wall. It is an opportunity to take pause and connect with your family. I want my photo sessions to feel like a fun experience for my families and not like a chore. It should be something to which you look forward and enjoy being a part of. How exactly do you accomplish this? Read below to find out.

To say that the weather this Summer has been unpredictable is an understatement. For most of my sessions this Summer, there has been a threat of thunderstorms at sunset. I was thrilled on the evening of this family session to finally have an evening with the sun shining and no clouds in sight. Although I love the moodiness and dimension a gloomy sky can bring to a session, it was nice to mix things up and have that abundance of golden sun on the evening of this beach session.

Most of my clients who book a beach family session are hoping for an evening with the gorgeous golden glow of a sunset. The beach at sunset is a beautiful location for family photos, but you don’t need to have the sun to have great photos. In fact, I much prefer having some clouds in the sky for a session than a clear sky and when there are dark cloudy evenings can add beautiful dimension and mood to your images.

Many women schedule maternity sessions for their first pregnancy, but it is also important to schedule a maternity session for a second pregnancy. Your family dynamic is about to change and it is the perfect time to capture those last moments as a family of three.

Your little one’s first birthday is quite a momentous occasion. Many people contact me to book a first birthday portrait session or cake smash session to document this special moment. While I offer several packages both in the studio and outdoors for first birthday photos, I do encourage clients to use this opportunity as a time to update their family photos.

It is hard to believe that it is Memorial Day weekend. Although this weekend is the unofficial start of Summer, my season of beach family photos has already begun. I started shooting on the beach in early May and I have been loving every second of it. The beach truly is the perfect place for family photos. It allows for interactive images, whether it be fun and playful or cozy and connected. Although the beach is a popular location for beach photos, there are some things you need to know ahead of time about scheduling your family photo session at the beach.

Your wardrobe is a key component to having a successful photo session. What your family wears will impact the mood of your images, as well as the overall aesthetic of your images. I know that planning the wardrobe can feel daunting, but I work with each and every client to help make this process as easy as possible.

I have been photographing Long Island families for a decade now. Over the years, I have photographed my clients in a wide array of places. As a result, I have learned what works well and what doesn’t. Each family is unique, so I always take that into consideration. Prior to each and every session, my clients complete a questionnaire. These responses help me to suggest a location that is a good fit for their vision for their photos and their family’s personality.

I worked with this recent client when her first daughter was born and also for her daughter’s first birthday session. When she contacted me to tell me she was pregnant with her second child, I was elated to now only photograph her family again for a newborn session, but to also see how much her daughter has grown in the past few years.

A decade ago, I started my family photography business. Over the past ten years, my approach to family photos has developed and I have learned so much. My approach to family photo sessions is to always capture your love and connection as a family. There are quite a few ways that I accomplish this during the session. So, although it may feel fun and maybe even a little chaotic, there is a method to my madness.

While every family dynamic is unique, there are some key images that I strive to capture during every family photo session. Here are a few of those ideas.

The only thing that is better than a newborn baby is twins! This family was amazing to capture. The twin baby girls are absolutely precious, big brother is an adorable doting brother, the parents are the sweetest, and the icing on the cake is the adorable golden retriever. I am a dog lover and I own a golden retriever myself, so whenever I work with families with dogs, I try my best to incorporate the dog as best as I can. This is because I know how precious a pet is to the family.

My client recently moved to Long Island from California. Her family, including her parents, still live on the West Coast. She decided that for her first Thanksgiving here in Jericho, New York, she would book a family photo session with her two little boys to commemorate this next chapter in their life. She also wanted to include her parents, who would be in town visiting for the holiday. I just love the idea of incorporating grandparents into photo sessions. After all, they are such an important part of your life.