The ice from the mouth-watering sangria glistens in the orange glow of the sun as the comforting scent of leftover homemade bread wafts in from the open kitchen doors behind me. I take in the sound of the bubbling fish pond below which mixes in unison with my husband's relaxed breathing next to me and the sounds of the children playing somewhere in the dusk. Together we watch as the sun sets behind the mountain and enjoy the peacefulness of the moment..
Each August my husband and I pack up the kids and we head off on a much needed summer vacation. While many love to sightsee and travel to distant exciting or exotic locations for their getaways - ours is a whole lot simpler. My husband and both work a lot (my husband way more than me). So for us - summer vacation is our time to slow things down, relax and just enjoy being together. That usually translates int0 renting a nice home with a pool somewhere in the mountains of Pennsylvania or New York or New Jersey.
This year we opted for a spot that borders all three states. Our getaway home is located at the end of a dirt road surrounded by nothing but nature. It's quiet here - well, except for the rooster who lets us know that morning has arrived! We spend our days sleeping late, relaxing and playing poolside, cooking up amazing meals that consist of farmstand finds and fresh eggs from the hen house on the property. We take day trips to state parks, local attractions, take in sunsets and sunrises and just exist and enjoy one another's company. We have no schedule - as a matter of fact, we don't even look at the clock. It's very freeing.
While we do have to sneak in a bit of work, working from a table with a mountain view is much more relaxed than an office. And this year my daughter did spend a sick day on the couch - but that's ok - when you don't have set plans, a little glitch like this isn't an issue.
If you've never experienced an uneventful vacation where life slows down - I highly recommend it. It really does wonders for the mind, body and soul. The only thing we hate is having to leave...
And of course, I have to take some beautiful photos of my girls when I have access to a gorgeous location like this!
This session ended up getting postponed a few times due to weather, however when we did finally shoot it the weather and location were absolutely perfect. 
The best part of this session was that little P, as the child of a photographer, was very familiar and used to posing. She directed many of the shots herself and did a great job! This particular image was her idea and she set the whole thing up herself! 
While we were planning this maternity session the weather was churning out 40-60 degree days - February was proving to be quite a warm month. Of course the day of our session Mother Nature decided to throw in typical February weather. I think it was around thirty degrees and even colder by the water where the wind was whipping. But we were granted a gorgeous setting sun so we pushed through. In between each of these shots Mom was wrapped up in a fuzzy blanket and Dad must have taken his jacket off and on 15 times!
Despite the cold, I really couldn't have asked for a more perfect session. In the end you would never know that it was freezing out. Their love for each other and their baby couldn't be more apparent.
One of the first things I did was to take an individual photograph of each of the siblings. Sometimes people are a bit hesitant to have individual portraits taken...it makes most folks uncomfortable to be the center of attention, especially in front of a lens. But here's the thing...most folks end up LOVING these photos. Why? Because having a professional portrait done is WAY different than having a friend take your photo and it's also different than having your school portrait done. I take time to explain how to stand, work through facial expressions and take advantage of the light. It doesn't take long, but it does take experience. The two siblings on the left are still in high school. Both told me that they HATED their school photos so I set out to snag a perfect portrait for each. Needless to say they were THRILLED with the outcome.
Tania had run into me several years back at one of the Street Fairs in Highland Park. She had signed up to be on my mailing list and had kept me in mind for future. She contacted me a few weeks before her Father-In-Law's party and we set this session up for New Year's Day.
The main goal of the session was to get photographs of the three siblings and all variations of them. It's really helpful for me to know the WHY behind any session BEFORE we start. Since I knew going in that these photos would most likely be hung on a wall in some sort of collage on Dad's wall, I made a point of getting photographs that tell a story and that work well together.
Just as we were finishing up I convinced Tania, who had her first child only 6 months prior, to get some photos of just her. You've heard me say this before - I think it is SO IMPORTANT for women, especially MOMs to 
So there you have it. What a great way to bring in the new year!!! Happy 2017!
The above pictures were 100% the idea/request of these boys and I absolutely LOVE them. By doing this I also build a nice rapport with my young clients which makes any future sessions more relaxed for both the kids and the parents!
I met them two years ago when when I had offered some Mini Sessions. F, the eldest daughter was quite weary of me and my camera while I, the little one, was doing her best being a toddler and running around exploring everything! Now, let me tell you that mini sessions can be quite challenging simply because there is very little time to relationship-build with children. Think about it, a stranger is pretty much sticking a big camera in their face asking them to "smile" and act natural. It took almost the whole session, but we manage to get some cute photos of the girls.
A year later the whole family came back and we spent a bit more time together. I'm not sure if the girls remembered me from the prior year but by the end of the session I had built enough of a rapport with them that they felt quite comfortable with me and let their personalities show through.
THIS year was the year that I enjoyed the biggest reward any child photographer can receive....As soon as these girls saw me I was immediately greeted with warm smiles and a huge hug from I!! F quickly started up a conversation and our time together was extremely relaxed, comfortable and fun which resulted in amazing photographs!
One of the most wonderful things about my job is building such nice relationships with my clients. I'm looking forward to 2017!!!
