Mindi's Maternity Session | Hamilton, New Jersey
Mindi was willing to brave the elements for her maternity shoot at Sayen Gardens and these images came out stunning!
In the middle of winter, Mindi was willing to brave the elements (and a snowstorm the day before) for her outdoor Maternity session at Sayen Gardens in Hamilton, NJ.
Even in the winter, Sayen Garden’s is the perfect location if you are looking for a garden feel with a beautiful lake in the middle.
Despite the cold, Mindi had 2 ideas for her photoshoot - the first was more casual with her husband Jose.
Her second idea was more formal in this stunning green dress that really popped against the bright white snow and brown of the trees.
Please enjoy Mindi’s maternity session at Sayen Gardens!
Wasn’t this winter maternity session gorgeous?! I travel within 60 minutes of Princeton, NJ if you like outdoor shoots (farther for a travel fee)! If you’re ready to start planning your maternity photoshoot, you can find our information here! We can’t wait to help you plan your dream session!
5 Tips For Couples Who Hate Taking Photos | New Jersey Photographer
We're not all models or even comfortable being in front of someone else's lens. So, I wanted to list out a few tips for couples (and wedding photographers) to help you get those lovingly natural shots that couples love to see in their gallery!
I’ve met with couples before who let me know right of the bat that they weren’t crazy about taking photos but wanted beautiful photos to represent their big day. I told them that's totally natural and that it's something that I hear all the time from my clients. So much in fact, that I have started to specialize in making couples feel comfortable with their photographer so that they can shine through as their true selves. We're not all models or even comfortable being in front of someone else's lens. So, I wanted to list out a few tips for couples (and wedding photographers) to help you get those lovingly natural shots that couples love to see in their gallery!
HAVE AN ENGAGEMENT SESSION
I always say this, but I always, always recommend that couples have an engagement session to get to work with your photographer before your big day. This will give you some practical one on one time with them and will help you get comfortable in front of their lens.
DON'T LOOK AT THE CAMERA
Sometimes it feels awkward staring directly into a lens. Don’t be afraid to not make eye contact with the lens 100% of the time. Hey, if it feels better to look to your side or even straight pass the camera then do that. You look better when you feel better and after a little while your photographer will pick up on what makes you look (and feel better).
ROLE PLAY
HAVE SOME FUN. Nothing gets your mind off an uneasy task more than playing with your significant other. I give my couples “exercises” to keep them busy being connected - “whisper seductively into her ear what you had for breakfast.” These turn out to be some of our favorite images.
BE HONEST WITH YOUR PHOTOGRAPHER
It's ok to tell them your insecurities. If you're a photographer, instead of asking them what are they insecure about, ask them what they love about themselves and accentuate that. You can also ask their significant other what they love most about the other and play off of that. When client's see more of what they love, the more they will trust you in the future.
HIRE A PHOTOGRAPHER YOU FEEL A CONNECTION WITH
I’ll be honest with you here… find a photographer who you can identify with. Of course, you want an artist whose photographs you enjoy but also a person who you feel you can be yourself around. When you hire a photographer who you feel connected with, not only will you your images come out more authentic, but you will have the ability to trust them and their process just a little more and that’s ideal for clients and photographers alike.
I hope that these tips help you out and if you would like to learn more tips, feel free to check out more of the blog under the category “Photography”!
How to Prepare for Your Family Photo Session | New Jersey Photographer
A family photo session can be a nerve-wracking experience for any parent, but the results are well worth the effort. To help you feel a little less stressed about getting everyone dressed and smiling, here’s a handy guide on how to prepare for and make the most of your family session.
Family photos hold a special place in our lives and in our hearts. These are images we’ll look back on for years to come, images that our children and grandchildren will look at to remind themselves of where they came from and how much their family has changed and grown.
Tracking your family’s growth is a great reason to take annual family photos. But once you’ve booked your session, you may be feeling some trepidation:
How am I going to get all the kids to behave?
What should everyone wear?
What if our pictures turn out terrible because no one will cooperate?
A family photo session can be a nerve-wracking experience for any parent, but the results are well worth the effort. To help you feel a little less stressed about getting everyone dressed and smiling, this handy guide will help you prepare for and make the most of your family session!
Preparing for Your Session
Schedule at the right time of day
When it comes to photographing young children, scheduling is everything. You don’t want to schedule a photo shoot right in the middle of naptime and end up with a cranky toddler. In the same way, if your session runs over into dinnertime, your little one may throw a tantrum. Even if you want “golden hour” images, consider your kids and what time of day they’re most alert, awake, and content. It’s better to have your photos taken in the middle of the day than to struggle with frustrated, grumpy children just to get that gorgeous evening light.
Talk to your kids beforehand
A photo session is not something you want to drag your kids to without warning them. Take time to sit your kids down and explain what they can expect at the family session and how they should behave. Emphasize the fun aspects of a photo shoot: They can pretend to be models and even ham it up a little for the camera. Just remind them the importance of listening to you and the photographer and following instructions.
Get inspired
Think about what kind of images you want and talk to your photographer about your options. Would you prefer a studio session or one outside at a favorite park or spot in your town? Maybe you want an in-home session where the photographer can capture your family in their natural environment. Whatever you choose, be sure to speak with your photographer beforehand about what you’re hoping to achieve, as well as any special requirements you or your family may need.
Choose what to wear
While kids definitely look adorable in their dressiest outfits, you’re better off choosing something they’re comfortable in. That goes for your whole family, including you. Everyone will feel more like themselves in their favorite outfits. Just be sure everyone coordinates well and avoid bright colors or patterns that can be distracting.
The Day of Your Session
Pack your bag
If you have kids, you’re familiar with how much stuff you need to bring along with you when you go places, and a family photo session is no different. Here are some items we recommend you pack for your photo shoot:
An old blanket to sit on - perfect for cozy outside images
Backup outfits - You never know when someone will get a little messy!
Lint roller - This is a must if you’re including pets in the session
Favorite toys - A great way to keep little ones happy
Snacks and water - Nothing boosts a kid’s mood quite like a favorite snack! Just go for something that isn’t too messy
Tissues - As a parent, you probably always have these on hand, but you’ll need them to wipe messy noses
Keep an eye out for illness
If you or one of your children comes down with the flu the day of your session, talk to us about rescheduling. These things happen, and we’re more than happy to work with you to find a better time to capture your family photos.
UPDATE 2020: Because of COVID-19 concerns, the session will be cancelled if anyone in your party arrives showing symptoms. While we are vaccinated, we will not take the chance of passing it on to someone who may not be. Non-refundable deposits will not be used towards a future date and the session will need to be re-booked.
Remove any unnecessary items
Before your photographer starts snapping pictures, be sure to take any keys, phones, or wallets out of pockets and remove any hair ties or Fitbits from your wrists. All these items can be tucked away into your bag, so you know exactly where they are and don’t have to stress about searching for your keys later.
Make a day of it
While your actual session may only take a few hours, it’s a good idea to make the day a relaxing one. That means no additional activities for the kids (unless you want to take everyone out for a treat after the session) and no work for you. Just spend a relaxing day at home before and after your session.
Give yourself plenty of time
Instead of rushing out the door 15 minutes later than expected, get everyone ready early and give yourself at least 30 minutes to get to your session location. You may even want to look at traffic reports and give yourself even more time if necessary. If you’re in a rush, you’ll feel stressed and anxious, and that’s no way to start a family photo shoot! Be sure to give yourself plenty of breathing room so you can arrive comfortably early to your session.
Stay calm
I know, it’s easier said than done. But if you’re stressed out, your kids will sense it, and suddenly everyone is having a not-fun time. Besides, genuine smiles look so much better than forced ones, and you want your family photos to capture your authentic joy and personalities!
The Pros & Cons of Mini Sessions | New Jersey Photographer
I wanted to break down some of the pros and cons to a mini session. Is it right for you? Click here to find out!
With our recent Summer and Beach Minis announcement and the amount of interest and bookings, we have been hit with many questions and we thought this would be a perfect opportunity to list some of the pros and cons of minis!
The Pros to a Mini Session
For those who don’t have a photographer they exclusively use, mini sessions offer a little peek and a chance to work with that photographer to “try them out” and just see how it goes.
Everything is essentially taken care of, the props and location - you just need to show up!
If you have kiddos with particularly short attention spans, sometimes mini sessions and the shorter times can be helpful! You get their best attitudes and attention for 20 minutes and they are all done. Of course, this could be a con as some kids need some warmup time (we will talk about that later).
It fits busier schedules and are usually held on weekends. Weekend schedules for photographers fill up quickly and as long as you can snag a spot in time, you’re good to go!
They are much cheaper than a photographer’s regular rate and usually have a theme! Since we can stack multiple sessions back-to-back, there’s no travel cost so we can eliminate that off the top which makes it a third of the price!
It’s a great way to keep your family photos updated through the year.
This one mainly is for photographers, but minis are a great way to build your clientele. Usually once you post one sneak peek of a family from your minis, their family and friends will also see your work and may contact you also!
The Cons to a Mini Session
They are short! Going back to one of the pros with the kids, if it takes a while for your child to come out of their shell - it could be tough and a little challenging.
You won’t receive as many images. Typically, our full sessions yield 60-80 images with a wide variety of looks. With our Minis, you can expect anywhere from 10-20 images.
Sometimes there’s a limit on the amount of people. With large groups, it can eat up a lot of time posing and swapping out the groups which can decrease the number of images you will get.
They aren’t as personalized as full sessions. We really like to give each client their own photo shoot and find ideas they love or even a place that is meaningful to them. Mini sessions don’t allow a lot of time for those fun and more artistic photos, though we do the best we can!If you’re late, it will severely cut into your time and the outcome of your shoot. Bouncing off that, we’ve known photographers and heard stories of those who won’t allow you to come if you’re late or won’t refund your money if you can’t make it. It’s important to get that information beforehand so you are at least aware of their policies.
They are super limited and sometimes fill up before even getting a chance, so keep an eye out if you’re holding off for an event!
Those are the main points of the pros and cons, as you can see much of it deals with time. I like to be sure mini sessions fit for those potential clients we haven’t worked with so we can be sure you are going to have a great experience in our short time and beautiful images you’ll love. We love Mini Sessions as photographers, sometimes we catch up with the families we work with all the time or we meet new families that end up being fantastic clients and friends!
We are so excited to meet our new clients this go around and cannot wait to catch up with our friends!