CT Photographer – Bat Mitzvah

CT Photographer – Bat Mitzvah in Trumbull

This is one of my favorites from a session to celebrate Saige’s Bat Mitzvah in Trumbull this weekend. Saige is a beautiful young woman and she told me that this was her first time having a portrait done. Well, I am sure you agree she knocked it out of the park!!!

I’ll be adding more images but this one was too good not to share right away.

Mazel Tov!

CT Photographer - Bat Mitzvah

You can feel the pride and the love surrounding Saige in these images. The traditions of the ceremony were honored and memories of past occasions were all around them.

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The term “bat mitzvah” refers to two things:

  1. When a girl reaches 12-years-old she becomes a “bat mitzvah” and is recognized by Jewish tradition as having the same rights as an adult. She is now morally and ethically responsible for her decisions and actions.

  2. “Bat Mitzvah” also refers to a religious ceremony that accompanies a girl becoming a Bat Mitzvah. Often a celebratory party will follow the ceremony and that party is also called a bat mitzvah.

Event Photography 

NY Family Photographer

NY Family Photographer – Gemma’s Cake Smash!

Celebrating Gemma’s first birthday with a cake smash photo shoot just had to happen. Her newborn shoot was one of the most memorable from last year – Gemma and her Dad on his motorcycle is still one of my favorites!

Joya (Gemma’s Mom) made the cake and planned out the colors, balloons and accessories – I loved EVERYTHING about it. You just never know with the first birthday sessions if the little ones are going to be into the cake – in this case I really don’t think there was any doubt whatsoever as to whether or not Gemma enjoyed the cake! She had some priceless expressions – I think we did a pretty good job of capturing them.

Happy Birthday Gemma!

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I LOVE this image!

I don’t think she can quite believe her luck – she gets to eat as much cake and frosting as she wants – oh perfect day!

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Thank you so much for choosing me to be a part of Gemma’s birthday celebration.

If you are thinking of a first birthday session for your little one then let me know – they are fast becoming my favorite sessions!!!! Fill out my contact form with the details of what you are looking for and I will send you some information and be in touch as soon as I can.

 

Family Photographer – New Milford CT

Family Photographer – New Milford CT – Finley in Harrybrooke Park!

Finley and her mom Caitlyn met me for a walk in Harrybrooke Park in New Milford. It’s perfect for children Fin’s age – she’ll be riding her bike around the track before we know it!

I have seen them a few times for pictures and I am always amazed by Finley’s bright blue eyes – she is a stunning child (I guess she takes after her Mama!)

Location shoots are perfect for this age group – they need to feel like they are having fun and the camera is just there as an add-on to the fun we are having together! So Fin, Caitlyn and I walked and talked, smelled the flowers and spotted birds and wild life (and the camera was there to capture it ;). If you are thinking of booking a family session in time for holiday cards then I am accepting bookings now. We can go apple picking together, go for a walk on the beach or a local park. Locations that mean something to your family are extra special and immediately put the children at ease. When they are relaxed the laughter and the smiles just happen.

Enjoy these images.

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Family Photographer – Danbury CT

Family Photographer Danbury CT – Tarrywile Park and Mansion

Tarrywile Park in Danbury CT is a favorite spot of mine. The hiking is amazing, the trails are clearly marked and the views are spectacular! This loving and adorable family was such fun to hang out with and the laughs and smiles came easily that day.

After a good hike to the lake in the park we were heading back to the parking lot and came across something hanging in the trees. It was one of Ben’s Bells – an intentional act of kindness left for a random person to find, something to brighten someone’s day and make them stop and think about the way we interact with each other. The organization started in Tucson, AZ but after the tragic shooting in Sandy Hook, CT a branch has opened in nearby Newtown, CT.

The mission of Ben’s Bells is to inspire,educate, and motivate people to realize the impact of intentional kindness, and to empower individuals to act according to that awareness, thereby strengthening ourselves, our relationships and our communities.

We had such a great day in Tarrywile and finding the bell was the icing on the cake for me.

Love, Janet xo

Family Photographer Danbury CT

“Carry out a random act of kindness, with no expectation of reward. Safe in the knowledge that one day, someone will do the same for you” Diana Spencer

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Family Photographer Orange CT

Family Photographer Orange CT – Two little girls!

Mike and Kelly were some of my first clients and I adore them and their beautiful (and growing) family! Ella and Cora are as cute as can be and if they inherit their parents relaxed and fun approach to life then they are going to do great.

Cora was at that wonderful stage of sitting securely without crawling away – she was mellow and happy so we could have taken photos of her all day long. Some babies reach this stage around 5 months, some a little older but it really is a great stage to document, they can hold their head up high and you can capture some of those first signs of who they are. Once they start crawling and walking then it’s sometimes easier to get photos of the back of their head!

Every child is different and the beauty of a location shoot in a familiar setting is that we can move around and mix things up so that I can capture the personality of the little people in your family. I can’t wait to meet the new baby!!!!

Love, Janet xo   Family Photographer Orange CTFamily Photographer Orange CTFamily Photographer Orange CTPlanet-photo_orange_CT_family_maternity_milestone session_0004Family Photographer Orange CTFamily Photographer Orange CTFamily Photographer Orange CT

Newborn Photographer CT – A baby girl!

Newborn Photographer CT – Meet Nora!

This darling baby girl came from New York to meet me in my studio in New Milford CT when she was just a few days old. Her parents are part of the extended “RAW family” (I worked with their sister-in-law Jill in the Raw Photo Design days) and their wedding at the Bronx Zoo was spectacular. We had lots to catch up on and as Mom and Dad are both teachers (and I have a freshman in high school this year) you can be sure I picked their brain about that too!

Baby Nora was nothing short of spectacular when we met.

She had delicate little features, perfect skin and the most amazing new baby smell 🙂 I took photo’s of Nora’s cousin in a basket with leaves so we had to do a similar shot with easter eggs (yes – I really am that far behind on blogging!!!!) It’s funny how you can see both parent’s features in the different shots – there is no denying she is a perfect combination of both.

Congratulations to Daryl and Kristen! Your baby girl is beautiful and she is in great hands.

Love, Janet xo

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If you are looking for a newborn photographer then fill out the contact form with your information – don’t forget to let me know your due date. Dates change and babies hardly ever arrive exactly on time but these estimates make it easier for me to schedule my time and also ensure that I don’t over fill my calendar. I would hate to say that I can’t fit you in…..book early!

New Milford CT – Mother’s Day Family Shoot!

New Milford CT – Our Mother’s Day Family Shoot Contest Winner

Jessica was the winner of our Mother’s Day Contest. A free family session with styling by Swank on Bank of New Milford, CT and Make Up by Candee Caldwell. We had fun hanging out last week and capturing some images of her beautiful family! Her husband Joe arrived during make up so we headed over to the green to capture some images of Daddy with his twin girls while we waited for Candee to work her magic. Jessica wanted a more dramatic smokey eye so that’s what she got!!!

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Children this age do NOT sit still for long and generally they don’t want to pose for the camera, so we had a lot of fun playing games and hanging out – I love these relaxed images. The personality of the twins really shines through and you can see just how close they are. How lucky they are to have their best friend beside them through life.

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They were so excited to see Mommy coming! And told her how beautiful she looked – there were hugs and kisses galore!

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I love how relaxed Jessica starts to look in these next few. The girls were happy and we took the opportunity to get a couple of photos of her on her own.

Her wardrobe was quite simple but the jewelry makes a statement and completes her look.

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 Jessica looked stunning so of course we had to take the opportunity to get some images of her and Joe together……

When was the last time you took photos with your partner?? See how important it is?!

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I hope you had fun Jessica on your special day!

It was an absolute pleasure to meet you and your family!

New Milford Photographer – Town Green Family

New Milford Photographer – Downtown with an amazing local family

We have known this wonderful family for a few years now. Tiffany babysat for us and we have followed her career all the way to Radio City Music Hall where we saw her perform with the Rockettes last year. If truth be told, we actually spent most of our time trying to pick her out in the line up, so we were a little distracted…….But it was AMAZING. It was my first time and I can understand why people add a trip to the Christmas Spectacular to their list of “must do’s” during the holiday season. Tiffany isn’t the only family member with talent though; I have a feeling we are going to be hearing a lot about Ashley and Julia in the years to come as well!

So we started out a Swank on Bank where Lyn helped the ladies pick out outfits and accessories for their session. Candee Caldwell was on hand to do make up and styling and we had a blast hanging out at the store! We fit in a couple of individual shots while waiting for everyone to be ready and we took off for New Milford town green to get everyone together. It was getting close to sun down so we had to include a couple of dramatic sky images! If you know New Milford then I am sure you will recognize some of our stops – let me know if you need help with any of them!

I hope you love the images as much as I do….

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Don’t you love this dress??? Ashley went right to it and although it didn’t work for our group shot it was perfect for some individuals in the alley way!!!

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Julia wore her own jeans and boots but we found this great top and of course she loved the hat. Let’s be honest….. we all loved the hat!

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Swank on Bank, Candee Caldwell,

Tiffany looked incredible in this top – it was so unexpected but it worked so well for her!

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Candee had so much fun with everyone!

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Family Photo Contest – In honor of Mother’s Day

Introducing the coolest Family Photo Contest in New Milford, Connecticut!

I was talking to a friend of a friend recently and she made the comment that she didn’t have any family pictures.  Of course, I suggested we do some. Her response surprised me, she said, “Oh, but I would never know what to wear!”

So it got me thinking back to my experience shooting families recently, and I realized that more often than not, one of the first questions I get (after the logistical booking questions of course) is  “What should we wear?”

If you know your way around my website then you know that I have a few tips and tricks that I like to recommend. First and foremost is my ‘coordinating but not matching” rule. White shirts and khaki pants for everyone “matches”. A color palette of 3 or 4 colors in a general theme “coordinate”. Get it? Look like you belong together by picking a color palette and building from key pieces, it might be a scarf, a flowered dress or a favorite leather jacket. But pull out colors for the stripe of shirt or the color of a sweater and you are on the right track. This family knocked it out of the park. The flowered dress came first and the rest fell into place.

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I also recommend you start with the most difficult person. If it’s a maternity shoot then I am sorry, the pregnant Mom-to-be gets to pick first in my book! Chances are her options are somewhat limited, and trust me, no one wants to go out and buy endless supplies of maternity clothes. If you have a picky dresser (and you’ll know exactly what I mean if you have one at home) then it might be a good idea to start with them. If they are picky then make them happy – photos should be fun not torture. I don’t care if you saw the cutest pinterest picture of  kids in bow ties, crying kids in bow ties are not cute. Ever.

I love accessories.  Adding a jeans jacket changes the look completely, jewelry, hats  and scarves are fab for switching it up and have the added bonus of keeping you warm when the spring is as cold as this one!!!

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If you know you want a giant canvas of your family together in your living room then please don’t have your kids wear neon yellow – it’s not gonna look great in your living room…… well, in fairness I maybe haven’t seen your living room and if neon actually would look great then I stand corrected. But you get the idea. Check out the rest of my tips and tricks here.

OK – so there’s the background to how this started, now I know you want to hear more about the contest…….

Mother’s Day is coming up and I always like to honor and celebrate the moms among us, so I am collaborating with some wonderful local business women to put together a special treat for all you moms out there. (And just so you know, my own Mom passed away a few years ago now, so if you have a MIL or honorary mother you want to include then I am not going to be checking birth certificates.)

So who wants to win a beautifully styled family shoot in New Milford Connecticut?

Lynn over at Swank on Bank (a truly awesome local ladies clothes store on Bank Street) has offered to style you (and your female family members) for the shoot – she’s going to let you try on and help coordinate your families outfits and you get to borrow the clothes and accessories for the shoot!

Oh and did I mention that Candee Caldwell (a local Professional make up artist with 20 year experience) will be there to do your make up and hair!

When you and your daughters or mother or sister are feeling beautiful and ready we will head out to shoot around New Milford. Of course the men are invited too – we can’t dress them, but we can advise you on what they should be wearing.

As a memory of this wonderful experience I will put together a photo album for you with all the good stuff in there.

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A couple little details…..

If you are the lucky family and we make you look like a coordinated, best version of yourself, then we are going to want to see you on the blog in all your finery, so I hope you are O.K with that.

There is no obligation to buy anything!!!!  You will be winning a wonderful experience, a make-over of sorts, and some amazing photos of you and yours in a book to share with your family and friends. Unfortunately we can’t let you keep a new wardrobe for your whole family, but Lynn will take care of you if there is something that you can’t part with, she has a special 20% discount ready for you.

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I was kind of thinking immediate family. It’s going to be hard to include Great Aunt Nellie and the seventeen cousins, hopefully you understand.

If you have really little ones then they might be better showing up with Dad after the make up is done. They are going to get bored and you need to relax and have fun.

You have a couple of steps to enter but only a few days…..

(the contest closes on May 11th – Mother’s Day!)

The shoot will take place on Monday May 19th – from around 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. so check to make sure you are not expected elsewhere that day.

Good Luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Brookfield CT Family Photographer – Birthday Mini Session

Brookfield CT Family – Happy 10th Birthday Gigi!

One of my mini session clients last month was a beautiful little girl who visiting on her birthday. I have met Gigi before and she is a sweet girl with a huge smile and an eye for fashion and styling. With a little help from her step-mom Ashley she was photo ready for the first session of the day. Her Dad James? Yeah, let’s just say he was happy chilling in the giant yogibo I have in the studio with a giant cup of Starbucks in his hand! Ashley and Gigi had props with them from her birthday party the day before and I hope you agree that the photos came out great and we put those props to good use. I have a feeling that she will always remember the day she turned “double digits” but she also has a leather photo book or all her favorite images to help jog her memory.

Happy Birthday Gigi! Thanks for including me in your birthday celebration and thanks for being a great sport in the shoot – I look forward to working with you again soon 🙂

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I LOVE these playful ones….. you can see that she has a twinkle in her eye and that we had so much fun!

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See if you can spot Gigi in this post from my Raw Photo days….

Thanks for stopping by 🙂