Tag Archives: nj newborn

April 2, 2025

March 24, 2025

close up of family connection at maternity session in-home in scotch plains with joan marie photography

In-Home Maternity Sessions

I am a premium maternity photographer based in Scotch Plains, NJ. I have the pleasure of working with many incredible families. But there’s something particularly special about a cozy in-home customized maternity session. They capture the true essence of a moment in time that will be cherished for years to come and provide a comfortable and intimate setting for families.

Recently, I had the honor of photographing a beautiful family at their in-home maternity session in Scotch Plains. This family included mom, dad, their toddler daughter, and even their beloved dog. What stood out about this session was how personal and meaningful the location was. It was about capturing memories in the place where their family feels most comfortable and where their story truly unfolds.

Why In-Home Maternity Photography is a Timeless Choice

Cozy in-home maternity sessions hold a special place in my heart. It allows families to relax and be themselves, but it also adds a layer of sentimentality that cannot be replicated in a studio. The familiarity of home creates a warm atmosphere. This makes it easier for families to connect and feel at ease in front of the camera. For this particular family, their home was filled with meaningful details.

But what really made this session unforgettable was the inclusion of their dog. When I first met Max at the consultation, he was a little anxious and barked at me for quite awhile at our consultation. But by the time I was leaving, he had his head on my lap, giving me kisses and snuggles. We had built a level comfort and trust that really helped us on the day of the shoot. It’s another reason I love in-home sessions: they allow for pets to be included, making the photos even more personal and meaningful. And our pets are just as much a part of our family as our kids.

The Importance of High-Quality Prints and Products

One thing I always emphasize to my clients is the value of professional-grade prints and products. When you invest in an in-home maternity session with me, you don’t just get a few digital files. You’re investing in heirloom-quality products that will stand the test of time.

I offer my clients the option to purchase stunning wall art, albums, and prints. Each product is crafted with the highest standards. I provide professional products that are archival-quality and will last for generations. They are not like consumer-grade prints that can fade, deteriorate, or become damaged over time. These materials preserve the vibrancy of your images and ensure that they remain as beautiful as the day they were captured.

In fact, I include a printed copy of every image that clients purchase. So you can hold these precious memories in your hands. There’s something truly special about having your photographs printed and displayed in your home. You can relive those moments every day. Whether it’s a large piece of wall art showcasing a beautiful maternity portrait or a carefully curated album that tells your family’s story, these products are meant to last and be passed down through generations.

Serving Clients in Scotch Plains and Beyond

As a luxury maternity photographer in Scotch Plains, NJ, my clients are looking for more than just an average photography session. They’re looking for a photographer who can capture their most cherished moments with artistry and care. My goal is to provide an exceptional experience from the initial consultation to the final delivery of your beautiful prints and products.

fine art portrait double exposure of pregnant mother and flowers at her in-home maternity session with Joan Marie Photography in Scotch Plains

I would love to work with you if you’re seeking a cozy in-home maternity session and a maternity photographer, who can create timeless images that reflect your family’s personality and style. I can help you preserve your most treasured memories in a way that’s authentic, beautiful, and lasting. Whether you live right here in Scotch Plains or 20 miles away, let’s collab!

Book Your In-Home Maternity Session Today

Let’s tell your story! If you’re ready to book your maternity session, contact me today. We can create stunning, meaningful portraits that will be cherished for generations. I specialize in working with high-end clients who value photography as an art form and want nothing but the best for their families.

I also have First Year packages that yield a beautiful handcrafted album to hold the images we created over the course of that first year. It is truly a story book that you will cherish for years and years! Don’t have a baby? That’s okay! We can do the storybook for YOUR family too! So much can happen over one year. Let’s capture it all!

Together, we can create beautiful images that will serve as a reminder of this exciting time in your life—forever.

Featured Posts

February 21, 2025

large photo of mother and sons hangs on living room wall

Motherhood Mini Sessions in March

Celebrate Motherhood with a Special Mini Session in Scotch Plains, NJ

Motherhood is filled with fleeting moments that we want to cherish forever. As moms, we often find ourselves behind the camera, capturing precious memories of our children—yet, we rarely take the time to be in the photos ourselves.

This March, I’m offering a unique opportunity to change that with my Motherhood Mini Sessions on March 28th and 29th at my Scotch Plains, NJ studio. It’s the perfect chance to create lasting memories with your little ones. And your children will have beautiful images of you, their mother, to treasure for years to come.

Details of the Session:

Date: March 28th and 29th, 2025
Location: Joan Marie Photography, 1589 E 2nd Street, Scotch Plains, NJ
Price: $390 ($150 deposit is due at time of booking, balance due 1 week prior)
Includes: 2 professionally retouched digital images

As mothers, myself included, we often forget that our children will look back on their childhood not only through the lens of their own experiences but also through the images they have of us together. But these photos are not just for us—they’re for them. They will look at these images as adults and remember the love, the laughter, and the connection they shared with us.

In just a short and stress-free session, you’ll walk away with two beautifully retouched digital images. I focus on the powerful bond between you and your children. Whether it’s an intimate moment with your newborn, playful interactions with toddlers, or an elegant portrait with older kids, these images will be a lasting testament to your role as a mom. And the best part, you’ll be able to use these as your profile picture for Mother’s Day!

Why This Session Is So Important:

For Your Children: Your kids will treasure these images as they grow older, knowing that their mother was there with them through every moment of their journey. It’s a legacy of love they’ll carry with them always.
Memories That Last: You deserve to have photos with your children, not just of them. These moments are a celebration of the beautiful relationship you share.
A Lasting Bond: Being in the photo with your children creates memories that strengthen that bond and will live on in these images for generations to come.

And Mom, I don’t want you to miss out on this opportunity to be part of your child’s memories! Let’s create something beautiful that will be cherished forever.

BUT WAIT! These sessions are NOT just for moms with young children. Oh no, way! As a mom of 2 teens, I want photos with MY kids too! Or what about moms of ADULT children? You deserve photos too! And wait, what about those of you who want a photo with your OWN mom? These are for you too!

How to Book: Availability for these sessions is limited, so be sure to secure your spot early! Use the booking form below or click here!

July 28, 2024

Newborn Shoot in Scotch Plains with Logan <3

Newborn Photoshoot in Scotch Plains with a newborn baby on a backdrop of stars and moon

There’s nothing quite like the joy a newborn brings to a family. I had the incredible honor of capturing that magic during a recent photoshoot with baby Logan. Logan is the adorable new addition to a lovely family in Fanwood, NJ. As this little boy’s first newborn photoshoot, it was a heartwarming experience filled with love, laughter, and precious moments.

A Warm Newborn Welcome

On the day of the newborn photoshoot, I welcomed Logan’s family into my new studio, designed for comfort and creativity. The moment Logan’s parents walked in, you could see the excitement in their eyes—it was clear how over the moon they were to finally meet their little boy.

A Perfect Little Baby Model

Logan was just a few days old, and like any newborn, he had his sleepiest moments mixed with tiny stretches and yawns. It took Logan a little while to settle into the poses, but we still captured magic! And with the help of his parents, we used a variety of setups and adorable little outfits.

A Family’s Love

As we moved through different poses and setups, it was heartwarming to witness the love and affection Logan’s parents have for him.

Editing and Final Touches

After the newborn shoot in Scotch Plains, I carefully curated the images and brought out the vibrant colors and soft textures. From dreamy, sleepy poses to tender prop set-ups, it was a joy to edit these images, knowing they would soon fill the walls of their home and their hearts forever. I even added an American Flag to one of the images for the 4th of July! Which do you like better?

Newborn Photoshoot in Scotch Plains with a sweet newborn sleeping in wooden bowl crate with american flag

Conclusion

As I completed the final edits and prepared the gallery for Logan’s family, I couldn’t help but feel grateful for the opportunity to be a part of this joyous moment in their lives. Newborn shoots are a beautiful reminder of how fleeting these early days are. And I strive to freeze those moments in time for families to cherish for years to come.

So to Logan’s family, thank you for trusting me to capture the first memories of your precious baby boy at his newborn shoot in Scotch Plains. Here’s to a lifetime of happiness for your beautiful family!

Finally, if you’re looking to capture the magic of a newborn in your life, I would love to help you. Let’s create some unforgettable memories together!

Let’s Chat!

To keep up to date with my most recent work, come follow me on Instagram!

May 2, 2024

Shhhhh….

I haven’t really made an official announcement yet, but my Studio has moved! It’s literally about 3 blocks away from my previous location, but believe me…it’s no small feat! Between going through all of my props and backdrops and equipment to still physically MOVING it to the new space, it’s been exhausting. Mentally, physically and yeah, even emotionally!

Storytime

I’m actually kind of freaked out as I am putting these words out into the ether. As most people who know me already know, I am a divorced mom to 2 amazing boys. They are magic. They are MY magic, transformed into two real life human beings. You see, they are very special. They were both born on June 29th.

And they were only 2 and 4 when I got divorced and found myself figuring out what life was going to look like for us. I knew I did not want to go back to my previous career in pharmaceutical meeting planning. I was an artist, an Art Major, who felt that her soul was dying a slow death every day that I denied it it’s true calling. But when I decided to TRUST in a kind of miraculous outcome, it happened. Thanks to one of my best friend’s, Jessica, and a NOW best friend, Jody. It all kind of unfolded into this crazy pattern of events that I will save for another time, but landed me a job in the Photo Department for Bed Bath and Beyond.

I moved to Fanwood in 2016. And everyday, after dropping my sons off at their Elementary school, I would pass a storefront that was vacant, but had something about it. Seymour’s Antiques. I would drive by and say someday that will be my photo studio. As crazy as it sounded to me, I still said it. Over and over. And one day, there was a sign up that it was available for rent. Of course I immediately called the number. I forget what they were asking, but whatever the number, it was well out of reach for me. And so I let that idea die.

DEATH OF A DREAM AND THEN A JOB

In 2019 I lost my job at Bed Bath, along with many others. I was scared and worried and didn’t know what I was going to do. I feverishly reached out to old colleagues trying to figure out where I would go now, what I would do. I had a mortgage and bills and children. Nothing…

BE CAREFUL WHAT YOU WISH FOR…

But you see, I had been asking for something. I had been silently praying for more time with my kids, a more flexible schedule, something in the creative field that would give me financial freedom. I ASKED FOR THIS. And then I received it. And as many times I ended my prayers with “I am ready to receive”, I wasn’t quite ready to receive THIS!

And then COVID. I was unemployed and now I had a 4th grader and a 2nd grader with special needs at home with me trying to do virtual work while I was trying to find a job. I had been working for a real estate photography company for a brief stint, but that was no longer happening. Who would hire me now??

But…I was LUCKY! I was ALREADY signed up for and receiving unemployment benefits. And they kept getting extended. And while I still felt the stress of being unemployed, the unknown and now COVID, I had exactly what I had asked for. I had a VERY flexible schedule and I had more time with my kids. Not exactly how I envisioned it, but well, isn’t that how the universe works? LOL

THE SIGN, TAKE 2

And then in 2021 it happened. The “for rent” sign was up again. Right down the street from my sons’s school. A school that I found myself being called to more and more as time passed on. My son has had an IEP since first grade. He’s been on medication since Kindergarten. And he also has had a label of “bad kid” following him around since age 5. He was called a bully and investigated multiple times since then. And the kids and their parents continued that narrative. A narrative that negatively impacted a little boy and his family who were already struggling with invisible disabilities that neither the parents or the school seem to understand, nor did they want to.

A GIANT LEAP

Moving to this space would keep me close to home and to his school. And I knew it was not only my chance, but possibly the answer to many of my prayers. Including the one that I made back in 2016 when I claimed that location as my Studio even though I could in no way afford it at the time. And so I jumped. I took a leap of faith. And in May of 2021 I moved into my first commercial space.

I can’t believe that it has been 3 years. And it was not without it’s share of challenges. Friendships suffered, more school issues, financial fears and setbacks. BUT, I am still here! My son was finally granted an out of district placement. In a school where the kids AND the parents understand him. Where he is given grace and compassion. He is stable. And I finally, after 12 years, feel like I am getting my life back. And I am READY TO RECEIVE!

My new space is beautiful. It is new and not falling apart. I owe a big thank you to my friend Sammy, who, without realizing it, contacted me to see if I was interested in a new space 3 months before my lease was up. Again, I am fully supported by the Universe, God, Angels. And I am ALMOST completely moved in. THIS time I am actually going to make an effort to have a Grand Opening. I finally feel like it is my time.

And so I had my little guy, who isn’t so little, come to the new space to work on some lighting since I’m still getting used to the lower ceilings. And our doggy, Roscoe, accompanied us.

Life is weird and crazy and beautiful and unknown and mysterious and magical and hard and all of the things. And I really appreciate this journey that I am on. It is shaping the person that I am and that I am becoming every single day. And I am forever grateful.

Now I have to decide what I want to manifest next 😉

THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU