Newborn Photography NJ | Scotch Plains

October 12, 2023

2nd Time Around

I truly get so excited when one of my Mommas contacts me to let me know that they are expecting! Leanne is one of those mommas! I’m not sure if she feels the same way, but I genuinely feel like we have become friends over the years since she started coming to me for her family photos. It seems to happen that way. And it only makes sense since I literally get to celebrate the most important milestones with them! When you love what you do, and you have families who can see that and feel it in your energy, it really feels like such a complete blessing.

Rosanna Lynne

Do you want to hear the most adorable and sweetest thing you’ve ever heard??? Leanne and her husband, Rich, have a daughter named Violet who just turned 2 (check out her newborn session here or her cake smash from last summer here). She is a little sweetheart! When they were coming up with a name for their second baby, they decided on Rosanna Lynne. Leanne told me that Rich came up with that name because, are you ready? Because he wanted to have a LITTLE GARDEN!!! Are you KIDDING ME!?! How ridiculously cute is that??

Well Rosanna Lynne came earthside and we had such a beautiful session. Her mom owns a Pilates and Yoga Studio in Garwood, NJ called M Pilates and Yoga (go check them out!). And I’m telling you, Leanne is just so chill. I think she passed that on to both of her girls because they both were great with posing and letting me do my thing!

One day Leanne stopped by my studio and saw a backdrop that I was thinking about selling and she pointed it out and mentioned she would love to incorporate it in her session. Who am I to deny her of this!??! I was also probably looking for any reason NOT to sell one of my backdrops anyway LOL. I’m so glad I was able to use it in her session too!

Leanne, Rich, Violet and Rosanna – I love you guys! You feel more like friends than Clients and I am so grateful and thankful for you! I hope you love the images we captured and I cannot wait to get your album! XOXO

NJ Newborn Photographer | Cranford, NJ | Cole

June 8, 2023

Cole’s Newborn Shoot

Cole’s mom got in touch with me after Cole had been born to see if I had availability for a Newborn Session. That’s one of the reasons I only take a limited number of Newborn Sessions each month; so that I can accommodate parents like Cole’s. I’ve had families contact me after adoption, a difficult birth, a long stay in the hospital, health complications. I don’t ever want to have to say no to a new mom or dad who wants to get newborn pictures of their baby. So I told her yes! Of course!

Mom knew that there was a good chance that it would be difficult to get her 3 year old daughter to cooperate for pictures. That’s always a good thing when they know that it could go either way. And when she wasn’t quite feeling it, she didn’t push her. I really admired that. I know that lots of times we as parents want to get that really great amazing shot of the new siblings together. I know, I know, I know. But I’m going to let you in on a little secret…the little kids usually want nothing to do with it! So most of those adorable amazing pics of the sibling(s) with the new baby? Composites. HAHA! Seriously, they are mostly photoshopped to LOOK like they are posing there together all happy and angelic and whatnot. Yeah, sure, some are real. They’re few and far between. And the ones that are real are usually 1 good shot out of a series of 20. And probably were shot in a millisecond before one of the kids started screaming, crying or jumped up to get out of the photo!

Honoring our Children

Cole’s mom wanted the image to be authentic and real. And when big sis just wasn’t feeling it, she respected that. This was a beautiful example of boundaries at an early age. I loved watching that. She honored that little girl and didn’t forced her to do it or to take a fake shot to photoshop something together. It was beautiful.

It’s me…Hi…

Oh, another funny story, Cole’s dad basically had to break open my front door with a razor blade because it had sealed shut from some insulation foam I used in the door cracks. HAHA! They got to The Studio and I literally couldn’t open the door. It was a little embarrassing, but hey, we are being real and they witnessed first hand a little bit about how I do things. LOL! Thanks, Steve!

And so let’s get to the photos… <3

NJ Newborn Photographer | Scotch Plains | Theo

June 2, 2023

What a blessed baby <3

Seriously, how did I get so lucky?? I don’t know what it is, but I just seem to get the absolute best Clients. When I met Kevin and Tommy they were just the sweetest and knew that they wanted to document this very momentous time with Baby Theo. I always say that I love the connections I get to experience with my Clients. But what I am realizing is I really love to hear the stories of the people that I meet. The love stories, the things that people overcome, the histories and the futures.

Theo’s story is one of adoption. And the adoption stories are always so moving. Sometimes people wait and wait and wait. Well, probably most times! And I can’t imagine how difficult that can be! Sometimes they wait and they get a call that they MAY have a baby, but then something doesn’t work out. I mean, how hard it must be to not get your hopes up or to just constantly be waiting and thinking about that phone call?

I don’t know, I don’t have experience with that myself, but I can only imagine. And then…you get the call that your baby has been born and you’ll be picking him up?! Ugh, my heart explodes. My heart explodes for the couple and for that baby. Just knowing how much they will love and be loved.

Kevin and Tommy are the cutest and I just recently saw a photo of Theo and I can’t believe how much he has grown and how HANDSOME he is!

Something else that I love about this session is the ARTWORK that they picked out for their home. They chose to get a large family portrait on canvas and it came out gorgeous! But that wasn’t without help! The Artist Framer in Cranford designed the most beautiful frame for their piece. I am so impressed by the work that they do and the thought that goes into their frame design. It is an ART in itself! Tommy and Kevin told them about their fireplace with the gunmetal facade and their natural wood coffee table and The Artist Framer designed the most perfect frame, marrying the 2 materials together. Pics below!

HAPPY PRIDE!

It’s PRIDE month and I am SO proud to be able to share this beautiful session. And no, I haven’t been saving this blog post for PRIDE, I’m just REALLY behind on blogging and now it seems like a good time to share this session <3

Thanks Kevin, Tommy and Theo! And thank you to The Artist Framer for displaying my artwork so beautifully! XOXO!

Natalie Maya | Westfield, NJ Newborn Photography

March 11, 2023

I do not have any idea how I somehow missed blogging about these sessions! They produced some of my favorite images! And they are from Summer of 2022!

Momma contacted me a few months before her due date which is what we always encourage. This gives us time to plan and prepare for baby’s arrival. At the time that I am writing this, I offer Maternity Sessions as an add-on to my Newborn Session. And that is what we did for this one. We had a beautiful sunset session for the Maternity and the sun showed up with her golden dripped sunlight. It was a little bit HOT, but Mom and Dad took it like champs and we created beautiful Maternity images that I am so proud of. We even pulled out the Drone for some amazing aerial images!

Then their beautiful princess arrived and it was Newborn shoot time! What I love most about my Clients is that they TRUST me. This is an investment! And it is super important that you TRUST your photographer. That you see their work and love it and TRUST us to create unique images of you and your baby while also appreciating the creative process and artistic styling. I always have my Clients fill out a questionnaire which leads me in selecting what colors, fabrics and props to use. But at the end of the day, as George Michael said, “Ya gotta have faith”!

Kathryn gave me that. And we created some of my favorite Maternity and Newborn images. This little girl is going to be one in a couple of months and I can’t wait to see her again! Hopefully at her cakesmash!

Scotch Plains, NJ | Cake Smash | First Birthday

September 20, 2022

One thing I love about my job is the people I meet and the connections I make! I met Leanne last summer when she was expecting her first baby. She scheduled me to do both Maternity and Newborn shoots. She and her husband are the sweetest couple and are so adorably in love. And I feel blessed that they chose me to capture that for them!

So fast forward to a year later and little baby Violet is ONE! So of course we had to do a Cake Smash session to document this milestone! We chose hues of Purple for her special session and I love the way the setup came out!

What about the cake?

Leanne has a baker that she uses for her special events, Allie’s Kitchen, and she made this beautiful cake for Violet! Isn’t it gorgeous?!? I do prefer to have parents bring the cake because they know their child best and with allergies I just think it’s the best bet. I like to use “naked” cakes because the star of the show is your little one, not the cake!

Just like her momma!

Momma owns her own Pilates Studio locally called M pilates + Yoga. What I found to be the most adorable thing is that Violet is always pointing her toes and showing off her form! She definitely takes after her momma in that respect!

Leanne and Rich, thank you for trusting me to document your journey with Violet! I always love seeing you and making the magic happen! And I will be in touch soon because your Album and prints are IN!!! And they are GORGEOUS!!!