[Family session, Long Beach Island]

For this awesome session, I traveled down to LBI and it was so much fun! I love being in a beach town in the heart of summer to see everyone on vacation and having fun! It’s even better when families get their photos taken on vacation to truly capture the memories of their trip!

This was an awesome crew and it was so special to be able to work with them. Of course the three little ones stole the show and even though they were timid in the beginning, they were having a blast by the end! My favorite part was when we went down to the water and the kids were so patient not to run right into the water and play. Instead they held hands and chased the seagulls and it made for some perfect photos!

-Michelle 🙂

[Family Beach session Brick, NJ]

I’ve been photographing this little one since she was a newborn and it’s been so exciting to watch her grow! For her nine month photos we headed out to the beach! It was absolutely adorable seeing her interact with the sand and stand in it to take pictures! But the best part was when her and big brother were playing in the sand together! So cute!

I’ve done 4 sessions with this awesome family, and at the next one, little Addison will be 1 year old! Another special part of this session was when mom took out a hockey jersey for Addison to surprise her dad with some photos with his team’s jersey! As if this little one could get any cuter, add in a hockey jersey!

I can’t wait to see how sweet her 1st birthday session will be!

-Michelle

[Patrick’s First Birthday Island Heights, NJ]

I remember when this little guy was born so it was so crazy to get to do his first birthday photos! Time sure is flying! We took pictures at one of my favorite places, Island Heights! We did have to fight with the wind a little bit but we didn’t let it stop us!

Patrick, along with his big sis and mom and dad was so cute during our session. Whether he was snuggling up with big sister and looking at the water or hanging out in the wagon on the boardwalk, he was a star! I think one of my favorite parts of our session was when Patrick wanted to crawl towards the water and big sister held onto him tight and said “Nooooo!” Such a good big sister!

I always love working with this awesome crew because we always have so much fun! It’s been so special to see these adorable kids grow up! Happy birthday Patrick!

-Michelle 🙂

[Baby Announcement at Holland Ridge Farms in Cream Ridge, NJ]

I’ve known this adorable couple for many years now so when they asked me to photograph their baby announcement I was SO excited! I had the pleasure of photographing their engagement session a few years and now there’s a baby on the way!

I had never been to Holland Ridge Farms but I had seen photos and was so excited that we were going to do the session there! It was incredibly beautiful and it was the perfect backdrop for photos.

We started with some photos of mom and dad to be along with the sonogram and then we were joined by their families to take a few more photos. There were some emotional moments for all of us (as I’ve known the dad to be and his family for over 27 years!) and it was just so special to see how excited everyone was!

I can’t wait to meet the baby in October…stay tuned!

-Michelle 🙂

[At home family session Brick, NJ]

This was my third time working with this awesome family and we had such a great session! Addison turned 6 months old and since there was snow on the ground, we did the session all inside!

We had a really sunny day so the light coming in the windows was perfect! Addison had the cutest outfits and it was so exciting to see her sitting up on her own! Such a great milestone to capture!

We did some photos in the living room before popping outside in the snow for a quick few photos with big brother! After an outfit change we took photos in Addison’s bedroom which was absolutely adorable! One of my favorite parts of this session was when we put Addison (sitting up) in a crib that she was laying down in during her newborn session! It was so sweet to see how much she has grown!

-Michelle 🙂

[Family Photos Spring Lake, NJ]

I knew this was going to be a great session when this cute family got out of the car in their perfectly coordinated fall outfits! We started our session in one of my favorite spots, Divine Park in Spring Lake. We explored the bridge, collected some sticks and said hi to the ducks…and tried to get some photos too!

We then drove up to the beach and even though it was a little windy, it was nice and bright outside and the beach was the perfect backdrop for some more photos.

After running around on the sand with big brother, we rallied everyone together to stay warm for a few family photos! This was one of those sessions where I was up and down and running around but we got the cutest photos so it was totally worth it!

-Michelle 🙂

[Family Photo Session Spring Lake, NJ]

This was my second time photographing this sweet little family this year with one tiny difference…a new little brother! Earlier this year we had done photos on the beach in the summer before this little man made his debut. But once he was here, of course we had to do more!

Along with their cousins, we headed to my most popular spot this year for photos, Divine Park in Spring Lake. Although these were technically “fall” photos, it was such a warm day! We had the perfect sunshine and the perfect backdrop for photos.

After taking some photos in front of one of Spring Lake’s iconic bridges, we headed across the bridge to see what other fun spots we could find! We were able to squeeze in a few more before our little ones had enough but it was such a fun session!

-Michelle 🙂

[Family Photos at Divine Park, Spring Lake]

I had met this adorable family earlier this year when sweet little Addison was born and I was so excited to get to do more family photos now that she was a little bit bigger!

We had this session at Divine Park in Spring Lake like we had done her newborn sessions a few months prior but this time it was fall and it looked completely different!

We started with a few family photos then jumped into photos of Addison and her big brother! It was the perfect fall day to explore the park and find the best spots to take photos!

-Michelle 🙂

[Family Photos Atlantic City, NJ]

It’s always so much fun when I get to photograph this sweet couple and their adorable Dalmatian, Montego, so when they asked me to do a session at a fire house I was so excited!

We met up in Atlantic City and Montego was ready to go! The staff at the fire house were awesome! They pulled the truck out of the fire house and let us use real props in our photos!

Montego was truly the star of the show and everyone that walked by commented on cute he was! He was such a good boy and of course got lots of treats!

-Michelle 🙂

[Family Photo Session Spring Lake, NJ]

I’ve worked with this awesome family before so I knew we were going to have a great session! The only difference this time (besides the kids being so grown up!) was the addition of their new dog!

We started photos on one of the famous bridges in Divine Park in Spring Lake and took our time walking through the park to find the best places for photos! It was actually pretty warm for being a “fall” day so it was even better taking our time and enjoying the weather!

I think my favorite moments during the session was when the family would refer to each other by their nicknames! I had no idea who they were talking to until mom explained to me that they have funny nicknames for each other! I thought it was really cute!

-Michelle 🙂

[Fall Family Photos Allaire State Park, NJ]

This was such an awesome session! I love when multiple family members get together for photos. It’s so sweet to see all the kids with their cousins and aunts/uncles/grandparents! This adorable group was so stylish for fall; it was awesome!

We started with some individual family photos before we jumped into getting the whole group together. This wasn’t the easiest task with so many little ones but it was totally worth it!

We took advantage of the beautiful fall day with the awesome backdrop of Allaire State Park and it was the best!

-Michelle 🙂

[Family Beach Photos Bay Head, NJ]

This was my last summer, beach session for the year and it was perfect! I love the beaches in Bay Head and getting to see all the gorgeous houses! This adorable family was so much fun to photograph and we had the best weather!

At first, little Giada was camera shy when she didn’t have mommy or daddy making her laugh, but she eventually warmed up and seeing her smile was so sweet!

The best part of the session came at the end however when mom played baby shark on her phone. Almost instantly, Giada started dancing and smiling! It was the perfect end to such a fun session!

-Michelle 🙂

[Maternity Session Watchung, NJ]

I’ve been waiting to be an aunt probably since my sister and brother in law got married over 6 years ago so when I first found out they were pregnant, I was beyond excited! It was so fun getting to see my sister’s growing belly and to help out with all the baby preparations.

When it came time for maternity pictures, I was ready! We went down to a little park near my sister and brother in law’s house and it was the perfect backdrop for a perfect couple.

The sun was setting and we got some beautiful light! It was so special seeing my sister and brother in law together knowing that their little girl would be here soon!

-Michelle 🙂

[Family Beach Session Brick, NJ]

I’ve worked with this adorable family before so I was so excited to get to see them again! The difference photographing them this time around? Mom was about to have baby number 2!

We had the perfect weather and it was such a sweet, sunset session on the beach! Even though Ellie would rather run around and explore the beach, we still got the sweetest photos of her…which included photos with Minnie Mouse and her baby doll! But hey, at the end of the day, when we get a sweet little smile, does it really matter that there’s a baby doll in the photo?!

-Michelle 🙂

[Backyard Family Session Toms River, NJ]

I had such a fun morning with one of my favorite families! Of course the day that we did photos was probably one of the most humid days of the summer and by the end we were all sweating but it was worth it!

This was the second time that I got to do photos in this family’s backyard and it was just as beautiful as I remembered! I love that they created their gorgeous garden…such a great backdrop for photos!

We started with some family photos then jumped in to photos of the kids! We took a little tour around the garden before getting little baby Patrick into the same bucket that we took photos of his big sister in! It was adorable and so much fun!

-Michelle 🙂

[Family Photos Brick, NJ]

This was my first time doing photos at Brick beach and it was really nice! I love when the beach has plenty of dunes and dune grass to hide the parking lot behind it! There was a storm in the forecast during this session but we managed to get done with photos just in time!

We had the perfect overcast night and the beach wasn’t too crowded! We started with photos up by the dunes before heading down to the water for more photos! This family was super sweet and up for anything!

-Michelle 🙂

[Family Photos Island Beach State Park, NJ]

Every year I get to do photos with this awesome family and it is so much fun! We usually pick the hottest day of the year for photos but this year was the first time that it wasn’t too bad!

We drove all the way down to the end of Island Beach State Park and drove right onto the beach! We had the most incredible sunset and view of the Barnegat Lighthouse. It was gorgeous! We climbed rocks, walked through some tall beach grass and played in the sand and it was so much fun!

-Michelle 🙂

[Aubrey’s First Birthday Toms River, NJ]

This was such an adorable session! In the past I’ve gotten to photograph this awesome crew for the first two kids’ first birthday sessions so I was so excited when I got to do Aubrey’s session!

Mom had the best props and we set everything up in the backyard! We made sure to find some shade because it was toasty in the sun! After we got some shots of the birthday girl by herself, we did some with mom, dad and big brother and sister. Then it was time for the cake! The cake smash may not have been Aubrey’s favorite but she still looked so cute!

-Michelle 

[Family Beach Session Seaside Park, NJ]

I just have to start off by saying that this family is so adorable! I went to school with Deirdre and was fortunate enough to photograph her and John’s wedding so when I found out they were going on vacation right near me and wanted family photos I was so excited!

They were so much fun to photograph and we had the best weather! A perfect combination of the golden hour’s sunset and the purple-blue sunset sky. This adorable family made each other laugh and came up with cute poses all on their own! It was a great session at the beach!

-Michelle 

[Julia’s First Birthday Session Toms River, NJ]

I love cake smash sessions and this one was so sweet! Little Miss Julia, along with mom and dad met me at one of my favorite parks in Toms River. They had the best props and Julia’s outfits were absolutely adorable!

Julia was ready for the camera and she was all smiles! After we got some of her by herself and with mom and dad, it was time to smash her cake! After playing patty cake with the actual cake, Julia started eating and it was so cute! We knew the session was over when she flipped her cake stand over and the cake fell right off! It was really fun!

-Michelle  🙂

[Secret Kids Session, Brielle]

Ever since I started nannying my now “second” family, I loved doing photo sessions with the kids! It gave us something to do while we were together and it was good practice for me at the beginning of my photography career.

Now that they’ve gotten older, I usually only watch them when mom and dad are away for a long weekend! The past two years while mom and dad were away, we did a secret photo session to surprise them!

We picked out their outfits and decided where we wanted to go and the kids always managed to keep it a secret. This year we went to the park! After photographing the kids in the backyard with the dogs, we headed out to the park during sunset and it was awesome!

Not only are these kids naturals in front of the camera, but they keep each other laughing and make the whole session so much fun! Can’t wait for this year’s secret session!

-Michelle

[Family Session Seaside Park, NJ]

I love when families are vacationing at the beach in the summer and reach out to me to take family photos! It’s so much fun to be able to capture these special memories on their vacation!

We had the most perfect night for this session at Seaside Park. The weather was perfect and the setting sun made for a beautiful sky!

I had a moment of panic however when my camera decided it wasn’t going to focus! We were about halfway into the session and I had to shoot the rest with manual focus. I’m not a big fan of focusing manually but once I was “forced” to shoot that way, it wasn’t so bad!

Not only was this session beautiful, but it was a big challenge for me that I was able to overcome, which was pretty cool!

-Michelle

[Family Session Spring Lake, NJ]

I’ve worked with this awesome family before, so it was so great to be able to do a session with their extended family! One of our first sessions together was at this same spot and it was fun to get to do another session here!

We had the perfect sunny day so naturally there was a lot of activity, but I always love seeing other photographers out with their clients!

We had three generations of family together, so we took time to make sure we got all the different groups that we wanted! We finished the session with a change of clothes from the youngest grandchild and did a mini session of just her…it was adorable!

-Michelle

[Theresa Hope’s 1st Birthday Toms River, NJ]

It really is crazy how fast time goes! I remember photographing Baby Theresa when she was a week old! Flash forward to her first birthday and she is just as adorable as she was the day I first met her!

Not only did I have the opportunity to photograph her first birthday session and cake smash, but I also got to photograph her 1^st birthday party with all of her friends and family! I’m so lucky to have clients that have turned into family where I can capture these special moments but also help to celebrate!

The theme for Theresa’s birthday…Sunflowers! Mom had the best props and clothes for our backyard photo session and Theresa was all smiles! Even though there was an amazing cake, the sweetest part of the session had to be when we took photos in Theresa’s garden that her dad created just for her! It was perfect!

Theresa’s first birthday party took place at Grandma and Grandpa’s house and it was beautiful! It was the perfect, sunny day to celebrate a perfect, sunny little girl! Everyone helped to decorate the house, inside and out and there were so many fun games and crafts for all the kids to enjoy.

Happy Birthday Theresa!

-Michelle 🙂

 

 

[SUMMER FAMILY PHOTOS AT HAPPY DAY FARM IN MANALAPAN, NJ]

It’s that time of year again…when I head out, on what usually is the hottest day of the year, with an amazing family to do photos! Every single time I photograph this family it’s perfection! We always seem to be acting crazy to get the kids to laugh or smile or hug each other and every time I go through the photos I am amazed with how good we did!

For this years photos, we made the trip out to Manalapan to Happy Day Farm. It was my first time there and I could have stayed forever! I already can’t wait to go back to pick my own fruit and check out what else this farm has to offer.

We were headed to the farm this day however for one very important thing…Sunflowers! And boy did we get them! It was so incredibly beautiful to see all of these flowers in bloom. Happy Day Farm had some really fun areas for photos so we had the perfect backdrops!

Yes this session was soooo hot but it was so worth it! If you haven’t been to this farm yet, you better check it out!

-Michelle

 

 

[FAMILY BEACH SESSION POINT PLEASANT, NJ]

I’ve done plenty of sessions in Point Pleasant before, but this was my first session in Point since I became a local! It was fun to do a session right in my own backyard!

This awesome family comes down to Point every weekend and I’m so glad that they do because we got to have this amazing session! We took advantage of the beautiful summer sunset and did all of our photos right on the inlet!

They were really good sports during this session because the best place for photos happened to be a short walk on the rocks. They toughed it out and it was totally worth it! The best part of the session was when we caught Chloe’s adorable laugh at daddy’s silly dance moves behind the camera!

Nothing beats a summer session on the beach, and this was awesome!

-Michelle

 

[FALL COUSIN SESSION CATTUS ISLAND PARK, NJ]

I haven’t been to Cattus Island Park for photos in a while so it was really fun to get back there for this fun fall family photo session!

Of course we had to have a super windy day, but at least it was sunny! And the kids did a really great job posing and smiling even though it was chilly!

I’ve photographed these siblings before and we had a lot of fun, but this time, we had their cousin with us! Family is number one for me, so I love getting to capture families being together!

-Michelle

 

[FALL FAMILY PHOTOS ALLAIRE STATE PARK, NJ]

This was such a fun fall session with a gorgeous couple and the cutest pup! Allaire State Park in the fall is one of my favorite places and we had a great day for this session.

I met up with Chris and Anna and their awesome dog, Montego Bay, and we walked all around the park taking photos…and of course getting compliments on the most handsome four legged friend with us!

Montego is still a puppy, and he definitely wanted to do more exploring than posing for photos, but he really did such a good job! The treats I had in my pocket probably had something to do with his smiling! 🙂

-Michelle

 

 

[FALL FAMILY PHOTOS + CHARLIE’S FIRST BIRTHDAY ALLAIRE STATE PARK, NJ]

[Family Christmas Session Spring Lake, NJ]

Tis the season! I got to photograph this adorable family at the start of fall and it was so fun! I’m sure you remember this perfect little family from the summertime when little Theresa was brand new to the world! Fast forward a few months, and it’s about to be her first Christmas!

We had a beautiful day in the park in Spring Lake and this family of three was perfectly dressed for the holidays!

We had all kinds of fun Christmas props and it was so exciting to see little Theresa all dressed up with them! Happy First Christmas little one!

-Meesh 🙂

[Family Photos Double Trouble State Park, NJ]

I’m pretty sad to see summer go, but I did get to have one last session with one of my favorite families at the beautiful Double Trouble State Park and it was awesome!

Hannah, JJ and mom and dad were all dressed perfectly for summer and they came ready to explore the park! Hannah was ready at any minute to strike a pose and she looked absolutely adorable! JJ on the other hand just wanted to see what was going on in the park! When we got him to smile or laugh however, it was literally so sweet!

I always have so much fun with this crew and it was the perfect way to spend one of the last days of summer!

-Michelle 🙂

[Family Beach Session Long Beach Island, NJ]

This past summer I got to work with some clients that I haven’t gotten to work with in a while…My family!! My dad’s side of the family got together this summer in Long Beach Island to have a celebration of life trip in honor of both of my grandparents. My grandfather passed away in December of 2014 and my grandmother passed away this past January.

This was the first time we have all been together since they both passed and it was a bittersweet vacation. I was grateful for the time we all got to spend together but it was hard knowing that my grandparents were no longer with us. We had an incredible time together though, hanging at the beach, cooking dinners at night together as a family and reminiscing of all the amazing times we shared with grandma and grandpa growing up!

We picked a night to head up to the beach after dinner to take our photos and the weather was perfect! Of course we planned in advance to be color coordinating! Afterwards, we headed to the Barnegat Lighthouse, a place where my grandparents loved, to watch the sunset together as a family.

Love you guys so much…East or West, family is the best!

-Michelle 🙂

[Family Beach Session Lavallette, NJ]

I just love a good beach session in the summer. I got to photograph this beautiful family a few weeks ago and we had the perfect weather! We did have to fight off some flies though, but we powered through!

I think my favorite part of this session was any time the adults were trying to make little Brianna laugh. They were dancing around, using silly voices and blowing bubbles and once this little angel started laughing, it was amazing!

This group was so much fun to photograph and spend a night on the beach with to take pictures! I’m holding on tight to summer with this session!

-Michelle 🙂

[Family Photos Toms River, NJ]

It’s always special when families get together for family photos, but it’s even more special when it’s for grandpa’s 75th birthday! They had a beautiful day for a family celebration and for all generations to be together for photos!

Everyone in the family was perfectly color coordinated and we had so much fun taking photos of each family, cousins, siblings, the kids with their grandparents, you name it, we covered it!

We had so many groupings of people that we wanted to take pictures of, but everyone hung in there and they looked gorgeous! I think it’s safe to say that grandpa’s birthday celebration got off to a great start with a beautiful family!

-Michelle 🙂

[Family Photos Seaside Park, NJ]

Beach sessions are in full swing and I am in love! This past weekend I got to photograph one of my favorite families! Not only are these guys great clients, but they are also great friends and I love photographing them.

The weather was a little questionable during the day of our session but we totally lucked out. The sun came out and was setting perfectly for our entire session! Mom, Dad and their three musketeers were dressed and coordinated amazingly; they literally were straight out of a J Crew summer catalog! So good!

I had so much fun during this session because even though we wanted the kids to sit and pose for photos, they were equally as cute when they were running around and playing and it was so cute to watch! We did get them to stay in one spot a few times! 🙂

Every session with this awesome family seems a little wild, but we always manage to have fun and capture the kids at their best!

-Michelle 🙂

[Gabriella’s 3rd Birthday Toms River, NJ]

Happy Third Birthday to my little peanut! I started watching Gabriella when she was just 3 months old and last week I got to help celebrate her 3rd birthday! How did that happen so fast?!

I was home from work last week and Gabriella and I were reunited for a play date! It was the BEST and just like old times. We were able to fit in her 3rd birthday session and we had so much fun!

Of course mom had packed the sweetest outfits, tutus and tiaras obviously, so we had a fashion show/birthday photo session! Gabriella loved running around outside and being silly and she kept me laughing the whole time.

Happy Birthday, Peanut!

-Meesh 🙂

[Gianna’s First Holy Communion Toms River, NJ]

Congratulations to this sweet angel, Gianna for making her First Holy Communion a few weeks ago! A few days before the big day, we went out to Huddy Park to have our session, and even though it was chilly (our luck, of course!) Gianna smiled and posed perfectly! Mom followed behind with her sweater so that in between photos she could bundle up for a few seconds!

Gianna has two sisters, and she’s right in the middle, so she had so much fun during our session because it was her time to shine! And she absolutely did just that!

Mom brought along her Rosary and her First Holy Communion Journal and Gianna was a pro with her props. She also had the cutest poses, especially when she put her hand on her hip!

It was so much fun, as it always is, taking photos with this angel! God Bless Gianna!

-Michelle 🙂

[Baby’s First Christmas Edison, NJ]

I got to photograph two Christmas sessions last week that were the baby’s first Christmas and it was so exciting! For this session, I went up to Edison for Luke’s first Christmas photos! His adorable mom had the house decorated, had the best Christmas props and of course the sweetest outfits for little Luke!

We started our session with Luke in his Christmas sleigh! It took a few tries to get him sitting up right, but any way he was sitting in that sleigh, it was going to be adorable. I must have been boring him or tiring him out because after the sleigh, he went right to sleep, and it was honestly the cutest thing ever! He slept so contently as I positioned him on his blanket and took hats on and off his head and when he woke up, he was happy as ever!

We finished our session with Luke, aka the baby reindeer, and if you thought the session couldn’t have gotten cuter, you would be wrong! Basically, no matter what we had Luke doing during this session, it was adorable!

-Michelle 🙂

[Christmas Photos Spring Lake, NJ]

Last year when I photographed Angelina and her dog Snowball for Christmas, we picked the coldest day of the year and we were on the beach! This year was a little less cold and she had a new furry friend, Charlie to take pictures with. We went to a beautiful spot in Spring Lake, which is going to be my new favorite place for sessions, and had so much fun taking pictures with both dogs!

We went from the bridge, to the lake and to a really cool looking tree to take pictures and of course mom and dad were there to help get the dogs to look at the camera! If only we had pictures of three adults trying to get two little dogs attention with treats and silly noises! No matter how crazy we might have looked, it was well worth it!

-Michelle 🙂

[Christmas Cousins Toms River, NJ]

Last week I got to photograph one of my favorite families that I nanny for! I had the best summer ever with these cuties and it was so much fun getting to take their Christmas photos with their new baby cousin!

The girls all started this session looking absolutely beautiful in their Christmas dresses! After the fancy photos, they got comfy in their Christmas jammies! The big girls cuddled up with their baby cousin, singing to her, reading to her and finally watching as she fell asleep!

It was so sweet to see the girls interact with their new cousin and it was so much fun to take little Codi’s first Christmas pictures!

-Michelle 🙂

[Family Photos Island Heights, NJ]

Last week I got to photograph a beautiful family at my favorite place ever! Yes it was super windy and yes it was super cold, but this family rocked it and it was totally worth it! I’m lucky enough to nanny for this awesome crew so it was a lot of fun to get to photograph them!

Big brother, Brody, was the best little model ever! He was ready and posing every time I picked up my camera. He was such a great helper too when it came to getting his little brother and sister to smile! We’ve been trying to schedule a session for the longest time, but the weather always had another plan! I’m so glad that we stuck it out through the cold because these guys looked so amazing!

-Michelle 🙂

[Christmas Family Photos Wall, NJ]

The last time I photographed this sweet family, their little guy was a newborn baby! It was so much fun getting to photograph them this year at Conover’s Tree Farm in Wall, New Jersey.

Mom came very well prepared with such fun props and she had everyone dressed in the best winter style! Although the kids just wanted to run around and explore, we rallied them up and had so much fun taking photos! Whether they were putting ornaments on the trees, taking rides in the wagon or even pulling the wagon, this crew didn’t stop smiling!

This was my first Christmas session this season and it sure was a great way to get me in the holiday spirit!

-Michelle 🙂