New York Nanny Center » photography

Capturing Sweet Portraits

Lindsay Bell — Fri, 08 Nov 2013 17:45:37 +0000

Everyone loves taking pictures of their lil’ ones; after all, they are one of the best ways to capture memories forever. Today, we sat down and talked to professional NYC photographer, Emily Dewan, who shared her tips on making your photos the best they can be.

Hold the cheese, please
The command “say cheese!” has been used to invoke smiles since at least the 1940s. While it generally succeeds in getting the mouth formation into a smile, if the eyes aren’t matching a grin then the result is often closer to a terrifying zombie face (something to keep in mind for Halloween). Try conjuring up laughter instead of smiles on command – singing ridiculous songs, making animal noises (I’m working on mastering a seal bark), or telling jokes.

The little details of life
Pay attention to all the tiny details that are making up the whole scene you want to capture. Maybe you want to remember your son’s beautiful curls, your daughter’s tight fist around her favorite blanket, or your children’s hands intertwined as they sit together. Come in close and capture fractions of the entire setting.

Up, down, over, under
Think of different vantage points to photograph your children from instead of staying seated with them. Lay on the ground to be eye level with a baby, climb up on a chair to tower above a toddler, or hang out under a chair and have your child peek out from above you.

Glorious lighting
Soft, even lighting will generally be the easiest to photograph in and will help to produce the most pleasing results. If you’re outdoors, look for open shade (shade caused by large objects such as trees or buildings where a large light source – generally the sun – is still illuminating the area). Indoors, try to move your child close to and facing a window. Having your subject in direct sun will usually cause squinting or shielding eyes, and harsh shadows. You can also try filling in some of the shadows by bouncing a little more light back on to your subject. Anything white will work if you bring it close to the face: poster board, a blanket, or a large piece of paper. This is usually easiest if you have someone else there to hold it while you take the photo.

Most important: have fun!

-Emily Dewan is a Photographer based in NYC. She specializes in glimpses of life of families with their children and pets. She loves barking like a seal to get children to laugh. Find out more on her website, blog, Facebook page, or Twitter feed.

Introducing Georgia!

Lindsay Bell — Fri, 04 Oct 2013 20:21:08 +0000

This Friday, we’d like to introduce you to a great kid, baby, & family photographer: Georgia Glennon!

Georgia has a degree in photography and worked behind the camera in NYC for years before moving down to Sayulita, Mexico for a change of scenery. Georgia now regularly schedules photo shoots for families traveling to her beautiful city, and runs a babysitting service on the side. Her goal is to create timeless images that record those special moments in her client’s lives, whatever they may be. She especially loves any opportunity to work with children!

Georgia explains that speaking with strangers comes easily for her- which is exactly how she and someone from the Lucky Lil’ Darlings team met. We love her website which showcases some of her kid, baby and family photography and we wanted to share with all of you!

If you are interested in hearing more about her work or scheduling a photo shoot in NYC- her next availabilities in NYC are November 8, 9, and 10. Her contact information is:

email: info@georgiaglennon.com

phone: 917 748 0977

How to Get Perfect Party Photos

Alison Gore — Fri, 12 Apr 2013 14:59:58 +0000

We know that party planning is hard work, and you want the perfect pictures to remember all the fun. So, we asked Bethany Kruska, owner of Shutter Happy for some of her tips for creating the perfect photos. Whether you do it yourself or get a professional, these tips are sure to work!

As a professional photographer, I love taking pictures at children’s birthday parties & events where the energy and excitement is contagious! Pictures from these events are cherished by families for years to come. Parents are often so caught up in planning and running the event, that they forget to pick up their camera, or they might not trust their own photography skills to capture the fun of the day. If you’re interested in taking event photography into your own hands, read below for some quick tips on how to perfect your party pictures.

Photography tips

Great photography starts with nice, even lighting. Pick an event location that gets soft natural light, and you’re one step in the right direction! Take numerous shots, and edit them down later. If you take a ton, you’re bound to find a gem! Remember to take plenty of candid shots, in addition to the standard group ‘staged’ pictures. Have your camera ready at all times – often the best shots are unplanned. Most of all, be silly and have fun with the kids…it is a party, after all!

Sometimes, it’s okay to play with your food!

Fun theme & prop ideas that photograph well

For older kids, consider a DIY photo booth with fun silly props, and a background made out of colorful fabric. This is a great way for boys & girls to act silly, and ham it up for the camera. You’ll be able to capture a shot of everyone who attends the event. As an added bonus, you can send the pictures out with thank you cards after the party.

How about a dessert-station at your event? Colored candy varieties displayed in vases, bowls, and cake plates are as fun to look at, and photograph, as they are to devour. Any time you have cupcakes and lollipops, you’re bound to get some sweet shots of the kiddos. What child’s eyes don’t light up when they see a delicious treat coming their way? Get the camera ready for some frosting covered fingers and smiles.

No one can resist smiling with a cupcake in hand!

Be mindful of what will be in the background of during major party photo ops like cake cutting and present opening. A bunch of balloons of one color tied together acts as a lovely and portable backdrop. Use the balloon backdrop to block messy areas so that your photos focus on the children, and not the (unfortunate, but realistic) party clutter in the background. Remember to photograph detailed shots of the decorations and food presentation before the guests arrive.

Getting the kids to smile

Sometimes the best shots are when a child isn’t looking at the camera. Perhaps they are blowing bubbles, or concentrating on opening a present. When photography isn’t forced, the end result is unique and beautiful. Often times, using the words ‘say cheese’ will backfire by causing a child to shy away from the camera, or by producing a face scrunched toothy grin (which is super adorable, but we do want to see their faces!). For posed shots, ask children to look for the ‘bug’ or ‘fairy’ inside your lens. This creates a fun game that will get little ones to look toward the camera.

Saying “cheese” isn’t always the most effective way to get a lil’ one to smile

Hopefully these tips help you at your child’s next birthday party or event! If you decide that you’d like to hire a photographer for the occasion, remember this advice – the photographer is there to get the feel of the event and to capture moments as they unfold. Let them focus on their job, so you can enjoy the event with your children. Have a list of ‘must have shots’ for your photographer, and discuss with them at the initial consultation. Do your research to find a well reviewed photographer in your area and then trust them to do a great job. You have better things to think about, like celebrating your little one’s big day!

-Bethany Kruska is a Brooklyn based natural light photographer and owner of Shutter Happy NYC. Bethany is available for portraits, engagement sessions, weddings, birthday parties, personalized NYC photo tours, and any other fun event you have in mind!

Simple as ABC, 123!

Alison Gore — Thu, 14 Mar 2013 15:42:13 +0000

Letter and number primers are a necessity in any lil’ ones’ library, and we are in love with author and photographer Deborah Donenfeld’s beautifully photographed Baby ABC and Baby 123, two books that will captivate your lil’ ones. Deborah’s books are unique in that she uses black & white photographs of children and pops of color with props, creating a simple yet vibrant page which appeals to both lil’ ones and adults. We had one of our sitters test these books and then asked Deborah a few questions about the motivation for creating these books.

Shannon read these to two lil’ boys and they couldn’t put the books down! Both enjoyed the real-life baby pictures and the bright colors. They especially liked the use of photographs of children and enjoyed all the different colors.

Shannon and the boys had a blast with the books!

LLD: What inspired you to write this book?

DD: As kooky and new-agey as it may sound, the idea for this book came to me during my morning meditation. As a children’s photographer, and a mother of two (now 17 and almost 14), I am very aware of the scarcity of children’s books using photography. I also loved the idea of babies looking at babies, and having a book that is very simple and clean for the littlest ones. And I also like to look at a page that is designed simply, so I think that other parents will also enjoy looking at it.

LLD: Your limited use of color is unusual in a children’s book, why did you choose to highlight only one color per page?

DD: Again, I really wanted to keep it simple. One object on a page, one color, that corresponds to the color of the letter that represents that object. The point is that even the earliest “reader” could make that connection, or could easily learn to make that connection.

Intently learning his numbers!

LLD: How did you choose your pictures?

DD: Well, choosing the pictures was hard! I had shot multiple babies with each prop, and multiple props for many of the letters, so there were a lot of images to choose from. I mainly wanted the babies to look natural and engaged, and I wanted to be sure to have a range of expressions and positions. I wanted the pictures to feel authentic (as well as cute!). I also considered the layout and design – which images would look good next to one another, and how would the overall flow of the book be. The only other thing I will say is that what I think makes these books especially engaging is that the babies seem to all be in the middle of a moment in their day that feels authentic, that any parent or child will be able to relate to and recognize. It feels real. I am hoping that this, coupled with the fact that they are only wearing diapers and most of the props are fairly classic, will allow the book to feel current and relevant for a long time.

We really love these books for their simple layout and appealing images and think that your lil’ ones will enjoy them too! For more info on the books and to get your own, check them out here!

-Deborah Donenfeld is a photographer living in New York City with her two children. To learn more visit her website.

Photography by Willy in NYC & Brooklyn!

Lindsay Bell — Thu, 28 Apr 2011 17:22:00 +0000

Mother’s Day Special 2011
Book Portrait Sessions (Mom & Dad With Kids or Just Kids …)

http://www.willamain.com/mothersday.html

Contact Willy at willysomma@gmail.com

$250 / 1 hour shoot with CD of images
$500 / 2 hour shoot with CD of images plus (2) 8X10 prints
$750 2 1-hour sessions with CD of images
$1,000 2 2-hour sessions with CD of images plus (2) 8X10 prints