Long Island Family Photographer

Long Island Family - Manhasset Family Photographer

That’s a wrap, 2019! My very last photoshoot of 2019 was a super fun family photo session with 9 month old Jayden and his parents, Mina and Jon. Our photo session was at their family’s beautiful and open home in Manhasset, NY.

Mina and Jon’s son Jayden was a lot of fun to photograph. He was super curious and didn’t mind dressing up in his new pajamas.

Photographing families in their home makes for the best photos. Everyone is comfortable and the kids have all of their favorite toys right there. Especially for little kids, home photoshoots are the best, not only because home is where the toys are, but because it’s easy for everyone. We were even able to pause for Jayden’s 30 minute nap and pick right back up again when he woke up.

Family Photo checklist for kids

  • Toys: On family photo sessions I always recommend brining a few toys. Children, young and old, need a distraction. It’s hard to constantly smile photo after photo, and still look happy. A toy break can be a great mood booster and a nice way to relax.

  • Snacks: Even this photographer needs a snack break from time to time. Bring snacks to our family shoot. It’s a huge mood booster and even a bargaining chips to get the kids to pay attention and behave.

  • Budget time: Budget time in to your family photoshoot for snack breaks and time to play. Not all of our photos have need to be posed photos. Sometimes the best photos are of the kids just being kids…. even if it’s on the floor. Posed family photos are great, and so are candids.

At Home Family Photos With A Professional Long Island Family Photographer

Holiday family photos

My last photo assignment of the 2019 was one of my favorite family sessions of the year. To be honest, family photography is not my number one photography service. I don’t advertise for family photography or “family photographer”, and I don’t talk about my family photography work all that much. However, family photography is my favorite type of photography for a whole bunch of reasons. First, it’s rewarding and relaxing. I can be goofy, and there’s no strict timeline of what needs to happen and when it needs to happen.

happy Family portraits

Photographing this family at their Manhasset, NY home was a ton of fun! Their kids, Ethan and Aria, were so easy to work with. Maybe it was the holiday season that had everyone feeling good or maybe, just maybe, it was the promise of Disney Plus and lollipops that had everyone on their best behavior. Not once did these kids complain.

HOw to prepare for a family photo session and working with a professional photographer.

Mom was prepared for our morning photography session. She had plenty of ideas and examples of what she wanted photographed. Everything was ready for our family photo session.

  • Snacks that were not messy

  • Toys

  • Family photo poses and ideas

Central Park Fall Family Session

Fall family sessions in the late afternoons are my favorite. When the warm afternoon light hits the foliage and you add a happy family to the mix you’re guaranteed A++ photos. I last photographed this family back in the fall of 2015, when their son Max was an only child. Fast forward to 2019, Max now has his little sister Sage.

We agreed to shoot a 30 minute family mini-session at the Central Park Model Boat Pond, right here in New York City, and it really worked out well. Although, the kids had a hard time sitting still with all of the dogs running around and things to play with, we really knocked it out of the park. When photographing little kids you have to play with them, make compromises, and be goofy.