Sneak Peek - Ella's Bat Mitzvah

I was so very flattered and excited to be asked to photograph Ella's Bat Mitzvah. Her mom is a photo editor at a travel magazine and her dad is an accomplished photojournalist. Needless to say... I was also a little bit scared!!! I met them today at the synagogue, the day before the big event, to capture a few posed moments. You could sense the excitement, the nerves and the slight irritation with having to do this "pretend" shoot. (The rules of the synagogue required that we shoot the day before.) Proud dad couldn't help but art direct the whole thing! He wanted to make sure to get all the requisite images - "Just take the pictures, so when I'm old I can remember this."

I am sure Ella will do a fantastic job tomorrow. I look forward to capturing the celebration after!!

I heart iKidNY

I had the pleasure of photographing Lara Serebrier Paul last week in Central Park with her gorgeous son. She needed some new photos for some upcoming press and wanted to take advantage of the beautiful Cherry Blossoms in bloom. Lara is an awesome NYC mom who saw a need for an app to help new moms navigate their way around the city and did something about it. She created iKidNY, an app that can locate the closest changing tables, subway stations with elevators, kid-friendly restaurants, parks, playgrounds, museums, libraries, and indoor playspaces, all at the touch of a button. I love a woman who has a vision and takes action. Right now the app is available for the iPhone. Lara has plans to expand to other smart phones and possibly other cities. Stay tuned...

Check out Lara's favorite NYC based iPhone apps on her blog.

Happy Earth Day!

So, it's Earth Day again. Time really flies, huh? Seriously, I say this, because I remember starting my blog on or around Earth Day last year. So, on the occasion of my anniversary, it is a perfect day to recommit to working on blogging more diligently. If I reframe my approach and do a little bit each day I know am going to enjoy posting on a much more regular basis. Can you tell I just finished reading The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin? It has given me so many new ideas and techniques for dealing with all aspects of my daily life. It touches on everything from clearing your clutter to not expecting praise from others to getting more sleep (duh?) to being more mindful and the list goes on.... I must admit I was very intimidated when I checked out the blog, after seeing Gretchen speak at the JCC last month. It seemed like a lot of work to be happy, and who has that kind of time. I was still so intrigued by the idea of being happier, that I bought the book and began to read it. I found it to be much more digestible in book form, at least for me, and I found the anecdotal style very manageable. I find myself recalling many of the ideas put forth in the book on a daily basis. I haven't tackled any big projects yet, but I will... I hope. In the mean time, I am singing every morning on the way to school and I can assure you that there are smiles on the faces of all involved.

Happy Earth Day! Happy Blogging! Happy Everything!

Artwork borrowed from http://bit.ly/cTNRjx

Biggest Baby Shower Ever!

This was a really fabulous event. I had heard great things about it over the years, but never really thought it would be this much fun. My sister went last year when she was pregnant and she had a great time, she came away with a huge goodie bag and a great raffle prize too. So, this year, I decided to see for myself!

There were more than 300 moms-to-be and over 60 fabulous vendors gathered at the Park East Ballroom on East 67th Street on Wednesday night. This doesn't include, the press, the sponsors, the bloggers, the baby planners and - the photographers. Oh the photographers. There were tons of us! I could not believe it. It was a treat to see some familiar faces and to meet a few new colleagues.



The products on display were amazing. If only they had half of these things when my kids were born. The world of maternity wear, newborn gear, diaper bags, high chairs, strollers etc... has certainly changed in the last decade. I mean, check out this bicycle / stroller combo!!! How cool is that? And these cute little lunch boxes!

Check out this slideshow of the event:

Press Release: Picture this! A Mother's Day Treat

This Mother's Day is your chance to finally get out from behind the lens and be a part of a beautiful portrait with your children. Whether you have one child or six, I will work with you to create images that truly capture the essence of your famiy. As a mother of two children myself, I know how quickly children change, and how important it is stop and take a moment to appreciate every stage and age.

In honor of moms everywhere, I have created two VIP portrait packages for Mother’s Day. Choose from a mini Slice of Life session or a full Seize the Day session at my Upper West Side studio. Come prepared to relax and enjoy the afternoon with your kids. This is your gift to YOU! Each photo session includes some well deserved pampering and lots of fun - there will be a salon hair and makeup artist on hand for all models, some bubbly for the moms and yummy treats for the kids. You will be so happy that you took the time, with your kids, to create a treasured keepsake that will endure forever.

On April 24 th, I will set aside the whole day for this unique event. Prices start at $350. Sessions are by appointment only. Spaces are limited. The first five people to book a session will receive a complimentary slideshow of images from the session, for their Facebook page or their iPhone!