Family Nataliya Lalor Family Nataliya Lalor

Get Ready! 2 Weeks Before Your Session

While it might seem that beautiful portraits happen in a click of a button, there’s actually quite a bit of preparation that is required for a successful photo session. And that preparation really starts right around 2 weeks beforehand…

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5 Ways To Be More Patient With Your Children During a Portrait Session

A portrait session tends to be incredibly stressful for parents, especially for Moms who understandably want things to go well (I’m trying really hard not to say “perfectly”, but it often does seem that way!). And when stress levels are high, paired with solid expectations of good behavior, finding patience when dealing with your children can be really hard…

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Family, Baby Nataliya Lalor Family, Baby Nataliya Lalor

It's Included! 10 Things That Don't Cost Extra

Every day, I look for little extras I can include in my business to make my service just a little bit better. Now, I'm very selective about this because if I start throwing everything and the kitchen sink in for free, I will have to raise my prices to cover the additional cost. The things that are included with each session make the biggest impact on the final images. They are almost essential to the process, but a lot of the time photographers will either not take the time to do them, or won't include them for free…

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Family Nataliya Lalor Family Nataliya Lalor

10 Great Kid Photos With No Smiles

Most of the parents I work with want photographs of their children smiling. That's completely understandable! We all want to see (and remember) our kids happy and laughing. But sometimes by focusing so much on getting a smile in a photo, we forget about their non-smiling face. A calm peaceful look can be just as precious. An intense stare shows strength and character. And features that are at rest are just as important to remember as a toothy grin…

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Demarest and Conway

There is one thing that Demerest and Conway's Mom said that really stuck with me. "I am so glad we did this photo session when we did." And what she meant was, I'm glad we waited until they were a little older...

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Henry & Clara

There are a few business types out there that don't require a big monetary investment to start. Photography is definitely one of those. A lot of people have expensive digital camera equipment already, so it's a very easy transition to start charging friends for photos.. and viola! you are now a professional photographer, right? 

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Outdoor vs. Studio

I often get asked whether I do outdoor photos as well as in Studio. Especially in the fall.. when that is the standard for family portraits. What I usually say is "I specialize in Studio portraits.. and that's usually why my clients hire me". Now, there are certainly some exceptions.. but for the most part, I love the convenience the Studio provides. And here is an easy breakdown/comparison of the two options..

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Personal Branding, Family Nataliya Lalor Personal Branding, Family Nataliya Lalor

Ava-Jeanette

Creative photo sessions hold a special place in my heart. They also demand an immense amount of effort and preparation. This photoshoot with Ava-Jeanette took about 6 hours from start to finish.. that included child-appropriate makeup and hair styling (with various looks) by the talented Susan Donoghue, fresh flowers, gorgeous white dresses by Stella M'Lia (based in Greenwich), and necklace accessories from Ella & Henry (New Canaan).

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Haus of Pretty Photoshoot

Working with local women-led businesses is definitely a passion of mine. It's safe to say that I know what they're going through.. and creating beautiful photographs that can be used to promote their business is one of the most important pursuits in my photography.

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Rachel

Rachel is 2 years old. She seems so much older and mature, and I guess that is why she is able to start modeling at such an early age. Rachel's Mom is also a photographer (she specializes in weddings), and as we talked, it became clear that what I do (the whole Studio photography thing) isn't as easy to replicate as I thought (because, hey, it's kinda easy for me). Even though I don't have any super-complicated equipment or setups, just having a dedicated space, a good light source, and the extensive experience with Studio portraits makes a big difference!

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Brothers

Today, my oldest son turns 7 years old. When I think about the years that passed, I am so thankful I have a photographic record, because quite honestly, I remember very little nowadays (I blame my two pregnancies and parenting in general).And I don't always take lots of pictures of Graham. In fact, I don't want hundreds of photos on my phone to be the only record of his childhood.

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Mothers and Children

I am so excited to finally share some of our Mother's Day portrait event images! There were so many beautiful Moms and kids who enjoyed my mini studio setup right inside the Ella and Henry children's clothing boutique in New Canaan, CT. This event is so special because Moms are rarely in photos and it's been my most important intention to get them in front of the camera more.

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Sasha & Benjy

As kids grow into teenagers parents tend to forego the whole annual family photoshoot thing. It doesn't seem as critical to document these years because the children don't seem to be changing as much. There aren't as many milestones. And there are plenty of soccer games and weekend activities to keep everyone very, very busy.

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Maren

When parents book a newborn photoshoot with me, they obviously don't know a few things. Like, when exactly the baby will be born (even with scheduled C-sections, babies can arrive early), how long it will take for Mom to recover, and if any special considerations will need to be made for the baby.

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Emma & Jacob

Let's be real, professional photographs are a luxury. When my clients hire me to take photos of their family, I want them to have something that ins't available at a retail store. It also means providing an experience that matches the price.

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