Family Nataliya Lalor Family Nataliya Lalor

Top Mistakes Parents Make with Holiday Cards

Not sure if you’ve noticed all the leaves on the ground lately. Fall snuck up on us like it does every year, it seems. Soon enough we’ll have Halloween and shortly after that, the holiday season. And as festive as that time of the year is, it’s also when (as Moms) we start thinking about our annual holiday cards…

Read More
Family Nataliya Lalor Family Nataliya Lalor

The Advantage of Working with Different Photographers

Most of the time, people assume a few common things about photographers. One is that a photographer can photograph pretty much anything. And two, is that we’re all in competition with each other for clients. And for me at least, neither of those is true…

Read More
Products Nataliya Lalor Products Nataliya Lalor

How to Decorate your Home with Photos

If there is one thing that's 100% true, it's that everyone is different. Every Client I've had has a different interior decor style, preferences, and what they would like to do with their photographs. And while I offer a fairly limited array of products, they actually accommodate many different preferences when it comes to decorating your home with photographs…

Read More
Behind the Scenes, Products Nataliya Lalor Behind the Scenes, Products Nataliya Lalor

What is Archival Printing?

One of the biggest benefits of working with a professional photographer is access to professional-quality archival prints. I won’t go into why you should always get prints from whichever photographer you’re working with (and you absolutely should!). But there is actually a huge difference between professional-quality printing and the consumer printing we’re all used to…

Read More
Family Nataliya Lalor Family Nataliya Lalor

8 Ways a Studio is Better than Outdoors

Before I had a Studio space, I photographed on location. Outdoor sessions. In-home photoshoots. I traveled to clients and did location scouting to make sure we picked the perfect spot for their family. But more often than not, things weren't as idilic as you might think. Weather had to be checked obsessively. Last minute rescheduling was always a concern. And many little inconveniences (and some big ones, too!) added up to potential disaster on a daily basis…

Read More
Family, Photography Nataliya Lalor Family, Photography Nataliya Lalor

5 Ways the iPhone Fails at Photography

Don't get me wrong, I LOVE my iPhone for photography. It takes some amazing pictures at any time I want. But here's what I realized.. while the iPhone is great at everyday shots (and that goes for pretty much any smart phone these days), it often fails when it comes to producing the caliber of images would be considered professional standard…

Read More
Photography, Family, Baby Nataliya Lalor Photography, Family, Baby Nataliya Lalor

How to Instantly Know if a Photographer Is Good

Here is an interesting fact.. most people can't tell a good photograph from a great photograph. We can all pretty much see it when a photo is BAD. But comparing photographers (not to mention having to choose one to hire for your family portraits) can be incredibly difficult simply because it's so hard to tell who is really good at their job and who is really good at seeming like they are…

Read More
Family, Baby Nataliya Lalor Family, Baby Nataliya Lalor

The No-Risk Photo Session

Hiring a professional photographer can be scary. It's usually a fairly large expenditure. It requires time to prepare and a couple precious weekend hours to execute. It can be stressful too, because you never really know how the photographs will turn out. But what if you could have a no-risk photo session?…

Read More
Behind the Scenes Nataliya Lalor Behind the Scenes Nataliya Lalor

My Trip to Iceland (2018)

One of my biggest personal goals for 2018 was to travel. Without the boys. Now, I love my family and all, but any time we go somewhere, it's not exactly a relaxing experience. So the next chance I got, I asked my sister if she wanted to go somewhere with me. Turns out, she's been thinking about going to Iceland but needed someone to drive (she lives in NYC and never bothered getting a driver's license). I wholeheartedly volunteered…

Read More
Family Nataliya Lalor Family Nataliya Lalor

5 Ways to Encourage Kids to be Themselves in Photos

I photograph a lot of children. Babies, toddler, preschoolers.. and plenty of older kids/teenagers as well. My one main goal for a portrait session is to capture the person I'm photographing in a natural and relaxed way.. which can often be difficult for several reasons. For children, in particular, it's challenging to arrive in a new environment and feel at ease with essentially a total stranger…

But there are certain things I do which guarantees a real smile or a calm expression. Things YOU can do as well when you photograph your own children…

Read More

The Camera Doesn't Matter

I used to get a little envious when I saw someone with a large professional camera on the street. By definition, I thought they were a better photographer because they had a fancier camera. It makes sense, right? The bigger and more expensive the camera, the better the photographs. Well, I know a little better now! Because getting a big fancy camera did NOT magically make me a better photographer…

Read More
Baby Nataliya Lalor Baby Nataliya Lalor

Baby's First Year Milestones

The first year for a baby is so full of growth and development! It was one of my favorite times with my children because there is so much discovery and joy, on both sides. The one thing I missed, however, was having really simple, clean portraits of my children. I didn't have a Studio back then! And I was just starting on my photography journey. So I have lots of at-home photographs, and plenty of outdoor shots.. but nothing like what I provide to my clients now. Which, in many ways, is why I do it…

Read More

Brand Photography for METTA 10

As some of you may already know, I love working with local small businesses. Recently, I had the opportunity to create lifestyle product imagery for METTA 10, a soon-to-be-launched collection of ethical and sustainable fashion and home decor. Not only are their products absolutely gorgeous and really high-quality, but the company was also founded by two local Westport women…

Read More
Baby Nataliya Lalor Baby Nataliya Lalor

Newborns Without Props

Newborn photography has certainly evolved over the past few years. It's become more of a "thing", which is great, because more parents are getting professional photographs of their baby.. and there are more options than ever, too. But parents can also be left feeling left out if they don't exactly love the two main styles of baby photography we're seeing nowadays…

Read More
Behind the Scenes, Baby, Family Nataliya Lalor Behind the Scenes, Baby, Family Nataliya Lalor

Studio Tour

This is the third year I've had my Greenwich CT Studio. It's one of my favorite places, mostly because I got to decorate the entire space myself. It's not a big area, but the three South-facing windows and white walls really light up the room. The one thing I've noticed over the years is that my Studio (and interior design style) is a bit simpler than a lot of other photographers. I, for one, can't stand clutter. I worry about safety.. and I hate spending frivolously, so everything I've purchased for the Studio over the years has been meticulously researched and planned for…

Read More
Products, Family, Baby Nataliya Lalor Products, Family, Baby Nataliya Lalor

How to Select the Perfect Frame Size

Here is the biggest mistake people make when purchasing frames for their photographs: they determine the size of the frame based on where they want that frame to live in their home. Sounds pretty logical, right? It is.. until you realize that you probably won’t be living in that house forever. People move (every 7-10 years on average), and they take their stuff with them. Which means that perfectly sized frame will soon have to fill a totally different spot…

Read More
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…

Read More
Family Nataliya Lalor Family Nataliya Lalor

Don't Match, Coordinate: How to Dress for a Photography Session

Matching clothes is the easiest way to dress a family for a photography session.. which is why I tend to steer clear of that approach. It’s a lot harder to coordinate - to make sure each family member retains their unique style while also looking good as a unit. And that’s one of the biggest reasons why I do on-site styling for each and every one of my portrait sessions. My clients typically don’t have to worry about this stuff, but it still helps to know what I’m looking for (after all, everyone has to bring in options to being with!). So here are some guidelines and some tips based on my experience…

Read More