These clients came to me with the most beautiful vision. They had just purchased a home in Glen Ridge, NJ, and wanted to build a gallery wall full of black-and-white family portraits. They’ve done family photos together every year, so they wanted their gallery wall to be made up of memories from the past and have room for portraits that they take in the future. I love the idea of a gallery wall that expands over time. 

I also adore black-and-white photos. Many clients come to me specifically for my black-and-white studio portraits. I love how studio light can be soft and mimic natural light, but I can also create looks with much more contrast by changing the lighting or editing the image to my liking. 

I asked a myriad of questions during our planning consultation to ensure that I understood exactly what mom and dad were looking for. Mom had some inspiration photos that we discussed in detail. I asked if she liked these photos for the expressions, interactions, wardrobe, lighting, body positioning, etc. This gave me a very clear picture of the portraits they were hoping to create, and I was able to form a plan for our session inspired by their vision. Our top priority for the session was to create a relaxed, happy photo of the full group. 

This family of four was made up of Mason, who is almost 6, mom, dad, and grandma Bernice, who lives with them. It was important to mom that we documented the special bond that Bernice and Mason share, and we got some really sweet portraits of the two of them. 

The clients had my preferred hair and makeup artist come to their NJ home and get them ready prior to their arrival at the studio. Mom ordered matching black sweat suits for the whole family. This look was a first for my studio, and I absolutely loved it. While I offer studio wardrobe for those who want me to make the portrait-making process as easy as possible, many of my clients have a specific look in mind, and I am always happy to create art that is unique to their style and family. 

Here is the Google review left by this client: The entire process was a pleasure! From the moment I met with Nicole, I knew we had found the person to provide us the experience we were looking for. She was interested in learning more about our family and how we wanted to be portrayed in the photographs. I would most definitely recommend Nicole! We will be requesting her talents again next year!