NJ Lifestyle Family Photographer

Outdoor & In-Home Sessions

Mini sessions rarely result in the kind of portraits families truly want, so they are not part of the experience at Nicole Hawkins Photography.

Families throughout Northern New Jersey and New York City choose a custom session with Nicole Hawkins Photography for images that feel authentic, joyful, and deeply personal.

Whether you want to bottle up the sweetness, beautifully document the chaos, or enjoy your children as artwork in your home, you’re in the right place.

In-Home Family Photography
Across Northern New Jersey

Your home is the backdrop to your family’s everyday story.

In-home family photography documents this season exactly where life unfolds — children playing in the living room, quiet snuggles on the couch, or small moments together in the spaces you have lovingly created.

For families with young children, photographing at home often helps everyone relax more quickly. Little ones can move freely and settle into the experience in the place they feel most comfortable.

A family of four sitting on front porch steps, smiling. The father and older daughter have dark curly hair, the mother and younger daughter have dark straight hair. They are barefoot, and a candle holder with a white candle is nearby.
Happy mother with pink hair and pink pajamas with feather trim, smiling while helping young daughter mix ingredients in bright Maplewood NJ kitchen.
A group of four teenagers, two boys and two girls, standing together in Summit NJ backyard, smiling and enjoying each other's company.

In-home sessions are available throughout Maplewood, South Orange, Short Hills, Summit, Montclair, and across Essex, Union, and Morris Counties.

New York City families looking for an ongoing relationship with a professional family photographer often start with an in home newborn session in Manhattan.

Two young sisters in white dresses sitting on a white bed, smiling at the camera.

Outdoor Lifestyle Family Portraits in Parks, Gardens & Neighborhoods

Bright black and white profile photo of mother and daughter smiling and touching noses in Old Short Hills NJ Park

Outdoor family sessions offer a beautiful way to photograph your family surrounded by glowy natural light and open space. We might meet in a local park, a quiet garden, a favorite neighborhood street, or even your own backyard. Children are free to explore and play, creating images that feel spontaneous and full of life.

These outdoor portraits combine the relaxed feeling of a lifestyle session with the timeless style and attention to detail my studio is known for. ‍

Father with dark hair sitting on NJ park bench holding his baby on his lap while dark haired toddler son wearing cream clothing kisses baby brother.

A Relaxed, Fully Guided Family Photography Experience

A woman with curly hair kisses a young girl on the forehead while holding her close, sitting at home in Glen Ridge NJ backyard.

From the moment you reserve your session, everything is thoughtfully guided so the experience feels easy and you’re confident your images will be gorgeous.

I offer detailed in person planning to help with location selection and wardrobe coordination.

I guide your family into natural interactions that create beautiful, connected portraits.

Afterward, we will review the best images together and design a collection of photographs meant to be displayed in your home or preserved in a handcrafted album.

Family of five smiling in a fall forest, with trees and fallen leaves.

Your Family as Art: Images Designed to Live in Your Home

A woman hanging a black and white photograph of a young girl twirling in a dress on a white wall.

Your family photographs deserve to be seen and enjoyed every day — not tucked away on a hard drive.

After your session, we will gather to view the best images together and select the portraits that feel most meaningful to you. I will help you narrow down favorites and guide you in choosing the photographs that naturally belong on your walls or in an heirloom album.

Together we will design artwork that preserves this season of your family’s life in a way that feels beautiful, intentional, and lasting.

Modern black and white framed family photo gallery on black wall in South Orange, with overhead lights and bench below.
Two framed black-and-white sibling photographs of young children are hung on a gray wall at home.
Toddler with blonde hair in a white dress standing barefoot on a wooden floor in a brightly lit Chatham home in front of framed newborn, 6 month, and first birthday portraits.
A framed photograph of a smiling 6 month old baby wearing a white outfit and sitting on a gray surface.

As Your Family Grows

The years with young children move quickly. Lifestyle family photography preserves the small moments — the laughter, the closeness, and the personality of your children exactly as they are now — so they can be remembered for generations.

Sessions are limited each month to ensure a personalized experience. Contact us to reserve your date and begin planning your dream in home or outdoor family lifestyle session.

Inquire here
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A father in light blue shirt carrying a laughing toddler on his shoulders in Old Short Hills Park during maternity session.
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Maplewood father with glasses and a leather jacket holding his young daughter with curly hair and a black sweater, who is smiling and holding a pink stuffed animal, during fall in Memorial Park.
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A father with a beard and bun, wearing a blue shirt, sitting on his bed brushing his young daughters hair before newborn photography session in their Closter home.
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Pregnant mother in a light blue dress holding her son in Short Hills park while he touches his belly.
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A family of five with a dog posing outdoors on a brick patio with green trees and shrubs in the background. The mother is holding a newborn baby, and two young girls are standing in front.
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Bright fall portrait of a young girl in a gold dress standing in an Essex County park filled with fallen autumn leaves.
Three month old baby lying in a crib, smiling and looking up, as big sister gently brushes hair from the baby's forehead.
One year old baby sitting on grass in her Glen Ridge NJ backyard, holding strawberries and smiling.
Black and white portrait of a pregnant woman wearing a flowy dress, standing outdoors with trees in the background, gently holding her belly.
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A family of three. A woman and a man are holding their young child outdoors in a park, smiling and enjoying family time.
A woman holding and kissing her 6 month baby in a Hoboken park, with trees lining the walkway in the background.
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