Westchester Family Photographer: Capturing Precious Moments

As a dedicated Westchester family photographer based in White Plains, NY, I have had the honor of capturing the love and happiness of families for the past fourteen years. Being a husband and father of a 4-year-old, I deeply understand the significance of family photo sessions.

If you’ve been considering a family photo session, now is the perfect time to take the plunge. Prioritizing your family and gathering them for a session allows you to immortalize this special moment and create memories that will last a lifetime. Westchester County, known as the gateway to the Hudson Valley, offers a stunning outdoor backdrop, including the exquisite Untermyer Gardens and breathtaking views of Bear Mountain. The county is also home to numerous parks and beaches, such as the picturesque sandy shores of Rye, making it an ideal setting for a family photoshoot.

My Style and Approach as a Westchester Family Photographer

During the photoshoot, I will provide guidance on poses and tips on what to do with your hands, but my main goal is to make the process fun, relaxed, and natural. The final result is a delightful mix of portraits, group shots, and candid moments.

I aim to capture the genuine interactions between your family members. Each session is unique, just like the families I photograph, which makes my job enjoyable. My goal is to capture your family’s dynamic authentically and heartfelt, highlighting the love, laughter, and little quirks that define you. Together, we’ll create timeless images that tell your family’s story.

Top 9 Tips for Planning Your Westchester Family Photo Session

1. Prepare for the unexpected: managing kids during your family photo session

   With families comes children, and no matter the age – things will happen, and you should expect hiccups before or during your session. No matter their age, they are their person and may throw a wrench in your best-prepared plans. Think about their nap schedule, ensure they have a meal or snack, and address any other needs beforehand. Whether your child is shy, your baby requires special attention, or your teenager is having a moment, all of these situations happen to families from time to time. My role as your photographer is to help your session run smoothly, including ensuring your children have a relaxing time.

2. Plan your outfits

   Matching or not matching – both are fantastic choices- it’s key to keep your stress level at a minimum on the day of your shoot. Consider your choices as the photos will be a part of your family’s history. Instead of trying to set fashion trends, keep your options simple and timeless. With my few simple guidelines, choosing outfits will be easy and stress-free.

3. Choose the perfect location for your Westchester photoshoot

   

   It’s important to plan your photoshoot locations with your photographer prior to the day of the session. As a photographer, I prefer to shoot outdoors, taking advantage of the beautiful scenery that Westchester County has to offer. Whether it’s a park, beach, or field, we can find a picturesque location that suits your family’s style. Alternatively, we can schedule your session at your home if that works better for you. The key is to choose a location that will showcase your family’s unique personality and create lasting memories.

4. Who to include?

   Consider who is a part of your “family” and how you should incorporate them into your photo shoot. From everyone you want to include – think about how to work with their schedules and invite them to the shoot, whether it is extended family members like grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, and grandchildren, or friends that impact your life. Plan on sending a few reminders in advance – including the coordination of outfits – so you can start your session on time.

   Pro tip: You may want to bring your pet if the location allows them. If so, bring a friend to help handle the pet when they’re not in the photo.

5. Time of day matters

   For your photographs, you want the best light possible. With outdoor sessions, think about scheduling in either the early morning light or at sunset. When you select an at-home session, the schedule can be more flexible for the time of day and season. Think about when your children are the best and when they need to nap – this can help improve the mood of your photoshoot.

6. Have a good time

   My photography style puts you at ease as I want you to have fun and be relaxed. While many families stare at the camera and smile, think about how you can have fun during your session. When you’re enjoying time with each other, it shows in the final product, and I will provide tips and guidance when needed. Having natural, unposed photos can be beautiful as you show your true personalities – especially when you’re snuggling with your little ones.

7. Choose timeless over trendy

   I strive to get the colors clean and natural when editing your session’s photos. My goal is to present timeless photos you can reflect on for decades and generations!

8. What if it rains?

   

   The weather – like life – is sometimes unpredictable in Westchester. If it rains, snows, or trends towards a hot day, we can see that in advance, and it’s better to reschedule. Your photo session should be an excellent experience, which may not happen during a downpour.

9. Schedule family photo sessions once a year to capture the evolution of your family

   Your family will change and sometimes even grow, which is great! As your life evolves and babies grow into adults, don’t miss the opportunity to capture these incredible moments. Think about scheduling family sessions and a children’s session once a year. Especially when there are constant changes – becoming taller, growing out their features, changing their styles – planning your sessions out in advance will ensure that you don’t miss these life events and take them off your to-do list.

Will We Get the Digital Files?

YES! Once the session has wrapped up, your high-resolution files will arrive digitally through an online gallery (no logos or watermarks).

Can We Print Our Photos?

Absolutely. You can print the photos from the online gallery (the preferred method) or print them on your own.

Pro tip: Not all print shops are created equal and can change the contrast and colors to look different from the final projects. I spend hours editing photos to make them look specific, and bad printing reverses all my hard work, which is a total bummer.

You and all visitors of your gallery will receive a 50% discount for all products in the gallery store within a couple of weeks after your photos are ready. Having your photos in hand is always the best way to view them.

Family Photography Packages

Collection 1 (up to 4 people)

• Includes 45-minute photography coverage
• Receive 40-80 hand-edited digital photos available to download from an online gallery (no logos or watermarks)

Collection 2 (up to 10 people)

• Includes 1-hour photography coverage
•Receive 60-120 hand-edited digital photos available to download from an online gallery (no logos or watermarks)

Family sessions start at $950. Please inquire for a specific quote.

Booking Process

Contact me to pick a day and time for your family session. I require a signed agreement and a 30% reservation fee to secure the date. The remaining payment is due on the day of your session.

Take the Next Step

If you have put off booking a photo session for your family, take that off your list by booking a session today. As your Westchester family photographer, your family will have signature experiences that I will capture on camera during our time together.

Have your family photographed now – as they are. The photos from your session will play an essential role in your life – they’ll connect you to the past and remind you of how unique your family was at this point.

Looking for the best Westchester family photographer? Get in touch, this is going to be fun!