South Jersey Softball for 10U Girls

🌟 Exciting News for South Jersey Youth Baseball Enthusiasts! 🌟

Are you a parent or coach searching for ways to keep the softball spirit alive during the gap between spring and fall seasons? Look no further! I'm thrilled to announce I am in the works of creating a brand-new summer recreational league tailored for 10U players right here in South Jersey.

As a passionate coach for Audubon, I've witnessed firsthand the enthusiasm and dedication our young athletes bring to the game. However, I've also noticed the lack of opportunities for them to continue honing their skills during the summer months. That's why I'm taking the initiative to bridge this gap and offer an exciting summer league experience.

This league isn't just about keeping kids active; it's about fostering their love for the game, building friendships, and developing essential skills both on and off the field. From teamwork to sportsmanship, our program will emphasize the values that make baseball more than just a sport—it's a way of life.

But I can't do it alone. I need YOUR support to make this vision a reality. Whether you're a parent eager to see your child thrive in a supportive environment or a fellow coach passionate about shaping the next generation of athletes, I invite you to join me on this journey.

Together, we can create unforgettable memories, inspire a new generation of softball stars, and ensure that South Jersey remains a powerhouse of youth softball talent. Let's make this summer one to remember!

Stay tuned for more details on registration, schedules, and how you can get involved. Together, let's hit a home run for South Jersey youth softball!

Also, if you are looking for an awesome travel team with low fees in South Jersey, consider our Audubon Travel Team. We will be hosting tryouts this July 2024!

Contact me at 856-857-7299 (via text preferably) if your child would be interested in this league!

Happy Softballing,

Coach Dee

NJ Communion Photography Sessions- A South Jersey Tradition

First Holy Communion Portraits

At Shooting Star Photography LLC, we understand the significance of capturing precious moments like First Holy Communion portraits. Our team of skilled photographers specializes in creating timeless images that beautifully commemorate this important milestone in your child's spiritual journey.

With a neutral and professional approach, we aim to create photographs that reflect the solemnity and joy of this occasion. Our photographers pay attention to every detail, from the attire and accessories to the tender expressions on your child's face as they partake in this sacred event.

We strive to provide a comfortable and relaxed environment during the photoshoot, ensuring that your child feels at ease and can showcase their inner radiance. Our goal is to deliver portraits that you and your family will cherish for years to come, serving as a heartfelt reminder of this momentous day.

Contact us at Shooting Star Photography LLC to schedule your First Holy Communion portrait session and let us help you capture this important milestone with professionalism and artistry.

It is hard to believe that this little lady was not having it as part of this session. She smiled and came through and had a fun time! I love capturing first holy communion portraits. Hands down it’s a great rite of passage and something to truly celebrate! This photo session we actually did at the Shoemaker School in Woodstown NJ. They have a cute little garden courtyard and then we headed over to the Woodstown High School as they have a meadow area that looks gorgeous at sunset!

Holding up her beautiful rosary and a gorgeous smile!

First Holy Communions Are Important!

Capturing first holy communion sessions in New Jersey is of utmost importance for both families and photographers alike. The first holy communion holds a special place in a young child's life, symbolizing their initiation into the Catholic faith. It is a significant milestone, marking their commitment to their religious beliefs. These sessions provide a unique opportunity for families to preserve this momentous occasion and create lasting memories.

Photographers play a crucial role in capturing the joy, innocence, and spiritual significance of the event, ensuring that these precious moments are frozen in time. In New Jersey, with its rich religious heritage and cultural diversity, the tradition of first holy communion is deeply cherished. The photographs taken during these sessions hold immense sentimental value, enabling families to revisit and relive this extraordinary day for generations to come.

It's that time of year when you start to think ahead! I have had the honor of doing a few communion sessions since I started this journey! I love showcasing this pivotal and important time in a young lady's or young man's life! It's a passage of life for most families that has been around for generations. Last spring, I had the opportunity to photograph this little girl. It was a cold day! However, we managed. Believe it or not, we did this in the garden courtyard of the Mary Shoemaker School in Woodstown, NJ. 

And the session continues on...

In prayer for her first holy communion session.

Picking tulips and taking her First Holy Communion Portraits.

Love getting close-ups of the littles!

Picking tulips during her beautiful spring holy communion session.

There's a lovely courtyard garden that gets pretty kept up on the grounds with beautiful blooming tulips and daffodils come spring. As you can see, the light was magnificent this day. It's what I am all about! YUMMY DELICIOUS LIGHT.  

Having Fun AND Getting Professional Communion Portraits is what is all about.

This little lady was freezing cold, but she persevered! Woodstown has some great location options. Everything from rustic to cute little gardens, to the beautiful downtown area. I truly love where I live and I have lived all over South Jersey (even in PA). I find the folks my way to be extremely kind! It's the best place I have ever lived!  After our little garden patch photos, we then headed down to the Woodstown High School area as there is a nice rustic field with gorgeous light that resides near the stream.

I need to shoot here more as it is even within walking distance of my own house! I love utilizing places that are near and dear to me.  For myself, I believe full sessions allow me to get to know my subjects. I believe they tend to go more smoothly as there is time to warm up. Believing in magical things are what I want my clients to see in the end product. My photographs are magical. I like to see the world this way.  

At Shooting Star Photography LLC, we understand the importance and the significance of communion portraits. We believe that this special milestone deserves to be captured in exceptional photographs that will be treasured for a lifetime. When booking your communion portraits with us, you can expect the highest level of professionalism, creativity, and attention to detail. Our expert photographers will work closely with you to create a personalized and unique experience, ensuring that your child's personality and joy shine through every image. With our state-of-the-art equipment and stunning studio, we guarantee breathtaking portraits that perfectly capture the essence of this beautiful moment. At Shooting Star Photography LLC, we are committed to delivering exceptional service and unforgettable memories.

Book your communion portraits with us today and let us capture the radiance and joy that fills your child's heart.

Happy Shooting, my friends!

Dee

Shooting Star Photography

Beach Photography in Ocean City!

Laughing and having fun on the Ocean City, New Jersey beach!

Dreaming of your next year’s summer vacation in Ocean City, NJ already? Ocean city is one of our favorite New Jersey destination shore towns. Great boardwalks, food, family friendly atmosphere, semi-private and clean beaches. Your session with us (Shooting Star). The list goes on as to why Ocean City, NJ is a great beach location choice for your photography needs.

One of my favorite spots in Ocean City is the fishing pier as it offers a medley of cool backdrops.

Check out these two ladies who we photographed. I bought a little “beach tent” and decorated it with some string lights. We put out rainbow colored starfish, linen fabric draped over the frame and a nice magical lantern for that extra bit of pop needed for your portraits. Not to mention I added in some fun as these girls are laughing their hineys off! Hey, there’s nothing like a kid enjoying the beach. Am I right?

Bright and vibrant colors are always a great choice for wardrobe for your beach portraits as you see how we styled that here.

Our photographs truly shine when it comes to beach photography. It's one of the many types of sessions that I take the utmost pride in.  I LOVE the Jersey shore and the Delaware Bay sunsets.  It's truly the best time to be in New Jersey and the Jersey shore during the summer months.  Especially, during the week, as it's not too busy.It's no wonder that folks come from all over the East Coast to enjoy a beautiful beach vacation in our backyard. 

This year, Ellie Belly Photography (out of Lancaster, PA) and I are teaming up to do mermaid sessions. These sessions are sold out.  We are doing two dates together and am very excited to be working with her as she's not only a great friend, but an even more excellent artist. All of our beach sessions are sold out this year.  I am very excited to do these and to offer some top of the line clothing pieces for these sessions.  I can't wait to post and show you what we will be creating. I love the pastel colors of the beach and that beautiful twilight/sunset light of the summer. 

All sessions are sold out until September of this year. If you would like to book a fall session, I would suggest to reserve your date now. I believe there are only 8 dates left to choose from for this fall. Thank you for allowing me to photograph you and your family and looking forward to many sessions on the upcoming horizon!  It's going to be a fun year!!!    Let’s have fun fun and get some OC boardwalk fudge or some salt water taffy!

Happy, Shooting, my friends!

Dee

Ocean City beach photographer extraordinaire

New Scheduling Feature for Shooting Star

Introducing Our New Scheduling Feature

We are excited to announce the launch of our new scheduling feature at Shooting Star Photography! Now, booking a photography session with us is easier than ever.

With our intuitive scheduling system, you can browse available time slots, select a date and time that works best for you, and book your session in just a few clicks. No more back-and-forth emails or phone calls to find a convenient time – everything you need is right at your fingertips.
Whether you're looking to capture precious family moments, professional headshots, stunning portraits, or any other special occasion, our new scheduling feature streamlines the process, giving you more control and flexibility in securing your photography session.

To take advantage of this convenient new feature, simply visit our website and navigate to the scheduling page. From there, you can choose your desired session type, view available dates and times, and lock in your appointment with ease.

We're committed to making your photography experience with us as seamless and enjoyable as possible, and our new scheduling feature is just one way we're delivering on that promise.
Try out our new scheduling feature today and take the first step towards capturing your timeless moments with Shooting Star Photography.

I love the urban vibe of this image and this cute little boy in Bushwick NY.

We all know that going back and forth with your photographer in the Philadelphia, New Jersey and Delaware region, with certain dates to hold your session can be quite daunting. All the back and forth with emails takes up your valuable time and even the photographer's (for this time of year... DEFINITELY!)  I wanted to streamline my service offerings and I did try out a scheduling feature in the past.. and had a bad experience with it. It was still very daunting and old school and it even messed up some scheduling with clients.. which is no bueno. Of course, I did reach out and resolved the issue as any business person would do! I tested out Big Cartel recently and so far am very happy with the results. I am able to make easy changes and it's a simple process for my clients.. so it's a win win in my book.. The simple the better for everyone! This service will allow customers to book and reserve their sessions and to see what dates are available. Big game changer for everyone involved.

 After retainer is paid, I follow up with client to schedule their time, discuss locations and wardrobe for their session. If you haven't heard I provide gowns, dresses, some suits for boys etc etc.  It's a fun little option for my clients.These are the only dates available for next year as I told folks I was doing about 40 of them for 2017 and that's it! Enjoy, the simplicity my friends! I'm in love with this new feature! Here's a link to check it out!

Happy Shooting my friends and have a great day! Best, Dee New Scheduling Program

Breaking The Mold As Artists- Take Some Risks!

As a photographer, it is important to try new things to continually grow and evolve in your art. Experimenting with different techniques, styles, and subjects helps expand your creativity and keeps your work fresh and innovative.
Trying new things also allows you to discover your strengths and areas for improvement. By pushing yourself out of your comfort zone, you can uncover hidden talents and develop new skills that can enhance your photography.
Furthermore, embracing new challenges and experiences can lead to unexpected opportunities and breakthroughs in your work. Whether it's exploring a different genre of photography or utilizing new equipment, stepping into the unknown can spark inspiration and ignite passion for your craft.

Ultimately, trying new things as a photographer not only fuels personal and professional growth but also ensures that your work remains dynamic, engaging, and relevant in an ever-evolving industry.

I recall the saying of, "life is not that simple in black and white." That sentence speaks volumes to me. It's profound and has a very deep-rooted meaning. Well, for one life truly isn't. We deal with constant reality on a daily basis and often find ourselves in gray areas of a story or in our own lives. What's truly right? What's wrong?

Often times, toying with our nurture vs nature or common values and what "the media" states is right and wrong and you want to run in the opposite direction as if you were fleeing from fire or the media itself. Hahaha. Burn baby burn. I honestly can't watch the news anymore.With photography, the saying can mean just the opposite. I find black and white photographs to be very simple. It balances out all the distractions and color and leaves you with the emotions or gestures of one's face or can perfectly describe or portray the moment... That exact moment in time. Black and whites also (to me anyway) really capture the light and what was available at the time or lack of (some of those moody portraits can be extracted by flat light photographs). What I am saying is, I feel I've done it all wrong.

I'll explain...Dancing in Cherry HillI find this picture awesome in the way it captured the emotion of dancing/twirling and also how the sunset "highlights" them.Variety is the spice of life, right? Or so they say? I honestly haven't done a black and white photograph for the longest time and have RARELY done them for my clients EVER. Recently, I started to get back into doing more black and whites on my personal images after my year hiatus of hardly converting anything to a black and white format and I have to admit... I was missing out.

Some great moments that I have captured, truly look better as a black and white photo. And... I find it freeing for myself as have been stuck in a color rut or same editing routine and it's good to spice things up once in awhile (see what I did there? Look at the beginning of this paragraph... Oh and if you've gone this far reading... Well, God bless you South Jersey, Delaware, Philadelphia, or wherever you came from .. No seriously.... I just heard you sneeze. God bless you again.)

I finally feel free as an artist lately. I'm trying new things and editing techniques and gasp! Some of those new things include good ol' black and white photography. It's worth giving a shot, eh? I mean... I haven't gotten this far without taking risks and wahoo am feeling alive again.Southern New Jersey PrincessHere's another I took a risk on and is not my usual editing style. This image was actually published today.

Come and join me for the ride because it's going to be fun!! But please... Put on your seatbelt. Hey, I like risks, but never can be too safe, eh?Until we meet again my friends!

Happy Shooting!

Dee