My First Maternity Shoot In South Jersey!

Pregnancy is a crazy time! Many new and exciting things lie ahead!

I love road shots!

Happy for her new arrival! She looks gorgeous!

Stunning at the Westville Wheelabrator site!

Mom is glowing!

I love getting these candid shots!

A little haze an artistic flair was used here!

Another artistic shot!

Mom and daddy to be!

Gorgeous couple celebrating their soon to be new arrival!

Beautiful mama!

And then they kissed!

Can you take a guess at what they are having?

On a picturesque day in the heart of New Jersey, Shooting Star Photography LLC embarked on a captivating photo shoot at the Westville Wheelabrator Reserve. Nestled amidst the serene beauty of nature, this location was the epitome of rustic charm. As the sun's soft rays filtered through the vibrant foliage, our team eagerly set up our equipment to capture the essence of this hidden gem. The reserve's lush greenery, winding trails, and tranquil ponds provided the perfect backdrop for our subjects. We effortlessly framed shots that blended the grandeur of the Reserve with the subtle grace of our models, creating striking compositions. With every click of the shutter, we immortalized the raw beauty that Westville Wheelabrator Reserve had to offer, leaving us enchanted by the magic we had created.

Welcome to Westville, here in South Jersey!

Ladies and Gentlemen this is my one of my most favorite places in the entire world! It is one of my favorite spots because1.  Not too many folks know about it... You'll never see many folks here.

2.  Butterflies, butterflies... butterflies.. thousands of them... oh my! In the spring and summer it is SWARMING with monarch butterflies. It's like right out of a movie. I have traveled all over South Jersey and have never seen anything like it.  There is also a native butterfly garden here, but I can't imagine that's all that is drawing them in!

3.  Great hiking trails to watch wildlife

4.  On historic grounds, once the home to George Washington while his house was being built in Philadelphia and then the world's greatest pleasure resort resided on these premises.  Unfortunately, nothing remains today, but is still really cool.

5.  Different "boardwalks" that hover over various scenery throughout the area.

6.  A large dirt road to wander on.

7.  A really nice beach right on the Delaware River.  It is clean and a nice private area to watch the ships coming and going.I figured this would be a perfect place for a shoot and it was! I'm so glad I got to have my first maternity shoot here as it is truly a very special place to me!

There's nothing more beautiful than a mother when she is expecting her first child!  There are fears and joys throughout the entire pregnancy journey. Very high ups and some lows as what life is about.It's true what they say your life will never be the same... There's 100% truth to that. Sometimes, days are just wretched and you want to pull your hair out or jump off a bridge, but on other days, you see what life is about, by looking at your very own, that you were able to produce and bring into this world.

It's an indescribable feeling.As a mother myself, I can't imagine my life without my children in it.  They make this world a joy to wake up to every single day.So... This lovely couple braved the elements in this very cold South Jersey winter.  Mom-to-be was 7 1/2 months along and another challenge to boot... We photographed in midday sun.

This was a total joy to shoot, as this was my first maternity session.  We headed out to one of my hundreds of scouted locations, the Westville Wheelabrator Wildlife Management Area.I've always been very fond of it  in regards to its intriguing history.  It was known as "Fancy Hill" pre-revolutionary days and owned by the notorious Howell family in South Jersey.George Washington stayed here as his home was being built in Philadelphia after the first election of the United States of America. He became our first president.

It then became an amusement park in the late 1800s to early 1900s and was called, Washington Amusement Park. This area was known as the largest pleasure resort in the world in its time and also heralding the largest Ferris wheel in the world, in its day.Basically, the area is beautiful for any shoot.  It has meadows, old dirt roads, a ton of woods and trails and a beautiful pebble beach along the Delaware River.

In any sense, a perfect location for a photo shoot.It was 1pm sun, which means a big "challenge" in the photography field.  However, it takes a pro to overcome all obstacles and that we did!We had a great time and I was very happy to do this session for two amazing folks!  I can't wait to utilize one of those beautiful maternity gowns for a future shoot. However, for my first maternity shoot, I  I did a decent job.  I can't wait for the next one!  I have so many new ideas to share!

Happy Shooting, my friends!

Dee

Do You Know What Natural Light Photography Really Means?

In studio session with a little baby girl.

Fill flash used here to separate kid from background and was getting dappled light on his face.

I also had to use fill flash here. The sun was casting hard shadows on their faces. This was a 1pm photo session, here in Salem County.

Ruh Roh!  I'm about to open up a can of worms here! I may even make some folks a bit upset who say this is their profession locally in South Jersey... But here we go...Have you ever heard someone mention that they do all natural light photography?  Sometimes they use the word "organic" oooh and ahhhh... Since organic is the cool thing these days... But did you ever wonder what the hay this actually means?  Well... Here we go!

When someone says they are a natural light photography that is explicitly what they mean... They know only natural light and how to photograph in it.  And.... Yes!  Natural light is the best type of light you want in most situations!  It caresses, it emphasizes,  hey, it is just beautiful... BUT... And I'm sure you were expecting a BUT at some point. There are limitations to where you can go in this natural light photography genre.Okay, I'll explain...

What does a natural light photographer do on a cloudy day?  Outdoors, cloudy days are the best days you can ask for, but let's say... What happens when you have an indoor photo shoot that day? Do you call it off?What I'm trying to say is... When folks say they are natural light.. They are LIMITED in their photographic skills.  For myself, being a photographer is knowing how to adapt to any situation... Whether sunshine or lack of any light. It's knowing how to use natural light, artificial light and shooting in very low light situations. 

I respect natural light photographers in how they market themselves, but they are also limiting themselves on educating themselves about other aspects in this crazy profession of photography.Here's the dilemma I have with natural light photography (and yes, I use it as much as I can), but in South Jersey, we only get limited days that are sunny or partly sunny.  Our yearly average, we get 94 sunny days and 111 partly sunny days (these days are most ideal when photographing). Here's the kicker.  This leaves you with only 205 days to utilize what the weather is giving you.  There is an average of 365 days/year. Which means you are seriously limiting yourself and your business, if you are strictly a natural light photographer.

There are such things as "bouncing light", fill flash, using strobes or continuous lighting, ice lights and many other products on the market. Photography is definitely an art. Folks who have been in the business for over 20 years are still learning. That's the depth photography surmounts.I just think photography just isn't a cut and dry business.

If all you use is natural light, so be it!  Just try to be the best you can be in it. However, I think in the natural light arena itself (especially in New Jersey since our sun is lacking), you are severely limiting your overall potential as a photographer. There are just so many other arenas of photography to learn and you are just hurting yourself, if this is all you shoot in!

Well... happy shooting, my friends!

Dee

Salem County, NJ Fall Photo Shoot!

Just look at this smile! Don't you want to pinch his little cheeks?

Cutest little man in South Jersey that's for sure!

Gosh! I can't get over his smile!

Just playing with a pumpkin, mom!

Welcome to Salem County, New Jersey, where we did this shoot! This past fall, we had a photo shoot with this little cutie, here in Salem County!  The fall is my favorite shooting season!  I love the weather we have in South Jersey! From September to November, they are the most optimal months.  The days are still long and the weather is usually just perfection!

We did this session in the Shooting Star private gardens and created a mock pumpkin patch!  As you can see, this handsome guy had a great time!  If you ever get the chance to have a session, here at the studio, you are in for a true treat!  We have a beautiful stream that runs along our property and we have thousands of mature perennials located in stone terraced gardens!  It's like you are in another world, not South Jersey! 

I'm so thrilled to be able to offer this to my clients! It's a private retreat for most!  Also, if you've never visited Salem County, it is a real treat!  However, remember... I travel anywhere in South Jersey!! Yup, we will travel all over and have hundreds of scouted locations for you to choose from!    I truly love working with kids and families!  It makes my job so much fun to be able to capture these memories that will last forever!  Plus, photography is a true passion of mine!

Hope to work with you soon! 

Happy Shooting, my friends!

Dee