Jayden at the High Line - NYC family photo session

Every photo session is special to me, but I'm closing out the year with one that was particularly special, because I consider Jayden, less than two weeks younger than Liam, to be Liam's oldest friend. I met his mom Jane Marie, when our babies were just six or seven weeks old at a babybites Brooklyn new mom's lunch, the first new mom's event I ever went to. We fast became friends, bonding over the trials and joys of new motherhood. Since then, it's been almost three years of e-mails and regular playdates and actually, this family was one of the first I photographed when I first started my business.

Jane Marie has been one of my biggest workshop supporters too. In fact, she was the one who reviewed my original proposal and said "hey, you should do this as a webinar" (it was originally just going to be e-mails!) and I said "sure, why not!" and never looked back.

Jane Marie's vision for the session was to capture some beautiful, real life shots of Jayden, and of Jayden interacting naturally with them, and I love that I was able to capture his naturally joyful spirit and that wonderful smile... as well as some more serious moments.

Jane Marie also wanted some photos of Jayden laughing and looking at the camera - I LOVE laughing photos!

Jane Marie and Luis were so great, keeping Jayden giggling and distracted and creating so many wonderful moments for me to capture. Their reaction when they saw their photos was one I never tire of hearing - "we want them all!"

Jane Marie, Luis and Jayden - thank you so much for another fantastic photo session, and I can't wait to get you your order!

You can see the full slideshow here (and seriously, I can't watch it all the way through without getting teary).

If you're a friend of the family, please leave a comment below wishing them well. You'll also help them win a complimentary 8x10 print if they get 25 comments, a mounted 11x14 print if they get 50 comments and a beautiful 10x10 canvas gallery wrap if they get 75 comments, all by December 11th, 2011!

And if you're interested in a photo session yourself for next year, sign up for a complimentary be inspired mini sample kit and you'll also be the first to know when the 2012 High Line session dates open up.

nyc baby, child and family photographer & architect alethea cheng fitzpatrick is based in brooklyn. she specializes in baby photography as interior design & interior design for babies. view her portfolio of babies, children or families or send her an e-mail here!

Owen & Isobel at the High Line - NYC family photo session

When I was just starting my business, I ran a giveaway for a photo session, and it so happened that the winner was a mom who lived one block from us! She ended up becoming a friend and connecting me up with an amazing group of local moms.

Sarah is one of them. Her toddler, Owen, is just a little younger than Liam, and she was one of the first amongst us to enter the world of second-time-motherhood with the lovely Isobel, just 2 months old at the time of our High Line photo session at the end of October. I was thrilled when Sarah got in touch to schedule their family session, not least because she is an avid knitter. During our planning consultation, I encouraged her to include lots of handknits in the wardrobe for the day!

She didn't disappoint - look at Owen's gorgeous orange sweater, and Isobel's purple pants, both knitted by Sarah!

In fact, I loved the ensemble of the entire family, and as they had preferred candids to posed photos, we had so much fun just hanging out.

Owen shares Liam's obsession with construction vehicles, so it was very familiar territory for me.

And how cute is Isobel?

Sarah, James, Owen and Isobel - thank you so much for such a fun photo session, and I can't wait to get you your order!

You can see the full slideshow here.

If you're a friend of the family, please leave a comment below wishing them well. You'll also help them win a complimentary 8x10 print if they get 25 comments, a mounted 11x14 print if they get 50 comments and a beautiful 10x10 canvas gallery wrap if they get 75 comments, all by December 10th, 2011!

And if you're interested in a photo session yourself for next year (I'm fully booked for this year) sign up for a complimentary be inspired mini sample kit and you'll also be the first to know when the 2012 High Line session dates open up.

nyc baby, child and family photographer & architect alethea cheng fitzpatrick is based in brooklyn. she specializes in baby photography as interior design & interior design for babies. view her portfolio of babies, children or families or send her an e-mail here!

Loren & Kate at the High Line - NYC family photo session

You might recognize Kate as one of the featured models on the photosanity website and Cheryl has been one of my star workshop participants, taking the workshop several times and showing incredible improvement in her photography.

I was delighted then, of course, to get to meet her family in person for a High Line photo session!

Like many workshop participants, Cheryl and her husband Curt's main goals for their session were to get photos of the four of them together, of which they have very few, and also of the two girls.

Loren is seven and Kate is almost three and together they were just delightful, sweet and affectionate. With a sister myself, I enjoyed seeing and capturing that bond. I had so much fun with them!

Of course I couldn't help but take some individual portraits too...

Cheryl, Curt, Loren and Kate - thank you so much for such a fun photo session, and I can't wait to get you your order!

You can see the full slideshow here.

If you're a friend of the family, please leave a comment below wishing them well. You'll also help them win a complimentary 8x10 print if they get 25 comments, a mounted 11x14 print if they get 50 comments and a beautiful 10x10 canvas gallery wrap if they get 75 comments, all by December 9th, 2011!

And if you're interested in a photo session yourself for next year (I'm fully booked for this year) sign up for a complimentary be inspired mini sample kit and you'll also be the first to know when the 2012 High Line session dates open up.

nyc baby, child and family photographer & architect alethea cheng fitzpatrick is based in brooklyn. she specializes in baby photography as interior design & interior design for babies. view her portfolio of babies, children or families or send her an e-mail here!

Hannah & Kate at the High Line - NYC family photo session

From the minute I first talked to Rebekah on the phone, I knew we would get on fabulously - she exudes warmth and friendliness and clearly adores being a mom.

On my last High Line session date of the year, I got to meet the whole family for a photo session.

Hannah is two, and only a few months younger than Liam, and her baby sister Kate was just four months old. I was thrilled to capture this sweet moment of them together and delighted that Rebekah and Ian ordered it as the 16x20 centerpiece of their wall gallery.

I love photographing toddlers, probably because, with one of my own, I'm very used to going with the flow and following their lead with regards to what they have in mind at any particular moment (at least when I'm photographing them - I'm a little more directive when I'm trying to get a certain someone, oh, say, changed and out the door in time for preschool, for example!)

Hannah, like Liam or really any toddler that age, had a little bit of a mind of her own about how the photo session was going to go, but that made her a total blast to chase around and capture - strong personalities make for the best photos! These are some of my favorites...

Kate, of course, fulfilled her duty of chilling out and looking adorable!

Rebekah, Ian, Hannah and Kate, thank you so much for a great photo session! I can't wait to get you your beautiful wall gallery and DVD!

You can see the full slideshow here.

If you're a friend of the family, please leave a comment below wishing them well. You'll also help them win a complimentary 8x10 print if they get 25 comments, a mounted 11x14 print if they get 50 comments and a beautiful 10x10 canvas gallery wrap if they get 75 comments, all by November 30th, 2011!

And if you're interested in a photo session yourself for next year (I'm fully booked for this year) sign up for a complimentary be inspired mini sample kit and you'll also be the first to know when the 2012 High Line session dates open up.

nyc baby, child and family photographer & architect alethea cheng fitzpatrick is based in brooklyn. she specializes in baby photography as interior design & interior design for babies. view her portfolio of babies, children or families or send her an e-mail here!

Aya and Jesse at the High Line - NYC family photo session

I first met Rebecca and her son Jesse at a local playgroup... at the beginning of this year, but it seems so long ago now that I don't even remember how I discovered that she was really into photography, or that she wrote a blog, eensies, with ideas for parents to promote learning outside the classroom. Before I knew it, we were working together - I guest blogged for her about the photosanity workshop, and she was one of my most avid and enthusiastic participants!

In between playdates and e-mailed advice sent back and forth on additional photography questions (from her) and "when did you transition from a crib" type questions (from me!) Rebecca has been working on editing the photosanity lessons for the pdf reference guide (just two lessons to go!)... and, of course, hanging out with me at the High Line for some family photos!

How cute were Aya and Jesse together? Unbelievably so! Aya just started kindergarten and while I had seen tons of Rebecca's gorgeous photos of her, this was actually the first time I met her in person. Rebecca really wanted some photos of the two siblings together, as well as family photos, mostly candids, so that was what we focused on, and I'm so thrilled with the easy connectedness I was able to capture, not to mentioned the wall gallery we designed for their stairwell.

Rebecca, Darren, Aya and Jess, thank you so much for a great photo session! I can't wait to get you your order!

You can see the full slideshow here.

If you're a friend of the family, please leave a comment below wishing them well. You'll also help them win a complimentary 8x10 print if they get 25 comments, a mounted 11x14 print if they get 50 comments and a beautiful 10x10 canvas gallery wrap if they get 75 comments, all by November 28th, 2011!

And if you're interested in a photo session yourself for next year (I'm fully booked for this year) sign up for a complimentary be inspired mini sample kit and you'll also be the first to know when the 2012 High Line session dates open up.

nyc baby, child and family photographer & architect alethea cheng fitzpatrick is based in brooklyn. she specializes in baby photography as interior design & interior design for babies. view her portfolio of babies, children or families or send her an e-mail here!