I don’t generally enjoy having my picture taken...

Quinn's mother wrote me a beautiful testimonial after their photo session last summer - I am happy to finally share it with you! Here's what she had to say about her experience with alethea cheng fitzpatrick photography:

I don’t generally enjoy having my picture taken - and even less so just a few months after childbirth!

I cannot recommend alethea cheng fitzpatrick photography highly enough.

In August 2009 my husband and I scheduled a family photo shoot with Alethea. At that time, our son had just turned five-months-old and we decided that it would be nice to capture some images of this special time in our lives and of our newly expanded family.

Of course, never having participated in a professional photo shoot before, I did have a few reservations. For one thing, I don’t generally enjoy having my picture taken - and even less so just a few months after childbirth! In addition, Alethea had suggested that we meet in Prospect Park for the shoot.

Although I loved the idea of getting some pictures in the beautiful outdoors, I was a little anxious about having to pose in such a public venue.

Speaking to Alethea about my worries she immediately put me at ease. She told me that I need only concern myself with enjoying a nice afternoon in the park with my family and assured me that she would take care of the rest.

Happily, she was absolutely right. Alethea’s personality is so warm and calming, and her photography style so unobtrusive that I felt relaxed within minutes of beginning our shoot.

Alethea allowed my family to interact normally and to truly enjoy our day in the park without ever feeling overly aware of the camera or awkwardly posed.

In addition, Alethea was incredibly flexible to work with. On the morning of the shoot, my husband and I called to ask if it would be ok for us to include our 100lb Rhodesian Ridgeback puppy in the photo session. To her great credit, not only was Alethea fine with the idea, she was enthusiastic about it!

As if that weren’t enough, our son’s afternoon nap ran long that day making us late for the shoot and, when we did arrive, he was not in the best of moods! As a new parent herself, Alethea was totally understanding of our situation.

She was patient and engaging with our son and, unbelievably, she managed to get some amazing shots of him despite his lack of cooperation!

Alethea was quick to send us a link to our photos following the shoot and we found her website convenient and easy to work with. My husband and I absolutely loved the images that Alethea captured. In fact, we loved them so much that it was difficult for us to choose our favorites! The time and attention that Alethea dedicated to helping us make decisions and place our order was beyond any of our expectations and it was truly appreciated.

In the end, we ordered framed prints for our home and to give as gifts, several albums for grandparents, wallet photos, and even our holiday cards. All of the products came out beautifully and we have received great feedback from everyone that we shared them with.

We are so happy that we choose Alethea for our first-ever family photo session; thanks to the outstanding job that she did, I am sure it will not be our last. In fact, we look forward to working with alethea cheng fitzpatrick photography again.

Quinn's mom, Brooklyn, NY

Pets are always welcome at photo sessions - and this puppy was so much fun to include as part of the family! Quinn's late nap also meant that we were pushed into some beautiful late afternoon light so it all worked out for the best.

Thanks for a great photo session - I can't wait to work with you again either!

nyc baby, child and family photographer and architect alethea cheng fitzpatrick is based in brooklyn and specializes in contemporary, natural light portrait artwork and nursery design for your home. view her portfolio of babies, children or families or send her an e-mail here!

Baby girl sweetness: Park Slope photo session preview

No flash? Click here for slideshow.

Every time I get to photograph a family, it feels like a special privilege, and last weekend's session was no exception. Look at this adorable little girl! Not quite four months old, she was a real trooper throughout her session, which included a trip outside to the park while she tried to take a nap!

That's right - it's not too early for outdoor photo sessions (or at least partially outdoor photo sessions) and even though there was still snow on the ground, we lucked out with a beautiful day. If it's 40F or warmer, it's not too cold!

I'm saving those photos for later though. For now, here is a sneak peak at a few from the family's home. I can't wait to share the rest!

(Hint: wait until you see the tutu!)

nyc baby, child and family photographer alethea cheng fitzpatrick is based in brooklyn and specializes in contemporary, natural light portraiture. view her portfolio of babies, children or families or send her an e-mail here!