Any photo shoot that involves climbing trees, running with geese and looking for turtles is sure to be a fun one. I had a blast photographing this adorable family exploring their favorite neighborhood park! Here are a few favorites:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here's the first post in a little series of family sessions over the next few weeks. With the holiday season quickly approaching (how is it mid-October already?), now is a good to time to schedule those holiday card photo shoots! :-)

I had such a fun morning recently photographing these two little girls (and Mom and Dad, too!). They are the sweetest sisters and such a lovely family! Here are a few favorites from our morning together.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Finally time to start updating the blog again! It has been too long since my last post. Mostly because I've had a little man occupying most of my time these days. My husband and I welcomed our first son, Jack, in April. Some photos to come, I promise!

First up: an engagement session with Michael and Tracy. I was so excited when I found out my cousin Michael had proposed to his long-time girlfriend Tracy! I had been hoping and hoping it would happen, since 1) Michael is one of my most favorite people in the whole world (and I'm not just saying that because he's family), 2) Tracy is awesome and 2) they are so perfect for each other.

We had a little impromptu photo shoot during a family vacation in Ocean City, NJ this past June. I can't wait to welcome Tracy to the family!

 

 

Rick and Stephen were married at City Hall in New York City on a very cold morning in January, and I am so happy I was able to capture their special day! Wishing them a lifetime of happiness!

 

 

My last post of 2013 is one of my favorites this year!

Steph and Dave are two of my very closest friends. I've been friends with Steph since 9th grade homeroom and Dave since 10th grade German class. They are an amazing couple and two of the loveliest people I have ever known. I was so excited to find out this summer that they are expecting their first child in January - a baby girl! With parents like Dave and Steph, there is no doubt she will be the sweetest little girl.

We spent a recent Saturday taking photos in their beautiful home.  I am so happy I could capture such a special time for them…and I can't wait to meet their little one in just a few short weeks!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It has been so long since I've posted photos (or taken photos, for that matter)! My husband and I found out in July that we are expecting our first child (a son!) in April. We couldn't be happier to start our family (be prepared to see a lot of photos of our little guy this spring)! Unfortunately, as a result, I have not been feeling quite up to doing anything at all. Now that we're a few months in, and my energy is coming back, we decided to enjoy the fall weather with a walk through Eagle Rock Reservation near our home in New Jersey...a perfect time to get the camera back out and take some photos of the lovely foliage!

 

We just got back from a relaxing vacation in Cape Cod.  We were lucky to have beautiful weather for the first half of our trip, which gave us beautiful sunsets. Here's a glimpse from one of the evenings on the bay at low tide.

 

And a random grasshopper on the patio table for fun...

My good friend Amanda and her husband Rob are expecting their first child in September! We met up last weekend in Hoboken, New Jersey for a little maternity shoot. Hoboken is very special to Amanda and Rob - they met there, lived there for many years, and their baby girl will soon be born there! We spent the beautiful evening catching up and taking photos along the waterfront (which has a breathtaking view of Manhattan). 

Amanda was the first friend I made in college, and I've always known that she is going to be an AMAZING Mom.  And Rob is going to be an AMAZING Dad. I can't wait to meet their little one!

 

A few photos from the annual Fourth of July Parade in Montclair, NJ! 

 

 

I've been delinquent in posting photos...and taking photos in general.  In May, we made the move to the suburbs of New Jersey, and since then life has been hectic.  But, now that we're settled, I can finally get back into the swing of things.

I'm looking forward to what the summer is going to bring - a maternity shoot with one of my best friends from college, a trip to Cape Cod, and exploring our new neighborhood. So stay tuned for more posts!  

In the meantime, here is a random assortment of recent photos from life in the suburbs.

 

For the first time, we have our own outdoor space, so I've been enjoying photographing all of the flowers and trees around our patio!

 

Dinner time...

 

We live in a carriage house built in the 1920s. I'm a little obsessed with our doors.  They are heavy wood and have these adorable key holes.

 

An afternoon stroll down Church Street in Montclair, NJ.

It seems like years since my last post! April and May were very hectic months in the Balcom household.  My husband and I decided that it was time to leave city living behind and give the suburbs a try.  We both grew up in the suburbs and have been itching for some time make the move. So after twelve years in various New York City neighborhoods, we packed up and moved to the town of Montclair, New Jersey.  We are still commuting into the city every day for work, but it has been so relaxing to come home to our quiet little place every night. There is such a sense of calmness here that we never had living in the city...and we are loving every minute of it!

We are still exploring Montclair and everything the town has to offer.  This past weekend, we discovered a beautiful little spot: the Presby Memorial Iris Gardens.  According to their website, the gardens have 14,000 irises of approximately 3,000 varieties, and produce over 100,000 blooms each season! 

Here are just a few photos from our visit. 

 

My good friends Julia and Andrew are getting married in October.  Not only do I get the honor of being part of their bridal party, but I also got to take their engagement photos! We spent a lovely Saturday in April roaming around Dumbo, Brooklyn, which is one of my favorite places in New York to explore. Special thanks to my husband who assisted me all afternoon. We had so much fun and I can't wait to celebrate with them on their big day!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Brought to you by the color green...

Not green, but pretty darn cute...

A few photos from a recent walk across the Brooklyn Bridge.

Starting the walk at City Hall.

 

 

 

Buildings south of the bridge.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

On New Year's Eve, we went to an exhibit at the Park Avenue Armory, "ANN HAMILTON: the event on a thread."  The massive installation in the drill hall included swings attached to a white fabric (which moved as people were swinging). It was fun to swing, but I also enjoyed watching others throughout the afternoon. Here are some photos from our visit.  

More info: http://www.armoryonpark.org/programs_events/detail/ann_hamilton/

 

Can you believe it is already 2013?

2012 brought many wonderful things, but I think there are even greater things in store for the new year (13 is my lucky number, after all).  I don't usually make resolutions, but this year, I've decided on a few photography-related goals that I'm excited about.

 

1. Take more photographs of families and children.  We have some new additions to our extended family, and I'm excited to capture some of their early moments in the world - and spend some time with some seriously cute babies!

2. Take more photos of couples.  I am planning an engagement shoot this year for newly engaged friends and hope to add more to the list.

3. Update this blog more frequently!

 

Happy New Year!

 

This weekend was perfect for some dramatic black and white photography. It was so gray and gloomy.

 

On Saturday, we drove down to a little park at the foot of the Verrazano Bridge.  The bridge looked so dramatic in the mist.

 

 

 

 

Tree roots in the park exposed due to Hurricane Sandy.

 

Enjoying lunch with my husband. I'm so glad he's such a good sport about taking photos!

 

 

Allison and I had a lovely afternoon photo shoot up in Fort Tryon Park and Washington Heights back in November. Allison is a very talented musician and it was such a treat to listen to her play while I photographed her with her guitar!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Just for fun!

 

We're very lucky that Prospect Park in Brooklyn is our local park. You'll always find something going on - sports, picnics, live music - but there are a number of spots within the park where you can go for a little quiet escape. It's especially lovely in the fall.  

 

We just got back from a walk through our Brooklyn neighborhood looking at the damage caused by Hurricane Sandy.  We are so fortunate that our neighborhood did not lose power or see as much physical damage as other parts of the city - some fallen trees and a lot of leaves on the ground.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Good friends of our's visited us in New York in October. Instead of doing the traditional touristy things, we decided to take them for a walk on Roosevelt Island to take in the views fo the city, see the new FDR monument and just explore.

 

Lighthouse at the northern top of the island.

 

Under the 59th Street Bridge

 

 

 

Smallpox Hospital

 

Looking towards the southern tip and the FDR monument.

 

I love soup. So, this past Saturday, we attended the Smith Street Soup Festival in Carroll Gardens, Brooklyn.  I always lose track of the restaurants on Smith Street, so it was a great way to try a number of them.  We tried so many delicious soups, from a creamy heirloom tomato with cheddar crisps to a few different chowders.

 

 

Superheroes also like soup.

 

Some selections from a few recent portrait sessions.

 

Meet Matthew. We had a great photo shoot on a sunny September afternoon in Central Park.

 

 

 

 

Meet John.  John and I had a fun photo shoot on a Manhattan rooftop in October.

 

 

Just a little photo from a recent trip up to Albany.  Taken on a gray fall morning at the Albany Corning Preserve along the Hudson River.

I decided to explore another place in the city that I haven't been to in years: Coney Island.  It was so much fun to walk around and take in the sites of the boardwalk and beach on such a beautiful, cool September evening.  I definitely prefer it to the typical crowded summer day! And now that I know it's only  a 25-minute subway ride from my house, I'll definitely go back again for a little evening stroll along the ocean.

 

Stillwell Avenue subway station

 

 

Wonder Wheel

 

 

Cyclone

 

Luna Park sign

 

On the boardwalk

 

 

 

 

 

I saw this guy for the first time in the Rockaways.  He was wearing a red dress with his parrot perched on his head.  Every time I go to the beach in the city I see him, so it made sense that I would see him in Coney Island!

 

 

 

Parachute Jump

 

From the pier

 

 

 

 

The beach

 

Surf Avenue

 

I had almost forgotten about the San Gennaro Festival in Little Italy until I stumbled upon it this week.  I used to go every year after I moved to New York, but had not been in 7 years! Everything on Mulberry Street is still pretty much the same. Lots of street food to eat, games to play and people to watch!

 

 

 

A walk through one of my favorite neighborhoods in New York City.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This Labor Day weekend was a pretty perfect end-of-summer. Great weather, a wonderful time with family and friends, lots of butterflies, pugs and a beautiful lake!

 

Butterflies in Old Chatham, NY

 

 

 

 

 

Romeo

 

 

Winston

 

Ollie

 

 

Burden Lake, NY

 

 

 

We spent Sunday afternoon roaming around one of my favorite places in Brooklyn: the Brooklyn Botanic Garden. The flowers are always so beautiful and the gardens are so quiet and peaceful. Here are a few photos from our day.

 

Many of the roses in the Rose Garden were in bloom.

The Japanese Garden

Some mobiles were hanging from the skylights in the conservatory.

 

In the herb garden...

We just got back from a wonderful weekend in Ocean City, NJ. We had beautiful weather and wonderful company.

Here are a few photos from our very cloudy Saturday morning. We were lucky that it turned into a beautiful afternoon, but the cloudy skies made for some interesting pictures on the beach.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A few weekends ago, we travelled upstate and spent the afternoon at Saratoga Race Track. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We have been travelling most weekends this summer, so it was nice to have a weekend at home to relax...and take some photographs!

 

It all began with Saturday morning breakfast...

 

In the afternoon, we took a walk through Dumbo and Vinegar Hill in Brooklyn. 

 

My husband is always a good sport when it comes to posing for me.  I couldn't resist a photo when we came across this green wall in Vinegar Hill!

 

Sunday was spent enjoying our backyard. There are some beautiful black eyed susans growing in the garden, and a few intricate spider webs have been popping up.

 

 

We're also cat sitting a bit this month. Meet our friend, Benny. He's a little crazy, but has been good company!

 

 

A few highlights from a recent trip to Playa del Carmen, Mexico.

 

Around town

 

 

 

Horseback riding on the beach

 

Coba

 

Tulum

 

Beach time

 

Around the resort

 

 

A little something to start this blog off! Here's the view from the F train one summer night, overlooking Gowanus, towards Downtown Brooklyn.