LONG ISLAND NEWBORN AND PET PHOTOGRAPHER - LAURA PEA PHOTOGRAPHY
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Bell and Pike’s Portrait Session

2/23/2023

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I first met Mary a few years ago when she got in touch with me to photograph a session for her daughter’s dog Finn, who was a beautiful black lab. I’m so glad I got to know Mary, because she’s such a fascinating lady. She’s a huge dog lover and very talented, she even makes her own rugs. She’s showed me some of them and they’re so amazing! She also likes to hide little homages to her dogs in her rugs, which I think is so fun.

​Her dogs Bell and Pike are two gorgeous titled Cavalier King Charles Spaniels. Bell has brown and white fur and gorgeous soulful eyes. Pike has beautiful deep black and white fur and a peppy spirit. Sometimes with more than one dog, there can be a fair amount of Photoshopping to get a final product of them sitting together. That was not necessary at all with these two. They listened so well and posed together beautifully. Mary was going for some classic formal portraits that just focused on these beautiful pups and their bond. We got them both together and individually on a bunch of different backgrounds to get a good amount of variety and show off their best features in many ways. It was so great getting to know these adorable pups and spending some more time with their awesome mom!

Here are some of my favorite photos from our session! Scroll to the last photo for my favorite outtake. Sometimes I love these silly shots so much that I include them in the proofs for my client. This one makes me smile every time I see it!

​​Get in touch to book your pet session today! Email me at laurapeaphotography@gmail.com or call (631)256-7476.

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Wilhelmina, Patrick and their Expanding Pack

2/18/2023

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Wilhelmina is an old friend of mine from our undergrad days in the art department of Stony Brook University. She's a very talented painter. Her landscapes and seascapes are fantastic, but my personal favorite are her paintings of animals (of course I would love those, right?). Check out her work here and here!

I love the shots we got at her engagement session a few years ago with her now-husband Patrick and their adorable pups, Phoenix, Kya and Schatzi. I was honored to be there at their beautiful wedding and I was so excited when she let me know that her pack was expanding by one, a baby boy coming this March! We met in November at the beautiful Prosser Pines with their whole crew for some maternity photos to celebrate the upcoming arrival of baby Killian, who I can't wait to meet! The dogs were so amazing and sweet, just the same as last time. I only had to pull out a few of my silly noises to get them to look my way. 

Even though it was a cold day, everyone braved the elements to get some great shots to commemorate the beautiful mama to be. Kya and Schatzi definitely needed their sweaters, but Phoenix with his fluffy coat was totally in his element! There are always so many laughs whenever I'm around this happy couple, and I'm so excited for them to start this new chapter in their lives! Here are some of my favorite photos from our maternity session!

If your maternity session won't be complete without your pack of pups, book it with me by emailing me at laurapeaphotography@gmail.com or calling (631)256-7476!

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Nova and Halzie’s Sagamore Hill Session

2/3/2023

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These beautiful girls are Nova and Halzie! Their birthdays are close together, so their mom Jasmine got in touch with me to take some photographs to commemorate their special days, and to take some great family shots. We met at the Sagamore Hill National Historic Site. I'd never been there and it was a really cool place to visit. Sagamore Hill was Theodore Roosevelt's residence on Long Island, and known as his "Summer White House". Since we visited during  a rough time in the pandemic, we couldn't go inside without reserving a tour, but I had a great time exploring the grounds with the pups and their mom and dad! 

We hiked through the woods, stopping here and there to get a few portraits and candid shots. We ended up at this really adorable bridge and beach area. Nova and Halzie were happy to wear any outfit their mom packed for them, and they looked absolutely adorable in every one!

Here are some of my favorite shots from our session!

​​Get in touch to book your pet session today! Email me at laurapeaphotography@gmail.com or call (631)256-7476.

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Documenting Your Life

1/4/2023

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As a photographer, I always have a camera on me at all times (most times I have more than one). You never know when the perfect moment will arise. That doesn't mean every photo needs to be a masterpiece, though. I like to document my life through photos because I don't have the greatest memory. Sometimes I'll look back at a moment from a vacation or a concert and I'll think "Oh my God, I totally forgot about this"! That experience could have been completely lost to me if I hadn't photographed it.

I know all too well how important our memories are, because both of my grandmothers developed dementia. I noticed that with my Mema (my mom's mother), photographs used to help her remember more from her past, and it always led to great stories. Every year, I make a photo book of my personal photos from the year before. For the most part, my professional art work gets made into a canvas and goes on my wall. But the snap shots I take every day, the little moments that make up the story of my life, they go into my photo year book, and I love to look at them. Showing them to my family and friends brings me a lot of joy. Almost all of them are photographs taken with a small compact camera or just my iPhone.
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See, you don't have to be a photographer to carry a camera with you at all times. How many people do you know that don't have a cell phone? A phone camera doesn't have to be fancy to document your life. To be honest, a lot of phone cameras these days can lead to stunning photographs if the light is good.

This is what a typical page of my photo year book looks like.
Maybe these aren't beautiful professional photos that I would make a canvas out of, but they represent some awesome moments I had that year, and each memory is special to me.
photo collage of friends and dogs
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A lot of people put off doing anything with their photos, because it seems like a huge undertaking to put something together. It doesn't have to be, though. A simple layout with a few photos from each month of the year can be a beautiful way to tell the story of your family. Go with a site like Mixbook if you want to customize your photo book and get fancy with layouts, covers and graphics. Or you can just keep it simple and use a company like Shutterfly that can auto-design your photo book and take the work out of your hands. 

Now that you've got your family's snapshots in order, you can always come to me when you want that beautiful canvas portrait to hang on your wall. I'll take care of that kind of stuff for you :) 

Schedule a portrait session with me by
​emailing laurapeaphotography@gmail.com
or calling (631)256-7476. 

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Some Personal Christmas Photos

12/24/2022

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Every year I’m so busy getting my clients’ holiday photos done, that I tend to leave my own shooting and editing to the last minute! Here are some of the personal holiday photos I've been shooting this season.
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For the last few years, I've been decorating a small studio tree with some of the camera ornament overflow from my big Christmas tree (I have roughly 1,000 haha).

​ Last year I picked up a small real tree from Waterdrinker Family Farm in Manorville, and decided to put it up in our kitchen instead of the studio so we could see it more often. 
We did the same thing again this year. I took a few shots of my mother and my nephew Seth decorating it earlier this month. Each time he found a new camera ornament in the box, he pretended to take a picture of me with it. He's too cute. 

I also took a few shots in the studio of my beautiful daughter Gracey, who is a very unwilling participant when it comes to photos 😂. I usually have a only a few minutes of cooperation before she decides the session is over. Not to toot my own horn, but I’ve been doing this long enough to be able to get a decent amount of photos of even the most unwilling subjects, so I was able to snap some adorable portraits of her in less than 5 minutes, and she was handsomely rewarded with a smorgasbord of treats for her time.
I also did family photos for my sister Lisa, brother in law Will and nephew Seth in Port Jefferson this year. We found a Christmas tree right outside the Village Center and did a quick session there for some photos to go on their Christmas card this year. Seth was rewarded for his cooperation with a trip to the candy store after, and a walk up and down his favorite set of stairs that he visits every time we're down port. 
Then Seth was treated to two more photo shoots in the studio. I broke it up so as not to push my luck. There's a short attention span when it comes to four year olds and I always want to keep photos in Aunt Laura's studio to be a positive experience for him, so that it's something he doesn't come to dread! Because, let's face it, I'm never going to stop dragging him in there because he's so darn cute. First he wanted to take a few photos with my dog Gracey, because he loves her so much. I have to admit those were a struggle, so I only got one good one, and it was heavily Photoshopped haha! Then we took some photos of him in his Christmas outfit. I gave him a stuffed bear to hold onto to keep his hands busy.

Then another day we tried again in some Christmas pajamas for more photos with his huge stuffed moose, who he named Horns, which was his big Christmas present last year. He likes to sit on top of Horns and has decent balance, but he was getting a little wobbly toward the end, so I added a little support for him so he could be antsy on top of Horns and we wouldn't have to worry about him taking a tumble.

Happy Holidays everyone!

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Shannon, Brendan and Gracie's Woodsy Session

12/23/2022

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I love when people give the gift of photography. I don’t know one mom who thinks she has enough professional photos of her kids, so it's almost a sure bet that this a gift they'll love and appreciate. Shannon is a mom and a dog walker, and one of her clients got in touch with me this fall to purchase a gift card for her as an early Christmas gift. We arranged to meet at a local park with her son Brendan and their dog Gracie for some holiday photos. Since my dog is also named Gracey, just spelled a different way, we got to talking about dog names. It turns out, in addition to naming our dogs the same thing, we also both had Winnie on the short list of dog names! 

Their Gracie is an adorable Yorkshire Terrier and she did amazing for her photos.  We did some of the whole family, some of Gracie on her own, and some of Brendan and Gracie, to commemorate the very special bond they share. We had a great time talking while we walked and shot photos along the beautiful trails in the park. It was so nice to get to know this sweet family. Shannon told me she hadn't gotten professional photos done in so many years, so I was very happy to be able to capture some for them!

I love the way that Gracie was tilting her head in so many of these photos. I have an arsenal of silly noises I can make to catch a dog's attention. Usually once they hear a noise a few times, they get used to it and it doesn't get them to look anymore. That's why I've developed so many, and Gracie was interested in every one of them. If you're ever at a Long Island beach or park, and you hear a woman squeaking, whistling, humming, and generally sounding like an absolute weirdo, there's a good chance it's me trying to get a dog to look my way. It's all worth it for those adorable head tilts that all dog owners know and love! 

Here are some of my favorite photos from our session!

​Get in touch to book your pet session today!
Email me at laurapeaphotography@gmail.com or call (631)256-7476. Happy Holidays!

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Daisy's Creekside Session

12/21/2022

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Daisy is one lucky dog. Her back yard looks out on a beautiful creek on the East End of Long Island. She has a dock behind her house with a gorgeous view and lots of smells for her to explore. She also has two doting parents who love her so much! Her mom Nancy was gifted a session with me by some friends. It was great to get to know her and her husband Steve a little while we did some holiday photos at their house.

We did this session in mid-October before it got too cold. It’s much easier to feel comfortable outside in your Christmas sweaters when it’s in the 60s as opposed to the 30s! We also wanted to take advantage of the beautiful fall foliage before it was gone.

Daisy is so unbelievably cute. I love her coloring. She did such a great job during our shoot.  She was more than happy to keep posing for photos as long as the biscuits kept coming! We started out in their yard first for some solo shots of Daisy and some cozy family shots on a picnic blanket. Then we headed down to the dock for some more family photos and some candids of the trio walking to and from the water. We headed inside to end out our session in front of the family fire place. When we were through, Daisy had a full belly and a big smile (and probably a nap in front of the fire place. I told you she was lucky!)

Here are some of my favorite photos from Daisy’s session!

​Get in touch to book your pet session today!
Email me at laurapeaphotography@gmail.com or call (631)256-7476. Happy Holidays!

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Laci, Luci & Levi's Christmas Session

12/17/2022

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This session was full of Christmas cheer, but it actually took place in August! I know you might think that’s a little too early for holiday photos, but it’s not really! Every year I have tons of people wait until the first week of December to get in touch with me for Christmas photos and I have to break it to them that I don’t take holiday sessions after Thanksgiving!

It takes time to edit photos, help my clients decide what they want to purchase, design their products and make changes, order their products from my print lab, wait for their orders to arrive, then check and package them and arrange drop off! So if you want to order holiday cards to go out in early to mid-December, there’s simply no time to get that done if we don’t have your photos taken by the end of November. I always really appreciate when clients book early, because it makes me really disappointed to have to turn away families who want me to capture their Christmas memories!

My client Kelly wastes no time when it comes to planning her Christmas photos each year! She had so many outfits and props ready for us to use for her three adorable pups! Last year I met Laci and Luci for the first time, and this year I got to meet their newest addition, little Levi! I love the L theme she has going on with her pups, especially because my mom, sister and I are all L names too (Lorraine, Lisa and Laura)! 

For such a young pup, Levi rocked his first shoot! We actually started with some first birthday photos for him, and he and I got to know each other before we did our holiday setups. Here are some of his adorable birthday photos!
Then we changed up our backdrops and outfits and started our holiday photo setups! First we did some shots on the champagne sequin backdrop with some snowballs and an elf that Kelly had. The pups coordinated with their adorable elf outfits. Then we did an outfit change and Kelly set up a gorgeous red balloon display to match the pups' red outfits. We also had the dogs pose with a beautiful frame full of all the pups' paw prints, even their late pup Lexi (another L!) and Kelly and her husband's thumbprints. It was such a beautiful piece that celebrates their family, and it was so nice to be able to incorporate it into their photos. After that, we headed outside to take a few photos of each of the dogs on the front porch. Kelly set up a bubble machine to get some fun shots of the dogs surrounded by bubbles. Laci actually didn't love the bubbles, so we turned them off for her, but Luci and Levi didn't mind them at all!
​Here are some more of my favorite photos from that day! 

Get in touch to book your pet session today!
Email me at laurapeaphotography@gmail.com or call (631)256-7476. Happy Holidays!

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Photos from the Barkfield Road Holiday Photo Fundraiser on 11.13.22

12/6/2022

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It was great to be back at Barkfield Road in East Northport for another holiday photo fundraiser. We didn't do one of these for two years because of the pandemic. This was an event that the former owner Carol loved to do to benefit the Dotty Fund, a charity close to her heart. The new owners Gabriella and Kevin got in touch with me to put on another photo event and I was so excited to be able to do this again. We decided to keep to the tradition of donating proceeds to the Dotty Fund, an organization that helps families who are struggling financially to cover some of their pets' medical bills. 

Apparently Long Island dog lovers were excited about it too, because the event booked up in a matter of days! We had 12 families join us with their pups and they were all so sweet and adorable. So many people said to me that day that their dog was way too excited and there was no way we were going to be able to get a good shot! This is something I hear all the time, and to that I say "watch me"! I've got so many tricks up my sleeve,  (and a huge store of patience), that I'm proud to say I haven't met an animal yet that I can't get a decent photo of. Even the most hyperactive puppy will look at me for a split second, and I've got a trigger finger honed from many many years of experience to catch that split second on camera. Every pup that day did an amazing job and I loved seeing the holidays outfits they came in with. We had two different backdrops and plenty of props that families could choose from. I brought Christmas and Hanukkah props, and one especially adorable Happy Pawlidays banner that my sister Lisa bought me that I was really excited to use for the event. Lots of people chose to incorporate that one and I loved how it photographed. 

Thank you to Gabriella and Kevin for hosting the event and handling the booking for everyone! And thank you so much to everyone who came and purchased prints and cards and ornaments of their adorable pups. I made a donation to the Dotty Fund on Giving Tuesday this year with the proceeds from the fundraiser and they were very grateful for our help. Here are some of the sweet holiday photos we got that day! Happy Holidays, everyone!

To be notified of all the events I’m participating in,
​ join my email list or follow along with me on Instagram!

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Holiday Gift Guide 2022

11/28/2022

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photo of a kids' toy shopping cart loaded with a stuffed bear, stuffed camera and an oversized tennis ball toy on a gray background
​Being a newborn and pet photographer, I try out a lot of products for babies, toddlers, dogs and cats. I also get introduced to a lot more products through my clients. I decided to compile a list of the most useful and interesting products I've come across in my travels. This gift guide will help you get ideas for your loved ones who are moms, dog moms, cat moms, or photography lovers! Enjoy!
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For the Dedicated Dog Mom

1. Dash Express Dog Treat Maker: My dog Gracey has gotten so many tasty treats out of this thing. My nephew and I love making treats for her with this machine. It comes with a recipe book, it's easy to use, and the treats look adorable when they come out.

2. Bully Grip Bully Stick Holder: This thing comes in very handy if you have a dog who loves to chew on bully sticks. I didn't have this for my last dog Basil and he ended up swallowing the small end of a bully stick. It sat in his stomach all night and then the next morning it found its way onto my bedroom floor. Yuck. This offers dogs a grip to hold onto while they chew the bully stick and keeps them from being able to swallow the end of the stick. This gives me peace of mind when Gracey enjoys her favorite chew.

3. Pooping Pooches Calendar 2023: Great for a gag or White Elephant gift, this quirky calendar will make you laugh each month. My brother in law bought me this last year and each time I turned a page, it made me chuckle. Plus, $1 from each calendar is donated to the Maui Humane Society!

4. Dog Smart Composite Interactive Treat Puzzle Dog Toy: This is a level 1 dog treat puzzle, perfect for beginners to these kinds of interactive toys. I bought this for my dog Gracey and it was fun teaching her how to get to her treats. This can also double as a slow feeder if you put dry kibble in the holes. I feed her her dry portion of food for the day in this for some mental stimulation.

5. Foldable Pet Ramp: This is good if you have a big dog you like to bring on adventures, or if your senior dog is having trouble getting in and out of the car. I bought this for my dog nephew Ash when he was getting older and having issues getting up and down my back porch steps. It folded up nicely when not in use and provided some good traction for him.

​6. Do Not Knock Sign: I have a dog who has assigned herself the role of neighborhood watch, and she's identified the following crimes that my neighbors regularly commit: walking past our house, pulling in and out of their driveways, getting their mail, existing on their own property. But the absolute worst offense anyone could commit in her eyes is to knock on our door. I wish I had this sign when my nephew was a baby because every single person who came up to our door would set off a barrage of barks that would wake him up from his naps. This would have come in handy!

Bonus Stocking Stuffer idea:
Dog Shaped Cookie Cutter
Personalized Dog Paw Ornament

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​For the Crazy Cat Mom

1. Pioneer Pet Stainless Steel Dog & Cat Fountain Raindrop Design: Dogs will love this too, but cats especially prefer their water to be flowing over still. This one is stainless steel, so most of its parts are machine washable and it's very easy to use. My pets love this fountain. My cat Charlie prefers to drink from the top bubbling part of the fountain, and my dog Gracey likes to drink from the bottom part of the basin.

2. Flopping Fish Cat Toy: At first, my cat Charlie was totally freaked out by this flopping cat toy, but quickly he learned to love it. It looks realistic, is activated by touch so it won't run all day and bother you, and it's rechargeable by a USB.

3. On2Pets 2 ft Mixed Maple Cat Tree: This cat tree and scratching post is fun for kitties and adorable to look at. A lot of cat trees are very basic, but this one is so nice looking it can be a part of your decor!

4. Custom Pet Phone Ring: Another one you could get for dog or cat lovers, this is for the pet obsessed owner. The inside of their phones are filled to the brim with pet photos, so why shouldn't the outside of their phones reflect that too? I get a lot of compliments on this phone ring whenever I'm around other animal lovers.

5. Kitty Face Magnetic Bookmark Set: If you know someone who likes to curl up with their cat and a good book, they'll love this magnetic bookmark set with assorted adorable little kitty faces.

6. Kitty Cape: This cape is just too cute. I know a lot of cats don’t appreciate clothes, but this one is pretty loose and may not bother them too much. If you can get them to wear it for 5 minutes for a photo, I consider that a win!

Bonus Stocking Stuffer Idea:
Cat Shaped Cookie Cutter
Catnip Infused Felted Balls
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For New Moms and their Beautiful Babies
1. Camera Teether: I often put a camera teether in my newborn clients' packaged orders as a gift. The one I typically buy is no longer available, but this one is very similar. Made of soft food grade silicone, this is a machine washable, nontoxic and absolutely necessary when those poor babes are cutting their first teeth!

2. Baby Shusher: Listen, the voice is creepy at first, but I'm telling you, this thing works. My sister gave me this when my nephew grew out of the need to use it and it's become a staple in my studio. I used to constantly shush the babies to quiet and calm them, and I don't have to utter a peep anymore. The baby shusher does it all for me!

3. Electric Baby Nasal Aspirator: AKA "The Boogie Sucker". This thing is very helpful for stuffed little noses. Machine washable tips make this a sanitary option and very easy to clean. A must for cold and flu season.

4. Flappy the Elephant: This Gund classic is both musical and plays an interactive game of peek-a-boo with babies. My nephew loved this toy!

5. Bath Color Tabs: In my experience, kids never want to get in the bath and once they’re in, they never want to get out. These color tabs will help you convince them to get in, and I usually tell my nephew once we’ve added so many that the bathwater looks like mud, it’s time to get out!

6. Fisher-Price Magical Lights Fishbowl: This was another favorite of my nephews when he was a baby. So much so, that I can still sing the songs to this day. And honestly, not bad tunes!

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For your Shutterbug Friend
1. Capturing Couture Camera Straps: I like scarf straps for my camera because it's a little softer and easier on the neck when my camera starts to feel like it's 100 pounds toward the end of a session!

2. Backdrop Clamps: These are great to keep fabric backdrops wrinkle free and in place. They attach to the side of your backdrop holder and clip to your backdrop and can be adjusted to the desired tautness you need.

3. Hot Shoe Level: This sits in the hot shoe of the camera and helps you stay level for horizontal shooting. This is especially helpful for landscape photography. It also serves to protect your hot shoe contacts and keep them in tiptop condition.

4. Photo Prism: This prism can be shot through, held in front of the lens and used to create interesting colors and reflections in your composition.

5. Flex Tilt Tripod Attachment: This gives you more flexibility with the angles you can shoot from when your camera is attached to a tripod!

6. Dust Blower: This blows air to gently clean the camera's very sensitive components. A special valve keeps dust from being redeposited onto your camera.

I hope that helps you check off a little bit more of your holiday shopping list this year. Thanks for reading and happy holidays!


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Happy Shopping!

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    Laura Paesano
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