LONG ISLAND NEWBORN AND PET PHOTOGRAPHER - LAURA PEA PHOTOGRAPHY
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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!

If you’d like more blog posts like this hitting your inbox, sign up for my email list here!
Happy Shopping!

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Photos from the Fall Pet Portrait Program at West Babylon Public Library

11/22/2022

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I was so happy to work with the West Babylon Public Library for a fall pet portrait program this year. This was my first time doing the program at this library but we had so much interest that the library had to open up more spots several times! They had a beautiful fall display set up for patrons and their pets! It looked fantastic.

​We got a ton of dogs, some cats, a ferret, a family of 5 Guinea pigs, and even a bunny rabbit! If you’ve been reading my blog for a while, you’ve probably heard me saying I’ve been wanting to photograph a bunny for so long and I’m so happy I finally got to! Her name was Honey Bunny and she was adorable and so fluffy, I couldn’t stop petting her. Thank you SO much to the library for putting together a fantastic day, and to all the patrons who came with their pets. We talked about doing a summer program next year, so stay tuned for that! Here are some of the adorable photos we got that day! 

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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Pet Holiday Photo Event at Barkfield Road 11.13.22

10/30/2022

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We had so much fun at our Fall/ Halloween photo event that we’re doing it again for the coming holidays! Come down to Barkfield Road in East Northport, NY on Sunday, 11/13 for holiday pet photos. Winter, Christmas and Hanukkah sets and props will be available. A portion of the profits will be donated to the Dotty Fund, which provides financial assistance to families who need help paying for their pets’ medical care.

Half hour mini sessions are a $25 sitting fee, which will be waived if you order over $25 of photo products. 4x6 prints will be $10, 5x7s will be $15 and 8x10s will be $20. I’ll also be offering holiday, Christmas and Hanukkah cards in packs of 25 for $40. Metal ornaments will be $35 and image cubes will be $50.

The event will be from 11am-4:30pm. We’ll only be offering 9 appointments that day so book your slot soon! Please call Barkfield Road at (631)651-9292 to book your appointment!

Barkfield Road holiday pet photo session event flier

​​Reserve your spot by calling Barkfield Road at (631)651-9292!

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I've Been Nominated a Third Time!

10/1/2022

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It's such an honor to be nominated for Best Pet Photographer on Long Island. This is the third year in a row I've been nominated, and each time it happens, I get such a shock. My business is very high touch but pretty low volume. I work very closely with just a small number of clients a year to create a really custom experience for those who choose to invest with me. So the fact that enough people took the time to nominate me to get me on the ballot really means so much to me. Thank you so much to everyone who nominated me!

If you'd like to vote for me, you can do so once a day per email address at this link!

VOTE HERE!

Scroll down in the pets category to get to the subcategory of pet photographer! For now, my business name is spelled incorrectly as "Laura Pea Photograghy" but you know who I am haha!
​You can vote once a day until December 15th. Thank you so much!
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Pet Portrait Program at Islip Public Library 11.14.21

10/14/2021

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We had so much this summer that we decided to do another program at Islip Public Library for the fall! The program will take place on November 14th (postponed from 10.30.21 due to rain) from 1-4pm in the library's beautiful outdoor terrace! We'll be booking time slots to make sure not too many people congregate at once, to keep everyone safe! The program is open to Islip Library patrons and patrons of all other Long Island libraries! Out of district patrons may have to call the library to register, ask for Laurie Aitken if you have any problems!

Register for the program here!​

You’ll receive a free 8x10 and a digital file of your photo! Any pets are welcome, but please make sure they’re restrained with a leash or in a carrier to keep everyone safe.

This time, I'll be bringing along some props. You can go with a fall theme, a winter theme, or just take a photo with the natural beauty of the library's terrace! These are some shots I took at our last program in June!
Hope to see you there!

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

Photo collage of photos of dogs, hamsters, and their families
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Pet Portrait Program at Islip Public Library 6.12.21

6/1/2021

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I’ll be back at the Islip Public Library for another pet portrait program on their beautiful outdoor terrace. The program will be on Saturday, June 12th from 1pm to 4pm, by appointment. Please keep 6 feet of space between you and other patrons. Any pets are welcome, but please make sure they’re restrained with a leash or in a carrier to keep everyone safe. Appointments are available now to Islip patrons but will open to out-of-district patrons on June 9th. You’ll receive a free 8x10 and a digital file of your photo!

You can register for the program here.

Here are some photos I captured at this program in years past!
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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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Photos from the Islip Public Library Pet Portrait Program on 9.21.19

10/21/2019

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It was so great to come back to the Islip Public Library for a third year in a row for a pet portrait program on their beautiful terrace. It was pretty sunny and warm that day, so I moved the pets around to keep them comfortable in the shade throughout the program. It was good to see some repeat patrons come back for another photo, and we also had plenty of newbies who came to get a portrait of their fur babies.

Thanks to everyone who came out, to the library for having me, and especially to Laurie Aitken for coordinating everything! I love doing these kinds of programs, because I get to see some adorable pets and get to know some really awesome pet lovers here on Long Island.

Here are the photos from the program!

Join my email list to stay up to date on what pet events I’ll be participating in!

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Fall Festival Pet Portrait Program at Middle Country Public Library 10.11.19

9/25/2019

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I'll be back at the Middle Country Public Library for the fourth year in a row (!!!!) for my pet portrait program! We're going back to the theme we had for the first year, which was a beautiful Fall theme! I'm very excited for that, since Fall is my favorite season! The program will be held on Friday, October 11th from 6pm-8pm. 

Make sure your pet is clean, well-behaved around other animals, and on a leash or in a carrier. We've had dog, cats, ferrets and even turtles come to this program, so don't think this is just for the pups. Bring on all the pets, I say! 

Like last year, there will be a gorgeous setup where I'll be taking your pet's portrait (and yours if you'd like), and also a green scene portrait station, where someone from the library will take a snapshot of you and insert a digital background for you to take home that day! Your portrait by me will be ready to pick up from the library about a week later.  
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​We have 45 people registered for the program and 5 spots left at the time of this post! This particular program is only for Middle Country Public Library patrons! 

Sign up for the program here!

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Stay up to date on all the events I'll be participating in by signing up for my email list! 
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You can also follow along on Instagram, where I post events and share behind the scenes of the programs!

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Islip Public Library Pet Portrait Program 9.21.19

9/3/2019

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I'm happy to announce I'll be back at the Islip Public Library for a third time to photograph patrons' pets on their wonderful terrace! The program will be on September 21st from 10am-12pm, with a rain date of September 22nd from 12pm-2pm, in case of inclement weather!

Bring your cat, dog, or any other pet (I’ve had people bring ferrets, rats, turtles, and more!). Make sure all animals are clean and able to behave near other animals. Please bring your pet on a leash or in a carrier. You’ll receive one free printed photo, which you can pick up from the library about a week or so after the program!

In person registration opens tomorrow, September 4th, at 6pm at the library. Online registration opens tomorrow at 9pm. Telephone registration opens the next day, September 5th at 9am.

Here’s a collage of some of the participants from last year!
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I love doing these types of programs, because I get to meet a lot of local animal lovers. Long Island families really adore their pets, and I'm so happy to be able to give them a chance to let their pets get the spotlight. 

Sign up for the program here! Stay up to date on all the events I'm participating by joining my email list! 

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Pet Portrait Program at Sayville Library 7.20.19

6/18/2019

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I'll be doing another pet portrait program but at a new library this time! On July 20th, I'll be at the Sayville Library taking pet portraits in their courtyard! Registration for the program begins on June 18th. Registration is limited to Sayville Library cardholders for two weeks, and then program registration will open up to out of district patrons from other Long Island libraries on July 2nd!

The program will be held on July 20th from 10am to 12pm, first come, first served. Your pet can enjoy a solo portrait or you can join them for a family photo. There could be lots of other animals around when you bring your pet for a photo, so we ask that you make sure your pet is clean and well-behaved around other animals. Please bring your pet on a leash or in a carrier. Note that event is not limited to just dogs and cats! I've done this type of program at other libraries and we've gotten pets like ferrets, turtles, etc. I love all types of animals, so bring it on!

There will be a rain date of Saturday, 7/27 in case of inclement weather!
Photo of a large brown Alaskan Husky breed dog laying in a brick courtyard
Photo of a woman with red hair holding a black and brown long haired Dachshund breed dog sitting on a green bench

Register for the program here!
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Stay up to date on all the Long Island events I'll be participating in by signing up for my email list!

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    Laura Pea Photography

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