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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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!
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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
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
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!
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!
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!
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!
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!
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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!
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!
Reserve your spot by calling Barkfield Road at (631)651-9292!
This session was a gift from Janelle's husband Richard, to showcase her strong bond with her sweet pup Louie! I love when people give the gift of photography. It always ends up being such a special gift because it's both an experience and the end result of getting beautiful photos with the ones you love most. Janelle is so close with her boy Louie, she described him to me as the love of her life. I totally understand that feeling! They've been through so much together and it was amazing to hear a little bit about their story. Louie is not only her companion and pet, he's her hero.
We met at a local park to take a little hike in the woods. The whole family came along for the ride, but this day was just about the special bond between Janelle and Louie. I love the way his beautiful cream coat looks against the dark background of the trees and plants. Louie was such a good sport, jogging when we asked him so we could get action shots, sitting and laying when we wanted portraits. He also posed really well with Janelle for some sweet shots together. I was so glad to be able to capture some beautiful shots of this special pup for his biggest fan to cherish.
Here are some of my favorite photos of Louie from our session!
We met at a local park to take a little hike in the woods. The whole family came along for the ride, but this day was just about the special bond between Janelle and Louie. I love the way his beautiful cream coat looks against the dark background of the trees and plants. Louie was such a good sport, jogging when we asked him so we could get action shots, sitting and laying when we wanted portraits. He also posed really well with Janelle for some sweet shots together. I was so glad to be able to capture some beautiful shots of this special pup for his biggest fan to cherish.
Here are some of my favorite photos of Louie from our session!
Get in touch to book your pet session today! Email me at laurapeaphotography@gmail.com or call (631)256-7476.
I’m so excited to be coming back to Barkfield Road in East Northport for the first time since the pandemic started! I’ve missed doing photo events there so much. It’s such an amazing pet store! You need to visit if you're a Long Island dog lover! They’re putting on a Fall puppy parade around the square they're located in and a costume contest. The winner will receive a gift basket with goodies from the store and a gift certificate for a free half hour session and a $50 print credit from me. The event will be on Sunday, October 16th from 10am-1pm and will be sponsored by Primal Pet Foods! Look out for PSLs for the pups made with their pumpkin spice goat milk!
After the costume contest, I’ll be taking photos of pets inside the store! Fall or Halloween props and a backdrop will be available. Photo appointments will start at 10:30am!
These will be quick 10 minute sessions where we take a few photos and pet parents can choose their favorite ones and order 4x6s, 5x7s and 8x10s. There won’t be any sitting fee and product prices will be as follows:
4x6s: $10
5x7s: $15
8x10s: $20
You can be in the photo with your pet or it can be their time to shine on their own. Spots may go quickly so call Barkfield Road at (631)651-9292 to sign up!
Here are some Fall pet photos I've shot in the past!
After the costume contest, I’ll be taking photos of pets inside the store! Fall or Halloween props and a backdrop will be available. Photo appointments will start at 10:30am!
These will be quick 10 minute sessions where we take a few photos and pet parents can choose their favorite ones and order 4x6s, 5x7s and 8x10s. There won’t be any sitting fee and product prices will be as follows:
4x6s: $10
5x7s: $15
8x10s: $20
You can be in the photo with your pet or it can be their time to shine on their own. Spots may go quickly so call Barkfield Road at (631)651-9292 to sign up!
Here are some Fall pet photos I've shot in the past!
Call (631)651-9292 to reserve your spot today!
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Laura Paesano
Long Island, NY
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