Newborn Photography NJ | Jacqueline Belle Fleur Photography Blog

Senior Photos

Tuesday, February 22, 2022

Seniors are sassy, determined, confident, silly, bright, bold, sensitive, wild, lovable, energetic, rebellious, sociable, and moody, among so many others! That’s what makes capturing Senior Photos so fun and so rewarding! Seniors bring so much to a session and capturing their true spirit is my goal. Setting plays a big part of the session too. It can be an urban location, a formal garden and park setting, or even a casual bohemian field. It all depends upon the senior’s personality. Some seniors request a remembrance – to capture with friends at their school. Senior Photos can be anything desired!

Where?

I capture seniors all over New Jersey. This state is gorgeous and perfectly diverse. Locations range from formal parks to informal bohemian fields and barns, to beaches, and cool urban locations including cities, factories, and even beach communities. I also offer sessions in New York City. Some clients like more casual sessions and some like more formal. It’s completely up to you and your senior. What fits his/her personality best? If you don’t have any ideas in mind, we work together to find the best location for you. Some of the more formal parks are now requiring photography permits – so please inquire. Permits are not included in my fees but I am happy to secure them with the facilities.

When?

All year. I capture sessions on location from January-November (shooting in the snow is absolutely magical!). Outdoor sessions are only rescheduled due to rain. Please be flexible ~ rain dates are scheduled within 2 weeks and are almost always scheduled on a weeknight. During the spring and fall, my schedule fills very quickly. Most of my sessions take place on weeknights – when most of those beautiful locations are quiet – and a few weekends. Sessions are held 2 hours prior to sunset. Please inquire for avails.

Style

Seniors have a very distinct individual style. It’s imporant to select the right clothing for the session in order to capture each senior’s true personality. Some clothing and colors capture better than others. I offer a consultation with each senior and parent(s) prior to the session to review and recomend the best clothing choices.

Senior Session Rates & Reservations

For rates and reservation information or if you have further questions, simply send an email to jacqueline@jacquelinebellefleur.com or call 917-750-0188. Once a session date is mutually agreed upon, a $200 plus tax retainer is due upon booking to reserve your date. The remainder of the session balance is due the day of the session.

Favorite resources for senior session clothing: JCrew, Anthropologie, Free People

Visit the blog to view more captures of Senior Sessions.

Cake Smash

Tuesday, February 22, 2022

It’s a First Birthday Cake Smash! Celebrating ONE is a milestone that deserves a photo session and the cake smash is it! This adorable little man (look at that hair!) was so sweet. Mom asked for simple colors to be sure that baby was the focus. We chose white, blue and an accent of gold.

About the The Cake Smash Session

This is one of my favorite moments to capture! A sweet little one, a delicious cake, and a whole lot of fun watching someone take his/her first BIG MESSY, little bite of cake.

DETAILS

The 1st Birthday Cake Smash takes place in my Cranford, NJ studio. The session includes my time and talent to capture your fully-edited final images. And, I provide carefully and personally selected props such as handmade swags, balloons and paper flowers to match your backdrop/color selection. Clients may bring any additional props they would like to include.

The session begins with more formal photos of baby and ends with the smash. You may change birthday baby if you desire (up to 3 changes). You will need to provide an outfit for your little one for the actual smash (I can always help with recommendations). The Cake Smash is for the birthday baby ONLY, sorry no sibling or parent photos. Once a theme is selected, it cannot be changed due to prop purchases. Due to the recent increase in allergies, I require clients to bring their own smash cake. Please, before you order a smash cake, discuss the details with me. I have been smashing cakes with babies for 11 years and have some advice that I would love to share with you to make your session the most successful smash.

THEME

Our exclusive and most popular Heidi Hope hand-painted backdrops are beautiful with plenty of adorable and gorgeous choices. For girls: carousel, hot air balloons, lavender fields, ballerinas, Paris, carnival and unicorns. For boys: sailboats, airplanes, hot air balloons, and carnival. If those drops aren’t your style, no problem, I have lots of others to choose! And sometimes, I just work with favorite colors instead of themes.

If you are interested in a first birthday capture without the cake and balloons – sans smash – please inquire.

Reserving your session

If you are ready to book your session or have further questions, please contact me at jacqueline@jacquelinebellefleur.com.

Visit the blog for more cake smash photos. Two great resources for finding very simple cake smash outfits and cake toppers are Amazon and Etsy. My favorite vendor for girls dresses is Tutu Du Monde.

About Jacqueline

I am so proud to say that 2021 marks by 11^thAnniversary as a small business in New Jersey. My specialty is modern portraiture for newborns, maternity, family and children (including babies, communion, cake smashes, and high school seniors) and I capture sessions throughout New Jersey, NYC or in my studio in Cranford, NJ. Studio Sessions are for newborns, babies, small children, and fine art portraiture for older children/teens.

As a small business for over a decade, I have been honing my craft while capturing life, landscape and stage photography for over 35 years. This is not my “hustle” or hobby. It’s so much more. It’s my livelihood and my labor of love. I pride myself in providing my clients with the best quality images, products and service. I understand the importance of memories and skillfully capturing them and work under the philosophy of “I capture for my clients what I would want for myself.”

My captures have graced newsprint, magazines, online social media and television shows such as US Weekly (multiple times), BET, The New York Times, The Pittsburgh Post Gazette, The Wendy Williams Show, and USA Network on The Cromarties among many others.

Senior Sessions

Friday, February 18, 2022

What a milestone! It’s senior year and time for graduation – such an achievement. Time to celebrate and celebrate in photos. Senior Sessions! Seniors have worked so hard to get to this point. Before they move on to their next new life adventure, let’s capture this moment for a lifetime of memories. This is above and beyond the traditional school pictures. It’s customized for each senior (no two are the same) in order to capture his/her true spirit and personality – culminating in a collection of captures that parents will cherish for a lifetime.

Where?

When?

Style

Senior Session Rates & Reservations

Favorite resources for senior session clothing: JCrew, Anthropologie, Free People

Visit the blog to view more captures of Senior Sessions.

Spring Easter Sessions

Tuesday, February 15, 2022

Spring Easter Sessions with REAL LIVE Bunnies are SO.MUCH.FUN! The kids LOVE them. I’ve never had so many genuinely happy and giggling kids in front of my lens. It’s infectious! If you have never done a Spring Easter Session before, now is the time. These captures below are from the set last year. The set changes every year. Scroll down to the bottom to see this year’s backdrop and inspiration sheet.

The Spring Easter Sessions Saturday and Sunday, April 2 & 3. The fee is $365 per session. A $100 retainer is required to hold your spot. The balance is billed the week prior to the session. To see more bunny photos from past sessions, please visit our blog.

This year’s backdrop and inspiration sheet – think pastels of pink, yellow, mint and blue. The colors of the bunnies are always a surprise, but rest assured, they are super cute and sweet. They come from a petting zoo so they are very friendly and love pets and kisses!

Reservations

These sessions are very popular – they sell out quickly. Please contact me at jacqueline@jacquelinebellefleur.com to reserve your date and time for your session. Once your time is secured, you’ll receive a link for retainer. Please submit the retainer within 2 hours of reservation or the time slot will be reopened to another client – no exceptions. Because these sessions sell out so quickly, I am unable to hold sessions without payment. Thank you in advance for your understanding. No refunds/no exchanges.

Safety Measures

Due to COVID, I will offer a very limited number of sessions this year. I am fully vaccinated. I am requesting that all children ages 5 plus and adults are vaccinated to enter the studio. The studio windows are open for air flow. We clean and disinfect all props in between sessions. Let’s keep everyone safe.

This Year’s Set

I always like to put together an inspiration board for petite sessions. The backdrop for this year’s Easter Bunny Sessions is spectacularly spring – pastels of pink, yellow, blue and green. Add a blue seersucker suit for boys or a gorgeous pastel tutu dress from Tutu Du Monde for girls. The set includes lots of flowers and a cute little white bench – perfect for sharing with a little furry bunny!

PLEASE NOTE: We are animal SAFE! Our bunnies are from a petting zoo and are used to being touched. However, children under a certain age will not hold bunnies, but sit next to them. Some children do not wish to hold them and that’s ok! We pet and kiss them. If you have questions, please inquire. Bunny holding is at our discretion. Please respect our process and our safety for all.

Valentine’s Day

Monday, February 14, 2022

Happy Valentine’s Day! My little lovebird. These captures are from just two of my favorite Valentine’s sessions with her. I don’t need an excuse to capture my little love. You shouldn’t either. I cannot believe she is turning fourteen this week. Where does the time go? Capture every moment you can – don’t wait!

Wishing you lots of love, hugs and kisses this Valentine’s Day and always.

About Jacqueline

Visit more samples of my sessions with children on the blog.