Awaiting Baby Aiden | Belly Angels Session NJ's award winning maternity photographer

May 08, 2015 • 2 Comments

Awaiting Baby Aiden | "Gorgeous Mama & Belly Angels" Portrait Session by NJ's award winning maternity photographer Pamira Bezmen Photography

Every pregnancy is magical. Full of boundless love and hope... Every Expecting Mother is a miniature embodiment of Mother Nature and its perfection. Sarah is lovely as can be with her precious baby bump, and I'm so excited for her and her sweet hubby... Can't wait to met baby Aiden very soon <3

Love,

- Pamira

Baby Pamela | 1 month old baby & family session with NJ photographer Pamira Bezmen Photography

May 08, 2015 • 2 Comments

Baby Pamela | 1 month old baby portraits and family session with NJ photographer Pamira Bezmen Photography

So sweet, so stubborn, and so awake :) Sweet little Lupita is her mama's little sunshine.

Mama said: "Now my family is complete"...

What an honor it was photographing this completeness...

- Pamira

Awaiting Baby Liam - Maternity Portraits by New Jersey Photographer Pamira Bezmen

March 30, 2015 • 1 Comment

Awaiting Baby Liam - Maternity Portraits by New Jersey's Award-Winning Family Photographer Pamira Bezmen, of Pamira Bezmen Photography

This month, I was fortunate enough to meet several expecting mommies. One of them is beautiful G. My muse for my newest PPA merit image: "Listening to Her Angel".

She was over 2 months away from her due date at the time of our session, but as with all my sessions, we relied more on our own intuition, her condition and personal preference to set the date, and it all turned out perfectly. Her belly was magical and lovely, and she had great energy. What else could we ask for? An eager partner to accompany her in the images? Yep, we got that too :)

I love all the images we got from this session, and I am so thankful that so does she. Now we are holding our breaths to meet her precious little boy...

Thank you, dearest G, for trusting me with this very special time.

Love,

- Pamira

Mila's Vintage Vanity Birthday Session | by NJ family Photographer Pamira Bezmen

March 30, 2015 • Leave a Comment

Mila's Vintage Vanity Birthday Session | by New Jersey's award-winning family Photographer Pamira Bezmen of Pamira Bezmen Photography

Oh sweet laces and ruffles and feathers... Oh sweet pearls and sparkles and tiaras... Oh sweet girly girls, in pinky pinks and creamy creams with pink cheeks and blue eyes...

It was such joy to photograph sweet Mila for her 1st birthday (11 months old at the time of our session), accompanied by her lovely 4 month old cousin, Charlotte.

I can tell these two will be like sisters for life, and those bright blue eyes will have many admirers...

Happy birthday, sweet Mila! I can't wait to see you again soon :)

Love,

-Pamira

Twice More: New Awards for Pamira Bezmen Photography in Maternity and Child Portraiture

March 18, 2015 • Leave a Comment

Twice More: New Awards for Pamira Bezmen Photography in Maternity and Child Portraiture

Two new merits added to Pamira Bezmen's portfolio, in maternity portraiture and child portraiture. Who's capturing your memories? ;-)

Yeeyyyyyyy and happy happy, joy joy!!!!

I am forever humbled and overjoyed to share with my friends and clients the great news that two more of my images have been merited at the Professional Photographers of America's 2015 Northeast Photographic Competition.

Those of you following me will know that I am headed in a very romantic, clean, classic, and dreamy direction with my maternity portraits. I light, dress, and pose my expecting moms and dads in loving, tasteful and sensual ways to bring out all the emotions of this time. I find this to be a most magical period to be celebrated, documented and treasured. I want to leave a legacy of your pregnancy in a unique way that no selfie or mall portrait can do.

It is deeply tickling me with joy to know that my peers, teachers, and respected masters of the industry agree with the quality of my maternity portraiture. This merit gives me renewed passion to try even harder to learn and grow. You deserve it! Your memories deserve it!

(click here to see more of Pamira's Gorgeous Mama & Belly Angels maternity portraits)

Below: Listening to Her Angel

Pamira Bezmen's merit image at PPA's Northeast District Competition, 2015

And, as always, child portraiture is my thing. Newborns, babies, toddlers, teenagers... At all stages, they are our loves, angels, teachers, and students. Our reason to be, our reason to be better. Every day.

Below: PURE

Pamira's second image merited at the PPA Northeast District Competition, 2015

This one is a semi-documentary portrait of my daughter, upon waking up from a hot summer afternoon's nap. I find babies and toddlers to be so pure, natural and beautiful upon waking up, that without any concerns or particular expressions, you can see their full beauty in the simplicity of their state - big eyes, messy hair, pink cheeks and all... I wanted to capture this moment to remember forever.

As much as we all love happy smiles in photos, there is so much to be said about a pure expression. I'm so glad the judges agreed.

(click here to see more of Pamira's Kid Angels children's portraits, or here for Baby Angels)

Thank you ALL for your continued love, support, and patronage. Every artist needs an audience. If I did not have you to see, critique, love, enjoy, and sponsor my work, I would not have had the courage and reassurance to do this every day of my life. Thank you, thank you, thank you!

Love,

- Pamira

The Path to My (and all Mothers') Heart(s) (and more) | by NJ Award-winning Family Photographer

February 12, 2015 • 1 Comment

The Path to My (and all Mothers') Heart(s) (and more) | by New Jersey's Award-winning Family Photographer Pamira Bezmen

of Pamira Bezmen Photography

We all know that the path to a man's heart is through his stomach. That is of course, step 1 to his heart. Then to seal the deal, you have to keep him warm and cozy (usually under the sheets). Until the next meal :)

The path to a woman's heart, however, is known to be quite different.

If you're trying to impress and gain the affection of a single woman (one without a child), you need to take many paths, that involve many complicated, time-consuming, and confusing (for most men) activities.

Here are some of them:

look deeply into her eyes
listen to her
try to understand her
express your interest in what she's talking about
be a good listener
pretend to be a good listener
recite things she's said
remember special days
remember her favorite things
take her to dinner
try to be romantic
be a good dancer
be available to cook and set the table when she's tired or just whenever
hold her
snuggle with her
caress her gently
always act like she is valuable and important for you
stroke her hair gently without pulling
refrain from clumsy acts that end up pinching her, stepping on her foot, squishing her, etc.
read a lot, be smart & knowledgeable but not a know-it-all
be funny and entertaining but not be a clown
be supportive and protective but not overbearing
be sophisticated, respectable, a good provider, but not boring
be trustworthy and reliable, but not predictable
be sexy and take care of yourself, look nice for her, but not be a player
be accessible but not a stalker
be always, always there for her
offer a shoulder to cry on, but don't sit there like a sack of potatoes, know when to put a warm arm around her
be a good lover, make her feel wanted, but not be an animal
be her best friend, brother, and father, but never forget she is also your woman
be her teacher and student
be generous with your love, empathy and kindness
be forgiving and fair
don't ever, ever fall asleep when she's telling you about her intimate feelings
actually, don't ever fall asleep when she's talking about anything at all. ever.
don't snore

Once you've mastered these, then you can go on to learning about second level paths that are deeper, more advanced, more complex and more time-confusing, but ultimately more rewarding.

The truth is that for us women, these are basic investments you just make in someone you care for. Not in exchange for a reward. You just do them. WE just do them. That's why we expect them.

Because this is how we show our love, when we see these bits of affection (or behaviors) displayed towards us, our brains immediately know how to translate them to mean love and care.

Unfortunately, many men do not need or want the same things as women, and their brains cannot calculate these naturally. That's why it feels like so much work for many men to find the path to a woman's heart.

But, don't despair. For both men and women, there is hope to connect at a much simpler, shorter list. I cannot promise you that the differences of how our brains function, process information, and respond to events will ever go away. Our hormones will always regulate and dictate completely different responses even to the same exact situations, and we will frequently be staring at one another blankly, both thinking: "SERIOUSLY????"

Since Valentine's Day is just around the corner, I decided I'd extend a helping hand. I am about to reveal the one step program to my heart. (And to the heart of every mother).

I mentioned that the list above applies to a single woman - meaning a woman without a baby. For men who want to impress a woman without a baby, I'm sorry, you will still have to do everything (or most of the things) on the above list. (scroll back up and start studying!)

But, if the woman of your dreams is a mother, I have good news for you. Here is the secret path to the heart of a Mother:

The Path to My Heart is Through My Baby.

Once a woman has a child, all of her brain wiring changes. Some brain parts get larger and stay larger for life. Her hormones, priorities, perceptions, joys and fears ALL REVOLVE AROUND HER CHILD.

You may say: "Yes, of course, we all know this."

Yes, of course you all know this. But are you building on this? Are you using it to everyone's advantage? To improve your relationship and family life, and how much intimacy you can create with your Lady?

I presume that most men don't.

Her priority is to love, nurture and protect her offspring. This will be done at the expense of herself, her man, and anything else that gets in the way. The woman you love is busy doing what nature intended for her to do, so if you want to get cozy under the sheets, you will need to reach out to her by speaking to her in her language.

Here is the one step program to my heart: LOVE MY CHILD HONESTLY AND SINCERELY AND SHOW IT OFTEN.

In many cases "my child" is also "your child", and you may say "Of course I love my child, I don't need anyone to tell me that!"

Yes, of course you love your child, but you need to show it in a way your woman can see it and feel it in her brain cells and her hormones!

You know what happens when a mother watches her partner giving the baby tonight's bath or reading her the bed time stories?

The same hormones that used to flow through our bodies after a long sweaty night of wine and dancing start rushing to our brain cells, soaking our hearts and bodies with warm fuzzies. Seeing our child giggle in the arms of the one we love will make us fall in love with our partner much more deeply than a sparkly necklace from a store. Watching how he listens and responds, how he cares for, and how he invests in our child will secure his place in our hearts. Knowing that our child is cared for and nurtured in safety will make our hearts pound faster than you than a big red box of anything.

Now, we may need a gentle foot-rub here and there, or a warm hug, and loving eyes to stare at us. But don't underestimate the power of the MOTHER that lives inside your WOMAN. If you do your part right, and reach out to the Mother, she can awaken the Woman that you think we forgot about ;-)

Happy Valentine's Day, with your loved ones!

- Love,

Pamira

P.S.: Although this story is originally based on a man-woman relationship, the same principles apply to a single-sex relationship with two mothers. A woman wanting to win the heart of a woman can take the same concept into consideration. That said, a two-women partnership has obviously the built-in advantage of both partners sharing a mutual understanding of the female state.

Birthday Boy Asil | Award-winning New Jersey Family Photographer Pamira Bezmen

February 12, 2015 • Leave a Comment

Birthday Boy Asil | by Award-winning New Jersey Family Photographer Pamira Bezmen

I met him in his mom's belly, then on the day he was born. I went back the second day to the hospital for more images.

A couple of weeks later, they were in my studio, and we took so many lovely images that we built the largest professional photo album you can imagine :) For baby Asil to see, when he grew up, how precious he was to his mommy and daddy, and what he meant to them, even as a newborn.

Now it's my honor and privilege to see him turn into a delicious 1-year old. He can walk on his own and throw the cutest smiles. And his feet... have not changed a bit since day 1 - they've just grown into a slightly larger version of the same cuteness they were a whole year ago.

(check out that Blue Steel! pose ;-) you crack me up, babe!)

Looking at him, holding him and photographing him fill my heart with love. Happy birthday, sweetheart!!!! Thank you for being in my life!

And below is a little trip down the memory lane...

Always, with love...

- Pamira

The First Turkish Woman at Yale University's Women in Leadership Conference

February 10, 2015 • 2 Comments

The First Turkish Woman at Yale University's Women in Leadership Conference | Pamira Bezmen accompanies Pinar Kaftancioglu, the owner of Ipek Hanim'in Ciftligi at Yale University

(February, 2015)

(a rare occurance - I did not photograph the images in this blogpost. all photographs of Ipek Hanim Ciftligi are courtesy of Pinar Kaftancioglu. Conference photos are courtesy of H. Nur Eken)

We spent our last weekend at Yale University's Women in Leadership Initiative Conferences. I am honored to have accompanied Ms. Pinar Kaftancioglu, the owner of Ipek Hanim'in Ciftligi (the name translates as "Miss Ipek's Farm", the farm being named after the owner's little daughter) in Turkey, which is - for the lack of a better, faster summary - what I will call a revolutionary little eco-system of fair farming that is respectful of the people it feeds and employs, the land, the animals, the soil and traditional native seeds.

Having been put in touch with Pinar (the owner of the farm, who individually reads and responds to each incoming e-mail) via my lovely cousin, I have been a consumer of the farm, and a passionate supporter of their cause. I am very pleased that their accomplishments are being recognized at a global level. What she dreamed and had the courage to create should be a torch and guiding light to all farming industries - on a global level - that it IS possible to make a living without exploiting and harming everything and everyone along your way.

This was the first time a Turkish woman was invited to speak at the Women In Leadership Conference. This is not only an honor for Turkey and Turkish women, but hope for all of us, who believe that a better, honest and respectful way is possible.

I accompanied Pinar at Yale's conference as her translator, and I am so very glad that I could lend a helping hand. The little room filled with listeners, who all listened intently, taking notes, eyes wide open, with a bit of amusement and surprise about this unlikely success story.

In a world where corporations and agribusiness get away with lying, cheating, stealing, and "making up stories" along the way, where a story told many, many times becomes "truth", and millions of Dollars can buy your trust, brain, heart and wallet, with complete disregards for your health and the real truth. We live in a nation of 300 million people, where there is a prevelant belief that "milk does a body good", whereas there is absolutely no scientific reason or logical explanation why the milk made by a bovine should be good for a human baby.

Putting aside all other reasons and logic, if you just look at the fact that bovine milk is made to feed a newborn calf, that is on average 60 pounds, compared to a human baby, that weighs an average of 7 pounds, you will kind of get the gist of the story.

(A mature cow can weigh anywhere from 600 to over 3,000 pounds, depending on the breed, and a mature human is well, not supposed to be anywhere close to that. On the other hand, it is not so hard to understand our increasing weight problems when so many types of inappropriate "stuff" and toxins are being shoved down our throats under the guise of "food".)

When sufficient cleevage and bouncy hair is thrown at us from glossy pages, we begin to drool, and forget about the real boobs we should be sourcing our milk from.

As tempted as I am, I will try to refrain from what else is wrong with the food related marketing we receive, because I want to come back to what Pinar is doing.

She started a little eco-system of neighbors in her village. The lady who baked the best baked. The one who had the best chickens took care of egg-production. The one who had the best tomatoes raised the tomatoes...

From 2006 to 2015, she kept on adding new products to the mix and increasing the work force.

The work force are basically her neighbors. Families participate in numbers. The young, the middle aged and the elderly.

They deliberately do not automate jobs at the farm in order to ensure more people remain employed and in the system.

She pays fair wages and social security to her farmers, in a county where virtually no one employs farmers full time, nor do they pay social security. Whole villages are forced to shut down and able-bodied men are forced to work in the coal mines at huge risk of disease and death, just to qualify for social security, even tough the pay is minimum wage and is about 2/3rds below the national poverty line, (and about 1/3rd below the hunger line) according to the 2014 statistics.

Pinar does not have a sophisticated accounting system. She relies on the honor system, where she receives an order, ships it to the consumer, and she's done. She does not follow up. People make a payment whenever, however much they like.

Now one might think that people would cheat and skip payments. But they don't. They pay.

Why?

Pinar explains:

"Our consumers want us to stay in business. They like us. They don't want us to go out of business. They want to be able to continue eating the good products we produce for them."

The audience in the room has HUGE eyes when they hear this!

It sounds unthinkable - but it works!

And I am witness. I have bought from Pinar's farm every time I visited Turkey in the past year, and received multiple shipments from them. Sometimes my payment was late for a couple of weeks, due to a glitch with my online banking. She was so kind and trusting that she never mentioned it. This, in return, ensured that I paid for my next payment asap. I wanted her to be paid. I wanted those villagers to receive their salaries. I wanted to receive these gorgeous apples and carrots for my daughter again next time.

Pinar is honest about the mistakes they've made. And she is grateful: "We have 50,000 teachers. They tell us what we did wrong. How we can do it better. What we should be selling. We listen. Not only myself. I walk around the farm with my iPad, and read the commentary and feedback to the farmers and workers. I share the success stories with them. How their herbs helped with someone's child's stomach ache. How the soaps of one helped with someone's hair loss... The workers appreciate this. They feel and know that they are a part of this. They are connected to their end product and the effect it has on people's lives. They know how it's received and how it can be made better."

She also talks about Marketing. And proudly confesses that they have no existence on social media. No Facebook or Tweeter account. No paid advertising on Google or anywhere else. Only word of mouth. They don't tell marketing stories. They just tell the real story, of what goes on in the farm. If they're out of something, they just scratch that item from the list and don't ship it. They don't try to force the soil or the crops or the work force to produce more than they can naturally produce. They don't use harmful techniques to increase output. They don't use pesticides, GMOs, antibiotics, hormones or any of the like. Sometimes the spinach comes with holes in the leaves, and sometimes there is a slug in the romaine lettuce. Her customers prefer the slugs to toxins and pesticides. The carrots from a bag are half red, half orange, and their shapes are all unique. Her customers appreciate this natural variation.

Her customers are OK paying slightly higher prices for their food than buying at the corner super-market. They value the effort that goes into it, and they want the farmers to be paid well. The receive their boxes at their doorstep, carefully hand-packed one egg at a time by the 75-year old grandpa who is in charge of wrapping eggs. He is deliberately employed - although he is not the fastest worker, but he has so much experience he shares with the youngsters. And he can take home a salary. Everyone benefits.

The farm acts as a trend-setter now amongst consumers. Big city folk who used to look down upon traditional foods and ingredients began taking pride in cooking with native grains. They are now starting to post selfies on social media, making their own yogurt at home.

They now know real bread gets moldy and hard. They teach their friends. They take pride in going back to the roots. Back to the older, natural ways.

Pinar is confident about the power of consumers. She says: "I do not believe in consumers being victims of the food industry. Noone has to buy a product that is not right. You are not limited to what they sell you. Your strength is in your purchase. If you don't like a company, their practices, their products or ingredients, you have the power. DO NOT BUY their products. They have no choice but to respond. In order to stay in business, they much listen to consumers. You have the power to shape the industry, to determine the quality of the products and how they are made. Make your choices be known."

To me this whole system is genius. It is based on love. It is simple. It is organic. It is sustainable. It makes for happy workers and happy consumers.

I cannot tell you how amazing it feels eating tomatoes that taste like they did when I was a child. I cannot tell you how I get teary eyed when I feed my daughter vegetables from the farm, and I know it is pure goodness from the bosom of Mother Earth into my baby's stomach. Unadulterated. Pure good food.

Ipek Hanim's Farm has reached its full capacity. Pinar says that they do not want to grow beyond this point in order to preserve quality and stay true to their principals and standards. But, the game is not over yet. Her mission is now to duplicate the example and give a hand to new leaders who want to start other farms like this one. She says "We have learned a lot. Through experience, time and our mistakes. We have a lot to teach the new leaders, so that we can multiply these farms."

My fiancee being a Yale alumnus, it was a lovely home-coming for us, and I earned my very own personal Yale mug, graciously gifted to me by the lovely H. Nur Eken, the young Turkish Yale student who hosted us.

(Deserving her own success story to be posted some day, this young girl from a public school in the heart of Anatolia, showed the gift to be accepted into Yale. Typically very few graduates from only private schools of Turkey can qualify for Yale, and surely Nur's accomplishment is testament to her personal ability and potential. Having met her in person, I am impressed with her humble, kind, and wise stance, beyond her years. I am sure we will hear of her accomplishments in the future.)

I hope that the ideas and inspiration spread by Pinar at this conference outlast my mug, which is one day bound to shatter into pieces, but the philosophy of Good and Honest Food must prevail. We absolutely, desperately need it to be successful, popular, and desirable because this is the only way we can save this planet. By producing, consuming, and protecting honest food.

Thank you Pinar. Thank you everyone at Pinar Hanim'in Ciftligi (Farm), and thank you Yale University for spreading the word.

- Love,

Pamira

Turkish summary / Turkce kisa ozet:

Haftasonumuzu Ipek Hanim'in Ciftligi'nin sahibi Pinar Hanim, can kizi ve yakin dostlari ile Yale Universitesi'nde gecirdik. Pinar Hanim'i duyardim kac senedir ve sevgili kuzenim Sebnem sayesinde de kendisinin musterisi olmustum. Bu sayede Istanbul ziyaretlerimizde "Kizima ne yedirecegim?", "Yine mi hastalanacagiz", dertlerinden kurtuldum. Insanin cocuguna temiz topraktan cikmis, gercek tohumlardan, ilacsiz, kimseye boyun egmeden, durust emekle uretilmis, ve de ciftcisine hakkini vererek fiyatlandirilmis dogal gidalari yedirebilmesi kadar buyuk bir nimet olamaz. Bu minnet hissi ile hemen atladim tabii ki Pinar Hanim'in bir tercumana ihtiyaci oldugunu duydugumda. Dunyanin en hatiri sayilir universitelerinden (hasbelkader nisanlimin da mezunu oldugu) Yale Universitesi'nin "Women in Leadership" konferansina ilk defa bir Turk kadin davet edilmis. O da Pinar Hanim. Turkiye icin, bizim icin, yararlananlari icin, dunyada durustlukle dogru isleri yapmaya gonul vermis, insana, dogaya, topraga, hayvana, tohuma saygi duyarak "uc kurus az kazanalim ama dogru is yapalim" diyen herkes icin bir temiz nefes bu davet. Bir gurur. Bir umit kaynagi. Pinar Hanim'in yaninda olabilmis olmak, bu onura bir ucundan bulasabilmis olmak benim icin ne kadar muhim bilemezsiniz.

Tesekkur ederim sevgili Sebnem'cim, bizi bulusturdugun icin. Ve tabii ki sevgili Pinar Hanim : hepimiz icin yaptiginiz hersey icin ve boyle muhim bir yolculukta tercumaniniz olmak icin bana guvendiginiz icin. Daha nice nice davetler alin insallah. Her sekilde yaninizda yer almaktan onur duyarim.

- Pamira

Samdan Plus Interview with Pamira Bezmen | Medya'da Odullu Fotografci Pamira Bezmen

February 10, 2015 • 1 Comment

Samdan Plus Interview with Pamira Bezmen | New Jersey's award winning family photographer Pamira Bezmen in popular media | Interview with Pamira Bezmen, January 2015

(Turkish) Medya'da Odullu Fotografci Pamira Bezmen | Pamira Bezmen ile Samdan Plus'ta Elif Aktug Roportaji (Ocak, 2015)

Pamira Bezmen photography is in the popular Turkish magazine Samdan Plus.

Photographs of Pamira & her daugher by Koray Isik.

(Turkish) Sevgili Elif Aktug'un kaleminden... Bu haftanin Samdan Plus dergisinde roportajimi bulabilirsiniz. Sevgili Elif, bu sicacik roportaj icin cok tesekkur ederim! Shaya da ben de cok keyif aldik.

Pamira ve kizinin fotograflari: Koray Isik.

Leaving Home Behind to Come Home | by NJ Family Photographer Pamira Bezmen

February 06, 2015 • 2 Comments

Leaving Home Behind to Come Home | by NJ Family Photographer Pamira Bezmen

That place that is warm and safe. That place we run to for protection and love. The one that comes to mind when we close our eyes and imagine happy memories: HOME.

Having grown up in Istanbul, cradled in the secure arms of my loving parents, I only had abundant confidence and passion to fly solo, be free, explore the world, and stand on my own two feet. After college I came to the United States for my master's degree, and refused all helping hands and gentle suggestions from my parents to reach out to their influential friends in case I needed help with anything. I was pretty sure I would not have a situation that I could not solve on my own. Time proved me right.

18 years later, I am still in the United States, now as a proud American citizen and a mother, who has ridden a corporate career only to exchange it for the immeasurable satisfaction of family photography. When the plane lands at J.F.K. International Airport, I get butterflies in my stomach. I love that roast coffee smell and the buzz and the immigration officers with the crew cut hair and serious faces. I love coming home to my Verona, New Jersey studio, my breast-feeding crunchy mama friends and the convenience of finding organic food with ease. I love filing my taxes properly and the honor system we have here where other than a handful of corporations, organizations, and politicians, for the most part the general public is made up of good citizens who try to do the right thing. Yes, it's home all right.

But a part of my heart keeps tugging at me. Early in the morning, with the first rays of the sun, I feel a nervous excitement that twists my stomach. My heart has a little hole in it. Distant memories of unconditional love and cheer buzz through my mind's corridors. The people I love. Those I have a soulful connection with. My family... They are far, far away and I am missing out on precious time I could be sharing with them.

I miss my HOME.

... My other home...

Pamira Bezmen Potography. Family portraits. Pamira Bezmen. www.pamirabezmenphotography.com

The image on the left is my beloved brother and I, in our backyard (1980)

The image on the right is my daughter and my niece, in our backyard (2014)

Our backyard in Istanbul is a nostalgic place for me. Our dad used to take us there to water my late grandmother's rose garden. He cared for those roses as if he could bring back his beloved mom one petal at a time. He would take us along. We would help him water the garden, pick mulberries, and learn that you should never touch a magnolia flower - otherwise it would turn dark where you touched it. We would smell them ever so gently, without touching the tips of our noses on the delicate white petals.

We would pick up figs in the summer and our dad would always bring a rose back for our mom.

35 years later, we bring our own daughters to the back-yard. It's a way for us to travel back in time, to the smells, sounds, loves, and feelings of our own childhood, and also making fresh memories for our children.

Going back alone or with anyone is not the same. Only going to the back-yard with my brother feels this way.

He was my partner who shared those memories and has the same sad-happy sparkle in his eye.

We don't have to speak a word when we go there.

We just BE.

Here and now. Here and in the past. Both at the same time.

...

Regardless of how American I become and how much I love this land, I will always miss my first home. Regardless of how deep and meaningful new relationships I build, I will always ache for the closeness of my family and first friends in life. And regardless of how much I love being home with them back in Istanbul, I will then miss my life in America!

I am officially, incurably and desperately trapped in the 2-home syndrome.

It's a richness. It's a blessing. It's a privilege. To have two places on earth that I can call HOME. To feel equally loved, loving, and comfy in two places. But it comes at a cost: a part of my heart is always longing for what I left behind in the other home.

(beach bonfire. my sister in-law, my daughter and niece, enjoying the fire after a family dinner on the beach.)

Whether it's a good thing or not, I sucked my daughter into this dilemma as well. I wanted her to grow up feeling at home at each of her homes. So, she has a home in New Jersey, where we live with her father and our cat, another home in Istanbul, where her grandma, uncles, aunts, and cousins live, and she has a third land where her father's family lives, in Puerto Rico.

At 3.5 years old, she is highly aware of the value of her loved ones, and the limitations of space and time. We spent the month of January at our home in Istanbul. At a time she missed her Papi (daddy) she told her grandma that she missed her Papi (daddy) in the US, her grandma tried to calm her down, saying:

"You will soon return to the US and be re-united with your Papi."

Shaya responded:

"No, grandma, I don't want to go back yet because if I do, I will miss you and my cousin."

Then later at night, as she got very sleepy and craved her night time routine, she'd get sad and nostalgic for her Papi again.

I feel her pain. This poor little baby girl has to split her heart into pieces and always sacrifice the time she could be having with her other loved ones, in order to be able to be with any given relative. If she is with her grandma in Istanbul, she can't be with her cousins in Puerto Rico, and when she is with her Papi and cat Troy in New Jersey, she cannot be with her uncle in Istanbul.

(the girls sharing watercolors in my daylight studio in Istanbul)

(you can see my brother's guitar in the background - it's surely a home full of the arts of all sorts)

My sweet daughter, I apologize to you that this will forever be your reality. We have made choices that make for a tough reality and a scattered family. It may be that you may never ever have all your loved ones at the same birthday party in a given place on earth. For that, I am truly sorry, and I feel your pain.

On the other hand, you will have at least 3 countries on earth that you can call home. You will be guaranteed to be loved and cared for deeply and unconditionally in any one of these places. You will have family who receive you with open arms, and they will share what is theirs with you, and give you a shoulder to lean on. Whether you are physically with them or not, they will always love you from across boundries, mountains and oceans. You will have their memories and hearts with you for life. For that, I am happy and excited for you.

After a month of deep love, special dishes made for us at her grandma's, sleep-overs with her cousin, hanging out with her uncle and aunt while I held photo sessions in my Istanbul studio, Shaya had to pack up and say goodbye to her loved ones.

After a 10 hour flight, she was excited and thrilled to be re-united with her Papi.

We had once again left home, to come home.

Until next time, everyone. We miss you already, and we know you miss us. And soon, we will leave home again and come back home to your arms.

- Love,

Pamira

Growing up Photos to Capture Baby's 1st Year | NJ family photographer Pamira Bezmen

February 06, 2015 • Leave a Comment

Melissa Melek's 1st Precious Year ... Sealed with a Birthday & Cake Smash Photo Session | by New Jersey's award-winning family photographer, Pamira Bezmen Photography

You know how you see them for the first time and you just fall in love? That's how it was.

Long lashes, chubby cheeks, little lips pouty enough to get the hottest top models running for a lip-boost! At 6 days old, sweet Melissa Melek showed up for her first professional photo session with her adorable mommy, daddy and grandma.

(below: 6 days old, Sweet Mermaid. Her grandmother hand-made this costume for her. Isn't she so precious?)

Our session was so much fun, and I loved working with a family who trusted me with everything, but also felt comfortable enough to give me their ideas for each of the set-ups. We changed the precious little sweetheart from a mermaid to a ladybug to a flower girl, seamlessly, and we ended up with so many lovely images.

(below: 6 days old in frilly lilac)

Baby's First Year Photos. Professional Growing up Photos by New Jersey's award winning family photographer Pamira Bezmen. www.pamirabezmenphotography.com

When she was old enough to sit up on her own, the cutie pie came back, totally lovable and chubby. And we had smiles and giggles galore :)

(below: 7 months old and look who is sitting up all on her own!)

Aaaaaand, we had to follow the purple theme for her 1st Birthday and Cake Smash. I've never met a baby so ready to experiment with her cake for the first time! She jumped right in, and if we hadn't taken it away from her to give her a bath, she was probably going to finish it! :)

(look at that face!!! pleeease!!!!)

(below: 14 months old, having a scrumptious cake smash in my studio in Verona, NJ)

Happy 1st Birthday, my little angel! You are a delight, and even more delicious than that cake you liked so much. I am honored to be your photographer and a witness to your growing up.

Together, we've covered each season, and probably every color on the color wheel :) You are just as delightful in yellow as you are in pink or purple, and you are every bit as precious now as you were at 6 days old. Thank you for letting me be a part of your journey!

(below, mixed images from her sitting up session and 1st birthday session)

- Love you, girl!!!! :)

Pamira

Birthday Girl 1st Birthday and Cake Smash | by New Jersey Family Photographer Pamira Bezmen

February 03, 2015 • 1 Comment

Birthday Girl | by award winning New Jersey Family Photographer, Pamira Bezmen Photography

1st Birthday and Cake Smash Professional Portraits

I met her when she was 7 months old, and my, what a sweet personality and a cute smile she had! We made lovely images for her mommy and daddy to always remember how precious she was. And of course, for Her, too, to enjoy as she grew older.

The passing 5 months only made her sweeter, cuter and lovelier.

It is a great joy to photograph a baby - at any age - and great honor, even once.

But when I get to meet my little babies over and over again and witness them growing up, it is even more special. We get to know one another. We get to reminisce about the last photo shoot. And notice how much they've grown. I feel like I am family to them and I feel like they are family to me.

1st birthday professional photos by award winning New Jersey family photographer Pamira Bezmen Photography. www.pamirabezmenphotography.com

Happy Birthday, sweetie! Hope to see you many, many more times in front of my camera :)

Love,

- Pamira

Baby Anthony 1month old | Newborn portraits by Pamira Bezmen Photography

January 30, 2015 • Leave a Comment

Baby Anthony 1month old | Newborn portraits by New Jersey's Award Winning Family Photographer, Pamira Bezmen Photography

Our session with Anthony was probably one of my recent favorites. His sweet parents brought him to me at 4 weeks old, and oh my, was he adorable and handsome beyond words...

As always, I want to tell you not to worry too much about that 7-day window for newborn images, because in the hands of an experienced and loving photographer, you are guaranteed gorgeous images, even with a 4-week old.

One of my absolute favorites from this session is this image of Anthony in his mommy's arms... The love, the connection, the romantic feel and softness of this image just moves me ... What do you think?

I deliberately posed them in this form, accessorized with pureness and simplicity, lit kindly, to emphasize and bring forward what matters the most: the unconditional love and strong bond between Mommy & Baby.

And of course, no newborn session is complete without the tiny bitty details...

1 month old baby boy. Newborn and Baby Photography by Award Winning New Jersey Photographer, Pamira Bezmen Photography. www.pamirabezmenphotography.com

And a gorgeous family portrait...

It was lovely meeting this very sweet family and being able to capture their gorgeous son at this age. He will only get bigger and lovelier as time passes. And I am honored to be the one who got to freeze this precious time forever for him and his family.

- Pamira

Baby Russ 4 months old | by NJ Baby Photographer Pamira Bezmen

January 27, 2015 • Leave a Comment

Baby Russ 4 months old | by award-winning NJ Baby Photographer, Pamira Bezmen

Oh yes, I know, we want them tiny and teeny in the newborn photos. But what happens if you could not get yourself out of the home within that first week post-partum? What if you were not ready to make the financial investment right at that moment? Or what if you did not want to hire just any old photographer and wanted to take some more time to research until you felt confident in your choice?

What happens is this: Your baby gets bigger, older and more independent, starting to show more personality.

Isn't that pure delight?

I think so!

Just make sure to do your research.

Review the portfolio of your photographer prospects to make sure that they have CONSISTENTLY GORGEOUS IMAGES of DIFFERENT BABIES in the AGE RANGE of YOUR OWN BABY.

Better yet, pick a photographer who belongs to a highly respected professional organization such as PPA (Professional Photographers or America) or NAPCP (National Association of Professional Child Photographers).

This is the best advice I can give you.

We all have different tastes and preferences, so pick a photographer whose style you ADORE. And make sure they can do it over and over and over again for your baby as well.

You don't want to pick someone who accidentally took several cute pics of their own baby or nephew and put them up on their web site.

Make a list and call up your top photographers. Ask them questions about:

their experience, style, comfort level in working with your baby's age category
Ask them about safety and hygiene!

Don't worry so much about "How much is an 8x10" print?" In the grand scheme of things, that should really not be the reason you trusted someone with your baby's safety and your life's memories.

The difference between $50 and $100 is negligible over the next 10 years, but the value of quality images is what will matter most over time. Specifically if that photographer delivered those gorgeous images while ensuring the safety and well-being of your precious baby.

I absolutely loved meeting this very sweet family. They knew from the get-go that they were not going to invest a million dollars in this project. But they also knew that they wanted a gorgeous, large family portrait for their big wall. Something they could look at every day to remind them of what matters in life. For their precious son to see every day and remember how much he is loved. How he will always have his mom and dad to hold him, love him, and protect him.

I am honored that I could deliver it to them. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for trusting me and choosing me!

- Pamira

Baby Deniz in my Istanbul Studio | The Gift of Photography to Last a Lifetime

January 27, 2015 • Leave a Comment

Baby Deniz in my Istanbul Studio | The Gift of Photography to Last a Lifetime

by award winning family photographer Pamira Bezmen, of Pamira Bezmen Photography

I am grateful for my friends and fans who track my schedule to figure out whether I am in New Jersey or in Istanbul to book sessions with me. It is such a humbling experience when friends from long, long years ago reach out and ask me if they can book a session with me.

This time it was a dear old friend of mine, who booked a session, not for herself but for her beloved cousin, who recently had a precious baby boy.

What a generous and thoughtful gift. Of course, it could only come from someone with such a big heart, such as my dear friend Ozge :)

We scheduled the session for a sunny day to make full use of my daylight studio in Istanbul, and Mama Nature did not disappoint us. We had plenty of joyful daylight seeping in from the 180-degree full height windows wrapping around my studio.

Baby photography, Istanbul'da bebek fotografcisi, Yenidogan fotografcisi

The mood inside my studio was just as joyful as the sunny day outside. It was a lovely re-union with my dear college class-mate, and I could not be happier to have met her sweetheart of a cousin, hubby, and gorgeous little Buddha baby boy :)

At 2 months old, of course he did not want to sleep, and gave us a run for our money, but we captured the love, care, happiness, and joy in his family just the same.

It was so wonderful meeting them all, and I can't wait to deliver their albums and canvas gallery wraps to hang on their walls. It tickles me to imagine how they will smile every time they will look at one of these images on their walls or in their heirloom album :) (insert heart heart heart here)

God bless you and your family, sweet Deniz! <3

- Pamira

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