Welcome to Pamira Bezmen Photography Blog.
I'm a photographer. I'm a mother. I'm a student of life. I'm a believer in love.
My blog is about my passion for life and photography, about children, the miracle of babies,
mothering, and maybe more.
I hope you find joy and inspiration in what you read.
Don't forget to check out my gallery and see my photographs,
and maybe I will get to photograph your family's precious moments one of these days...
Love and Light be on you today and every day… :)
- Pamira
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Happy Mother's Day, Celebrate Mom, New Jersey family photographer Pamira Bezmen
Today was all about celebrations! From the first moment of waking up, to the end of the day... Flowers, cards, brunch, giggles, songs and dance... Celebrating the mother who made me, celebrating the mother I have become, and celebrating the little girls I am raising, who will someday, if they so choose, and if they are so blessed, be a mother to another...
The cycle of life is right before my eyes! From where I am, I can see clearly that motherhood must be the ultimate expression of hope and trust. 'Hope' that there will be a tomorrow, and 'trust' that I have the power to make it better for someone else.
Today, I was fortunate enough to spend my day with my little ones as well as my own mother and the men who love us. I was fortunate enough to take some new photos, AND I finally made the time to retouch this image of myself holding my little daughter almost 1 year ago. Time flies faster than we can keep track of! My baby girl is now a 20+ pound chunker with a full-blown personality, and definitely not fitting in my one hand like she did a year ago. For my own sake, I am thankful for having these images of her so tiny and innocent. And for her sake, I am thankful that I am in this image with her, holding her, protecting her, loving her, so that she will forever know what she meant to me from the first day I held her in my arms. I am not promised tomorrow, but today I have the power to make memories with my babies, and to create mementos that they can cherish year after year.
Wherever you are today, I hope that you have had an amazing day, celebrating mom and motherhood, showering in the love of family, making memories for the children. HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!
Much love,
- Pamira
Celebrate Mom!
Happy Spring and all that comes with it!
Two coughs and a sneeze and March just flew by! - Literally, we were coughing or sneezing most of March, so I am so very happy to see the sun back out to warm and pamper us.
I want to wish you all a Happy Passover, a Happy Easter, and a joyful, happy, and amazing Spring!
Easter Egg Hunts, First Holy Communions, Mother's Day, chirping birds, budding trees, and outdoor family sessions! There is so much to celebrate and enjoy this season! Have it all, and make memories! And, yes, call me to document them and make them last forever for you!
Much love,
- Pamira
First Holy Communion Special Sessions starting from $250. If you've been procrastinating, call me now, and I'll do my best to squeeze you in.
Have you seen my new video? Celebrate Mom. You can watch it here. Enjoy!
(or you can click here to go to the page Celebrate Mom)
How to find the right photographer for your family or business | Pamira Bezmen Photography NJ
How to find the right photographer for yourself or for your family, by award-winning portrait photographer, Pamira Bezmen, New Jersey
This is one of the most popular questions when it's time to hire a professional photographer. Whether you need amazing photos for personal branding, sexy ones to wow your man, or heart-warming ones to celebrate the birth of your brand new baby, you must first figure out who will be the right photographer for your project. Just like buying furniture or a lovely piece of jewelry, you will have alternatives, and sometimes choosing can be hard.
I want to help simplify the process for you and give tips about what to look for, and how to deal with the emotional side of this decision. I'll tell you what most photographers won't tell you and here is your step-by-step check list.
Finding Your Photographer
1. Define your project.
Are you looking to photograph yourself, your whole family, newborn baby, maternity, boudoir, pets, business or something else? Figure out what is the main focus of your project, and seek someone who has exactly that in their portfolio.
2. Search within your geography.
Do an internet search with keywords like "Newborn photographer, New Jersey", "best photographers in Verona", "award winning photographer, Essex Fells, New Jersey", "maternity portraits, New Jersey". The more focused your keywords, the more focused will be your results. If your search does not return sufficient relevant finds, then you can use more general terms and expand your search, like "New Jersey Photographer", "Essex County photographers", "Photographers Morris County".
3. Use your network.
Ask friends and family. Photography is a highly personal and private experience. If your best friend had a great experience with someone, you are likely to have a similar experience with the same photographer. If a good friend has a gorgeous family photo on her Facebook page, ask her who photographed them.
4. Use internet resources.
Make sure you visit the business web sites and Facebook pages of the photographers on your short list. Look at their portfolios and galleries. Read about them. See if you feel a connection with their style and the photographer. Chances are, one of them will speak to your heart.
5. Get personal.
Call the top 2-3 photographers on your list and speak with them live. Ask them questions. Feel out the way they treat you on the phone. Are they confident with their answers and do they make you feel comfortable?
If you feel a click, you have a match. If not, keep on looking.
Technical Details - What to Look for
Ask questions to your prospective photographers on the phone to gauge where they are with regards to each of the items below. Look at their web sites and decide if their skill level meets your expectations.
Know-how.
With many DSLR (Digital Single Lens Reflex) cameras available for sale to the general public and the general appeal of photography, I completely understand that many people can be drawn to photography. However, a passion for photography and the ability to purchase an expensive camera don't equate to experience and know-how. Look for someone who has the experience, not for someone who will experiment with you.
Wow factor.
When you view the portfolio of your prospective photographers, be critical, and expect to be wowed. If you see images in their galleries and feel like "I want that for myself", that is great. If the images are so-so, and you feel not so impressed, keep on shopping.
Consistency.
A true professional must be able to produce great images, not by luck, but by choice, over and over again, for every single client. Sharpness, lighting, mood, color harmony, framing, posing, overall feel and composition must all come together. If a photographer's portfolio has some good images and some amateur looking ones, they may not yet be at the professional level you need.
Variety.
A professional must be able to create great results in various situations, not only indoors or in nature, or only with daylight. Any age, any skin color, any location should be a piece of cake for a pro.
Honesty.
Look for clarity, honesty, and information. A professional must have a proper business sense and be able to provide clear and straight forward answers and explanations to all of your questions. There should be no hidden facts or surprises.
Praise.
Read what others have said about the photographer. People usually provide feedback passionately when they have a great experience or a terrible experience. If the reviews are passionately positive, it's for a reason.
(Not to brag, but we are pretty proud of our client feedback record. Time after time, we get raving reviews from all our clients, and we are in heaven with our 5-star rating! I want to take a pause to thank all our clients for loving on us constantly! Thank you!)
Products and Services.
Ask your photographers what they can do for you. What products do they offer? What services do they offer? Ask them to walk you through the whole process from the shoot until the delivery of products. This conversation will help you gauge the level of their professionalism and expertise, as well as what level of service you can expect if you hire them. Do they provide wardrobe, styling consultation, hair and make-up services? Do they make albums or canvas gallery wraps? Identify things that are important for you and see if they have it.
Professional Accreditation.
Look for a photographer who is a member of a reputable organization like PPA, Professional Photographers of America. This ensures that you are dealing with a professional who is aware of and committed to delivering the industry standards of excellence and has the backing of a nationwide network.
Paperwork.
Make sure your photographer works with a legal contract and proper invoicing. Things like studio terms and policies, what you get, what they get, cancellation policy, return policy, payment terms, booking fee, privacy policy, model release, etc. should all be clear and spelled out for you. Knowing the rules of engagement ahead of time will save both sides potential headache and conflict down the road if something does not go according to plan.
Investment
Photography is an investment. It is a highly technical skill that requires years of education and training, a passion for the arts, a heart to capture the best of you, and the courage to collect very expensive equipment and tools to do this with. Accordingly, the best photographers will not be cheap. When choosing your photographer, go with quality and the right photographer, and not the price of an 8x10" print. Chances are, the photographer who offers you a session and everything on a CD for $250 has not been in business very long and also will not be in business much longer - at least not at that price level.
If someone is trying to lure you in with cheap prices, it's probably because they can't compete on quality, product or service. And there may be hidden fees.
For an album that will warm your heart for the next 50 years, or for a canvas wrap that will hang on the wall for the next 3 generations, for the portraits that will represent you and your business all over the internet, make sure you choose a photographer who can deliver.
Pamira Bezmen Photography is an award-winning, full service portrait studio, located in Essex County, New Jersey, servicing the Tri-State area. Pamira's specialty is creating warm and romantic portraits that capture the love in your family and bring out the beauty of each subject. She is a member of PPA (Professional Photographers of America), and has been awarded The Seal of Approval and Merit degrees at district and international photographic competitions consistently since 2014. Pamira photographs maternity, newborn, family, glamour, and professional portraiture for all ages and genders. In order to see some of her work, you can visit her web site. In order to inquire about a photo shoot, you can send her an e-mail.
Happy Holidays from Pamira & Family, 2016-2017
How time flew... We put another year behind us. It was happy, sad, joyful, unbelievable, magical, and miraculous at times. There were weddings, funerals, babies, birthdays, and celebrations... We took it as it came, and made it ours. But most importantly, we kept our loved ones close, and documented memories. So that even when the good times and the hard times are behind us, we would have lasting memories of love...
Here is to a wonderful Holiday week, and a Magical New Year, full of hope for all good things to come, and making more loving memories.
Thank you to all of you for being in our lives, as friends, and your patronage of my humble studio. I am looking forward to seeing you in front of my camera in 2017!
Love,
- Pamira & the Montanez-Bezmen Family
Thankful from the bottom of my heart... | Pink Friday Specials | NJ photographer
My heart knows only love and kindness for you. It feels only love and kindness from you.
Happy Thanksgiving!
Love,
- Pamira
- PINK FRIDAY SPECIALS -
CANVAS GALLERY WRAPS 15% off
until 5pm on Nov/25
the best canvases in the industry for a special value
30"x40" ... $935 | 24x36" ... $807 | 20x30" ... $640
$50 GIFT FOR YOUR NEXT BOOKING
until Dec/3
book your next session by December 3rd, and
receive a complimentary $50 print credit on me
(actual session date can be any date before March/2017)
until Dec/10
Necklace & Charm: $360 | Charm: $260
HOLIDAY CARD SPECIAL
order by Dec/1
I will include complimentary parchment envelopes, return address labels
and guaranteed priority shipping
when you order your holiday cards by Dec/1
50 cards ... $125
100 cards ... $175
Heirloom Portrait Jewelry by Pamira Bezmen Photography
Introducing MY ANGEL FOREVER Necklace and Charm... What better way to keep your loved ones close to your heart every day.
I am so pleased to introduce a new line of special products that fit my offerings in spirit and quality. The unique, custom touch that you expect from me, with your favorite image turned into a keepsake to wear, cherish and enjoy for years to come. Another way to make your photographic investment come to life day after day.
Choose from Sterling Silver and Rose Gold options.
Sterling Silver 18" necklace comes with a charm that is sprinkled with sparkly cubic zirconia all around the pendant.
Rose Gold 18" or 24" necklace comes with a rose gold pendant.
Introductory price: Necklace with charm: $450, additional charms: $325 each.
If you would like to see me wearing my custom jewelry, here is a post on my Facebook page.
You can call me to turn your favorite images from a past session into custom jewelry, for yourself or a loved one. If you haven't booked a session with me yet, let's speak.
Love,
Pamira
Holiday Mini Sessions 2016 by New Jersey Portrait Photographer Pamira Bezmen
Here are the 2016 Holiday Mini Sessions for your little ones.
In and out throughout the month of November, with a very special offer. I hope you can take advantage and make more memories this holiday season with precious portraits that will live on forever...
I am also introducing a limited edition special product just for the holidays this year: My Angel Forever Charm and Necklace. What better way to keep your loved ones close to your heart every day.
Looking forward to hearing from you when you are ready to book your session or if you would like to turn one of your favorite images into a unique custom jewelry for yourself or a loved one.
Love,
Pamira
Boo! My daughter turned her sister into a pumpkin! | Halloween photos by NJ photographer
A PUMPKIN!!!!! Eeeeeekkkk!!!!! ::)))
May your witches be nice
and your ghouls merry...
May your harvest be plenty,
and your family warm and cozy.
Happy Halloween!!!
Love,
- Pamira
Slowing Down | About motherhood and Time... | NJ Portrait Photographer Pamira Bezmen
Slowing down... It is by far the hardest part of motherhood for me.
Loving them unconditionally: check.
Being sleepless night after night: check.
Putting them ahead of all else: check.
Carrying them on my person and protecting them: check.
But slowing down? Oh my! That is hard, hard, hard for me. That means everything I have in my mind, my heart and body, for a project, ideal, or need, must wait. Wait until everyone is fed, cleaned, wiped, changed, nursed, played with, attended to, listened to, chatted with, role modeled, entertained, challenged, appreciated, understood, cared for, educated, and put to bed... And oh, then it begins again.
Every mom knows that sometimes the same cup of coffee waits all day to be had. Or three hours pass by before you know it, and you still have not peed. Or sometimes you just pee yourself a little (or a lot)! Aaaaah, don't make faces, you know it happened to you, and to me, and to every other mother out there, and maybe even to a few dads.
The good news is that it gets a bit better with the second child. You know what to expect, you are cool about the gas and the teething, you learn quickly what different little sounds mean. You take your time to actually go to the bathroom - get this - before you pee. The baby will be fine. She can wait for a minute or two. And life will go on.
BUT - and this is a big BUT - life is still S-l-o-o-o-o-w.
Everything I put my mind to takes about 4 times longer than before, if not 5 times or 10 times. Still, some things just don't get done. Even as a second time mom, I find myself overextending myself, trying to pretend I can accomplish things as if I were free as a bird. I end up running from my daughters to my projects in 5 minute intervals, diligently, and consistently, trying to do it all. Thankfully I have stamina, but I must confess sometimes it's exhausting.
Sometimes I wait for so long for both girls to be taken care of in all the ways possible just so that I can have that long-dreamed-of, uninterrupted 1 hour to myself. That means I can do anything I want. I mean anything!!!! Call a dear friend I miss, take a shower, start my next photography project, have breakfast, watch a training video, write thank you cards for our baby gifts, or read a book. Or paint that metal thingie I bought to build a studio prop, or make a few floral headbands, or a tulle skirt.
Just the thought of the alternatives is so exciting that I paralyze myself with the possibilities. I dilly dally. I go to the bathroom to pee - two times in a row. Brush my teeth. Make coffee. Check facebook. Oh my! I have TIME! And not one, but two free hands! I imagine myself hiking through the woods, climbing mountains, hanging off a cliff with my camera... For that one moment, the world is my oyster. In my imagination, I'm getting into new businesses, reaching out to old clients with thank you notes, vamping up my marketing to reach new clients who will love my photography, I write blogs and invent new set-ups. Just the thought feels good.
And then I... Take out my paints. Walk through the studio. Look through the tulle and the flower bunches I have. Pick up a ripe cucumber and an eggplant from the vegetable patch. Run inside to check on the baby. Watch the baby for 5 minutes in awe of her beauty. Check on my older daughter. Watch her play with her dolls and make a mess all over the kitchen floor with a bucket of water, glue and sand... I retouch one photo. Start a blog post. Share a thing or two on facebook. Take a sip of my coffee...
Just as I'm getting into it, I hear it.
"WAA!"
The unique and determined little call from my baby, "WAA!"
It means "Mommy I'm awake. Your free time is over."
It also means "You are a blessed woman, and I'm here to remind you every day, many times, if you only take the time to slow down."
I put my coffee down and go to pick her up. Instead, I lie by her side, and... slow down.
I smell her head, feel her soft skin, and take in the grandeur of this tiny little miracle, who will soon not be this little any more.
Blessed I am. Slow down I do.
- Pamira
Pamira Bezmen Photography Earns Merits at International Photographic Competition 2016
I am once again humbled and excited to share with you my most recent merited photographs from the International Photographic Competition, August 2016. Previously these images had received the Seal of Approval at Professional Photographers of America's (PPA) Northeast District Competition earlier in the year. I am forever thankful to all my loving and supportive clients, family, and friends for holding my hand through this journey.
Thank you!
With love,
-Pamira
A Wish from the Magic Carpet | Happy Mom's Day
I downloaded a sleep time meditation podcast for Shaya this week. The guided meditation takes you through an imaginary journey on a magic carpet, especially designed for children. Once the magic carpet lands in a lovely place, you get to make one wish.
I was half dozing off, half keeping an ear on how Shaya was doing with her meditation, and that is when I overheard Shaya's wish.
She sat up in bed, held the phone in her hands as if to concentrate, and slowly said: "I wish my mom never dies."
It was so touching, so sweet and innocent. She could have wished for anything - any toy, any amount of chocolate in the world, or a palace full of princess gowns and glitter. But she wished for an eternity of "me".
As a mom, I could not have asked for a better gift for Mothers' Day!
I know we don't get to live forever, but I do know that a mom's love is eternal.
Here is a celebration to all of you mommies, who give it your best every day, and to the amazing moms who raised us. Thank you! I love you Mom!
I hope that you are all enjoying an amazing day with your babies, abundant with love and joy, and you get to celebrate your moms and mother figures in your lives even if they are far away.
Sending you all big hugs and much love,
-Pamira
Frankie and Dorian's Portrait Session Sneak Peek | New Jersey family photographer
Frankie's and Dorian's Portrait Session Sneak Peek by New Jersey's award-winning family photographer Pamira Bezmen
Sometimes the cuteness, beauty and love come bundled tight and big, and my job as a photographer is twice as fun, and so exciting! As soon as I opened the door, I fell in love with Frankie's big, purposeful eyes and bright spirit. I knew we were going to have a lot of fun in this session. Only 3.5, she has the grand personality, self confidence, and camera savvy as a professional adult, and I can say we worked as a team to determine outfits, looks and poses. If I can take credit for guiding her half the time, she was guiding me the other half :)
Dorian originally did not care much for being in front of the camera, but he was so sweet in accommodating us girls when we asked him nicely :) And I am so happy that he played along because looking at the images I got of the two of them, and the ones with their sweet Mommy, my heart skips a beat. I hope that both Frankie and Dorian will get to enjoy these portraits for many years to come and cherish their amazing love and connection captured in these images.
Here is a sneak peek of some of the images from our session. I hope you all enjoy what you see.
With love,
-Pamira
Pamira Bezmen Photography Earns Merit Awards at 2016 Northeast District Competition
Pamira Bezmen Photography Earns Merit Awards at 2016 Competition
March, 2016
I am very honored and excited to share the news with our friends and clients that Pamira Bezmen Photography has been awarded 3 new merits at the 2016 Northeast District Photographic Competition, organized by the Professional Photographers of America.
I have been competing in these district competitions for 3 years now, and it is by far one of my greatest learning experiences in my art and technique. Out of my 4 entries, 3 have been deemed worthy of a merit, also known as a "Seal of Approval".
My 3 award-winning entries are "Butterflies in Her Tummy", "The Song of the Ocean", and "Water Fairy".
"Butterflies in Her Tummy" is one of my favorite maternity images that I created in the studio with a mix of natural and constant studio light of my beautiful and very lovely client Sarah when she was expecting her first baby. I wanted to give the image a magical and ethereal feel by adding the butterflies and the texture that complimented her happy expression as well as the flow of the fabric I wrapped her in. To me, an expecting mom is not only beautiful, but she embodies all the powers of Mother Nature, so I find it very fitting to blend natural elements and creatures in my maternity portraits, such as earth, flowers, trees, wind, water or butterflies. For this image, I thought the cheerful butterflies would be the best compliment to symbolize the excitement of first time motherhood, where the flowing fabric added to the joyful and natural feel. Of course the butterflies also symbolize transformation, and motherhood is one of the greatest transformations a woman can go through.
To see some other examples of my maternity portraits, you can see my Gorgeous Mama and Belly Angels page here.
"The Song of the Ocean" was shot on a beach in Puerto Rico on a cloudy afternoon. Climbing through heaps of washed up seaweeds, my daughter and I found a large and gorgeous sea shell, which was also the only one on the whole beach. The creature inside was no longer living, but still in the shell and was pretty smelly, but we could not resist taking some photos with it. My daughter readily took the shell to her ear, wanting to hear the sounds of the ocean, while the wind blew her hair and dress in the air. I cleaned up the lighting and mood in post processing to make sure that it was as natural and soft looking as I had envisioned this moment. I wanted the image to take the viewer to that beach, imagining that they were feeling the breeze and holding the sea shell to their ear.
"Water Fairy" is another image I created in the studio. In the past year my daughter has been very much into fairies of all types, and I wanted to create a series of portraits where she is a fairy. In this portrait I added the water and fishes in post processing, as well as the fairy wings and pixie dust. This portrait is now displayed in our living room, printed on a beautiful large canvas gallery wrap, and my daughter loves seeing herself as a fairy. It is a portrait that brings reality and imagination into one scene, and I truly enjoy seeing how much she loves it. She tells our visitors and clients what a special image this is and how the canvas is so beautiful! It is very cute and funny at the same time seeing her market my work as my little spokesperson :)
To see more of my children's portraits, you can click here.
I am happy and excited to continue creating quality images that capture and evoke emotions. I cannot express how thankful I am to the amazing judges at Professional Photographers of America for their critiques, which help make all of us participants better photographers. As much as it is gut-wrenching to hear my work being judged live or even listening to the recorded critiques, I learn so much from each critique that I can comfortably say competing is one of my biggest and fastest learning tools as a professional. Seeing the works of other photographers is also extremely humbling and inspirational. There is a lot of talent, creativity, and experience out there, and I am honored to be a part of the photographic community of professionals who work very hard to create lasting memories out of short fleeting moments like these.
-Pamira
Emily's 1st Birthday Angel Photo Session | New Jersey family photographer
Emily's 1st Birthday Angel Photo Session | by New Jersey's award-winning family portrait photographer, Pamira Bezmen
Sweet little Emily is such a little doll! Truly, she does look like a baby doll in so many of the images that I finished editing and retouching her gallery in no time because I simply could not stop going! We scheduled her session at around 10 months so that we would have plenty of time to get everything retouched and her sweet momma could pick her favorites and get her prints delivered in time for Emily's birthday party.
Without ruining the surprise of the full gallery, here are some of my favorites from our session :) What a family of beautiful girls! Lucky papa! :)
May you always be happy and so well loved for all your life, sweet Emily!
Love,
- Pamira
3 Minute Survey | What's on that beautiful mind of your's
What's on that beautiful mind of your's???
We would love to hear what you think!
Will you give us 3 minutes of your time?
and we'd like to gift you $50 towards professional prints for your next session
CLICK here for survey in English
Turkce anket icin buraya TIK'LAYIN
THANK YOU!
-Pamira