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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Welcoming our new First Family | Mayor Davis & Family Portraits for Essex Fells Magazine
Recently I met the publisher and owner of Essex Fells Magazine, Dennis Jankowski, at a fundraiser event. Sweet and charming as they come, he convinced me that I could photograph the next cover story for them with a couple of days' notice :)
When I got the opportunity to photograph our new mayor with his family for the January 2018 issue of Essex Fells Magazine -- despite a rather tight timeline to plan and submit portraits to the editors in the middle of the Thanksgiving holidays -- I knew I wanted to be a part of this project. What an exciting new start for them, and for all of us as a community to give them a warm welcome!
A sincere and smart family all around, I am honored to get to know the Davises, and to make these memories for them to remember for years.
Here are some of the images we selected for the magazine. You can follow the cover story next month when the magazine is delivered in the mail :)
Welcome, Mayor Davis! Welcome Davis Family! And thank you, Dennis, for making me a part of this welcome!
Love,
-Pamira
Sweeter Than Candy Photo Gifts | NJ award winning photographer Pamira Bezmen
Did you trick or treat? Did you collect five pounds of pure sugar? Did you give out little tangerines with Jack O' Lantern faces drawn on them? Or are your kids already too big for Halloween, leaving you nostalgic?
Whichever it was, hopefully you had a wonderful Halloween!
Well, the biggest candy night of the year is behind us, but the sweetness of fall is not half way over yet!
Come out and play, do an outdoor portrait session in the woods, or let me dress you up in the studio. Bring your mom, dad, grandparents. Gather the grand-kids. Drag the puppy along. Make a gift for yourself. Make a gift for someone you love.
Sweeter than candy is the gift of memories. You can gift a session. Or you can gift prints, albums, or jewelry from a session you've already had.
To make it easy and fun for you, I will do all the packaging, wrapping, mailing, and coordinating. I will cater to you and handle every single detail.
To top that off, have your first Fine Art print on me for any session you book until November 21st, 2017.
That is a $150 value!
Remember to mention SWEETER THAN CANDY when you call for your consultation.
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If you need help coordinating your wardrobe for your outdoor family session, check out my blog post "What to Wear for Fall Outdoor Family Portraits".
-Love,
Pamira
Pamira Bezmen Photography is an award-wining, full service portrait studio in Essex County, New Jersey, that specializes in maternity, newborn, and family photography as well as professional and glamour portraiture. Pamira services the New Jersey, New York area, and also photographs in Istanbul Turkey, for part of the year. For availability and information, you can contact Pamira by clicking here.
What to Wear for Fall Outdoor Family Portraits | NJ family photographer
We are being blessed by a lovely warm October, so outdoor sessions are going rather pleasantly. I wanted to write a blog post about what to wear for fall family portraits for an outdoor session because this is a question I'm getting from a lot of you.
Here I will share my couple of cents and link some images that are good family wardrobe combinations that I like.
1. FIRST DECISION TO MAKE: What is the look you want to go for? Upscale, fun, artsy, vintage, outdoorsy, warm and fuzzy or light and breezy...
When coordinating family outfits, you should keep in mind that everyone's look should speak the same language. You can't have one wearing thick sweaters and winter accessories while another is wearing light and breezy fabrics. You can't have mom in an evening gown when dad is wearing a plaid shirt and lumberjacks. You get my point :)
2. PICK YOUR PALETTE.
Warm or cool. Pick one.
3. DO YOU WANT TO CONTRAST OR BLEND WITH THE SCENERY?
If you prefer a bit more of a pop, go with creams or whites or a deep warm color so you glow against the colorful fall foliage. If you would like to be in harmony with the scenery, then pick a color from nature that we are likely to find a lot of in the spot where we will be shooting.
(Tip: tell me ahead of time if you love yellows or reds or oranges, and I will try to find a spot that has mostly your favorite color)
4. GO SHOPPING IN YOUR CLOSET.
Decide if you are wearing jeans or dresses or corduroy pants. Decide if you are wearing sweaters or jackets. Decide if you are wearing winter accessories.
Put together what you have and see how they look.
Pick a couple of neutral colors, one darker tone, and one main "color", and maybe some coordinating secondary colors.
Tip: Don't overdo color so that you don't look like a bunch of autumn Easter eggs. There will already be plenty of color in nature, so you want to minimize distractions. After all, it's about your family and not the outfits.
| Examples of neutrals: | Cream, beige, gray, tan |
| Examples of darker colors: | Denim, brown, navy (try to coordinate with the neutral in terms of warm or cool) |
| Examples of main colors: | Mustard yellow, mauve, brown, olive green, moss green, rust, sienna, burnt orange, deep red, burgundy, warm yellow, maroon |
| Examples of secondary colors: | Choose a neighboring second color to your main color or add similar tones of your main color. |
5. CONSIDER THE TEMPERATURE.
It's no fun trying to let your true self out to be captured by the camera while clenching your teeth or shivering.
I try to have back up warmth in my bag for you, but please remember to dress accordingly. Remember tights or socks or inner shirts if the weather calls for additional layers.
6. LAYER.
When outdoors, we are not always able to have access to a changing facility. It's a good idea to layer your outfits and bring easy to change accessories, so that we can get a few different looks in the same session. This will give you more variety to choose from for your wall portraits and also add more fun to your family album.
7. BE OPEN TO PLAYFUL & EXTRAORDINARY OPTIONS.
I always like to add in a touch of "artsy" or "whimsical" to my photo shoots.
It's a lot of fun when we add a crazy tutu dress, an extravagant crown, some vintage materials or hand-made knits to a session as a second or third look once we've already gotten our every day look taken care of.
I believe this makes the shoot so much more fun, and it gives you an option to get a Fine Art Portrait out of your outdoor family session.
This image on the right is one of those fine art portraits I'm talking about. I made this dress and head piece just for her, and this beautiful little lady absolutely rocked her shoot!
Tip: I will always ask for your favorite colors and feeling about certain looks before the shoot, and usually show up with something hand-made just for you. If you have some cool or crazy ideas, bring them on!
8. REMEMBER TO BRING OUT THE REAL YOU!
If you have a particular style that makes you "you", try to keep loyal to that in a tasteful way. We want your portraits to look beautiful, but more importantly, we want them to tell YOUR STORY to the next generations. The same goes for the kids. Let them pick some items they LOVE, and they will be more likely to give us their best smiles during the shoot.
Hope this is helpful! Happy fall and happy memory-making everyone!
-Love,
Pamira
Below is a link to some wardrobe combinations I pulled together from Pinterest. You can refer to them for inspiration if you like.
Click here to go to Album of coordinating family wardrobe images for inspiration
Click here to view board on Pinterest
Disclaimer: the Pinterest pins are NOT my photographs. I am not connected to, nor do I endorse, the makers of the images, pin boards or the manufacturers of the outfits in the images. The selection is for inspiration only.
Pamira Bezmen Photography is an award-wining, full service portrait studio in Essex County, New Jersey, that specializes in maternity, newborn, and family photography as well as professional and glamour portraiture. Pamira services the New Jersey, New York area, and also photographs in Istanbul Turkey, for part of the year. For availability and information, you can contact Pamira by clicking here.
Preserve the magic of childhood | NJ's award winning family photographer Pamira Bezmen
PRESERVE THE MAGIC OF THEIR CHILDHOOD
She will always protect her, love, cherish and tolerate her.
She will always be able to lean on her, trust her, and bathe in her unconditional love.
They will not remember how little they were once, and how precious in our eyes. They will not fathom how their every little toe, and every shiny strand of hair was a work of art to us. But they will have their stories told to them, time after time, and they will have photographs that have frozen their magical moments. THAT will make their childhood live on for as long as they live.
Interested in scheduling your own family portrait session? Call 862-812-2313 or e-mail us now for a complimentary consultation. Or send us your contact info, and we will call you at your preferred time to chat.
Looking forward to speaking soon!
-Love,
Pamira
See other images by Pamira Bezmen Photography
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Outdoor October | Outdoor Portrait Sessions by award winning New Jersey photographer
Outdoor October
Here is a month full of outdoor photography opportunities, with priority booking only for my inner circle of friends.
This is for you IF:
- You want to take advantage of the last of the green or the upcoming parade of fall colors
- You want a family session in the woods
- You want a mini harvest session
- You want a studio session with a quick step outside for added variety
Bookings starting from $250 for mini sessions. Full sessions $550. (please see schedule below)
BOOK a Mini Session:
October 14: Into the woods outdoor family session mini
October 29: Mini harvest session (feel free to dress up for Halloween)
BOOK a Full Session:
Pick your own date and style and get my acclaimed full service experience!
See you soon!
Love,
-Pamira
The story of the above image:
These are the last days of green out there. I have been obsessing about having an image like this surrounded by lush greens all summer long, and we were able to catch it just in time before the leaves started turning. For the next few weeks we will have a parade of colors, and I can't wait to get those, but for now I'm loving this lush green portrait. More than the greenery, I love that I was able to get my cherub staring at me while nursing while I can still hold her in my arms like a baby. These days go fast, and before I know it she will be too big for this.
Thank you to my family for helping me bring the images in my imagination into the day light. Thank you for your patience with me while I obsess on every trail and bush about the light and the texture. Thank you for trusting me to step into the woods, marsh and weeds when the mission calls for it 
Love you all! 
Eliana's Newborn Session | New Jersey family photographer Pamira Bezmen
It was such an honor to photograph sweet, determined and elegant Little Miss Eliana on the 7th day of her precious life. I met her wonderful family back in 2014 when we photographed her big brother Vincent when he was about the same size :)
I feel extremely privileged to be able to grow with my families, and be a part of their journeys in life. With every box of prints and every album, I send a part of my heart home with them.
Here are some images from our session... Introducing Miss Eliana Michelle...
Sweet little Eliana, you are elegant, fair and lovely as a flower. I was absolutely taken by your quiet but strong presence. What an honor it is to be photographing you, 3 years after photographing your brother Vincent. May your life be lovely and peaceful in every way...
-Pamira
I know I usually post images of solo babes on my page, but don't be misled. As much as every photo shoot is focused on preserving the beauty of our babies, the single most important memory we can leave for them is the memory of being loved, protected and cherished in the arms of their doting family - that is US! It means that I strongly encourage every single mom and dad and grandparent to step in front of my camera and BE in the photos with their precious little angels. Because I know that 10, 20, 30 years from now, these are going to be the images they will look at with warmth in their hearts.
Here is gorgeous little Miss Eliana, in the loving embrace of her mom, dad and big brother Vincent <3
Pamira Bezmen Photography at Anderson Park Art Fair 2017
Hello friends, old and new! Here we are, wrapping up another art fair. The rush of setting up the exhibit, the long days, and the muscle soreness in the morning is nothing compared to the joy of seeing you all! There is nothing quiet as invigorating as receiving your sweet words of encouragement, kind compliments, and the excitement of meeting new friends!
So thank you all, for stopping by, for giving me your hugs and love, and new friends, thank you for putting your trust in me to make new memories for you and your loved ones.
One of the thrills of Art Fairs for me is seeing my beloved clients and models next to their framed portraits. Sometimes, it's the first time they see their images professionally printed. It is super exciting and emotional for all of us!
Here are some snap shots from our weekend together. Thanks again, and I look forward to seeing you all in front of my camera, very soon!
Love,
- Pamira
Photo of me, taken by my lovely daughter, in front of my display table.
My dear Shaya, daughter, model and assistant, with her award-winning portrait in the background, named "Tutus, Dandelions and Bare Feet".
This image got the Seal of Approval at the District competition and then earned a Merit at the International Photographic Competition 2 years ago.
The wonderfully inspiring, strong, beautiful and graceful Delaney and her amazing mom Kaitlin in front of Delaney's award winning portrait. I wanted to capture Delaney's delicate but determined stance and graceful poise in life in this image. I wanted the warm colors to reflect her warm personality and have her "pop" against the darker background with her light skin, just the way she "pops" from a crowd of people in real life.
This print got a seal of approval at the Northeast District competition this year and then earned a Merit at the International Photographic Competition in August 2017.
(Delaney is a survivor and her story deserves a whole blog on its own. All I can say is that she is an inspiration to many, and she has my heart.)
My lovely model Svetlana was seeing her portrait printed for the first time this weekend. This was an image we made in my new studio almost 1.5 years ago, when I was still expecting my second daughter. It was the last days of my pregnancy, and we worked with the lovely Johanna Pena for make-up to bring my vision to life. Svetlana is a timeless beauty and I am absolutely in love with these images!
My lovely Miranda with her mom and dad in front of her portrait "Blue from another time". Since the day I met Miranda, I've been in absolute awe of her timeless beauty, creamy skin and amazing blue eyes. Looking at her always takes me to another time, and I wanted to make a portrait of her the way I see her. Completely pure and lovely, her piercing blue eyes jumping at me.
I hand finished this portrait by printing it on 100% cotton fine art paper, hand tearing the edges and painting the edges with gold.
Miranda's mom and dad will be taking this frame home this week :)
Me, on day 2 of the Art Fair, photographed by hubby.
My dear supportive husband, Shawn, and I. Sometimes professional photographers do iPhone selfies, too :)
Svetlana with her family, holding another one of her glamour portraits.
(This one was going to be a surprise for her later, but Shawn let it out of the box a bit too soon :)
Dear Ms. Miller, paying me a surprise visit at my booth.
A Summer Abroad | NJ Family Photographer Pamira Bezmen Photography
It sounds so European to say "We spent the summer abroad", doesn't it? With all the implied sense of adventure, free spirit, and joy embedded in that simple sentence. And it's all true, there is all of it included, and then some.
After a 2 year break we took to have our daughter Luna, we resumed our tradition of going back "home" to my birth country, Turkey, this time with 2 children. As much as we are proud and devoted American citizens, I'm a firm believer of keeping connections tight with the "old country", wherever that may be, as it instills a strong sense of belonging and culture in the children, rooted in a wider understanding of the world and appreciation of differences that makes us who we are.
The whole trip was lovely, and exciting, and even a little bit boring at times, just like being home. And the duties of changing diapers, nursing a feverish teething baby into the wee hours of the morning followed me across the Atlantic Ocean onto the hills of ancient Istanbul and into the gentle waves of the Mediterranean Sea. The days were hot and the nights were long. The children stayed up as late as the parents did, and sometimes fell asleep on our laps at dinner tables. Sometimes we fell asleep while the kids were still wide awake.
It was a dream come true for my older daughter Shaya to be reunited with her beloved cousin Pia. It appeared as if time stopped for them and they were transported into a world of cousin life. Magical creatures, baby dolls, imaginary stories, running up and down the house making a mess on all the floors, eating half a breakfast with us upstairs and another half with my brother and sister-in-law downstairs, friendly sharing and sibling rivalry all in one. Making up for lost time in the way that only children can, I think the girls lived these 5 weeks more fully than did any of the adults.
The children's never-ending laughter and arguments spiced up the time in a roller coaster, giving them a reason to understand what family is. There to love and support you unconditionally, get on your nerves like no one else can, and to offer themselves up to you unmasked... What great honor and joy to see it through the eyes of our children again... At the ripe ages of 42 and 41, my brother and I are not so far off from exactly that. Maybe we don't pull Barbie dolls from one another's hands, but the rest is all the same.
Seeing old friends, exchanging hugs, stories, congratulations, condolences... 5 weeks is just long enough to pretend you've never left, but also short enough that it's over in the blink of an eye...
After a bit of jet lag, we are reporting back to our lives in NJ. Our hearts full of memories, and my memory cards jam-packed with RAW files that need to be sorted out. There is easily 6 months of retouching material in there, if I had the time! Ha! That may not be happening, but I am fast and furious diving into my new sessions and clients' galleries.
I hope that you've all had a memorable and magical summer, and I can't wait to see you soon in the coming months. Remember, these are the last few weeks of warm outdoor photo shoots before we turn into cooler days and fall foliage. If you have an end-of summer or fall outdoor session in mind, please let me know soon. Also, if you want to take the whole family out to an art fair soon, please come and visit me at the Anderson Park Fine Art Fair on September 16 and 17, 2017. (Show hours are 10 am to 5pm, rain or shine. Admission is free to all and there is free parking around the park.)
directions to Anderson Park, Upper Montclair, NJ
See you soon!
Love,
-Pamira
Our family of 4 on our boat trip on the Mediterranean. More to come, in a future blog, on our "Blue Voyage"...
This is an original Teddy Bear, from my beloved, late father's childhood. He was born in 1936.
To think that my daughter is snuggling with it in 2017 - 81 years later - is really precious.
This is one way she is able to connect with her grandfather, via the straw-filled Teddy, with torn up feet and hands,
which have been repaired with a glue gun and duct tape :)
One of the priceless benefits of visiting the childhood home is connecting the babies with heirloom objects like this one.
Now Luna has a memory with Teddy, too :)
This is the view of Istanbul from our home (and my studio) Bebek. Looking at this scene immediately takes me back to my childhood.
My 2 girls, celebrating Shaya's 6th birthday in Istanbul.
My niece, forever the gymnist (or monkey) :)
Enjoying a cuddly moment with my little one after an intense breakfast!
(she likes to feed herself - and all her clothes!)
Nothing like home-made ice cream, made with organic fresh summer oranges from the native land.
My beloved brother with his family...
We miss these 3 so, so so much!!!
Wrapping up another Brookdale Park Fine Art Fair | NJ Photographer Pamira Bezmen
It's always a rush putting up an exhibit at the local Fine Art and Craft Fair. We happily survived yet another one last weekend as Pamira Bezmen Photography Studio - and when I say "studio", I mean "the whole family", because truly these art fairs are a family affair. Just like raising a child, I can say it takes a village!
First, my husband and I had to set up the tent in the rain on Friday evening. (Before that, he had to rush home from work, we had to load up the cars, leave the kids with my mom and step-dad, and before that I had to prepare every single display item by hand, order hardware for framing and hanging, put together each frame, organize chairs, tables, table cloths, business cards, etc... but I'll fast forward through that part).
Setting up the tent in the rain was not as bad as our first time doing it 4 years ago when neither of us had ever attended an art fair as an exhibitor or set up a large tent this size (10ft x 10ft) before, and we had to figure out where each piece went from the instruction manual under a torrential rain and thunder storm. At that point we did not have my mom to help with the baby, so we had our little one with us to add excitement to the set-up process! Looking back at it now, it appears as a funny memory. It was not so funny back then! (yes, yes, I am laughing now!)
Just to give you an idea, this is what the tent looks like at the beginning:
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Ha ha! Yep! It's surely an engineering project. You can see the little hand written cheat tags I taped to the bars, so that we could remember which went where. However, this time, I did ask myself if it would have been faster to just figure things out without the tags because somehow reading a tag titled "Right back back upper left door inner" did not make a lot of sense to me standing in the middle of a park, staring at a box filled with 60 bars that looked exactly the same! Each of which had an equally confusing title tag. Like this one: "Upper Left Back Front". Hmmm...
Why I thought these descriptors were spot on when I created them 4 years ago, I have no clue. They are surely not useful when setting up the tent. (In fairness to myself from 4 years ago, the tags magically start making sense AFTER all the pieces have been put together. I was like "Aaaaaah, yeahhhh, that's what it means!)
So, this was my husband and I putting together the tent on Friday, in part sun, part rain weather. And, get this: not even a single argument! High five, Shawn & Pamira!
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And, when you sweet people came to visit us on Saturday and Sunday, this is what it looked like:
Much better!!!! :)
Despite the rains on Saturday and tropical humidity on Sunday, it was a wonderful weekend overall. It is such a true pleasure showing my work to my old and new friends. It is lovely meeting new clients and talking about how I can use my photography to make treasured memories for them. It is an honor to be considered to be your memory-maker for the coming generations and to carry the faces of your precious babies, mothers, fathers, siblings and grandparents into the future.
Thank you to all of you for coming to visit my tent. Thank you to my dear husband for believing in me and my art so much to spend his Father's Day working along my side at the fair. Thank you to my dear mom and step-dad for caring for our babies while we were at the Brookdale Park, so that we did not have to worry about how they were doing without us.
Thank you to all my old clients who stopped by to give me their hugs and support. And thank you to all my new friends who signed up for my newsletter. This, I hope will be the start of a long-lasting relationship of years of working together to make memories for your family. Keep an eye peeled for the drawing for the complimentary portrait session (the announcement is coming soon). And please feel free to reach out to me any time to discuss your next photography project.
Maternity, Generations, Newborn, Glamour, Couples, Babies, Adults, Personal Branding, Film Noir Fitness Portraits, indoor and outdoor... You have a beautiful face, and I have a passion to capture it!
Talk soon!
Love,
-Pamira
Here are some more images and a video from our exhibit at the Spring Fine Art and Crafts Fair at the Brookdale Park, Montclair / Bloomfield, New Jersey, organized by Rose Squared Productions, Janet and Howard Rose.
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Exhibit at the Spring Fine Art & Crafts Fair, Brookdale Park, New Jersey Photographer
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