Newborn Photography: Fresh 24-Hour Sessions.
Welcoming a new baby is a whirlwind of emotions—excitement, awe, anxiety, exhaustion, and above all, love. It’s a moment like no other, and those first 24 hours are filled with once-in-a-lifetime memories. That’s where I come in as a candid family photojournalist.
While traditional posed newborn photography has its charm, my focus is on the raw, unscripted moments that truly tell the story of your family’s first day together. Imagine capturing the expressions of your older children meeting their new sibling for the very first time—wide eyes, curiosity, maybe even a touch of jealousy mixed with awe. These are the kinds of moments you’ll want to hold onto forever.
With my Fresh 24-Hour Session, I’m there to document it all. From the quiet, intimate moments at the hospital right after birth—the newborn’s tiny fingers stretching for the first time, the glow on your face as you hold them close—to the chaos and joy of your family back home, navigating the beautiful mess of life with multiple children.
It’s about capturing the realness—the happy tears, the tired eyes, the siblings squabbling over whose turn it is to hold the baby, and the quiet moments when everyone finally takes a breath. These images are a reflection of your family's unique story, not just the idealized version but the genuine, heartfelt experience of welcoming a new life into your home.
If you want to remember this incredible time not just through perfect poses but through the lens of real, lived moments, my Fresh 24-Hour Session is for you. Let’s create a lasting memory of the beauty, joy, and chaos that comes with welcoming a new baby.
Reach out to book your session, and let’s capture these precious first hours together.
Home-based photography
Home is where photos are born. Years later, you can still hear the laughter and conversations in the kitchen, smell the fresh challah coming out of the oven on a Friday afternoon. Real photos evoke a gut feeling, capturing those moments forever.
Home is where my guard is down and my feet are up. It’s where we can pull a wedgie and not think twice. I love at-home sessions because it is the most comforting environment. We are free to be authentic and playful. We are free to explore.
When we aren't performing and living authentically, photos become physical representations of our feelings in that moment. They can become artifacts of a stage of life not staged life.
Most of my early memories took place at home. I can still feel the ledge of the sink digging into my stomach when I would jump on it to drink water from the faucet. I remember the marking on the wall of the inches I grew each year. I will never forget the hours and hours my sister spent on the sink, looking in the mirror and tweezing her eyebrows.
These Are the memories I wish were recorded - Not just school plays and birthday parties.
Today, I wish I had pictures of those everyday moments. I want to be taken back to those ordinary moments in my life. I want to feel what it was like, not just what happened but the raw, honest gut feelings.
I wish those memories would have been recorded so I can reminisce, show my kids and relive those innocent years. My attempts today to recall those faint recollections, to capture them now feels like trying to capture butterflies - worth it but mostly futile.
Today, I am inspired by the opportunity to give that gift to my clients.
If documenting your family memories is something that calls to you, please reach out to me. Once the moment passes, so does the opportunity to capture it for posterity.
Mothers Day
Let’s celebrate showing up perfectly imperfect.
As a photographer, I've had the privilege of witnessing the raw, unfiltered devotion that mothers pour into every aspect of their lives. From the tender embrace of a newborn to the gentle guidance of a teenager, the love that radiates from a mother's heart is both palpable and profound.
But what strikes me most is not just the love itself, but the relentless dedication and selflessness that accompany it. Mothers are the unsung heroes of our society, tirelessly sacrificing their own needs and desires for the sake of their children. And yet, despite their unwavering commitment, they are often the first to criticize themselves, to question whether they're doing enough or doing it right.
It's a paradox that I've seen play out time and time again in my work – the juxtaposition of boundless love and crippling self-doubt. Mothers agonize over every decision, every mistake, as if there's some unattainable standard of perfection they must reach. But the truth is, there's no such thing as a perfect mother, just as there's no such thing as a perfect child.
Motherhood is messy and chaotic and unpredictable. It's filled with sleepless nights and endless worries, with moments of joy so profound they take your breath away, and moments of frustration so overwhelming they bring you to tears. It's a journey of highs and lows, of triumphs and failures, and through it all, mothers carry the weight of the world on their shoulders with grace and resilience.
So, to all the mothers out there, I want you to know that you are doing an incredible job. You may not always feel like it, but your love is enough. Your sacrifices do not go unnoticed, and your imperfections only serve to make you more beautiful and more human. You are the heart and soul of your family, and your devotion is a light that shines bright in a world that often feels dark and uncertain.
As a photographer, it is my privilege to capture the essence of motherhood – the laughter, the tears, the quiet moments of reflection – and to preserve them for generations to come. Because while the days may be long and the challenges may be great, the love between a mother and her child is timeless and unbreakable, and that is something worth celebrating every single day.
Embrace the Love: Capturing Authentic Memories with Family Photography
Why non-posed photos?
In the fast-paced world of parenthood, it's easy to overlook the beauty in your mundane routine. The kids need to be cleaned, fed, changed, dressed, read to, kept healthy, safe, and they also want to do it all by themselves, questioning why, why, why… and inevitably putting everything in their mouth. And guess what? We do it all over again the next day and the next… But what if I told you I would show you the love in your everyday life?
You may not see it amidst the spilled soup and tantrums, and overwhelming days but as your photojournalist, I am your witness and I capture those beautiful moments in photographs.
A "day in the life" session is where the magic truly happens. It captures the essence of your family's unique story – from morning cuddles to bedtime stories, I'm there to document it all. Parenthood is a journey filled with ups and downs, but the love shines bright through it all.
So, what does it look like to have a documentary photographer?
Well, if you know me, I'm anything like a fly on the wall. I'm there, hanging out with you, chatting and interacting with you. It's kind of like when your cousin visits from abroud – at first, maybe you're shy, but eventually, they're just part of the environment. Oh, and I happen to have my camera with me.
I'll be with your family wherever you are. Whether you're in the kitchen getting the kids dressed for soccer practice, preparing for carpool, going grocery shopping, folding laundry, or heading on an adventure, I'm there for it all. You don’t need a special occasion when all your schedules align. We are busy people; that’s why I come to YOU on any day that you're being a parent.
Actual memories
When photographs are of genuine moments, they are actual memories that have been experienced. When you and your kids look back at these photos, they will feel the love and devotion of being in your family. You will remember what a bad-ass parent you are.
My mission is to help families see the love in their everyday lives. Documentary family photography is the art of capturing real moments, real emotions, and real love.
So, if you're ready to capture the love in your everyday life, let's chat. Let's create authentic memories that will last a lifetime.
Photographing Birthright Trip
With a tour guide who wouldn’t shut up and 25 excited 18-year-olds just released from high school, I hopped on a flight to Israel, to staff their Birthright trip. My plan was to photograph the s*** out of the experience from the mind of an 18-year-old. I was given a little training, and then I hopped on the flight with an open mind and empty memory cards.
The trip was fascinating. Not hearing about the stones from centuries ago, but rather the utter boredom on the faces of these boys and girls as they swiped through their phones, waiting for the tour guide to shut up so that they could go off and find the next souvenir, Instagram post, or bar. They wanted to drink and explore a new country and instead, they were hijacked by a tour guide who was very excited to have an audience.
Looking through the viewfinder of my camera, I watched the group looking for the most exaggerated expression. I kept wondering, who will give me something to work with? There was oh so much. It wasn’t hard to find the moments, all I had to do was be ready with my camera, an open shutter, and an open mind.
The rest was just a watching and waiting game. Having patience and staying in the discomfort of not being in control of the outcome. Waiting out the moment through the very end, even if I thought I saw it all. How much more exaggerated can the expression get?
I loved watching the navigation of cliques and making new friends. The awkwardness of the acne from the mask removal. I was taken back to a time of life I didn’t get to experience.
At their age, I had just finished being in the ultra-orthodox girl's factory where I came out having no idea what was going on in the world around me. The cultural sun exposure was burning my eyes and my mind was churning, trying to figure out how one talks to boys for the first time. How do I get them to notice and pay attention to me?
The energy shifted so drastically the day the Israeli soldiers joined the group! It was like someone turned on the jets in the hot tub. The flirting and attention-seeking were amplified, the drama and anxiety were strong.
The evenings were when the party began. I was a staff member. I was supposed to be in charge of “monitoring” their alcohol intake.
Even though I was exhausted from walking in the heat all day, sleeping on a bus, and photographing the whole process. I would NOT miss the climatic experience of 18 year olds drinking legally for their first time.
Partying and drinking were NOT part of my teenage experiences. I never went to town to go drinking and clubbing. A decade later and here I am partying with Arak liquor, my 35mm and blinding flash. I was the dancing queen, only I wasn’t 17.
Making photos of authentic life experiences and the feelings involved is the life force that keeps me going.
To truly experience another person and their reality, I need to truly SEE them. I need to accept who they are in this exact moment – not who I want them to be.
There is no stronger way of connecting with a person than seeing and witnessing them for who they are, not just what they do.
Copy Edited by: Alex Yalen
