Photography – Laura Herr Photography

Communion Sessions 2019

I’ve been taking portraits for First Communion sessions for years, and I absolutely love them. It’s always such a sweet and special time and a day that is remembered and cherished for years to come.

For the record, these years will fly by.

And I know this because yesterday, they were in Second Grade and today, they’re walking the halls of their high school.

This year, I’m offering two simple Communion Packages.

And I will do all that I can to make it as easy and as fun as possible for you and your child. I’ll meet you in your home.

At your church

Or at your venue.

Let me do the hard work, so that you and your child can enjoy their special day and through portraits, enjoy it for years and years to come.

First Communion Sessions are one of my favorite kinds of sessions and I would absolutely love to work with you! Thanks so much for visiting this post and investment info can be found at the bottom of this post. To book your appointment, I can be contacted easily through Facebook or email: lauraherr8@gmail.com.

First Communion Packages

Simple Communion Package- $150 for a 45 minute Portrait Session and a complimentary 8×10 print portrait. Additional portraits or digital images can also be ordered.

Complete Communion Package- $250 for a 45 minute Portrait Session and a Print Package including: 1 8×10, 2 5x7s and 4 3x5s. This package also includes 10 digital images for sharing online.

Holiday Sessions 2018

Hey Friends! It’s finally Fall. The humidity has dropped, the leaves are changing and the temperatures are finally cool. And in my opinion, this all means it’s the basically the best season for getting your Family Holiday Portrait Sessions done.

My Holiday Sessions are always shot on-location. I’m a big fan of nature and the outdoors and love natural settings. And Long Island has so many beautiful backgrounds to choose from.

Or, if you’d rather, I’ll happily come to your home. Sometimes it’s easier that way, and there is always such a close and cozy feel to family pictures taken indoors.

During our Session, there is always time to shoot a variety of people and poses.

And when planning ahead, I have to admit that there is no better gift to give, than that of family. Parents love pictures of their kids and grandkids all together and booking a Holiday Session means that everyone can put their phones away and let me do the hard work with my beautiful professional camera and lenses.

And if you were wondering, pets are always welcome too!

Whether your kids are big…

Or little, it’s always the right time to capture these stages of life. Because we all know how quickly they pass us by. Family pictures are gifts that will last for lifetimes and ones that also get better with age.

So don’t delay! Book your Holiday Session today! I have availability all throughout the week. And on a personal note, I absolutely love and adore working with families. I consider an honor and a gift to be able to be a photographer and it’s my goal to bring out the fun personalities in your family. Also, I like to work quickly because I get the stress that can come with family pictures and do all that I can to alleviate that while still getting pictures that you will cherish for years and years to come.

My Holiday Packages have not changed in pricing for the past few years. You have two options to choose from.

The Digital Package Price: $250 Includes a one hour, on-location session, and on-line gallery. You will be able to choose 10 digital images from that session on a disc, with copyrights so that you can choose where you would like to create all of your holiday cards, prints and gifts.

The Digital and Print Package Price: $350 includes a one hour, on-location session and an on-line gallery. You will receive a package of beautiful Prints including one 11×14, 2 8x10s, 4 5x7s and 4 3.5x5s in addition to a disc of all of the images from your session with copyrights, so that you can choose where you would like to create all of your holiday cards, prints and gifts.

I know that choosing to do a Holiday Session is an investment. But I believe that it’s one that your family will appreciate and value not only just this year but also in the years to come.

So contact me today to book your family’s 2018 Holiday Session. You can reach me on Facebook or email: lauraherr8@gmail.com.

Senior Sessions

Awhile back, I got a call from Jordyn’s mom asking if I did Senior Sessions. She’d had her Senior Pictures taken at the beginning of the school year, but neither of them were thrilled with the results.

So I invited her to join me for an on-location shoot. We ventured outdoors, into the beauty of Long Island and the glory of natural lighting.

They brought props. Because Pinterest and Instagram has a lot of ideas to make these kinds of session so much fun.

We even tied in her school sport, in a fun and memorable way. Senior Year is about closing an incredibly awesome chapter of life and using creative portraits to capture this time is something that helps make the memories last.

I specifically asked for this shot with Mom. Because goodness knows, moms are usually behind the scenes in helping to make great kids become responsible teens who then become amazing young adults.

And at the end of our session, we got a lot of great shots for Jordyn to choose from.

A huge thanks to Jordyn and her awesome mom for stepping outside of the box and booking a Senior Session. We had a great time together and everyone was delighted with the results. If you’re looking to add a special addition to your child’s Senior Year, contact me today to set up a Senior Session!

lauraherr8@gmail.com

My Sister’s Babies

My Sister’s Babies…

Aren’t quite babies anymore. Though for the record, they are still quite little, especially compared to other people’s babies, like mine, who are gigantic.

There’s something to be said about taking the time to do professional pictures with our kids.

Sure, we all have our cell phones, and probably more pictures of our children than any other generation before us.

But cellphones can be limited, or we can be limited in our picture taking abilities and taking the time (and energy) to get professional shots is something that you won’t regret.

Every summer that I go home, I take time to take pictures for both of my sisters families.

Because I love them and because I love their kids. But also because I know the value of capturing these moments before they pass by.

And I’ll be honest. Taking the time (and energy) to do a Family Session is not always easy. One (or more) kids might be crying and if you have a lot of littles like my Sarah does, you’re going to have to work quickly to get anything done.

But, that is one of my specialties and at the end of the session, memories are made.

Yes, my Sister’s Babies are not quite babies anymore. But I’m happy to share that she has the memories of when they were and now gets to cherish the memories of how quickly they are all growing.

Friends, life is happening and it’s going by quite fast. If you’re looking to capture some precious memories of your family, please feel free to check out my website: www.lauraherrphotography.com or email me at lauraherr8@gmail.com and we can chat and make plans to set up your Family Session today.

*Also, if you’re looking for a Family Beach Session, NOW IS THE TIME. Summer is winding down and evening sunset sessions are in their prime season. Sure, we can go to the beach in November, but it’s freezing then and there are also hundreds of other things to be done. So if you’re wanting one of those gorgeous beach sessions while your family is still happy and tan, contact me today :).

The Light Inside

During one of my first conversations with Angela, I remember telling her how much I loved Hot Yoga. I had started practicing at the studio which was just six minutes from our house. I can’t tell you the exact words we exchanged that day, but I distinctly remember her kindness and her encouragement and these are two things that she has continued to offer throughout the past two years that I’ve known her.

Angela is an amazing teacher and one of the Hot Yoga instructors at my studio. She is confident and strong and seems to always know the right words to draw her students into their deepest and most pure forms of expressions and practice. I’ve always said that taking her classes is part yoga and part therapy and joined together they are exactly what I need to release the stress and anxiety that I carry with me throughout my day.

As she teaches, she gently speaks these life truths which she pairs with bits of practical information (did you know for instance that your head weighs as much as a bowling ball? Which is why you need to fully release it along with all of the thoughts that weigh it down, especially in poses like rag doll).

It’s an honor and privilege to know and love someone like Angela. She is one of those people that you meet in life, who makes an impact on your heart because of who they are and what they live.

So of course, when Angela asked me if we could shoot a yoga session and capture some sweet portraits with her girls, you know I was good to go. We decided to meet up last Saturday, because on paper the weather was gorgeous and what better place to go than the beach. Wouldn’t you know that by the afternoon when we got there, it had cooled down significantly and there were gale force winds to work with (okay, so maybe it wasn’t that dramatic, but it was pretty crazy). Both of Angela’s girls were troopers! They didn’t complain one bit and even though the wind was wild, we still caught a few pictures that worked.

From the beach, we drove up to the Main Street because there, it was a bit warmer and the wind was a bit easier to work with. Again, these girls were so much fun and I was so thankful for their sweet and willing attitudes.

I was also thankful to Angela for taking time to capture some sweet pictures with her girls. Moms, this is something that we do not do enough of. We know for fact how quickly our time with our kids goes by and making the effort to capture their beauty at any given moment in time is an investment that you will not regret.

Shortly after this portrait was taken, we finished our session and parted ways. I could not have been more thankful and thrilled to have worked with these three lovely ladies.

At the end of nearly every hot yoga class, Angela closes by saying, “The light inside of me, honors and respects the light inside of you.” In a world full of darkness and brokenness, there is nothing better that we can do than to let our lights shine to those around us. Thank you Angela, for being such an incredible light to myself and to those you teach and thank you for being so amazing in so many ways.

Business Photography Special

Okay this one’s for the Business owners and operators.

When people click on your website or Facebook pages… what do they see? How strong is your online presence. Do you pictures reflect all that your business has to offer? Is your profile picture professional and updated, or did you have to settle for a blurry selfie?

Well, love it or loathe it, your online presence speaks volumes to both current and potential clients. I know for myself, whenever I’m interested in something new, the first thing I do is to look it up online.

And I have to admit that seeing beautiful and professional pictures says a lot.

Chances are, you’ve got a lot to offer when it comes to your business.

So why not invest in a strong online presence to really showcase your products?

Over the past few years, I’ve had the privilege of working with some incredible clients and businesses who decided to take their business marketing to the next level.

As a photographer, I got to come in and capture the essence of their business and the services that they had to offer.

They make the investment, and I get to come in and capture the heart and soul of what they are selling.

Because it’s one thing for people to drive by your business or building, but often times, it’s a completely different story once they step foot through your doors. And my goal is to tell those stories in the best possible way.

So here’s the details and it even comes with a special deal for the month of March. If you’re looking to enhance or update your business through professional pictures either of you or your business or both, then all you have to do is contact me through email: lauraherr8@gmail.com or Facebook. We’ll chat about the details and set up a date for your session. Business Sessions are $250 and include an hour on-location photography session and then beautifully edited digital images that are yours to use freely (usually around 20). I’ll work hard to provide gorgeous pictures that clearly portray your business and in return you’ll be able to enhance and update your online presence to truly show your clients what you have to offer. You can use your images for your website or Facebook or whatever you prefer.

Also, if you book a session date in the month of March, you will get a $25 discount. Which means your business session will be only $225. As I’ve mentioned before, I’ve worked with many wonderful clients and I would absolutely love to work with you too! I have limited dates available, so please contact me today and we can get your business session date set.

While the Sun Shines

Over the past three days, in between church things, Ellee’s Birthday party and Christian’s National Jr. Honor Society induction, “I made hay while the sun was shining.” Okay, so I wasn’t technically out doing farm work, but I was fitting in three family portrait sessions. Because tomorrow I’m heading out for vacation and somehow they all worked out beautifully.

For the first session, we ventured out through Terrell County Park to capture some of the warm colors of Fall. When I introduced myself to the family, I quickly realized that their sweet kids had come to Hangtime. Chanda also shared that we had taken some of the same Hot Yoga classes which was pretty awesome as well.

Speaking of sunshine, it was pretty glorious that day.

It gets a little tricky when you shoot on-location especially when the weather turns a bit cooler as the true nature of Fall shows itself.

Thankfully, on Sunday at noon, it was about as warm as it’s been and these kids were absolutely amazing to work with.

We even got quite a few shots with these sweet pups and overall, it was a wonderful day for family pictures.

Later that day, I met up with the Fracapanes.

I’ve worked with their family for quite a few years now and also met their kids through one of our church programs.

I love shooting repeat sessions with families over the years. It’s such a special way to capture the subtle changes that come as our kids keep growing older. We were able to get these shots in just as the sun was setting and I’m so glad to have worked with this wonderful family for yet another year.

The most fun and unexpected session came when I got a message from this sweet mom Monday evening. She inquired about setting up a session, and I quickly asked if she and her family would be available for the following day since that was one of the small windows that I had this week that was open.

It turns out that they were available and so we met up again as the sun was setting for some family pictures. We had to work quickly because of the sun and the coldness that was settling in, but thankfully these boys were awesome and we got the job done.

Life is busy, and sometimes it’s just about making the most of the amazing opportunities that come your way, no matter how quickly you might need to fit them in. A huge thank you to all three of these families for letting me capture your portraits! Your dogs were great, your kids were awesome and I give you lots of credit for taking the time to capture these moments that are so quickly passing by!

Sweet Friends

Today, was an especially beautiful fall day and I got to meet up with our sweet friends to do a family session right in the middle of it. For the record, I give them so much credit. Because when you have little ones, it’s not the easiest thing to schedule a photography session. Looking back when our kids were babies, most times I was just happy to have survived the day in one piece. But now with a thirteen and almost eleven year old, I can testify first hand that the years truly do fly by. And it’s always best to capture these moments whenever you get the chance because in the blink of an eye they’ll be gone.

That being said, these were my favorite pictures from our afternoon. The sun was shining and it was just warm enough to walk around to a few different locations in Westhampton to get the very best shots. All in all, I’m so thankful for our wonderful friends and so thankful for a great session to capture this sweet and precious time.

Holiday Sessions 2017

It’s hard to imagine, but it is that time of year again. Halloween is over, and Thanksgiving is coming with Christmas right behind. Which means that it’s also time to think about your 2017 Holiday Portrait Sessions.

I’m a big advocate. Because as we all know, time passes by much too quickly. And when you make time for a family session, it’s a beautiful way of capturing your loved ones in portraits that you’ll cherish for years to come.

I shoot all of my sessions on location. Which means that we can meet up in my favorite local spots…

Or I can come to your home and capture your loved ones right in front of all of your holiday glory. Let’s be honest, if you’re going to put in all of that decorating work, you may as well let it be the backdrop for your session.

There aren’t many things in life more important than family.

And I would be greatly honored to get to come and meet up and capture yours in print.

My packages are the same as last year.

The Digital and Print Package Price: $350 includes a one hour, on-location session and an on-line gallery. You will receive a package of Gift Prints including one 11×14, 2 8x10s, 4 5x7s and 4 3.5x5s in addition to a disc of all of the images from your session with copyrights, so that you can choose where you would like to create all of your holiday cards, prints and gifts.

And I know that choosing to do a Holiday Session is an investment. But I believe that it’s one that your family will appreciate and value not only just this year but also in the years to come.

I do have time restrictions for this year. I will actually be away from November 16th through the 27th. But in the days both before that and after I would love to set up a Holiday Session with your family! I can be contacted through Facebook or by email: lauraherr8@gmail.com.

Just for Her

So there are these women that we know. And they are the ones who are holding it all together… holding us all together. They are the helpers and the teachers and the comforters and the peacemakers and the keepers of our homes and somehow, though it seems to be a mystery to those around them at times, they are capable of making many great things all happen.

These are the women that will call me up and then gather their loved ones together to be photographed. Because they want to capture these fleeting moments in time. Sure their families might give them a hard time, but in the end, they have these beautiful memories, captured in print to be enjoyed and treasured for years to come.

But usually, there is one thing that these women all have in common. They rarely take time to think of themselves. And probably mostly because they are too busy thinking of everyone else.

A few days ago, I called in a favor. Because I decided to purchase a beautiful new camera and I wanted to test it out. So I asked a few of my mom friends to come and do a mini session with me. It’s a bit unheard of, the idea of asking a mom to come without her spouse or her kids or family and just take some time for her own personal session.

But in the end, it was so, so good. Because as a portrait photographer, I truly believe that every woman should have a gorgeous portrait of herself. One that she loves and one that captures her incredible spirit.

I know for fact that I have many wonderful pictures of my husband and many wonderful pictures of our kids. Oh, and many of our kids with my husband. But I’ve realized that I don’t really have many pictures of myself, much less any good ones that weren’t taken on my iPhone. But as odd as it seems, there really is this part of me that would love to have a beautiful picture of myself.

So here’s my challenge. Think of the amazing women in your life. Think of the moms, the grandmas, the aunts, the friends. And then think of how special it would be for them to have a portrait of themselves that they truly love. Granted, as a professional photographer I’m biased, but I truly believe that giving the gift of a portrait is giving a gift that is so treasured that it lasts for years and years to come.

If I’ve managed to convince you, the rest is relatively easy. From now through the month of November, I’m offering Mini-Sessions Just for Her. The investment is $150 and it is all inclusive with a half hour session, a beautifully edited gallery and a matted 5×7 print to treasure. Digital images are included, so that she can finally share a profile picture that she loves and that truly reflects her beauty and strength.

And here’s the challenge. If you know that you would love this for yourself, just do it. Message or email me (lauraherr8@gmail.com) and we will pick a time and location for your very own shoot. And if you’d rather not book one for yourself, stop and think of someone in your life that could use this for themselves and give them a gift that will last for years to come.

Thank you for taking time to read this and I do hope that you take me up on this special offer of Mini-Sessions Just for Her. Again, this special is valid now throughout the month of November.