Family Photos in Paramus NJ | Andrew Fein Photography
Not every session happens at a park. Sara and Joe booked a family shoot at their home in Paramus in the backyard- their space, their setup. Two kids, a five-year-old and a one-year-old, plus a small dog who had a lot of opinions about the whole situation and was not shy about sharing them.
Backyard sessions have a different feel than park sessions. The environment is already theirs, which means the family is more relaxed from the start. There's no adjustment period of arriving somewhere new. You're already home. The kids know where everything is, which in this case meant the five-year-old immediately wanted to go play, which is exactly what you want. Kids that age photograph best when they're doing something. Posed five-year-olds look like they're posing. Five-year-olds chasing something or running somewhere look like themselves.
The one-year-old was the opposite, very calm, observant, taking everything in. That age is interesting to photograph because they're not performing for the camera and they're not running away from it. They're just present. Some of the quieter, more genuine frames came from just watching them watch the world.
The dog contributed a soundtrack throughout.
We shot around four in the afternoon. Not golden hour, but not harsh midday light either. Good working light with enough to give the photos warmth without fighting shadows. The backyard gave us some natural shade to work with depending on where we moved.
Partway through the session, Sara's father and brother showed up. We pulled them in and got a few candids with the extended family. Those ended up being some of Sara and Joe's favorite photos from the day, the kind you don't think to ask for but are glad you have.
That's usually how it goes with candids. The best ones aren't on the shot list.
Sara and Joe loved the photos. The moments that stood out to them were exactly that — the real ones. The kids being kids, the dog being the dog, her dad and brother unexpectedly in the frame.
