Family + Event Photography in Stratford, CT, Fairfield & New Haven County. Candid, colorful, documentary-style photos for families who want real memories, not stiff poses.
One of the things I love most about living in Stratford is how the community always shows up to celebrate. Whether it’s a local festival, parade, or holiday, there’s always this warm, small-town magic in the air — and Halloween is no exception!
This year, I wanted to do something fun and interactive for the neighborhood, so I set up a Halloween photo booth right outside my home. As trick-or-treaters made their way down the block, they stopped to pose in front of my spooky backdrop — and let me tell you, the creativity in those costumes did not disappoint!
Last year was my little “trial and error” phase. The winds were wild, and my backdrop stand just couldn’t keep up. But this year, I came prepared. I made a few upgrades, reinforced the setup, and learned a lot along the way. And now I’m already brainstorming how to make it even better for next year!
To all the trick-or-treaters who stopped by — and the parents who got just as excited about the photo booth as I did — thank you for making it such a fun night. Your photos are ready to download! You can find your spooky (or adorable) portraits here:
Can’t wait to do it all over again next year. Same place, new backdrop, same Stratford spirit. 💜
Moving into a new neighborhood is always a gamble. You hope for friendly faces, maybe a neighbor who’ll wave hello… but finding people who feel like family? That’s rare. Lucky for me, my family hit the neighbor jackpot.
In the short year we’ve lived here, these neighbors have become our honorary family. The kind of people who invite you in, offer you food (multiple times, whether you’re hungry or not), and make your kids feel like their backyard is a second home. So, when their oldest was graduating high school, there was no way I wasn’t showing up to help document their celebration.
It was everything a graduation party should be: a backyard BBQ, a pool full of happy, splashing kids, and a grill that didn’t quit. And let me tell you about the food. There were bacon-wrapped mushrooms that quite literally stole my heart. I mean, if you didn’t strategically position yourself near the appetizer table, were you even at a party?
While I worked my camera, capturing every laugh, cannonball, and plate piled high, my own kids were just living their best lives. One was running wild in the backyard like it was her personal kingdom, while the other got passed from relative to relative, collecting kisses and snacks along the way. It was chaos, the sweet, heartwarming kind that fills a home with life.
As a photographer, these are my favorite kinds of events. Not the ones where everything’s staged and stiff, but the ones where life is just happening, and I get to freeze those little in-between moments that people don’t even realize they’ll miss.
It’s wild how life surprises you sometimes. I never expected to have a Ukrainian family that feels like my own, but here we are. And I’m so grateful.
If you’ve got a milestone coming up and you want someone who’ll show up not just with a camera, but with heart (and an extra appetite), I’d be honored to be there. These moments are fleeting—but the memories don’t have to be.
✨ Ready to make your own backyard memories unforgettable? Whether it’s a graduation, a family BBQ, or just an excuse to gather your favorite people, I’d love to be there to document it all—cannonballs, chaos, and bacon-wrapped goodness included. Let’s make those everyday moments into forever memories.
Ever wondered what tradition, adorable baby giggles, and a dash of destiny look like? Let me take you behind the scenes of Gemma’s first birthday doljabi. It was a vibrant celebration rooted in Korean culture and bursting with love. Spoiler alert: It involves tiny hands choosing their future career path, squishy baby cheeks, and some of the best food I’ve ever tasted.
In Korean culture, a doljabi is more than just a birthday—it’s a cherished tradition that celebrates a baby’s milestone first year while offering a peek into their future. During this event, various symbolic items are placed before the birthday child. The baby then picks one, and each item hints at their potential path in life: a gavel for a future judge, a paintbrush for an artist, a microphone for a musician, a stethoscope for a doctor, and even thread for longevity. Watching little Gemma reach out with her tiny fingers was the cutest—and possibly most suspenseful—moment of the day, especially since there was a raffle to make it extra fun. And guess what? Little Miss Gemma—with her squishable cheeks and gummy smile—reached straight for the stethoscope. Future doctor in the making? We’ll have to wait and see, but the room erupted in cheers and laughter when she made her pick.
Stephanie and Robert hosted Gemma’s doljabi at The East Norwalk Association Library. The venue was intimate yet lively, filled with family, friends, and the warmth of celebration. Gemma, dressed in a stunning traditional Hanbok, looked like a little princess. Her parents, also dressed in Hanboks, radiated grace and pride as they shared this special day with their loved ones.
Gemma’s at the perfect age where everything is fascinating, and is full of personality. She lit up every time I sang “Wheels on the Bus” to catch her attention.
If you’re planning a special event—whether it’s a doljabi, a birthday, or just a fun family gathering—I’d love to be there to document it. I’m based in Fairfield County, Connecticut, and I also serve the New York Metro Area. Let’s make sure your memories aren’t just lived but beautifully preserved forever.
I’ll never forget when I delivered a gallery to a sweet mom, and she messaged me with: “These made me cry. I’ve never seen myself like this.” Cue my own little dance in my kitchen, don’t judge. That’s the magic of candid photography: seeing the moments you didn’t even know existed, the ones that show the love, the chaos, and the beautiful reality of motherhood.
Moms Are Always Behind the Camera
If you’re a mom, I bet your phone is bursting with photos of your kids: their first steps, their silly faces, their masterpiece crayon drawings on your walls. And let’s not forget the dozens of group shots at family events where everyone looks great… except, wait, where are you? Oh, right. You’re the one taking the picture. Moms are like the stealthy ninjas of family photography, always capturing the memories but rarely appearing in them. It’s almost as if we’re trying to make ourselves invisible. Um, excuse me!! Spoiler alert: we’re not.
But here’s the thing: Moms matter. You were there too. You did the bedtime stories, the epic pancake breakfasts, the dance parties in the living room. And someday, when your kids look back at those moments, they’ll want to see you there, too, smiling, laughing, and being the heart of their childhood.
Candid Photos: The Ultimate Love Letter to Yourself
When I photograph families, I always make it a point to turn the lens on moms. And not just the posed “hey, look over here and smile” kind of shots. I’m talking about the real, raw, blink-and-you’ll-miss-it moments. Like when your toddler grabs your face for a sloppy kiss or when you’re laughing so hard at your partner’s dad joke that you’ve got tears streaming down your face. Those are the moments that make you, you.
The beauty of candid photos is that they’re not about perfection. It’s not about having your hair perfectly curled or your kids sitting neatly in matching outfits (though props to you if you manage that). It’s about capturing the love, the chaos, and everything in between. It’s about giving yourself permission to exist in the frame with messy hair, yoga pants, and whatever mixed match socks you found closest by.
What Will Your Kids Remember?
When your kids grow up and flip through photo albums or scroll through your digital archives, they’re not going to care about whether you had makeup on or if the kitchen was spotless. They’ll care that you were there. They’ll care about seeing the way your eyes lit up when you looked at them, the way you held them close, and the way you made their world feel safe and full of love.
Imagine your grown-up daughter showing her own kids a picture of you laughing in the backyard, holding her as a toddler. She’ll say, “This is your grandma. She was always so full of life.” That’s the legacy of a candid photo: it’s not just a picture; it’s a memory, a story, a connection that transcends time.
Change the Narrative
Moms, this is your gentle nudge, no, your loving shove, to get in the frame. Be part of the memories. Let someone else hold the camera (or better yet, let me do it). Because you deserve to be seen, celebrated, and remembered just as much as everyone else in your family.
So, next time you book a photo session, don’t shy away from the camera. Embrace it. Laugh. Dance. Be unapologetically you. And when you see those photos, I hope you’ll tear up, as well, because you’ll see what everyone else sees: a mom who is bold, beautiful, and full of magic.
