Turning One, and Waving Goodbye to NYC: the Pugsley Family | Family Photography NYC

As a New York City family photographer and child photographer, I use our city's beautiful backdrops to help narrate stories of families who want to celebrate their life in this great city of ours they live in, of families visiting this beautiful city of ours by having their portraits taken in it, or of families who have loved their time in NYC but find it's time to say goodbye, and want to celebrate their memories by capturing lasting family portraits against the NYC skyline to remember when they are gone.

Such latter is the story of the beautiful Pugsley family - always bittersweet for me to photograph: I always fall in love, and hate to see them go; though always happy and excited for them starting their new life, and for the memories I was honored to capture for them, and turn for them into the book of their New York City life.

Here is their story, and how our family portrait session together came about.

Andreea B. Ballen Photography: What motivated you invest in a professional photographer, and how did you find & decide that Andreea B. Ballen Photography was the right photographer for you and your family?

The Pugsleys: "My husband had recently accepted a new position out of state and Jack was turning 1 year old. We wanted to both capture the essence of our lives in Brooklyn as well as celebrate Jack’s first year and what better way than at Brooklyn Bridge Park where we had spent so much time and made so many great memories.

Andreea B. Ballen Photography had come highly recommended through some moms in our Park Slope Parents parents babies group. As soon as I looked through the galleries on her website and subsequently met with her at our home I knew she was the photographer for our family!"

Andreea B. Ballen Photography: Have you worked with a professional photographer before, and if so, what was your expectation going in, and how was your experience with Andreea B. Ballen Photography different?

The Pugsleys: "Yes we have worked with professional photographers before. My expectation going in was that my husband and I per the usual would not feel comfortable in front of the lens and that would come through in the photos!

For whatever reason we were so at ease with Andreea. Andreea is so calm cool and collected (everything i am not)! and that just put our family in a state of easygoingness on the day of the shoot. It really came through in the photos!"

Andreea B. Ballen Photography: Talk a little bit about getting ready for your session: were you excited/nervous/jittery going in and why? any funny anecdotes?

The Pugsleys: "Jack was teething really bad and also had a pretty early bedtime at the time. So yes I was super nervous that the session was going to be a disaster. BUT our little guy had such a great time and was such a trooper."

The Pugsleys: "The family photo session was so much fun. Brooklyn Bridge Park has so many great back-drops I was wondering how on earth we were going to cover so much ground before nightfall. But we did!! It was so easy to work with Andreea B. Ballen Photography, and we never felt rushed or “posed.” Everything just felt natural. I love that you use natural lighting and just really captured our family in our moments."

Andreea B. Ballen Photography: What made Brooklyn Bridge Park the perfect backdrop for your family portrait session?

The Pugsleys: "Because we were leaving NY Brooklyn Bridge Park just brings back so many great memories we have made in the past 6 years we had spent there. I wanted to look at photos on our wall that would make me happy in remembering our time spent there."

Andreea B. Ballen Photography: I like to distinguish our portrait studio from other photographers in New York City, Brooklyn and Long Island through the high-touch level of service we provide our clients - starting with the in-person pre-portrait session consultation. What benefit, if any, did you find from our portrait pre-session consultation together? Anything we may have discussed that made you more excited about our family photo session together? Any ideas more than you may originally have had about what to do with the images after?

The Pugsleys: "I liked getting to know you! I think this really helped with our comfort level on day of shoot. And also finding a naturopath doctor through you after complaining about Jack's eczema to you! :-) This was a hectic time for our family with an upcoming move out of state, and the pre-shoot visit really helped center us. This was not just yet another task to accomplish before our move, but it was is an investment in capturing our family memories in NY and Jack’s first year.

Andreea’s visit, both because of her warm personality and the chance to experience her finished work, really helped us take a pause to appreciate the investment we were making. I would have also liked to say it was helpful to think in advance about frames, albums, swatches, etc… but ultimately we still deliberated endlessly!"

Andreea B. Ballen Photography: What was your vision for the session and what did you want the images to convey?

The Pugsleys: "We wanted to capture the beauty of NY and to celebrate our sons 1st year of life in a natural setting capturing natural moments that showed our love for the city and for our family."

Andreea B. Ballen Photograph: Regarding the photos we captured together, do you feel they accomplished your vision for this session?

The Pugsleys: "Absolutely. I was shocked when i first saw the photos. I am such a critical person and especially dislike how i look in 99% of photos taken of me. There was not one photo i didn’t like! All were AMAZING."

Andreea B. Ballen Photography: At our pre-session consultation you were a bit trepedatious about your appearance in photos. Do you think that I made true on my promise that I would capture your true beauty and love?

The Pugsleys: "YES YES YES. As I mentioned a lot above you held true to your word :-)"

Andreea B. Ballen Photography: What does having these images mean to you? To your family? friends?

The Pugsleys: "Looking at these images already fills us with memories of New York and Jack’s infancy. They are beautiful images and it is wonderful to be able to share them with family and friends, but they are really for us. Life passes by so quickly, and for us as new parents we can barely remember what happened last week. Having these images, besides appreciating their surface beauty, means keeping touch with everything they signify."

Andreea B. Ballen Photography: Talk a little bit about the importance of printing your images. What makes the printed image important to you? How do you see it being important to your son to see himself and you on your walls, and your album?

The Pugsleys: "This is hard. We wanted our entire gallery since every shot was unique and beautiful, and ultimately we took this approach with a printed album.

But I think there is something gained from the extremely painful process of selecting a small number of images for larger format printing to display. We will see those pictures every day, and realistically, on most days we will probably forget they are there.

But there are so many more opportunities, when the images are displayed, for those spontaneous reminders of the memories they represent. And for our son, who won’t be able to remember the day or our time in NY, he can witness the love and happiness he brought our family from his very first year. "

Andreea B. Ballen Photography: Would you recommend Andreea B. Ballen Photography to your friends or family looking for a photographer, and why?

The Pugsleys: "Without hesitation. She is unlike most photographers. She captures those perfect moments in a completely natural way."

If you are looking for a family photographer or child photographer in New York City, Brooklyn or Long Island to capture your perfect moments in a completely natural way, and turn them into the art that lives in your albums and on your walls to pass down for generations, then click here to schedule your family or child portrait session with Andreea B. Ballen Photography. Looking forward to photographing you!

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