How to Narrow Down the Pictures from Your Session

All of my photo collections include a set number of digital images. After your session, you’ll receive a link to your gallery, where you can select the pics you love and want to keep. But…it can be intimidating to try to pick favorites from among so many beautiful photos! Here are a few tips that can help you narrow down the pictures from your session.

Set Aside Some Uninterrupted Time

Choosing photos takes a lot of concentration! Rather than trying to do it on the fly, set aside some dedicated time to really focus on your photos. You might also find that it helps to do this alone before coming together with your partner. This way, you’ve both identified your favorites without influence from anyone else and can feel more confident in your decisions.

(This is one reason I don’t have parents come to the studio to choose pictures. This is something you should be able to do at your leisure and without feeling pressured by other people’s input.)

Divide Your Photos Into Categories

Rather than try to choose your favorites from the whole collection all at once, try picking your favorites from a smaller group. For example, which are your favorite pictures of mom and baby? Which are your favorites of baby and their big brother? Which are your favorite shots of the whole family?

Dividing it up into categories can keep you from getting overwhelmed and also ensure that you get a nice variety. Plus, you can feel more certain you didn’t miss anything!

Decide How You Want to Use Your Photos

Knowing how you want to use and share your photos can be a big help in deciding which ones to keep. If you want to print and frame some images, think about where you want to hang them in your home. If you’ll be giving photos as gifts, which ones would be most meaningful to grandparents or other family members?

It’s also a great idea to put some thought into this before your session. If you already know how you want to display your pictures, we’ll be sure to get exactly the shots you want!

New Jersey Photo Sessions

I hope these three tips for narrowing down the photos from your session help to simplify the process and give you confidence in the decision-making process. And remember, if the decision is just too hard, you can always purchase extra images separately!

If you have other questions or are ready to book your session, please be in touch. I’m so excited to hear from you!

Top 3 FAQs for Your New Jersey/New York Photographer

There are always lots of questions with any new experience, and booking a photoshoot is no different! I try to anticipate questions and give my clients plenty of information beforehand. When you inquire I’ll send you lots of great info to help you out! But in the meantime, I thought I’d address the questions I get asked most frequently as a New Jersey based photographer.

What to Ask Your Photographer

When is the best time to book a cake smash?

The earlier the better! I recommend booking your cake smash well in advance—even as early as 5 months before your little one’s first birthday! We will usually do your cake smash a little before the one year mark (around 11 months) so you have time to use your images for invitations, gifts, etc. And I build all of my custom sets from scratch, which takes several weeks! You can learn more about my cake smash sessions here.

When is the best time to book a newborn session?

I advise booking 3-4 months before your due date. However, if it’s past that date already (or even if baby has already arrived) you can always reach out on the chance that I might have an opening available. If you’re expecting, you’ll definitely want to check out my newborn page for helpful info and answers to frequently asked questions!

Why are family sessions always in the evening?

I like to hold my family sessions about an hour to an hour and a half before sunset. There are lots of reasons behind this, but the big one is lighting. Photographers call that pretty, sun-soaked time before sunset ‘the golden hour.’ The light at this time is really warm, not too harsh, and very flattering for everyone, making it the perfect time to do outdoor portraits. I’ve got more about family sessions on this page.

Questions for Your New Jersey/New York Photographer

Any other burning questions? Send them my way! I am always up for a chat and would love to help you learn more about any session you’re interested in. Just reach out and let’s talk!

How I Became a New Jersey Newborn Photographer: A Little Peek Into My Story

I don’t know about you, but I love hearing people’s stories. I think that’s part of what attracted me to portrait photography in the first place! Whenever clients come to my NJ photo studio I love to just chat for a bit and learn more about them. It’s always so fun to hear about their families and hobbies, and what they do for a living and the story behind it. So I thought I’d hop on the blog and share a little of my story with you!

From Hobby….

I first started doing photography in high school, where I was introduced to this particular brand of magic through a photography class. This was back in the day, before digital photography was widespread, so I used a film camera and learned how to develop film in a dark room. I loved it!

The class ended, but my love of photography carried on. I kept photographing through the years, but never really thought about turning it into a business. It was just a hobby I enjoyed. Like most people, I needed a bit of a wakeup call to realize that my hobby was actually my passion!

To Vocation…

That wakeup call came when my oldest was born. I fell in love instantly and started to pick up my camera more and more because I wanted to capture all those sweet, fun, precious moments with my daughter. It’s amazing how much inspiration an adorable model can provide! And the more baby pictures I took the more I realized, “I love this! This is what I want to do!”

Becoming a NJ Newborn Photographer

It took a while for me to actually turn my dream of starting my own photography business into a reality. I had a good job as a teacher, which I really enjoyed, and it was scary to think of leaving that behind to become a photographer full-time. Once I worked up the courage though, I have never looked back! Becoming a newborn photographer really has been one of the best decisions of my life.

I wake up each day so excited to welcome babies and families to my studio, to spend time with them and capture beautiful memories. As a mom (of three now!) I know firsthand that family always comes first. I love photography, yes, but the real passion behind my work is the love of family. And I feel beyond blessed to bring that passion to my work with moms, dads, and kiddos throughout New Jersey. I can’t think of a greater honor than for my story as a newborn photographer to become a tiny part of your story as a family. Thank you for trusting me with your memories!

Tri-State Newborn and Family Photographer

Jennifer Parrello is a New-Jersey-based portrait photographer offering beautiful portraiture for every stage of life, from maternity and newborn to first birthdays and beyond. Based in West Milford, she is proud to serve families throughout the New Jersey, New York and Connecticut tri-state area. Ready to make some memories? Inquire here to book your session, or learn more about available sessions and pricing.