Morris County, New Jersey Photographer
Award Winning Photographer, Denise Dougherty of Millie Dee Photography
One of the Most Experienced Newborn & Maternity Photographers
in Northern New Jersey
MEET DEE, the owner of Millie Dee Photography.
Award-Winning Maternity & Newborn photographer located in the Landing part of Roxbury Township, near Lake Hopatcong in Morris County, New Jersey.
I am your photographer at Millie Dee Photography studio and I am absolutely in love with my job. How many people can say that? I feel I've always been on the path of celebrating life. I studied Biology in school, (which is the study of life) I went on to become a funeral director for a while and it was my job to make sure the past life was honored and celebrated, emphasizing the uniqueness of each individual soul. I shifted to pharmaceuticals (I think many of us in NJ have entered the pharma industry for a bit) and was inspired by the constant 24-hour research from the doctors and clinical trials going on around the world to develop cancer medicines to help people live a better quality of life and fight this disease. It inspired me so much that my next step was to live my truth and open my own business.
As soon as I left the corporate world, I got pregnant and started a family. More life to celebrate. I've never been without a camera since I was a teen when I worked for a local photographer; then my Dad bought me a big pro camera so I was able to take the photography course in high school and fell in love and was never without a camera. So when my children were born, I naturally started photographing them. I had been educated in photography from my teen job & school classes along with some college electives, so I knew a little bit of the craft, but as I started photographing my children more, a funny thing happened. People started to ask me to photograph their children, too. I think this is how a lot of photographers have started out.
I started to get more serious; I couldn't get enough of photography, so I enrolled in a photography school along with getting myself a mentor and traveling throughout the US for classes from world-renowned photographers that I wanted to learn from. For several years when my kids were little, I had this part time photography business that was growing and was even a second shooter for a local wedding photographer, however, it all stopped when we found out my son had several medical issues that were linked to multiple food allergies. When I say multiple food allergies, I mean 7 pages of food allergens came back from his bloodwork. I'm grateful that I was able to step back, put my business on hold and focus on him and making food and finding treatments for him along with being present in the moment with both my daughter and son, enjoying the time as a class mom, pta mom, scout, dance, baseball & coach mom.
Fast forward 9 years, and my son's health story is one for another time, but we found him treatments that his body responded so well to, that he's now down to one food allergy, dairy, and he can still eat some dairy but not everything and it's not life threatening, which was really my goal. As a mom with a biology background and a child that needs medical attention, I realized that life has its full circle moments; we were placed together for a reason. Life is funny, right? I always thought I'd be the one to teach my children, however, I've learned more from them and from being a mother than I ever had before.
Another full circle moment was getting back into photography. My son's health became strong enough and my daughter, growing up right before my eyes, has become so independent as a teen that I was able to step back into photography; this time really taking it by the ba**s. I was more focused than ever, I found a studio space and filled it with backdrops, strobes, props, and of course enrolled in more classes and found a new mentor to help really perfect my craft. I've grown leaps and hurdles forward in both experience and education. Gone are the days having a 'mom-tog side gig' and now this is my full time job and still have many future plans for the studio. I hope you can feel my excitement through my words. I've been asked to teach photography classes locally and speak about photography and I'm so honored, however, that is not on my path just yet; perhaps in the future though, but for right now, I love concentrating on my clients that I'm so grateful to serve and create beautiful portraits for them in my wonderful studio.
My studio space was made for you; a place to host the clients that come visit the studio for photo sessions. I get to meet moms during their days of pregnancy, taking their gorgeous maternity portraits, starting them off with hair and makeup, my client wardrobe and some laughs before we start their session. Maternity sessions are some of my favorite sessions as I never did anything like this for myself when I was pregnant; I feel like maternity portraits have become as popular as prom portraits. It's a must do at least for one of your pregnancies. This is part of your family story and your legacy! Celebrate it and document it. One of my favorite parts of the maternity session is showing mom a few photos on the computer before she leaves to ease her mind, and always ALWAYS they say, "i can't believe that's me" with a big smile on her face. For me, that's validation I've made someone happy and created a special memory for them. Yes, I love my job.
My other favorite are the babies; how I gush every time a newborn baby comes to the studio. The celebration of a brand new life and I get to capture these first few days and weeks of life of your baby and their little fingers and toes, the way their hair is, working gently with them in between feeds and diaper changes. You'll never regret these photos. My children are older now, so I get to hold your baby, pose them and steal a snuggle or two before handing them back to mom and dad after their session. I'm so grateful that I had newborn portraits taken of my children, and I'm grateful to offer this same joy to the families I get to serve. It is such an honor.
I love working with my families and getting to show them everything that photography has to offer; everything from the pre-work, learning all about them before their session which inspires me to create something special and unique for each client's wishes. Work with them through the session; moms and dads get to relax in the client area while they watch my assistant and I work with their little baby. When moms come in for their maternity sessions, we whisk them away, get them robed up and ready for hair and makeup as we work through all the little details of their session, jewelry, outfits, etc... every detail is worked out before your session.
I love learning about my clients and what lights them up. Being able to create something special for them; some wonderful memories of a photo session that they'll never forget and have the photos to remember the day. If you haven't had a professional photo session with a professional photography studio, you should try it during your lifetime; it truly is a unique experience; at least in my studio it is.
Photography has so much to offer from the experience of a photo session with a professional photographer who knows posing and lighting and safety along with styling and colors, etc. to the products you take home, hang on your walls and that are displayed on your shelves and tables. Your photographs are what makes your house a home; the smiles, the love, the emotions you feel when looking at a photo come to life when they're printed big and displayed on the walls throughout your home. My home is filled with canvas in the family room, framed prints in some rooms and pops of color with big acrylic prints of my children on the walls in our music room. Each photo gives me a different emotion as each brings me back to that place and time; I can still feel the weight of a newborn in my arms when I look through their baby albums and I can feel the joy and hear their giggles of their sibling photo sessions when they'd run around and I'd have to herd them for a few photographs before they were up and running again. These are the emotions I feel when walking through my home, walking by all of the photos I have. They're part of our wonderful history. I want you to have the same feeling when you walk through your home. Whatever your style is, there are portraits and prints that will be created to fit your style. Let me show you all of photography has to offer.
xo
Denise
UPDATED JANUARY 22
Award-Winning Maternity & Newborn photographer located in the Landing part of Roxbury Township, near Lake Hopatcong in Morris County, New Jersey.
I am your photographer at Millie Dee Photography studio and I am absolutely in love with my job. How many people can say that? I feel I've always been on the path of celebrating life. I studied Biology in school, (which is the study of life) I went on to become a funeral director for a while and it was my job to make sure the past life was honored and celebrated, emphasizing the uniqueness of each individual soul. I shifted to pharmaceuticals (I think many of us in NJ have entered the pharma industry for a bit) and was inspired by the constant 24-hour research from the doctors and clinical trials going on around the world to develop cancer medicines to help people live a better quality of life and fight this disease. It inspired me so much that my next step was to live my truth and open my own business.
As soon as I left the corporate world, I got pregnant and started a family. More life to celebrate. I've never been without a camera since I was a teen when I worked for a local photographer; then my Dad bought me a big pro camera so I was able to take the photography course in high school and fell in love and was never without a camera. So when my children were born, I naturally started photographing them. I had been educated in photography from my teen job & school classes along with some college electives, so I knew a little bit of the craft, but as I started photographing my children more, a funny thing happened. People started to ask me to photograph their children, too. I think this is how a lot of photographers have started out.
I started to get more serious; I couldn't get enough of photography, so I enrolled in a photography school along with getting myself a mentor and traveling throughout the US for classes from world-renowned photographers that I wanted to learn from. For several years when my kids were little, I had this part time photography business that was growing and was even a second shooter for a local wedding photographer, however, it all stopped when we found out my son had several medical issues that were linked to multiple food allergies. When I say multiple food allergies, I mean 7 pages of food allergens came back from his bloodwork. I'm grateful that I was able to step back, put my business on hold and focus on him and making food and finding treatments for him along with being present in the moment with both my daughter and son, enjoying the time as a class mom, pta mom, scout, dance, baseball & coach mom.
Fast forward 9 years, and my son's health story is one for another time, but we found him treatments that his body responded so well to, that he's now down to one food allergy, dairy, and he can still eat some dairy but not everything and it's not life threatening, which was really my goal. As a mom with a biology background and a child that needs medical attention, I realized that life has its full circle moments; we were placed together for a reason. Life is funny, right? I always thought I'd be the one to teach my children, however, I've learned more from them and from being a mother than I ever had before.
Another full circle moment was getting back into photography. My son's health became strong enough and my daughter, growing up right before my eyes, has become so independent as a teen that I was able to step back into photography; this time really taking it by the ba**s. I was more focused than ever, I found a studio space and filled it with backdrops, strobes, props, and of course enrolled in more classes and found a new mentor to help really perfect my craft. I've grown leaps and hurdles forward in both experience and education. Gone are the days having a 'mom-tog side gig' and now this is my full time job and still have many future plans for the studio. I hope you can feel my excitement through my words. I've been asked to teach photography classes locally and speak about photography and I'm so honored, however, that is not on my path just yet; perhaps in the future though, but for right now, I love concentrating on my clients that I'm so grateful to serve and create beautiful portraits for them in my wonderful studio.
My studio space was made for you; a place to host the clients that come visit the studio for photo sessions. I get to meet moms during their days of pregnancy, taking their gorgeous maternity portraits, starting them off with hair and makeup, my client wardrobe and some laughs before we start their session. Maternity sessions are some of my favorite sessions as I never did anything like this for myself when I was pregnant; I feel like maternity portraits have become as popular as prom portraits. It's a must do at least for one of your pregnancies. This is part of your family story and your legacy! Celebrate it and document it. One of my favorite parts of the maternity session is showing mom a few photos on the computer before she leaves to ease her mind, and always ALWAYS they say, "i can't believe that's me" with a big smile on her face. For me, that's validation I've made someone happy and created a special memory for them. Yes, I love my job.
My other favorite are the babies; how I gush every time a newborn baby comes to the studio. The celebration of a brand new life and I get to capture these first few days and weeks of life of your baby and their little fingers and toes, the way their hair is, working gently with them in between feeds and diaper changes. You'll never regret these photos. My children are older now, so I get to hold your baby, pose them and steal a snuggle or two before handing them back to mom and dad after their session. I'm so grateful that I had newborn portraits taken of my children, and I'm grateful to offer this same joy to the families I get to serve. It is such an honor.
I love working with my families and getting to show them everything that photography has to offer; everything from the pre-work, learning all about them before their session which inspires me to create something special and unique for each client's wishes. Work with them through the session; moms and dads get to relax in the client area while they watch my assistant and I work with their little baby. When moms come in for their maternity sessions, we whisk them away, get them robed up and ready for hair and makeup as we work through all the little details of their session, jewelry, outfits, etc... every detail is worked out before your session.
I love learning about my clients and what lights them up. Being able to create something special for them; some wonderful memories of a photo session that they'll never forget and have the photos to remember the day. If you haven't had a professional photo session with a professional photography studio, you should try it during your lifetime; it truly is a unique experience; at least in my studio it is.
Photography has so much to offer from the experience of a photo session with a professional photographer who knows posing and lighting and safety along with styling and colors, etc. to the products you take home, hang on your walls and that are displayed on your shelves and tables. Your photographs are what makes your house a home; the smiles, the love, the emotions you feel when looking at a photo come to life when they're printed big and displayed on the walls throughout your home. My home is filled with canvas in the family room, framed prints in some rooms and pops of color with big acrylic prints of my children on the walls in our music room. Each photo gives me a different emotion as each brings me back to that place and time; I can still feel the weight of a newborn in my arms when I look through their baby albums and I can feel the joy and hear their giggles of their sibling photo sessions when they'd run around and I'd have to herd them for a few photographs before they were up and running again. These are the emotions I feel when walking through my home, walking by all of the photos I have. They're part of our wonderful history. I want you to have the same feeling when you walk through your home. Whatever your style is, there are portraits and prints that will be created to fit your style. Let me show you all of photography has to offer.
xo
Denise
UPDATED JANUARY 22
