Thankfully, life is starting to look normal again and hopefully it will start to get easier to reach new and expecting parents with information on booking their maternity and newborn photo sessions.  It's a wonderful experience, an exciting time in your lives and certainly moments to capture, as baby will be growing by the day and you'll never regret capturing these precious little baby toes and all of their tiny-ness during their first weeks of life.
Usually I'm booked out 2-3 months in advance, even now, we have one open date in June because a baby arrived a few weeks earlier than expected, however other than that, I'm booked until mid September; but every so often, I'll find a pocket of time to accommodate a list minute client and that's what happened her and so glad we were able to have the planets align and have this session.
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Mom and Dad called a couple of weeks before baby's arrival and we secured a date for their baby girl's photo session.  They arrived picture ready, you can see how important this session meant to Mom and Dad.  They'll have these moments forever.  I'm so glad they chose to call and book with Millie Dee Photography.  
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We certainly got a beautiful gallery of about 40 images for mom and dad to view and here are the ones they chose.  I'm sure baby has grown so much already and so grateful they captured these memories to cherish forever.  

A common question that I get asked when people inquire about a newborn photo session is "Do I need to supply the props or hair ribbons?"  My answer is No, you just need to show up with your baby and some food for that baby, I have everything else we'll need for a wonderful photo session experience.  Families are more than welcoem to bring something to use in the photos; perhaps you have something sentimental, like your own baby blanket, something someone made or an outfit.  Yes, we will photograph your baby in them if that's what's important to you!  You shouldn't miss out on this opportunity, however, my studio is filled with outfits, and props that are specifically designed for newborn photographers and our tiny clients. 

There are all kinds of props I have at my studio for your baby.  Do you want to know a little secret?  There are prop companies that make these bowls, buckets, beds and other cute novelties JUST for newborn photography.  Yes, I joke with my clients that it's like a cult.  

Yes, sure, there are bowls and buckets at stores such as home goods, however, are they balanced or weighted enough to be safe for a baby?  What is the material made of, would you want it near your baby?  Is it smooth enough? Does it have a scent?  Does it have a stain? what type of chemicals were used to make this store bought item?  I would never want anything unsafe near your baby.  One of the reasons professional newborn portraits cost what they do is because of the props; I'm rarely buying a $40 bowl from kirkland's, they usually aren't balanced, I work with vendors that specifically know what newborn photographers are looking for; the colors, texture, balance, weight of it along with knowing the trends of what people like is helpful, too.
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The props can also include the backdrops, whether it be wood, fabric or another material, we have to have sometype of background and it's fun to get creative, here I used fluff for some photos, fabric for another and a wood backdrop for others along with a beautiful heart shaped wood bowl that is specifically made from a newborn prop company.  The swaddles, hair ribbons and bonnets, little outfits, little stuffed toys, etc.  All of the little details are what make up the photo... and there are lots of details to add.  

I can’t stress enough that when you have time to prepare and when we have time to create a vision, it makes all the difference. when my clients walk through the door they are READY, CONFIDENT and ON FIRE! It is not by chance that they look all put together.  This "put together" is a look and an idea that we have created. I want you to have your "GQ, VOGUE, Entreprenuer", or whatever magazine cover you choose cover experience.  Where do you see yourself in five years? that’s what I’m going ask you and that’s what these pictures should represent; this is about how you see yourself as in the future.

So, please, take a couple of weeks to prepare yourself; make that hair or nail appointment, try on different outfits, to get yourself groomed, drink lots of water to help brighten and clear your skin up.  I have a guide that I send to my clients along with speaking to them about plenty of things that they can do to help them be as confident and gorgeous as possible when they walk in the door and they get in front of my camera. Have I had people show up with donut powder on their jacket or dog hair or expect me to Photoshop coffee stains out of their clothes? Hell YES! I photograph real people however, if you choose to take this session seriously you will see serious results.

Check out our headshot page:  https://www.milliedeephotography.com/headshots.html
I'm happy to invite you to my studio for headshots, I also offer corporate headshots for businesses and will travel to your location.   Please call for details:  973.805.FOTO.  Millie Dee Photography is located at 172 Landing Road, Landing NJ 07850.  

Spring is the season for new beginnings as the flowers start to blossom, the grass gets green again and we start to head outdoors.  For those with new babies, it'll be great to get out and get some fresh air on a stroller walk.  
As for photos though, I do prefer still working indoors at my studio location in Roxbury Township, NJ.  To get that certain look of my newborn photographs, it takes a certain amount of consistency, so for me, it's important to have control over the surroundings, the studio lighting, the props, etc, everything is basically at my fingertips at the studio.
Outdoor sessions with babies, well, I did a few really early on in my career, however, I'm always concerned about the weather, ticks, bugs, the baby getting too much sun on them, the environment, is it going to be noisy, etc.  There are so many factors involved, and if a family is paying me for a professional newborn photo session, I am going to give them professional service and beautiful portraits, so I can't just "wing it" and hope that the environment will work in our favor.  The photography studio is best for newborn sessions in my opinion.  
Families arrive, I have everything ready to go, I'm not dragging equipment outside, or into anyone's homes, you're in a comfortable environment and I feel confident in that environment that I can offer the best quality for all of my clients.  
In the springtime, do you tend to gravitate toward certain colors like I do?  I do tend to stick with my neutral tones, so I tend to use more muted colors instead of really vibrant and bright colors, but I still like to get the feel of what season it is. 
This was a nice light and airy session, using spring colors and the lighting is a little brighter than my norm as well.  It still looks like "me"...my work, but it's nice to play around a little bit, too.
I can't believe we're into April already!  Enjoy spring and the newness it brings.  xo  
If you'd like to learn more about the maternity photography, newborn baby photography or headshot photographs that Millie Dee Photography Studio offers, please don't hesitate to reach out:  www.milliedeephotography.com  
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So, let's say you're starting a new job and your boss says, "we have our headshot photographer coming in next week to photograph our new employees".  Are you like, "yeah! let's do this!" or are you more like, "omg, really? can I lose my 10 pounds of winter weight first?".  I understand!  I like being behind the camera much more than I do in front of it.  
​Something that makes a world of difference when taking photographs is the confidence level of the subject.  I have my ways of getting the best I can out of my clients, but it takes two to make this work; I bring the camera, the lighting, the backgrounds, the experience and some expertise to the mix, you bring your awesome self, your "A-game" and your outfits that day and you have a winning chance of loving your pictures.  

Even if the morning of your photo session, you end up getting a big fat pimple on your forehead, it doesn't matter.  Still show up!  First, I can say most of the time, you're the only one concerned about your skin blemishes and we will discuss that and a few other things before you get in front of the camera.  I'd say one way to surely boost your confidence level is to practice your smiles in the mirror.  I can tell you that you have several different smiles, right?  Most of us, if not all of us do, so practice what that best smile feels like in the mirror, because you're not going to be looking at yourself during your session, it's not a selfie session, so just get used to that feeling. 
So many of us are selfie junkies now and get used to using filters, or certain angles to show the world what we want them to see, right?  We all do it, we take like 50 selfies and maybe end up with one or two that you end up sharing.  I have this conversation all the time with clients.  Build your confidence with some practice in the mirror.  It makes a world of difference.  Trust me!  I'm your photographer, I want you to look your best!  If you or your company are looking to update your headshots, please reach out, our studio is in the Landing section of Roxbury Township, NJ.  You can visit our website to inquire: www.milliedeephotography.com or call 973.85.FOTO to schedule an appointment or ask your questions.   

One of the common decisions clients make is choosing whether they want more of a uniform look to their images or more variety?  What's your style?  I can say that in speaking with designers, business owners and sales people through out the united states, a large majority of them say that the north east section of the united states, Including NJ, definitely like more uniformity and neutral color combinations.  Do you find that to be true for you?  I am not sure.  I like to work with color combinations and textures that complement each other, so perhaps complementary would be the middle ground between variety vs uniformity.
We get to be creative for clients and create mock up designs that reflect their style.  I love my job; this part is especially satisfying, ok maybe it's my ego talking a little bit here, but it's pretty awesome to see what the families choose to print for their walls; whether is a framed print or canvas wall art, whatever they choose is something you have had a hand in creating for them.  Well, ok, not just a hand, but two hands and a creative brain taking the information given from talking with clients.  It's fun to merge their home style with the images created by their baby and me at the studio.  It's certainly a gift for everyone, a baby is a gift and what a gift to see those special images of your baby in their first few weeks of life, and also part of that gift is capturing their moment in time and hanging it to stay with you forever.  Everytime you walk into this room, you will see and feel love and probably remember the moments in time from the day. 
I have canvas on my walls and just yesterday I had a friend complementing the beautiful images of when my now 12 & 14 yr old kids were 2 & 4, 3 & 5, 4 & 6, etc.  on my walls.  I went into a story about each photo, remembering the day itself and things leading up to the day; the behind the scenes of that photo makes up the "a picture is worth a thousand words" story.  Ahhh... I can't say enough how much I love my job.
If you're interested in creating something special for your upcoming newborn, please reach out to the studio:  www.milliedeephotography.com or 973.805.FOTO to learn what we have to offer our valued clients.  Your artwork is not just full of memories, but its also like a thumbprint; very unique and special and will last a lifetime.  
Enjoy!
xo
Denise Dougherty, Photographer & Owner/Millie Dee Photography       

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This is me, Denise Dougherty...I love being behind the camera, being in front of it always makes me a little nervous, so I do know what some of my clients are feeling when they "have to" be in front of my lens; sometimes it's not by choice; they may need a headshot or their family has scheduled this session and they're reluctantly choosing to be a part of it.  I realized during these feelings of reluctancy and anxiety about having photos taken (and other life situations), that I've instinctively allowed my mind to 'go somewhere' to give me a certain feeling and attitude that will help me in this situation.  I have done this for years many times without even realizing I'm doing it; however recently, at 51 years old, I've started to become more aware of how I feel, why I have these feelings, where it's coming from and how it helps me to cope.  My secret is....feel like a kid again, playing around with other kids.  
YES!  This is why I choose my exercise classes that I do, because they give me that feeling that I'm a kid running around a playground again, this is why I allow my mind to go 'there' during my own photosessions when I'm having MY own pictures taken; because I feel more playful, more in tune with what's going on around me rather than focusing on me and my 'flaws'.  
I always tell my clients that I photograph real people; there are rarely if any times that supermodels and chiseled movie stars are walking through my door...infact, is less than rarely, it's like NEVER.  Ha!  I photograph real people and guess what fellow humans, we all have flawless.  We're perfectly imperfect!  It's a rare occassion that someone comes through my door and is not self conscious about some part of their appearance.  
Allowing myself to feel like a kid gets me in a playful mood and I'm not focused on wrinkles, or my puffy, hooded eyelids (which really piss me off, however, my Dad had the same eyelids and I feel like that's a part of him that I carry, so deep down I'm okay with this), or the fact that I'm 10 lbs over what I want to be and that I haven't exercised in a long time so I don't have the muscles that I once had...I'm not focused on any of this for very long, I just allow myself to break down that wall and play.  

The facial expressions in the photos I'm posting here aren't really saying "let's play", however, I was going for a more magazine-style session here, working with new lighting, editing and a new poofy gown for my client wardrobe.  Yes, when you get to my studio, I can dress you up or dress you down, or many even decide to get naked for maternity or boudoir sessions.  It's totally up to you; for this session, I wanted to update my headshot, and I've been playing around with new editing styles, so I wanted to experiment with the editing process that I'm learning about and see if I feel like it's "me" or something my clients would enjoy for themselves.  We shall see, what do you think? 
Anyway, if you've been to my studio, or in front of my lens, you know it could be alot of fun, even for those that are reluctant to get their pictures taken. I offer corporate headshots and have the opportunity to travel to different businesses for headshots sometimes and I absolutely love doing this because I get to meet so many personalities.  Everyone from sales people, to accountants, to CEO's, to administrative professionals to attorneys, builders, hairdressers, realtors, etc.  There are a ton of personalities and some tell me they're NOT smilers.  I always say if you're not a natural smiler, then there's no reason to fake it, but I work on getting a genuine expression from all of the clients that sit in my chair.  Sometimes it's more work than others, but that's the fun of it, and the longer you're in front of my lens, the more we get to talk and the more I get to learn about you and connecting with people is a huge part of my job.  If you're able to chat, connect and feel that playfulness, we can make magic together.  Be open to playing.  We all have flaws...try to embrace it...surrender to it....I can pick myself apart in these photos, but the only one who really cares about the flaws is ME.  Well, if you're out there, caring about my flaws, and picking my photos apart, then I may just use that old Dr. Suess saying about Those who matter don't mind, and those who mind, don't matter.  I've heard that being in your 50's you realize a few things and one of those 'things' is that you learn not to be so hard on yourself...acceptance...it's huge...It's like being a kid again; accepting yourself; not caring about flaws and playing with all the kids around you because all you want to do is connect and play.  
If you're looking for information on our next headshot day, a glamour or boudior session,  please visit www.milliedeephotography.com or call the studio 973.805.FOTO and please follow us on Instagram:  millie_dee_photo.  ENJOY and BE SAFE!  xo  Denise 

Meet Rochelle Golden, the owner and creative mastermind at House of Gold Salon, located at 1250 Sussex Turnpike, Randolph, NJ.  She called me asking for headshots for herself and her gorgeous staff and she and I discussed some details in her pre session consultation.  She wanted the photos taken in her salon (DONE), she wanted the hair salon to be the backdrop (DONE), and she wanted them all wearing black (DONE), I offered some suggestions and we created a really fun day and ended up with alot of gorgeous images.  
Rochelle had mentioned that each stylist had their own theme song for their session. I love it! It definitely helped set the mood for their sessions.  Let me say, when a creative gets to collaborate with another creative, well...you get...creative! ha.  Rochelle and her staff were prepared with their theme song and my prep guide, which offers suggestions on how to get ready for your headshot session.

The gorgeous woman pictured above this paragraph is MY hairstylist, Marianne.  I found her through a friend who always walked around with gorgeous hair, even when it was up in a ponytail at the gym, so I finally asked where she goes.  Marianne and I were supposed to meet in March of, you guessed it, 2020, so it took a few months before we actually had the chance to meet. 
I'd learned that right before Covid, House of Gold had moved to their new Randolph location because Rochelle's former salon burned down!  How crazy, right?  The salon burns down, she rebuilds, and then covid hits!  Here we are 20 months later, and the salon is open and full of talented stylists creating beautiful hair for their clients. 

Although I have a beautiful photography studio in the Landing section of Roxbury Township, New Jersey, I occasionally travel off-site for corporate head shot days; depending on the amount of employees scheduled, sometimes I'm there for a few days and/or bring another photographer with me to help with the workload.  It's always fun.  I used to work in the pharmaceutical industry and lived the corporate life, so it's nice to visit sometimes; although the Golden Girls headshot day was nothing near the corporate lifestyle, we were dancing and the music was cranked.  I think the pictures show they felt relaxed, confident, and that they were ready! Ready for pictures and ready for fun!  Yes, I said FUN..headshot days are fun with Millie Dee Photography.  If you'd like to arrange headshots for your business, you can reach me through the website www.milliedeephotography.com or call 973.805.FOTO.   

The parents that visit my studio before their session are busy people.  Mom is usually the one initiating the photo sessions and visiting the studio for a consultation, to learn about what I offer and what I can offer to my clients.  This is an important step.  I'm going to possibly be capturing such special moments in your life; so most of my clients want to meet me before our session to make sure we 'click', that we 'vibe' that we will see each other's visions and be able to create something beautiful together. 
I can say this - the parents that chose me to photograph both their maternity sessions and their newborn sessions are like family by the end of their sessions; we've spent quite a bit of time together by then, we've had many discussions and many laughs have been shared, too.  
Once clients and I meet at the studio, then work together, there's a relationship that builds and a comfort level that is reached and we're able to connect on a deeper level.  For photography, this is a vital step.  Yes, knowing your camera is important, knowing your lighting, posing, editing, being able to think on your feet, etc...it's all important however, knowing your clients and getting them to let their guard down in front of your camera is of utmost importance.  

Styling a session, talking with clients, getting a feel for how you can best suit their needs, it's all part of creating a great outcome; which for me are happy valued clients that are madly in love with the images we create for their photo albums, for the canvases they decide to have proudly hung on the walls of their homes.  
This mom was SO busy leading up to her session, we squeezed her in last minute for a maternity session, that ended up having to be postponed because of bad weather.  She brought this gown with her and I couldn't wait to use it for when she had the baby, too.  We worked it in for both maternity and newborn.  She and Dad had a lot to choose from when they sat down to view their images at their reveal appointment. 
I love seeing the look on family's faces when they get to see those cute snuggly pictures of their baby from their newborn photo session. 
These precious little ones grow a little bit each day, so within a few weeks, they've made so many changes, but mom and dad will have these images to cherish forever now.  
Millie Dee Photography Studio located at 172 Landing Road, Landing, NJ is a newborn baby and maternity portrait studio and currently booking clients February through April 2022.  Please call if you have questions about newborn or maternity photography or to book a session.