Family Photography at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden with Cherry Blossoms!
It was so much fun to photograph two toddler sessions at the BBG last week! My son Henry joined in on the fun, while I photographed his friends Emilia and Mila being photographed with their families! Akiko’s bubbles that stole the show, as we wrangled toddlers back to the blanket… but there goes a truck, and another stroller and a kid on a scooter with a cool shiny helmet!
I could shoot families all day there, it’s so beautiful….
Here is one of my favorite Park Slope maternity sessions. We photographed Meg’s bump in the summer in Prospect Park.
I had the pleasure of photographing Meg, her husband, and their toddler daughter at their home and in the park. Meg’s baby was 36 weeks gestation. She was starting to feel heavy and more tired than the first time around. This time she had a 2 year old toddler to chase while trying to get some rest!
Photographing maternity sessions and family portrait sessions now that I have a child is so different than it used to be. I can remember the excitement and nervousness as I counted down the weeks before meeting my baby. We photographed the pregnancy, and we also photographed Henry weekly in his first few months! He was growing so quickly and his face looked different every month!
There are so many first year milestones to photograph too, from sitting to crawling, to cruising, to walking. There are also so many wonderful moments when you are pregnant to document. We photographed our trip to Iceland. I remember feeling Henry kick for the first time while in Reykjavik! Those butterfly flutters, they were so cool. We also documented the baby shower party we had in our courtyard that summer. I remember how weird it was to be so large you can’t see your own feet. So I understand the urgency in booking a maternity session at the right time (and the same thing goes for newborn and child portrait sessions).
In my experience, maternity sessions are best done when you are in the earlier part of the 3rd trimester. You’re not too big to move, and still look good in your cute maternity outfits! You may be unable to walk more than five blocks without severe pelvic pain late in the 3rd, which doesn’t make it ideal for sessions with a few locations. However, any time before 24 weeks may be too early to feature the bump.
Meg’s background as a dancer shone through in the portraits I did of her solo. She exuded calm and grace, posed with her bump in the bedroom, and in Prospect Park with her family. Her bags weren’t packed, but she didn’t seem to worry! She had a laissez-faire attitude. I really admire this quality in a mom-to-be!
In my 15 years of photographing weddings, I’m seen many New York venues. I have such a fondness for Foundry Weddings! I love the juxtaposition of urban and garden at The Foundry. Even in the colder months, the leafy walls surrounding the venue and open air on the terrace offer a feeling of lushness and serenity.
From the Foundry in Long Island City, the guests are looking at the skyline of Manhattan from a good distance. This skyline lends itself to some beautiful backdrops for photos of the bride and groom.
I’m so honored to have been invited to France to photograph Mia and Sean’s Paris wedding. The stylish couple were wed at Le Pavilion Etoile across from the Arc de Triomphe! Mia’s joie de vivre was captured in and around Palais Royal in the premier arrondissement, at Laduree’s patisserie, and on Coco Chanel’s historic mirrored staircase… It was a really beautiful affair, and a great week spent in France!
Please follow me on Instagram at @karenwisephoto to see more!
Mia and Sean’s Parisian destination wedding took place in an elegant loft space facing the famous Arc de Triomphe. During the wedding day, the bride and groom visited the original Ladurée, Mia’s favorite sweets bakery! Laduree’s treats were served to the guests as part of the dessert options. Before their ceremony, the Mia and Sean also visited Coco Chanel’s original atelier, where Karen photographed the bride on the famous staircase of Chanel‘s first runway show! What a dream come true for Mia, and what a dreamy week for the couple and guests!
Here is an example of a matted Queensberry wedding album in genuine leather in blueberry. Isn’t this blue color exquisite? The album cover was padded and leather is soft but the ivory pages are thick and sturdy. My client chose to have the names and date debossed on the cover. We designed and printed two large 12×12″ albums, one for the wedding and another for the rehearsal dinner + Sunday brunch.
Here are a couple of newly made Iris Book wedding albums that I designed for two of my clients with Cypress Albums. They were made in English Linen and in Irish Linen, two incredibly gorgeous fabric selections!
“The Iris Book is created with thick, heirloom pages and true photographic prints. The design and feel of this book with your beautiful images is simply breathtaking! Enjoy!” – Cypress
This Spring I had the pleasure of photographing model Stella Maxwell for H&M at her Met Gala dress fitting. The designers created an intricate low cut beaded gown which swayed as Stella walked down the red carpet and nine of my portraits ended up being featured in Teen Vogue!
It was so much fun to shoot Mia + Sean’s super cool New York City Hall wedding in January. How sweet and joyful are these two? Mia + Sean’s unique post-ceremony photo session was set in the cobblestone streets of the meatpacking district near Hotel Gansevoort. The fashionable bride wore a silk flowing gown and a faux fur stole, to complete her wintery classic NYC look. After a chilly and brisk walk outside, the couple warmed up by jumping and cuddling on the bed with their pup. A few months later, Mia + Sean had a reception with family and friends in Paris! I was so honored to photographed their Parisian wedding too! You may see photos from that destination wedding HERE on my website.
This Spring I had the pleasure of photographing model Stella Maxwell for H&M at her Met Gala dress fitting. The designers created an intricate low cut beaded gown which swayed as Stella walked down the red carpet and nine of my portraits ended up being featured in 
Henry at 5 months old. Not quite sitting up on his own yet, but with a little bit of support. His gummy smile makes me melt! XO