She's Here! Christina + Tom | Atco NJ Photographer

I remember the first week my wife and I brought our son home.Those first 7 days, plus the 4 days prior we had spent in the Hospital were the most physically and emotionally draining 11 days I had experienced. If you've been through it, you know what I mean. Well, Christina and Tom were at about day 10 when I came to photograph their new edition, Gabriella. They were holding up great and adjusting even better. After a little fussiness, a bottle or formula and some swaddling - she was lights out and I could finally grab some shots of her.


Thanks again to Christina and Tom for letting me into their home to document this special time in their lives.


Here are a few shots:

Family Life: Jess + Chuck | Far Hills NJ Family Photographer

I don't know how they do it, but some how they keep it together. I've known Jess for only a short time and only through her job. That's it. I knew she had a few kids, but you don't quite fully understand until you're right in the middle of it. Me, I have one son - one. And man, since he started crawling/walking I feel like Rocky Balboa when Mick made him chase chickens to get in shape.

Both Jess & Chuck work full time, Jess owns her own business and throw 4 kids in the mix...well, make that 5 kids in the next few months - because there's another little one on the way.  I have to hand it to them - I don't know how they do it.


 Here's some of their shots...

Maternity: Christina + Tom | Atco NJ Maternity Photographer

Somehow I became friends with Christina on Facebook and not too long after I saw a posting from her that she was looking for a photographer to take her maternity photos. So, I shot her an email and eventually we set a date. After a slight hiccup due to Hurricane Irene, I finally got down to their house last Saturday for her session.

Sometimes, you show up to people's houses and well, it's weird. Without a face to face consultation, it's the first time we all meet. It has to be weird for them as well, here I am - a stranger - and I come strolling into someone's home. However, it couldn't have been more the opposite with Christina and Tom. I walked in, we started chatting - everything was cool and relaxed and it stayed that way throughout the shoot. At the end of the day, it felt like we were old friends who hadn't seen each other in a while. And, I'll tell you what, good energy produces good results.

Christina and Tom, thank you for welcoming me into your home and letting me document your journey. You are both beautiful people and I'm very much looking forward to meeting your little girl!

Here's a few shots from their session...

Lens: 50mm   F/2   1/800   ISO 200

Lens: 50mm   F/2   1/100   ISO 800

Lens: 50mm   F/2   1/100   ISO 800

Earthquake | Scared NJ Photographer

I sat doing some work this afternoon when my chair began to shake. I then realized that not only the chair was moving, but the ground was moving as well. A friend and I looked at each other like - HUH? I quickly thought, was there an accident or something outside...did a plane crash nearby? However, in that same split second I realized, we're having an earthquake. HOLY S#*% we're having an earthquake - HA. I never thought I'd ever say those words, but today I did. Probably the most surreal feeling I've ever felt. You know, normally you feel something like that because something you SEE caused it. Say your walking around your neighborhood and a truck drives by; you see it coming and as it passes you the ground shakes. The truck moves on and so does the shaking. Cause and Effect. Yes, there are causes beneath the ground that I won't pretend to know, but feeling what I felt and not being able to point at something to blame was weird. And, I have to admit pretty cool. As far as I know everyone is OK, which is great.

Today on the news they said it was the biggest earthquake in the area in 114 years? Think about that.

I learned a few things today.

1. No matter what, raisins will stick to the bottom of the box because they think they're funny. Seriously, spent my morning swearing at the box of raisins I ate - after I tore the box to shreds due to some minor frustration.

2. Love my family. I know the earthquake was minor up here in the tri-state area, but hey, you never know if/when it could happen again and at what strength. Appreciate the people around you.

3. IT CAN HAPPEN. Like I said, today a 6.0 earthquake hit the east coast. Say that again to yourself. It made me think about the ridiculous amount of scientists and important people who said it couldn't happen. Moral of the story, don't let people tell you it can't happen or you can't do it. You have a dream? You want to do something great? Go do it. What's stopping you? Some naysayer saying you can't? I can  guarantee you whatever it is you want to do, stranger...crazier things have happened. Don't be afraid to fail!

Lastly, a photographer named Chase Jarvis out of Seattle posted this link on his blog today about the earthquake. Basically, West Coast people think we're wimps. Take a peak...


http://www.grist.org/list/2011-08-23-photos-of-devastation-from-the-east-coast-earthquake

Allow Me To Introduce Myself...

My name is Cipriano. No, no...not "CHIP - Ree - Ah - No"... like the restaurant in NYC (well, Cipriani's; it's close enough)...but Cipriano, "Sip - Ree - Ah - No"...Cipriano. There, you did it!! You know, when my son was born a nurse came into the room at one point during our four day stay and in conversation asked his name. I told her -- Cipriano. She said, "What? How do you spell that?" I told her. She said, "You know,  in Italy they'd pronounce it 'Chip - riano." I reminded her we were still in New Jersey. Yes, maybe I was a teeny, tiny bit snooty but hey, I was cooped up in that hospital room for four days on barely any sleep with no sense of time or grasp of the outside world. It was like being in Atlantic City or Vegas, someone could drop you in the middle of a casino and you'd have absolutely no idea what time of day it is or what was happening beyond it's walls. Plus, the instant that kid arrives, you immediately begin to protect them, defend them & realize you'd really do just about anything for them. Anyway...

I am a photographer. I grew up with cameras in my hand. Still cameras, camcorders; you name it. At one point as a young teenager (about 14) I had a sweetest bedroom setup on my block. I bought a cheap sound mixer from Radioshak for my birthday. I had two CD players and a record turntable hooked into it. So I could basically have 3 songs going at once and mix them like a DJ. I also had a TV hooked to it. I would edit my movies and use the mixer to overlay music or even my own voice. I remember one night I had taken footage of my Mom, Dad & Brother. Then, we sat in my room doing voiceovers. So, then end video had my Dad talking with my voice coming out of his mouth, my mom with my brother's voice and so on and so forth. It's what I did. Take pictures - either still or moving.

Life made sense to me through a lens and at a young age. Why, no clue. Maybe because I could control it all and in real life you can't. Whatever the case I fell in love. But, for some reason, it was just something I did, but not as a career. I thought you had to work a 9 - 5 and play it safe and do things a certain way. But a few years ago, in my early twenties, I was sick of doing that. I wanted to do what I wanted to do. I wanted to do what I love. My worst fear is sitting with my wife when we're old and shriveled and questioning why I just played it safe and never took any chances my entire life. I fear that, seriously. I will do anything to not let it happen.

So, not long ago I just DID IT. I started Cipriano Photography (www.ciprianophotography.com) and never looked back. What do I shoot you ask, well, I'm a lifestyle photographer I shoot anything and everything. My focus, and majority of my clients, are Maternity, Newborn, Kids & Family Portraits. No, not portraits like you take in the mall for $10 while sitting on a white cloth. I shoot all over. At your house, beach house, park, city, country, rooftops - everywhere.

A few things before I go to sleep, because I need it...bad. To anyone who received my oversized postcard you immediately get 10% of your total cost, as long as you book in the month of AUGUST.

A couple other things (links) to check out...first and foremost click HERE to visit my main website. Then see below:

Why Custom Photography?

Facebook ( Friend me then find my Cipriano Photography page and LIKE ME! )

I'll leave you all with this, I'm an artist and photography is my art form. I love it with a passion and don't know what I'd do without it. I love to work with people and families and all walks of life...that being said, I have the best clients in the world. If you decide to book a session with me, great...fantastic...can't wait to meet and work with you and your family. If not, no sweat, we can still be friends :) I do book very quickly however, so hop on it if your interested. I only have limited availability left in August.

'til next time...

Last Minute Shoot | Bridgewater NJ Child Photographer

In talking with a few old friends of mine, we'll call them Harry & Sally, Sally mentioned casually that she was taking the kids to the mall for a photo shoot. To me, those words sound like nails on a chalkboard.
  
      "Wait, wait wait...you're going to do what!?!?"

I couldn't let this happen. So I explained to Sally I was a photographer and what type of photography I do. I told her to get her kids in some cool clothes and meet me in her backyard in five. I went to grab my camera.
Now, under normal circumstances, it usually works like this. A client will contact me and book a photo session. Then, we'll schedule a consultation (either in person or on the phone) and we'll discuss the shoot. Talk about their kid(s), what they like to do, what the 'vision' is for the shoot, etc. Obviously, in this case there was no time. No time to plan. No time to get the cliff notes on the kids...NADA. For a minute I felt like I was back in college again and I had a 10 page paper due the next day on a topic that I knew nothing about. But hey, I was good under pressure then and I still am now. I walked around their house for a few minutes to see if I could find some cool props and/or something to work with. They had some cool stuff - thankfully.
So, for the next hour or so, I basically just ran around and played with the kids, talked with the parents and just tried to integrate myself into their family to make every thing seem normal and to keep the kids acting normal as if I wasn't there. Got some cool stuff...check out the website for more!

A Day At Camp | Clinton NJ Family Photographer

This past Saturday I had a wonderful shoot. I set out early in the morning and arrived at and old Summer Camp site. Awesome. Tons of history behind the place. I took a tour around the grounds with the Husband/Dad just to get a feel of what I was working with. Around every corner, there was a great place to shoot. Wonderful colors, wonderful light and if the weather held out it would be a great day.

When I meet families, families that are strangers to me, I immediately begin to observe and study them. Not in a bad way, but in a way that helps me see what makes them tick. How they interact with each other, the dynamic of them as a unit. It might take me a while to really get underneath the surface, the reason being it takes them a while to get used to me because I'm a stranger to them as well. But at one point during each shoot their comes a distinct moment where it hits me and I can really SEE the people I'm working with. They, just for an instant, forget they're doing a photo shoot - they forget that someone is even taking their picture. And, in that instant I see exactly who they are - case and point on Saturday. The family went inside to make their last wardrobe change. The Dad and son came strolling out first, both with a guitar in their hands. They made their way to a small set of old wooden bleachers that surrounded a stone fire pit and sat down. Within the next two minutes the mom and daughter came out and sat beside them. In the same moment, the Dad began to play his guitar and sang to his wife and children. He played, they sang and danced around like I wasn't even there and it was absolutely beautiful to watch. And, in that moment, I saw who these people were. For a split second, I almost forgot I was supposed to be taking pictures. Check out some of the shots below or visit www.ciprianophotography.com for more!!

The Lonely Fisherman

Yes, Cipriano Photography is open for business. Maternity, newborns, children, families -- all around lifestyle (portrait) photography. Now, the below photo may stray a bit from the "family" style photography that I do, however, I love the story it tells. That's the beauty of photography, from just looking at a single picture, we create an entire backstory for it. It's voodoo...it's magical.

I was taking a short weekend trip with my wife and son and I woke up on Saturday morning - early, like 4:30am early. Not by choice, the little guy likes to do this trick where he thinks he's an alarm clock and wakes us up! Anyway, by 5:00am I had given up hope on falling back to sleep. So, I grabbed my camera and headed out. First, of course, I stopped and had a coffee. Then, walked over to the beach. This beach in particular always has a ton of morning fishermen, they line the water, about 20 yards apart for as far as you can see. I walked to water line snapping some pictures of various fisherman. Then, I noticed him. This particular fisherman was a little farther down than the others and much farther apart. He was with another guy, but almost pretended that he wasn't even there. The fisherman not in the photo was making frantic trips back and forth - to the cooler, back to the pole....back to the cooler, back to the pole. But, our main man here - stood completely still. I wondered, what he was thinking about? Maybe he was just taking in the same view that I was or maybe he was right where he wanted to be and didn't want to move to spoil the moment. Whatever the case, I snapped this shot and immediately knew I had a keeper. What do you guys think??