In today’s blog post, I have a lovely family milestone to share with you. I recently had the pleasure of photographing the baptism of Laura and Craig’s precious baby girl at Our Lady of Hope Roman Catholic Church. This angel didn’t cry at all (well, not until the very end). So read on to take a look at Laura and Craig’s’s Maspeth baptism photos plus get a few tips for your little one’s big day.
Maspeth Baptism Photos – Portraits at Home
Laura and Craig are big fans of photography. They wanted to have a documentary-feel to their portrait session, so we started the day with photos of the baby getting ready in their home. These images were the highlight of the day because of the authenticity and sheer joy you can see with every family interaction.
The upstairs bedroom has a large window that provided the most light, so we simply proceeded to take photos of Laura’s baby girl getting dressed on the bed. I kept a tight crop and supplemented the images with flash to bring in even more light. The majority of the family portraits were taken in the narrow aisle between the bed and the window. These photos are proof that you always have enough room to take a great photo!
Maspeth Baptism Photos – Photos at the Church
With the formal family portraits out of the way, we made the short walk from the house to the church. This was not going to be a private ceremony, and included one other family. So as not to disturb the proceedings, I made sure to use as much natural light as possible during the ceremony itself. As with all church rituals, I checked in with the priest ahead of time to know the rules of the house.
We had a few minutes before the ceremony was supposed to take place, so I took advantage of the time to snap a few group portraits in front of the church. It was beginning to rain, but the porch roof provided enough protection to get some great photos with natural light.
Unfortunately, Our Lady of Hope Church does not have any access to greenery. Our time was limited, and with the inclement weather, a trip to Juniper Valley Park for more group photos was not in the cards. But if you are in the area and have sunny skies and enough time, then I definitely recommend a trip to the park. Juniper Valley Park is a wonderful spot for family photos (check out my photos here).
Baptism Photo Tips
A few pro tips for your baptism: make sure you check with the church ahead of time to confirm the church’s photography policy. Many churches, especially in the case of first communions, are not allowing professional photographers to take photos until after the ceremony ends. Furthermore, churches often have designated areas for photographers to stand, and normally no one is allowed in the altar area.
Afterwards we took a few more family photos in front of the altar and beside the beautiful stained glass windows. The day ended with the family heading off to Howard Beach for an intimate dinner. Enjoy the images and I’ll have more photo adventures for you next week!
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Hiring a professional photographer to document your family milestones is always a good investment. Drop me a line, and let’s chat about your photography needs.
If you would like to see more family event images, like these Maspeth baptism photos, then please visit my website – KellyWilliamsPhotographer.com
