Picture Perfect Holidays with Tracy LaGrua Photography

Like many of you, as soon as our Halloween decorations get put away, I typically spring into Holiday planning mode, charting out Thanksgiving plans as well as a timetable for holiday photos, visits to Santa, decorating, cooking, shopping…and a partridge in a pear tree…

Of course, this year was a bit different for those of us on the East Coast faced with the various aftereffects of Superstorm Sandy.  Thankfully, I got Thanksgiving Dinner under control in time, but I am still in the process of organizing the logistics around many of the previously mentioned items. And I’ve yet to get a partridge in my neighbor’s pear tree (am too consumed with ridding us of the hungry woodpecker nibbling away at my cedar shingles  — another post for another day.)

The good news is it’s not too late to still arrange for family photos to be used as holiday gifts or picture cards.

For the past two years, my parents and I would make our way to our local Picture People to have my son’s Christmas photo taken and our cards made right on the spot. We would make a day out of it – mainly because it would take all three of us to convince Roc to “stay put” on the white screen and not be tempted by the nearby carousel and Build-a-Bear store adjacent to the studio.  (Of course we wound up there immediately after our photo session wrapped.)

While Picture People served its purpose for the past two years — quick, convenient, one-stop-shop — I felt like something was lacking, creatively speaking, and I knew I wanted more from my holiday photos.

Enter Tracy LaGrua Photography.

No blank white canvas to sit your child upon.

No snot-crusted, germ-infested generic “props.”

And not a carousel in sight to tempt your toddler away.

Just pure Tracy – and just pure FUN!

Let me tell you — what a difference a natural environment and a really good photographer can make.

We had opted for an outdoor shoot in a local park in Montclair, New Jersey.  However, now that the weather is a bit cooler, Tracy is shooting in her home studio in Essex County, New Jersey (but give her a call and she can work with you if you have another locale in mind). Regardless of where your shoot takes place, Tracy’s warmth and passion for her craft will elicit natural beauty and smiles from your family photo subjects, thus yielding you AMAZING pictures.

Tracy will use props – but they are props like antique toy wagons, lanterns, textured pillows. And I can assure you they are free of crusted-snot – and many of the ones used for our shoot were brand new, with price tags being removed on set!

Be sure to check out her Facebook page for more information and to see her latest portfolio of work.

And as a special treat for mom a  la mode readers, Tracy LaGrua Photography is offering a free 8X10 print + HD slideshow (a $75 value!) with every session OR a free 8×10 canvas on purchases over $500.  Packages start at just $99 so book your session today!  Just tell her mom a la mode sent ya.

Here’s to a picture perfect holiday.

oxox

-mom a la mode

p.s. to see more photos from my family’s shoot with Tracy LaGrua Photography, please visit mom a la mode on Facebook (while you’re there, give the page a LIKE! xo)

{I was not compensated for this post.  I did receive a complimentary photo shoot and electronic copies of my photos for review purposes.  All opinions expressed her are solely mine.}