Debbie Allan Photography

I have moved | Debbie Allan Photography

2011-03-16T11:16:00.005-04:00

Change is good.

You can now follow my new blog over here:

My new blog

A Special Tarrytown Resident Celebrates his birthday today |Debbie Allan Photography |

2011-03-09T07:56:00.000-05:00

Today is an exceptional mans birthday. He is an amazing father, husband, volunteer fire fighter and wears the hats of plumber, electrician, carpenter etc in our house (he also has a full time job!!)

Happy Birthday sweetheart. Thank you so much for being YOU.

Missing in action (again) | Family Photographer | Debbie Allan Photography

2011-03-07T09:43:00.002-05:00

February was a busy month of reorganizing, preparing for a new phase for Debbie Allan Photography. My studio space is almost complete. The canvases and prints were hung last night with the help of Mr A. I realized that I need MORE BIG CANVASES. I was laughing to myself, as I am always saying to clients bigger is better. I should listen to my own advise! So today I am going to place a huge order. I think this is a work in progress as there will still be space to fill.

It is looking great and I am really excited to do the big unveil........soon.

No sneak peaks I am afraid.

Instead I have a little slideshow for you to enjoy. On Saturday I had the pleasure of attending Sophia's 5th Birthday. She had chosen a rainbow theme, which had proven a little challenging for the Chief Party Planner as there is not too much rainbow "stuff" out there. CPP pulled it off so well, so much attention to detail. The cake was superb.

Sophia was on a cloud the whole time, just look at the smile on her face. She was already planning her 6th birthday party, as she sat waiting for her cake to arrive!

Another winter newborn | Westchester and Hudson Valley Newborn Photographer | Debbie Allan Photography

2011-01-25T12:29:00.002-05:00

Dodging snowfall and snow days seems to be the theme lately. We ended up being so lucky that we scheduled baby O for Monday as this week looks to be yet another very snowy one. As I type this entry the snow is falling steadily once more. Happy that I have an easy commute today - down the stairs!

It was a pleasure to meet baby O and his family yesterday. At only 8 days old he was already very aware of the world around him and was not too keen to curl up and act like a newborn! He was much more content to stretch out and explore the space around him.

"Big" brother was such a joy to spend time with. He was so gentle and tender with his new baby brother. I look forward to seeing their relationship grow. They are going to be perfect play mates.

Thank you so much for welcoming me into your beautiful home and a huge thanks for the tasty lunch too. What a treat.

Here are a few of my favorites from the session.

2011-01-23T12:49:00.003-05:00

Back in November I was invited to Sleepy Hollow Middle Show to take part in their Career Day. I was honored to be asked to participate in this wonderful event. Students were asked to sign up for two workshop sessions. Each session gave the students the opportunity to meet with a professional in a field that they were interested in. The selection and variety of careers represented were phenomenal. The Village Judge, a Police Officer, several TV producers and Chef from a local upscale restaurant were just some of the 25+ careers represented.

The response from students was overwhelmingly positive and can be summarized by the comment, “I can’t wait until next year!”

Students were asked by the art teacher to create an art piece representing each career. This artwork was presented to each of us as a gift. I was thrilled with mine and it now sits in pride of place on my desk.

Newborn Baby Asher | 6 days old | Park Slope, Brooklyn |Debbie Allan Photography

2011-01-19T18:12:00.004-05:00

Last week I had the pleasure of meeting the most adorable baby boy, Asher. His parents made me feel so welcome in their gorgeous apartment. When mommy had told me about their floor to ceiling windows I was very excited. What a perfect place for a photo shoot. His nursery was beautifully decorated with an owl theme.

The light was AMAZING. Asher was AMAZING. Mommy and Daddy were SO PROUD (and AMAZING!) I wish I had a second shooter as I missed capturing them adoringly watching on as I captured images of their handsome newborn baby boy. The pet cat even enjoyed watching over Asher and managed to get in a few shots too!

I was in awe of their calmness given they had been parents for less than a week. Asher is one lucky little boy.

First newborn session of 2011 for Debbie Allan Photography | Tarrytown and Sleepy Hollow Newborn Photgrapher |

2011-01-16T17:12:00.004-05:00

Baby Noa arrived seven weeks early, back in December. Amazing to think that at three weeks old she was having her first photo shoot and technically she should not have been here quite yet.

As the third baby in the family she was getting lots of love and attention from big brother and sister. They have adjusted so well. It has been tough for them, with mommy on bed rest and then in hospital for so long. Mommy and Daddy's calm manner certainly has a great deal to do with the way I and J were so carefree and happy. They gave her a nickname before she was born, the cutest nickname I have ever heard, Twinkle. I have a feeling that may stick around for a long time.

At a birth weight of 4lb 14oz, Noa is my smallest newborn to date. All of my hats swamped her little head. Hard to believe that she has already started to out grow some of her premmie clothes.

It was tough getting her mommy's wedding ring to sit on her delicate toes for one of my favorite newborn poses. With a little help from mommy we managed it eventually.

I am looking forward to seeing more of the L family at the pool this summer. It seems like a distant dream right now, as I look out of my window at the snow covered garden.

A blog entry just does not seem complete without a slideshow these days.

2010 in Pictures

2011-01-05T21:47:00.001-05:00

Well the first week of 2011 is almost over already. I have been reflecting on the year 2010. It was a great year for Debbie Allan Photography. I had the pleasure of meeting so many new families and catching up with many "old" ones too. I love seeing how much each child has grown and how their little personalities begin to take shape.

I feel so lucky to be doing something that I absolutely LOVE.

2010 was a wonderful year, filled with opportunities and I feel sure that 2011 will be even bigger and better.

THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO HELPED MAKE 2010 A TRULY AMAZING EXPERIENCE FOR ME.

I look forward seeing you again in 2011 and welcoming new families into my little world too.

Sit back and enjoy this slideshow, highlighting 2010 as seen through my lens.

PHOTO CREDIT TO GRETCHEN MCFARLAND for the image I appear in!

My New Years Resolution for 2011 and beyond ...... book a family portrait session for my family EVERY year.

Canvas Cluster Layout | Tarrytown and Sleepy Hollow Family Photographer | Debbie Allan Photography

2011-01-03T13:40:00.000-05:00

Thanks to a great photographer friend, Stephanie and her photoshop talent I am now able to create custom canvas cluster layout ideas. I put together this one using some of my favorite images from M and R's engagement session. It features 4 8x12 canvases and 1 16x24.

I am looking forward to creating several clusters for our house.

What I am working on today | Engagement Session NYC | Debbie Allan Photography

2011-01-01T16:58:00.004-05:00

Last month I had the pleasure of meeting up with M and R in Chelsea for their engagement session. It was the coldest day of the year so far, but they toughed it out and did not complain about the frigid temperatures and icy wind that was blowing off the Hudson!

This session was especially fun as I was working with Natasha. She always likes to think outside the box and so in order to get the first shot she had in her mind she had people tripping over her in the entrance to Chelsea Market on a busy, pre Christmas Sunday afternoon. It was so worth the funny looks we got as she absolutely bagged the shot she was after.

Cannot wait to see the rest.

I am finishing up my gallery this week. I am LOVING working on them and reminiscing - it was such a wonderful afternoon.

Thank you so much for your patience M and R. Here are my favs so far.

I put together a slideshow of the images from their gallery. I LOVE it and hope they will too.

Thanks to a great photographer friend, Stephanie and her photoshop talent I am now able to create custom canvas cluster layout ideas. I put together this one using some of my favorite images from M and R's engagement session. It features 4 8x12 canvases and 1 16x24.

Natasha and I are looking forward to partnering more in 2011. We have our first joint wedding venture in April. If you know anyone who tied the knot this holiday season please let me know. We have some great promotional offers for engagement sessions in the making.

HAPPY NEW YEAR | Personalized DVD and Case at a special price| Debbie Allan Photography

2011-01-01T12:29:00.009-05:00

So happy to wish you all a very Happy New Year. I am looking forward to 2011 and the opportunities it will bring for Debbie Allan Photography.

I have a list of plans for 2011, with some wonderful developments brewing.... for now I have the first of many announcements to make:

I am excited to inform you of a New Year Special Offer to all clients who booked a session in 2010. If you would like to purchase a high resolution DVD featuring all images from your 2010 session gallery I am offering a fantastic reduced price of $850 for the month of January. That is a saving of $145.

Each DVD will come in a gorgeous, personalized presentation case, with magentic closure. They look and feel sturdy, yet beautiful. They are the perfect way to preserve those precious images.

I know you will agree this is an amazing offer and one that will not be around for long.

Contact me before 31st January to order your copy.

Last newborn of 2010 | Stamford Connecticut Newborn | Debbie Allan Photography

2010-12-31T15:16:00.004-05:00

I had the pleasure of meeting baby Kavin and his family this week. What a perfect way to end the year. He slept so soundly for almost the entire time. Just when it was time for photographs with proud mommy and daddy he woke up.

At one week old he was so content to curl up in a ball and sleep. I LOVE LOVE LOVE his perfect little lips.

His maternal grandmother was visiting from India. I just had to have an image of her with her first grandchild. She was a little reluctant when I first asked her, but once she decided to partake she was so natural in front of the camera. I was thrilled with the image below. It was such a tender moment. The second I clicked the shutter I knew it was going to be amazing. I cannot wait to hear what she thinks of it.

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I am looking forward to editing the rest of the gallery as they are truly incredible.

Happy New Year. I will return in 2011......

Belated Merry Christmas

2010-12-29T22:11:00.003-05:00

Wow, what a busy run up to Christmas it was. My poor blog got neglected once again. I was expecting December to be a quiet, catch up time, but I ended up with several last minute shoots as well as several layflat book orders and before I knew it Christmas Eve was upon us.

I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas and are now preparing for your New Year Celebrations.

Our Christmas did not quite go as planned. Our friends were stuck in UK due to canceled flights and so they did not make it to Tarrytown to celebrate Christmas with us, which has been the tradition since we moved here five years ago.

Somehow I guess it was meant to be that they were not here as the boys both ended up having to go to the doctor on Christmas morning (after opening their gifts). They both have Strep!

As you can imagine Christmas Day was rather quiet around here. I am hoping we will be able to have a belated Christmas with Roz and Stuart over the New Year weekend. Fingers crossed their third attempt to fly back from London tomorrow actually happens.

It was great to get out today. I took the boys to the NY Botanical Gardens. We are heading back tomorrow morning to see the Train Show.

Santa was kind enough to send me an annual family membership to the gardens and so you can expect to see lots more photos through the year!

For now my favorite from today.

Layflat Albums

2010-12-13T10:58:00.000-05:00

I had so much fun putting together my latest layflat album. I enjoyed looking back on a gallery I had put together back in April. It was a pre communion shoot for Emily. It seems like such a long time ago.

If any previous clients would like me to put together an album of their gallery please do not hesitate to contact me. They are such beautiful keepsakes. Something you will want to leave out on display on your coffee table for all to enjoy.

I think you will agree - this is beautiful. Layflat Books are truly spectacular. Exactly what their name implies, they lay flat so photographs aren’t distorted by binding or creased by a hinge.

Anna Turns 3 | Stamford CT Family Photographer | Debbie Allan Photography

2010-11-30T12:37:00.005-05:00

Having two boys I do not get a chance to hang out with too many three year old girls for tea parties, so as you can imagine I was excited to be invited to Anna's 3rd birthday party. Mom had gone all out on the party planning and her attention to detail was AMAZING. The girls enjoyed flower shaped sandwiches, butterfly shaped cookies, personalized Hershey Kisses and pretty pink lemonade with butterfly straws.

They decorated their PINK cupcakes with sprinkles and spent some time dancing/flying around like butterflies as well as completing a little craft activity.

It was fun to watch how they enjoyed wearing their butterfly wings the entire time. Such girlie fun. A million miles away from my mommy world!

I put together a little slideshow for the family to enjoy.

Newborn Twins | Upper East Side | Debbie Allan Photography

2010-11-30T09:13:00.003-05:00

I was thrilled to be contacted by the sister in law of one of my local clients. She had just given birth to twins and had seen the newborn shoot I had done of her nephew earlier this year.

It was a pleasure to have the opportunity to work with the A family and their adorable babies. G and G were a month old and were already in an amazing routine. Mommy called that a gift from NICU. The routine was thrown a little off by their first photo session, as little sister thought her brother was food at one point.

It is always a little more challenging doing a multiples shoot - to get both babies settled and asleep at the same time. However G and G seemed to be so at ease and most relaxed when they were next to each other. It was incredible to see them together.

Their personalities are already developing and it was so much fun to see them in action.

Mom and Dad are so calm and confident with them. I always love meeting first time parents and seeing them taking their new roles as parents in their stride. It was hard to believe they were new to it.

Thank you so much for welcoming me into your beautiful home.

I owe Daddy a huge apology. Not being a football fan I had NO IDEA that there was such an important game on during your session. I hope you did not miss too much. I was wondering why Manhattan streets were so deserted as I drove home!

Daddy Look a like

This slideshow requires tissues - they are so perfect. I love the way even their legs and feet snuggle up together.

Sisterly Love | Tarrytown Family Photographer | Debbie Allan Photography

2010-11-19T09:19:00.003-05:00

I was worried that we were not going to have a chance to connect this year for the McC family shoot. Mom had scheduled it months in advance and then the night before the scheduled date one of the girls was unwell. This time of year can be tough keeping the children germ free.

Between my schedule and theirs is was proving a little challenging to reschedule. So glad it worked out. I always have such a wonderful time with C and G. They are both growing up. C is a very proficient reader now and was excited to read to me from one of her new books. She is quite the little book worm. Little sister G did a great job reading to me too, with a little ad lib here and there. I love that.

Enjoy the slideshow

S Family Christmas Photo Session | Sleepy Hollow Portrait Photographer | Debbie Allan Photography

2010-11-11T20:40:00.003-05:00

It is impossible to believe that it was a year ago that I last photographed the S family. We headed to Rockwood Hall for this years session, which is one of those places I never tire of going to. The views of the Hudson and the Palisades are amazing. It was a little chilly at times, but we covered a lot of ground, which helped to keep us warm.

Little M, is almost three and was not really into having is photograph taken this year. He likes to be in charge and his plan for the morning did not involve having family photographs taken. Big Brother R is so patient and understanding. He was a huge help to me in ensuring that M was in the shots. Thank you so much for your assistance R.

This was the first shot of the morning and is one of my favorites. It sets the mood for the rest of the gallery. M looks like he is brewing a plan!

I love this one of R being spontaneous. Fortunately I was ready to capture him having fun.

Family Christmas Photo Session | Tarrytown Family Photographer | Debbie Allan Photography

2010-11-11T19:52:00.001-05:00

The holidays are rapidly approaching, which I find hard to believe. As every family photographer knows this is the busiest time of year, with many clients booking sessions for their annual family Christmas card.

I have known the D family for quite some time, but this was their first photo session with me. We decided their home was the perfect backdrop for the session. What a great choice. The children felt relaxed, playing on their own "turf".

I love three year olds and little Miss D was so much fun. We played hide and seek for a while. Listening to her count was the cutest thing. She idolizes her big brother and watches his every move.

I have so many favorites from this session. I think mom and dad may have a hard time selecting from their gallery.

Proud Parent| Town Wide Kid Helpers - TWKH | Tarrytown and Sleepy Hollow

2010-11-04T08:09:00.001-04:00

Two weeks ago on a warm Sunday afternoon a group of VIPS gathered in the Children's Room at the Warner Library for a celebration. The VIPs ranged in age from 3 - 10 years of age. These children all have something very special in common.... their love for the community in which they are growing up and a sense of understanding what it is to volunteer time and energy to help others less fortunate than themselves.

Major Drew Fixell honored each and every one of the children at this special award ceremony, presenting each child with a certificate and reading a proclamation, declaring Monday 25th October Gunpowder Kids Day.

For a more detailed article see Tarrytown Patch

A huge thanks to Rob for the amazing cupcakes he provided for the children.

Bronxville Family Shoot | Westchester Baby and Family Photographer | Debbie Allan Photography

2010-11-02T11:20:00.001-04:00

I love new locations for shoots. Although I have visited the NY Botanical Gardens many times this was my first visit with clients.

The K family were a pleasure to work with and four month old baby L is such a cutie. The weather was perfect, in fact it was unseasonably warm. No need for layers that was for sure. How the weather has changed in a very short space of time. Hats, jackets and gloves were in order this morning! Feels like winter already!

Multi Generation Shoot

2010-10-26T13:14:00.002-04:00

I know only too well how hard it is to have the opportunity to get extended family photographs when there are thousands of miles separating family members. When I was asked by the A family to capture some moments for this family as they came together from Singapore and the Philippines I was thrilled at the opportunity.

It was so rewarding to observe the adoration D has for her grandfather. As she sat in his lap he melted with delight. The interaction between the two of them so was special.

IMAGES OF A GRANDFATHER MELTING??

The Highline

2010-10-25T08:17:00.005-04:00

I have been looking forward to a return visit to the High Line for some time. This week my garden club, Hill and Dale organized a group visit.

I have now experienced the High Line in Spring, Summer and Fall. Just waiting for a cold, icy Winters day to complete the year. This is one place that I will never tire of visiting. There is something new to enjoy each time.

I particularly enjoyed the ornamental grasses and the hydrangea in their Fall state. Their muted tones seem to fit so well with the season.

Baby Madeleine | Newborn Photographer Stamford CT | Debbie Allan Photography

2010-10-21T08:30:00.004-04:00

Last week I had the pleasure of meeting the R family and their new edition, Baby Madeleine. I think she had eating and staying awake on her agenda for the whole morning. I did manage to get a few minutes of sleepy newborn looking shots, but for the most part she was WIDE AWAKE. This always gives me an opportunity to capture beautiful eye contact with proud parent shots, which I love to do.

I am always happy when clients have a special item or two to share for the shoot. This little young lady had a wonderful selection of props. My favorite was her white newborn tutu! How cute.

Mom and Dad made me feel very welcome. There is something so special about newborn shoots, watching new mommy and daddy interacting with their new little one is precious. J and B looked liked seasoned pros with little Madeleine.

I cannot wait to share their gallery with them, but for now here are some of my favorites from the session.

Campbell's 6th birthday

2010-10-13T13:49:00.001-04:00

Hard to believe that our baby turned 6 a few weeks ago. I was lucky enough to celebrate with his classmates and teacher Mrs Von Essen. He was thrilled to be allowed to stand on a chair in the front of the classroom to blow out his candle!

After the cupcake celebration Campbell demonstrated how to play "conkers" a good old fashion playground game from the homeland! Some of the children had never seen a conker/chestnut before. Not sure it will take off as a playground sport though - too many black eyes and damaged knuckles. No one really cared about stuff like that in 1970's or was that just in Hornchurch??? Tough Essex kids.

Another New Product | Tarrytown Sleepy Hollow Family Photographer | Debbie Allan Photography |

2010-10-12T21:16:00.002-04:00

I am always excited to try out new products and love when my clients react in the same way I do to the look and feel of them. I was thrilled with the results of the new printed CD and case I created last week. I am going to be placing orders for many more of these I can tell.

Family Time | Fall Camping in the Catskills | Debbie Allan Photography

2010-10-12T20:13:00.005-04:00

I do question why I love Fall camping so much as I pack the winter jackets, hats and gloves, but am instantly reminded on the drive. The scenery it stunning and the feeling of the cool crisp air is well worth having to bundle up for. The bonus is when the daytime temperature reaches the low 70's.

We are so lucky to live in such a beautiful part of the country, where we truly experience the four seasons in all of their glory. Fall is one of my favorite times of year here in NY State. Apple picking, falling leaves, bursts of color, pumpkin pie and good old fashion outdoor fun with the family.

We had the pleasure of 3/4 of the Rogers family joining us on this Columbus Weekend camping trip. Sadly Maureen had to work. Tim and the children were experiencing their first family camping trip. It was great to share their excitement. There was lots of laughter along the way, and TONS of great food, thanks to Maureen's thoughtfulness.

It was our first time at Mongaup Pond campground and although the setting was beautiful this campsite is not our favorite.

We spent time hiking one of the trails on the campground on Saturday. Craig then took Bridget and Cameron for a little mountain biking through the woods, which they loved.

Tim got the opportunity to try out his canoeing skills and as a result his cold water survival techniques too. Sadly my camera and I were on the opposite side of the pond at the time.

We were joined by Tom and Jamie on Saturday evening for a while. Shame we did not have more time to spend with them.

On our return home we were already planning some spring and summer camping weekends for next year. Cannot wait. Hoping Maureen will be able to join us then.

T Family Portraits | Rutherford NJ Family Photographer | Debbie Allan Photography

2010-10-12T08:29:00.008-04:00

It was a real treat for me to venture over to New Jersey to meet the T family. I always love the challenge of new locations. As much as I love the Hudson Valley and all its beauty, it is good to break away from the safety of the home grounds and explore a new location every once in a while.

I met the T family at their home first and spent some time getting to know them a little. The children were so much fun to hang out with and so well behaved it was a pleasure to spend time with them. We got some great shots immediately and I just knew this was shaping up to be one of my favorite sessions of 2010.

We headed to a great spot, Richard W. DeKorte Park The website and its photographs does not do this place justice. It is a little gem of a place, just a stones through away from the NJ Turnpike! Hard to believe but this is a wildlife haven for a huge array of native plants and is home to many birds, bugs and other animals.

We had fun exploring, taking breaks every once in a while for me to do my job! I was made to feel like I was accompanying the T family on a pleasant afternoon jaunt. This is how I love my family sessions to go. My aim is for the children to enjoy themselves and the fact that they are having their photographs taken is just an added extra. Mom did a great job in selecting this location as it really lent itself perfectly to enabling the children to run around and be themselves.

Dad has a rather cool motorcycle, and so Mom had asked if we could incorporate it into some of the shots. N's bedroom is decorated in a Harley theme and so they were looking to get some cool images for the walls. We had a blast at the end of the session when the children donned their leather biker jackets and cool dud shades for some posing with the Daddy's Harley. N reminded me of Fonzie, not that he knew what I was talking about, a little before his time!

Thank you once again T family. I look forward to seeing you all again soon.

Baby Isla | Westchester Newborn Baby Photographer | Debbie Allan Photography

2010-10-12T08:02:00.009-04:00

I had the pleasure of capturing images and making memories for the Kingham family recently. Baby Isla was just 12 days old. I am always a little nervous when newborns are more than 10 days old at the time of their shoot, but I need not have worried. Isla was a dream to work with. She was awake enough that I got some great eye contact shots, but slept for most of the session, allowing me to move her from beanbag to cushion and back several times. She was a star.

Here are some of my immediate favorites.

Here is a little slideshow I made of my favorite images from the session.

Please leave a comment letting me know what you think. Thank you.

Tarrytown Shoot | Tarrytown Sleepy Hollow Child Photographer | Debbie Allan Photography

2010-09-14T13:37:00.004-04:00

Once again time ran away and I find myself playing catch up on blogging. Summer was all about finding as much time as possible between working to spend hanging out with the boys. We had a wonderful, if somewhat fleeting summer, spent at the pool, in the city, camping and lots of other fun activities - mostly involving me taking photos (making memories) of my handsome little men.

They grew so much in the few months since school ended. I was reminded of this when I reflected on Memorial Weekend photos and tried to get them to wear jeans again!!

Here are just a few of my summer favs.

Love Wedding | Tarrytown Sleepy Hollow Wedding Photographer | Debbie Allan Photography

2010-09-14T13:08:00.003-04:00

I had the pleasure of photographing Mike and Alicia's wedding this summer. I was so excited when Mike contacted me about the event, especially as it was to be held at one of Tarrytown's coolest locations - THE LIGHTHOUSE!

A quiet, breezy July evening, with temperatures comfortably lower than they had been days before, Mike arrived to await the arrival of Alicia. It was a small, intimate affair, attended by close family and friends.

The bride looked stunning in her halter style dress. She was accompanied by her two girlfriends.

The ceremony took place on the upper deck, offering the bride, groom and their guests magnificent views of the Manhattan skyline to the south.

Following the photographs the couple celebrated with friends in Ossining.

New Product | Westchester Child and Family Photographer| Debbie Allan Photography|

2010-08-06T22:06:00.003-04:00

The boys had a very impromptu photo shoot a few weeks ago here is Tarrytown. I was so happy with the images. I had a very hard time narrowing down which one I wanted to use to test out on a new product that I am now offering clients called thin wraps.

Well when it arrived in the mail yesterday I was thrilled. I cannot wait to start showing these to clients, I think they are going to love them.

They come ready to hang and so in less than a minute I found a space and hang it straight up. I cannot wait to order some more. The boys are loving it too!

Maternity Shoot Number Two | Tarrytown Sleepy Hollow Maternity and Newborn Photographer | Debbie Allan Photography

2010-08-06T21:06:00.006-04:00

I had the extreme pleasure of photographing the Kennedy/Kingham maternity shoot. Mommy to Be was only 30 weeks at the time and so we are planning another shoot around 36 weeks which I am very excited about. This first one took place at Rockwood Hall, another of my favorite portrait locations.

Maddie their dog came along for the session too, and was a great model. I am certain she is going to be a very loyal playmate/guardian for the baby when she arrives.

My first Maternity Shoot | Westchester Maternity and Newborn Photographer | Debbie Allan Photography

2010-08-06T12:53:00.003-04:00

I was very excited to have the opportunity to do my first maternity shoot. D and P were great sports. We had a beautiful evening by the river at Kingsland Point Park. I timed it so that we would be able to enjoy a little sunset time at the end of the shoot, which worked out well. Oh how I love the river.

Mommy to be looked amazing, and it was wonderful to feel the excitement of first time parents as they await the arrival of their baby boy. It brought back such fond memories for me. I cannot wait to meet Baby Janes. He is due on August 8th and so I am expecting the call very soon to schedule their newborn baby shoot.

Good luck D and P. I cannot wait to hear from you!

Birthday Party Fun with Tommy | New York Family Photographer | Debbie Allan Photography

2010-08-06T12:30:00.002-04:00

Celebrating turning 6, surrounded by friends and family was the perfect recipe for FUN. Birthday boy's dad was having just as much, if not more fun than the children. He was amazing at organizing the fun and games. It was non stop entertainment.

Happy Birthday Tommy.

Quality Control

Grown Up Cupcakes!

Crowd Control!

Perfect ending!

T.I.L.T = Things I Love Thursday | Debbie Allan Photography |

2010-08-06T12:15:00.002-04:00

Yellow

Scout | Westchester Pet Photographer | Debbie Allan Photography

2010-08-06T11:34:00.002-04:00

I have been wanting to honor our friend Scout for some time. Today felt like the perfect day. Hope you feel better soon.

Campbell just walking into the room whilst I was editing these images and started blowing kisses at the screen... puppy love.

Celebrating the 4th (on the 3rd) | Tarrytown Sleepy Hollow Family Photographer | Debbie Allan Photography |

2010-08-06T11:20:00.003-04:00

The family had a blast celebrating The 4th a day early. Connor hosted a Harry Potter themed extravaganza. This basically involved lots of water fights - not sure where that fits in with the theme, but maybe one of these days I should attempt to read Harry Potter.... on second thoughts I will pass.

Anyway, the kids had a fabulous time cooling off whilst us grown up had fun catching up and staying cool.

Connor was the perfect host and such a good sport when it came to being "attacked".

Thank you so much for a fabulous afternoon.

Happy 4th July.

Happy Birthday to my friend, Paula

2010-07-08T11:17:00.001-04:00

In honor of Paula's "special" birthday, today I created this little slideshow - a collection of my favorite images from the Moore Family visit in April. Wish we could be together to celebrate. Instead here is your virtual birthday greeting. I am sure I would have ended up with a sore head if I was there in person!

Have a great birthday Paula. Not sure where the time has gone. Many fond memories of the last "couple" of years. Has it really been that long????

Enjoy the slideshow.

Brothers | Westchester Family Photographer | Debbie Allan Photography

2010-07-07T11:32:00.002-04:00

I took these images back in the early Spring and have been wanting to make a slideshow of them for some time.

I love how this turned out. Please let me know what you think.

Last Day of School - Tappan Hill

2010-07-05T16:07:00.002-04:00

Friday 25th June marked the last day of Kindergarten for Campbell and last day of Third Grade for Cameron. Time has certainly flown this school year and it really did not seem that long ago that we were starting the school year!

Saying goodbye to Kindergarten was an especially emotional time for many teachers, staff and parents this year, as Tappan Hill, the gem of the school district, was closing its doors for the last time. Pre K and Kindergarten is being moved to John Paulding School this coming September.

I was very happy to have the chance to observe the farewell tradition, as I had missed it three years ago when Cameron had "graduated" from Kindergarten. Mr Moynahan was on the roof as Chief Bubble Man and DJ, much to the childrens delight.

As the buses were loaded the teachers and staff assembled in the center of the circle to wave the child off as they were driven home from school for the last time this school year.

Tears were shed and many hearts were heavy. Tappan Hill holds many wonderful memories for our family and many, many more throughout the district. I am certain that with the amazing Pre K and Kindergarten staff John Paulding will be a place were tons more fond Pre K and Kindergarten memories are created.

Thank you to everyone for making this school year magical for our children.

Eddie's 6th Birthday Party

2010-07-05T15:39:00.002-04:00

Campbell was invited to celebrate Eddie's 6th Birthday with him and his friends and family during the last week of the school term. What a great way to spend the afternoon on one of the many early dismissal days.

The theme was REPTILES. The children were in heaven when they got to touch and feel many different creatures. I have to admit I was a little surprised when the first reptile appeared - an alligator!! Luckily it stayed firming in the grip of the animal handler.

Sleepy Hollow Newborn Baby Boy | Debbie Allan Photography |

2010-07-05T15:12:00.003-04:00

I had the pleasure of capturing memories for the A family last month after the arrival of baby M. Sister D has taken well to the role of loving big sister and Mommy's little helper. I enjoyed watching her cradle her little brother in her arms and kiss him so gently on his forehead. Such a strong bond had been formed in a very short space of time as baby M was 11 days old.

Mommy looked absolutely stunning. I certainly do not think I looked and felt as good 11 days after having my babies.

Here are a few of my favorites from the session.

Father's Day Weekend Camping Trip

2010-07-05T13:45:00.007-04:00

For our first camping trip of 2010 we headed back to North South Lake where we camped on our last trip of 2009. We got lucky with the weather, compared to last June, when we did not even bother to leave home as it rained heavily.

I feel that each time we camp we are even more organized than the time before - experience counts for a lot when it comes to camping! As soon as we had parked the car on our site Cameron and Campbell made friends with the two children on the next site to us. They took a break from socializing to help Craig set up the tent, whilst I went off to buy firewood. The boys are getting to be wonderful helpers now and so the tent was set up in no time.

We had a simple dinner by the fire and then went off for a walk along by the pond. We found a mother duck and her six ducklings and soon enough the boys were hand feeding them.

Our neighbours, Ricky and Mayleigh

The boys spent a great deal of time perfecting their casting skills with Craig.....

Whilst I watched on and spent time with my camera, enjoying the wildflowers and bugs......

Craig taught the boys how to make a bottle trap. They caught 13 catfish (babies)

Another visit to the beach in Nyack

2010-07-05T12:44:00.002-04:00

I loved my first visit to the little beach in Nyack several weeks ago that I had to go back. This time I met Natasha and three of her children for a chance to photograph together - always great to have the company of my friend and her camera. The children had a great time exploring the shoreline, whilst Annie seems to enjoy tasting the sand! She is getting more and more mobile every time I see her and before long I know we will be chasing after her with our cameras in hand! For now she LOVES the camera and for the most part sits still enough for us to catch those dark brown eyes looking into the lens. She is a photographers dream baby.

Her brothers were hard at work rearranging the drift wood and trying to build camp.

Staff Appreciation Lunch at Tappan Hill School

2010-06-15T14:21:00.000-04:00

This morning I spent time with some wonderful women - moms in our school district, to help serve our Pre K and Kindergarten teachers a special Staff Appreciation Lunch. Kelley and Virginia worked so hard to plan the event, it was wonderful to be part of a great team. The staff at Tappan Hill are AMAZING and a delicious lunch provided by many kind and generous parents was very greatly appreciated by them.

My very talented friend, Debbie, of Love Lane Bakery fame made incredible cupcakes. Check out her Etsy store for the personalized decals she creates to decorate the cakes:

http://www.etsy.com/shop/debdp

Not only did they look fantastic, they tasted amazing too.

Thank you so much Deb.

Beautiful Nyack Family | Tarrytown Family Photographer | Debbie Allan Photography

2010-06-12T21:46:00.001-04:00

Last weekend I had the absolute pleasure of meeting the Most Family. They live in the picturesque town of Upper Nyack, just across the Hudson from Tarrytown. Being so close I am not sure why I do not spend more time there. It is gorgeous.

We spent most of the session on the bank of the Hudson at Hook Mountain Beach. What a stunning little spot. It was easy to forget that we were by the river and not on a little deserted island in a faraway land (until we caught sight of the Tappan Zee Bridge!) The children had a great time climbing on, over and under the large pieces of driftwood that decorated the shoreline.

Little Lena kept me very entertained. She has a lot to say for a two year old, such a wonderful personality. Big brother and sister were fabulous to work with. I could have spent the whole day with them. They were very patient, calm and incredibly polite young children. A credit to their parents.

Here are just a few of my favorites from the morning.

Memorial Weekend

2010-06-08T10:42:00.009-04:00

What a busy, family filled Memorial Weekend. All over too quickly, but enjoyable whilst it lasted!

I always look forward to this weekend as it means the unofficial start to summer and the pool opening! We headed there for opening morning. The water was a "cooooool" 68 degrees, which certainly is not warm enough for me! The boys (all three of them)immersed themselves for a brief moment or two. It was great to be back at the Crest to see all of those neighbors and friends whose paths have not crossed with ours since Labor Day weekend! Out of hibernation we all come to enjoy our communal "backyard" Lets hope it is a summer filled with many, many visits to the pool, for cooling off time, dinner with friends, swim team training, meets and much more. It felt like Labor Day had been just a month or two ago - how time flies.

On Sunday afternoon we headed into Jersey City to meet with MeRa Koh, Brian and the women taking part in the NJ Confidence Workshop. I was SOOOOO excited about having the opportunity to have family photographs taken by this wonderful group. The setting was gorgeous and the weather was ideal. It was amazing to meet MeRa, although it was a shame I did not have more time to talk to her and learn from her a little. Hoping that I get a chance to attend one of her workshops, maybe as soon as this Fall. Fingers crossed.

Our family were placed with the "Canon Ladies" a wonderful group of women, who seems to be having a blast of a weekend and learning so much along the way. Cameron and Campbell were superstars. They knew just how much this meant to me and were troupers, following direction from the group for more than an hour and then when it was over said "is it over already?" They had a great time, as did Craig and I.

Cameron later said to me that he was so happy we got the Canon group, although he would have been ok with Nikon or Sony if they gave him a free camera! LOVE IT!

I have been fortunate enough to make contact via Facebook with several of the attendees and so have seen quite a few sneak peeks of their amazing work. I LOVE FB!!

This was the first image I got to see. Being very self critical I was amazed to actually LOVE a photograph of myself. That may be a first! Gretchen you are a very talented photographer.

Natasha (of Pondering Ponteuf fame) and her family were there too and so we all rewarded the children with icecream afterward, which gave me a chance to capture several images. I had been having a hard time not having my camera in hand for several hours!!!

We started Memorial Day off with watching daddy march in the Tarrytown Parade.

WAITING FOR DADDY

We saw many more familiar face and feet! I love this shot of Mrs Lustyik's patriotic socks.

We finished off our holiday weekend at our neighbors pool. The water temperature was perfect - even I got in the water! The boys had a great time mainly involving super soakers. Water melon was on hand as refreshment - summer is around the corner!! Yippee.

Fabulous weekend off in Boston to celebrate my birthday! | Debbie Allan Photography |

2010-05-20T21:10:00.006-04:00

This was only our second time in Boston, and it seems so crazy that we are not there more often given how close we live and more importantly that our great friends, Nick and Michael live there. We should be visiting on a regular basis.

It was a bit of a whistle stop tour of a weekend but we successfully crammed in a lot of fun stuff. To top it all the weather was PERFECT!

Thanks to Nick and Michael for arranging a gorgeous birthday cake to be delivered to the restaurant on Saturday night. It was delicious.

We stayed in a great hotel (thanks to Michael and his contact there). The boys were in heaven as there was a swimming pool with a retractable roof. It was great to see how much Campbell's swimming has improved in the last few months. His diving needs a little work, but he is still better than me!

Communion Season!| Tarrytown Sleepy Hollow Child Photographer | Debbie Allan Photography

2010-05-19T12:35:00.008-04:00

May marks communion month on my calendar and this time last year was where it all started with Emma's First Holy Communion. It has been a very rewarding and fun filled year for me. Time has flown by and I have had the privilege of meeting many wonderful local families, from welcoming newborns to capturing family portraits for them to treasure for years to come.

I look forward to the year ahead and will enjoy watching these families grow and to continue to meet new ones along the way.

This blog entry is a little overdue as I have been busy catching up after a busy communion weekend a week ago. This past weekend Craig, the boys and I took a weekend off and headed up to visit our wonderful friends Nick and Michael. It was a long overdue visit. We all had a fantastic weekend, it was great to catch up, as well as getting a chance to be a tourist around Boston. What a gorgeous city. Cannot wait to go back. I will post some photos later.

For now here are a few of my favs from the communions I have been working on.

The Most Incredible Garden | Mount Kisco | Debbie Allan Photography

2010-05-07T10:48:00.010-04:00

Last Sunday morning I indulged in a little "me" time. Mother's Day a week early! I went with my Garden Club to tour The Steinhart's Garden in Mount Kisco. This is part of the Garden Conservancy Open Days Program.

Words alone cannot express how amazing this place is. I think I will let the photographs do the talking.

Happy National Public Gardens Day!

The Steinhart's will be opening their garden again this year on Saturday 30th October. Admission is $5 per person.

Just could not wait a minute longer..... | Sleepy Hollow Newborn Photographer | Debbie Allan Photography

2010-05-03T15:35:00.003-04:00

This has to be the quickest blog post ever, but I just HAD to post this image. There are soooooo many amazing ones from this mornings session.

This is just so that Mommy can see how adorable they were snuggled up together.

Note the "J" on the baby on the rights heel! Identical twins!!!

Thank you so much for making this possible.

Here are a couple of Natasha's favorites so far....

Such Handsome Boys and they are mine! | Tarrytown Family Photographer | Debbie Allan Photography

2010-05-02T22:32:00.003-04:00

I did not get much of a chance to hang out with the boys today, but did manage to capture this event when they went for a their first "run" with Daddy. Precious moments.

Here they are just before they headed out.

and they are off......

Irvington Cutie | Westchester Children's Photographer | Debbie Allan Photography

2010-04-24T21:24:00.000-04:00

Wow, this little girl has such a HUGE personality. She is so entertaining. I am excited for the session in June with her baby sister too. Should be a lot of fun.

Hastings Family Session | Tarrytown Children's Photographer | Debbie Allan Photography

2010-04-18T21:11:00.002-04:00

We have been planning this session for some time and so it was great that we were able to finally pull it off this morning. Unfortunately Mother Nature was not being too kind to us. It was rather chilly and at times rainy too. I had fun chasing Colin around the playground. His mom had told me that he did not like having his photo taken, but this was far from the case today. He was begging me to take more of him and he was a big ham, loving every minute of it! Little Madison was feeling the cold more than the rest of us. Her eyes are the most incredible shade of blue.

It was wonderful to meet you all. I look forward to seeing you again soon.

Emily's Pre Communion Shoot | Westchester Family Photographer | Debbie Allan Photography

2010-04-17T00:03:00.004-04:00

Absolutely beautiful. Emily looked incredible for her pre communion shoot this week. We were fortunate to have a dry, sunny afternoon too. We started off at the Church of The Magdalene where we captured some amazing images. From there we headed to the banks of the Hudson for some fun, more candid shots of Emily having a great afternoon, all dressed up.

Here are just a few of my favorites from the session.

Too Cute! | Tarrytown Baby and Child Photographer | Debbie Allan Photography

2010-04-16T10:55:00.003-04:00

Time is really flying by and Annie is already 9 months. She was such a star today. Mommy woke her from a sound sleep for her session. She seemed thrilled to see the camera. This is such a great age, she was very content to sit in more or less the same spot for quite some time. I know our next session will be very different - she will be much more mobile and so I am sure I will be chasing her all over the place. Cannot wait!

Another adorable newborn boy | Hawthorne Photographer | Debbie Allan Photography

2010-04-15T14:43:00.001-04:00

Big sister Helen was happy to welcome me in to her home to introduce me to her new baby brother, Erik. She was equally excited for me to see her stuff lamb, who was wearing a diaper! I just love hanging out with two year olds. Congratulations to the W family.

Parkslope Newborn | Debbie Allan Photography |

2010-04-13T22:10:00.003-04:00

I was excited to meet baby Maya and her big sister Ella this week in Brooklyn. Upon arrival I was thrilled to see precious little 5 day old Maya soaking up the sun in the back garden. What a treat to be able to sleep al fresco in a Moses basket. I was able to capture a few sleeping shots outside before it was time for her to eat.

Ella was very keen to help take care of the new addition to her family and is extremely proud too. She read us all many wonderful stories from her book collection. I love a three year old imagination and creativity!

Baby R | Tarrytown Newborn Photographer | Debbie Allan Photography

2010-04-03T22:57:00.001-04:00

Yesterday I was thrilled to meet little Baby R and his parents here in Tarrytown and what a pleasure it was. At eight days old and a little over seven pounds he was not too keen to get into a deep sleep for me. He tricked me several times and just when I thought he was out for the count he would open one eye!

Here are just a few captures from our morning. Cannot wait to release the full gallery to proud mommy and daddy, I know they are going to love them.

Kelsey turned 2 today

2010-03-21T23:24:00.000-04:00

I was so excited when Kelsey's owner contacted me about doing a shoot in honor of her 2nd birthday. Turns out we picked a perfect weekend too. We headed to Rockwood Hall, one of Kelsey's favorite places to go for a walk and mine too. It felt like we had the place to ourselves for most of the time. Where was everyone else on such a gorgeous Sunday morning?

Here are just a few sneak peaks to show you T. Thank you so much for sharing your birthday with me Kelsey I had fun.

Spring is here!

2010-03-21T22:00:00.002-04:00

Once again here I am apologizing for the lack of blogging. I have a pretty good excuse this time! We lost power for three days and then on top of that the boys have both been unwell and off school! Happy to report everyone is well again (and back at school).

After being cooped up in the house for too long it felt amazing to get back outside and feel the warmth of the sun on our faces.

The boys and I joined our Kids Unplugged friends on two fantastic hikes this week. Firstly on Wednesday we hiked Eagle Hill Trail in Rockefeller Preserve. Only having to clamber over a few downed trees along the way.

We got to hear the sound (it was LOUD) of the wood frogs. At first I thought it was the sound of yet another chain saw - we heard that a lot this week, but on turning the corner we closed in on the pond and there before our eyes were so many frogs helping to increase the wood frog population of Westchester! It was quite a scene.

Stadium seating for the Wood Frog Pond Show!

My favorite shot of the day!

On Saturday morning the boys and I headed East to Rye and met the Kids Unplugged group at Edith Read Sanctuary. It was well worth the drive on I287/I95 to get there! We hiked and squelched through the mud a little, explored the shore line, caught some rays and thoroughly that a brilliant time. The boys loved the beach and were delighted to find all sorts to boy treasure, namely rocks, shells and horseshoe crab shells.

Thank you Gina, as always it was great to discover a new place to have good old fashioned fun outdoors.

I love this age.

2010-03-09T16:12:00.000-05:00

I absolutely love 8 - 9 month olds. Annie is the most laid back, happy baby you could wish to spend the morning with. She LOVES the camera. I had a wonderful time capturing these images and many more like them. Thanks for hanging out Mommy and Annie. Cannot wait to see you again soon.

Six week old Baby E

2010-03-07T22:53:00.000-05:00

This little girl had little interest in sleeping during the time we spent together. Just when we thought she was out she would pop her eyes open and check out the world around her. She was an absolute delight to spend time with, as were mommy and daddy. It was wonderful to meet you all and congratulations on your beautiful daughter.

Incredible Party

2010-03-07T21:53:00.000-05:00

What a lucky birthday girl. It was a sea of pink tutus and delighted party guests. This is so far away from my "boy world" at home. I was awestruck by the attention to detail. From beginning to end the girls were entertained with all things ballet and took home a fantastic bag of goodies to help them continue their performing at home.

Our Family Vacation

2010-03-07T16:16:00.031-05:00

Well we have already been home a week from our extended vacation in Orlando, FL and I am feeling like I have finally caught up on things. Having to tag on three extra days to our stay was fantastic in many ways, but it has taken me seven to catch up!

We were so fortunate to have missed the snow storm and power outages that hit Westchester County and beyond. We were safely continuing to enjoy our time in Orlando. We extended our Disney World Park passes and made the most of it! Thanks to our AMAZING neighbors for keeping an eye on our house, shoveling two plus foot of snow from our driveway, clearing our car and collecting us at the airport and to Nick and Melissa for letting us stay on at the house for the extra time. It could not get any better.

So here are just a few snaps of our family trip. The boys LOVED their surprise!

We spent our first day in Animal Kingdom.

Campbell absolutely loved having his face painted and the attention that he got as a result! Cameron, Craig and I also learned that Campbell is NOT roller coaster shy. He is fearless, unlike the rest of us.

Hollywood Studios was a huge hit with the whole family. We visited three times during our stay and lost count of the amount of times we went on the Toy Story Mania ride.

Campbell's second face painting experience was even more amazing than the first. It was scary.....

The boys would have stayed all day, every day in the Honey, I Strunk the Kids Playground, if only they had a bar, Craig and I would not have minded either!

Epcot was full of adventure. We all had a fabulous time with the new Kim Possible challenge. Test Track was a fond favorite, which we did numerous times.

There was a lot of brotherly love going on during our trip. REALLY, I am serious. It was wonderful.

Then a stranger stood behind me and gave me bunny ears and I got the best photo of them that day!

Magic Kingdom was full of classic Disney fun. The boys enjoyed watching the parade from the corner of Sleepy Hollow, they were even wearing their Sleepy Hollow t-shirts that day.

We had the most incredible time. The boys will treasure the memories for years to come, as will Craig and I. For me the best of it was seeing them enjoying themselves so much.

I hope I did not bore you with too many photos, but as you can imagine we took a lot.

No email!!

2010-02-18T14:06:00.000-05:00

I discovered late last night that my email address was not configured correctly in my new website, so if you sent me a message any time since Tuesday evening until today please resend as I am not likely to be able to retrieve historic mail.

Thank you for understanding.

On another note we are heading off tonight to Orlando for a week. The boys have no idea we are going away! Cannot wait to tell them.

I will be checking emails (it is working now!) and will be back in the swing of things on Friday 26th Feb.

Baby Maeve

2010-02-17T16:55:00.000-05:00

I had the pleasure of meeting baby Maeve this morning. What a cutie. She was not really too interested in sleeping during the shoot, but was a little angel the whole time. Hoping that she slept for Mom and Dad after I left. Here are just a few of my favorites for now.

New Look

2010-02-15T19:11:00.000-05:00

I am SO excited to inform you that if everything goes to plan my new website should be launching tomorrow. I look forward to hearing your feedback.

As I can never blog without a photo, here is one of the view from our kitchen window this morning. Looks like someone may be looking for a new home!

Happy Valentine's Day - Special Promotion

2010-02-13T19:51:00.001-05:00

As my Valentine gift to you I am offering a special reduced rate on a mini session (45 minutes) to the anyone who books a baby or child session this week, for a session date on or prior to Friday March 5th. Session must be booked by 20th February.

Session fee $75. Prints and other merchandise sold separately.

Snow Day!

2010-02-10T16:09:00.002-05:00

When the call came yesterday afternoon announcing a snow day for today I was a little surprised as it was not due to start snowing until last night. However for the first time in a while the prediction was right! The snow came and is still coming! I think so far we have approximately 10 inches.

We did get a chance to go out in the garden to enjoy it, but it was a little too deep for sledding. Maybe tomorrow!

Girls Retail Therapy Night TONIGHT

2010-02-05T12:53:00.002-05:00

Hope you can join us for a night of fun and THERAPY!

Catching Up!

2010-02-05T12:47:00.002-05:00

I have been slacking on my blogging lately, so grabbing a few minutes to play catch up.

Here is the second baby model from my weekend workshop in Toronto with Heather Rivlin

Baby Darcy was also just 5 days old and slept through most of her session - a perfect newborn model!

Weekend with friends

2010-01-26T10:43:00.000-05:00

This weekend we celebrated Burn's Night with friends. Fun was had by all. Lots of good food and great company.

Dog walking was on the agenda too. Maddie enjoyed getting a chance to run off leash. Life is different for city dogs! Wow she can run fast.

Baby C | Westchester Newborn Photographer | Debbie Allan Photography

2010-01-22T11:19:00.003-05:00

Just a few of my favorite images from the workshop last weekend. Baby C was five days old and nameless at that time. He was so cooperative, although he kept us on our toes as he was able to somehow roll over!

Newborn Promotion | Westchester Baby and Children's Photographer | Debbie Allan Photography

2010-01-19T18:55:00.002-05:00

My postcards have arrived. They look fantastic. Thanks so much Roz and Linda at Inc Printing and Graphics Corp.

I am back

2010-01-18T20:12:00.002-05:00

Wow, what a fantastic weekend I had. My head is exploding with new ideas to continue on this exciting path of growing my business. I am so excited and feel privileged to have had the opportunity to have met and learn from Heather Rivlin, Marcia Leeder and the incredible women who also attended the workshop. Made great friends along the way.

Cannot wait to post some of the images from the weekend.

Out of Office | Debbie Allan Photography

2010-01-14T21:37:00.002-05:00

I am excited beyond belief. I am off to Toronto tomorrow to take part in a photography workshop for the weekend. Heather Rivlin is our host. She has so much planned for the two days, I am going to be bursting with new ideas when I get back. Cannot wait to put it all into practice on my return.

Annie's Christening | Family Photographer Glen Rock NJ | Debbie Allan Photography

2010-01-11T13:27:00.004-05:00

Following on from the delightful morning I spent with Annie and her family came the opportunity to share with them Annie's special day - her christening.

I have never seen a baby enjoy being the center of attention as much as Annie did yesterday. She knew it was all about her and she lapped up every minute of it. Smiling the WHOLE time!

Thank you so much for allowing me to be part of your special day.

Baby Annie 6 months | Glen Rock NJ Baby Photographer | Debbie Allan Photography

2010-01-10T20:32:00.003-05:00

Time is flying by and baby Annie is six months already. How she has changed since I last saw her for her three month shoot. She is so alert and strong. It helps that she also LOVES the camera!

Today was a special day, not only did I have the chance to capture Annie at six months, but it was also her christening. Images from the service will be blogged separately.

This morning I spent some time with Annie and her family at their beautiful home in Glen Rock before heading to church this afternoon.

Her smile is constant, she is such a happy baby. Mom and I had fun exchanging camera equipment stories and rolling around on the floor capturing smile after smile.

Hope you like this little sneak peek. Wish you were coming to Toronto with me next week, Natasha.

New Year Promotion | Tarrytown Newborn Photographer | Debbie Allan Photography

2009-12-28T10:22:00.007-05:00

Don’t forget to spread the word about my winter newborn special.

If you (or someone you know) is/are pregnant and due any time from now until April 1st 2010 please contact me to schedule a newborn session. You will receive a complimentary set of 20 birth announcements included in the session fee.

The ideal time to capture newborns is from 4 - 10 days old. So we can schedule a tentative date 5 -7 days after your due date and then as soon as the baby/ies arrive we can confirm the date of your session.

I will come to your home and fit in around feeding, changing etc.

If you would like to capture images like those below please do not hesitate to call on 917 582 2468 or email me debbie@debbieallanphotography.com

Happy New Year.

Merry Christmas from Debbie Allan Photography

2009-12-24T13:13:00.003-05:00

Thank you to everyone for sharing this journey into the world of Debbie Allan Photography with me this year. I am so grateful to everyone for their support and encouragement. There are several people I could not have done this without. Craig has been amazing. He has been so understanding when I have been a little frazzled trying to get to grips with learning something new, setting up my website and keeping it constantly updated and just generally being there for me. Also my wonderful friend Michelle. She was the one to get the whole thing off the ground in the first place! I thank you both from the bottom of my heart. There are many other friends and family members who continue to encourage me. Cameron and Campbell are fantastic. From distributing my business cards to their teachers and principals (without me knowing) to entertaining themselves when I have been working to a deadline. Thank you, thank you, thank you.

I am so excited for 2010, when I know my business will continue to grow. Watch this space for the launch of my new and exciting logo. Hopefully a new website too!! I welcome your comments on my blog and Facebook.

Enough said, I have food to prepare!!

Wishing you and your family a fantastic Christmas and best wishes for a healthy, safe and happy New Year.

Cameron reads.....

2009-12-24T13:00:00.003-05:00

to his brother's Kindergarten class.

On Tuesday, the last school day before Christmas Cameron and I had the opportunity to read some Christmas stories to Campbell and his classmates. It was especially fun for Cameron as three years ago he had been "on the other side", sitting in the same classroom being read to!

Campbell was so proud of his brother.

Last Christmas Shoot for 2009???? | Westchester Children's Photographer | Debbie Allan Photography

2009-12-20T14:25:00.005-05:00

I squeezed in one last Christmas photo session for this year (I think). I will be creating New Year cards for the G family, which will double up as birth announcements to welcome Baby Lea.

I loved having the chance to capture images of Lea with her big sister, who adores her. It was precious to watch their interaction. Lea is not quite a month old and already she reacts with excitement at the sound of her sister's voice.

Here are a few of my favorites from yesterdays session.

Sleepy Hollow Family Holiday Shoot | Debbie Allan Photography

2009-12-14T20:49:00.002-05:00

Well for the first time in a while the weather was not really on my side. It was raining - icy rain - nasty stuff and so we stayed inside. Which turned out to be a very wise move as I almost fell over on the sidewalk outside on my way back to my car!!

I had a fabulous time. I had stories read to me, which was a treat and it was fun hanging out with a 14 month old boy, it brought back memories.

Here are some of my favorites from the morning.

Annual Gingerbread House Decorating Party, Stamford CT | Debbie Allan Photography

2009-12-12T23:06:00.003-05:00

Directly from the tree farm, with tree tied to the roof of the car; we headed to Debbie and Jonathan's for the not to be missed GBH (oops, that means something entirely different!)decorating party.

We all had a fabulous time. Lots of catching up to do as it has been a very busy few months, with not enough "friends" time. The children did a wonderful job with their frosting and candy, including lots of eating of it!

Annual Christmas Tree Hunt | Easton CT | Debbie Allan Photography

2009-12-12T22:09:00.003-05:00

We missed our usual annual excursion with the McNally's to Maple Row Tree Farm last weekend due to Cameron's busy social calendar. So we went alone this weekend instead. We stopped on the way at Silvermans Farm Shop, enjoyed some Hot Apple Cider and delicious baked goods - suitably fueled up for the BIG tree hunt!

It was a picture perfect day. A little snow still remained from last weekends snowfall too. It did not take us long to find THE tree. With Craig's help the boys cut it down!

After securing it to the roof of the car we headed south to Stamford for another annual Christmas tradition for our family. The Paterson Family Gingerbread House Decorating party. I will blog this separately soon.

For now here are a few of my favorite images from the mornings adventure.

Last minute Christmas Gift Idea | Debbie Allan Photography

2009-12-11T23:17:00.002-05:00

Wondering what to get that special friend, family member or teacher? How about a gift certificate for a family photo session?

Call or email me. I will mail a personalized gift certificate to you or the recipient. Does not get much easier than that!

Happy Holidays.

Christmas Stamps | Debbie Allan Photography

2009-12-09T17:35:00.002-05:00

I am loving my Christmas stamps. I splurged and ordered custom stamps this year. Every time I look at them I am reminded of the wonderful session with Santa Baby. Sorry to all of my UK family and friends who will not get to receive one of these on their envelope.

10 Day old Baby Girl | Tarrytown Newborn Photographer | Debbie Allan Photography

2009-12-07T20:03:00.003-05:00

What a dark haired, dark eyed beauty. Baby L certainly did not want to miss out on the action. She was wide awake for most of the session, giving me a chance to get a glimpse of her amazing eyes. She did eventually cave and fall asleep, enabling me to get some sleepy poses too.

Looking forward to capturing some images with Baby L with her big sister very soon.

Congratulations to you all G Family. She is precious.

Snowy Sunday Morning | Sleepy Hollow Family Christmas Shoot | Debbie Allan Photography

2009-12-06T15:18:00.002-05:00

I was a little worried yesterday that the weather was not going to cooperate for this mornings shoot. But I need not have worried. It was gorgeous. A little snow left on the ground from yesterdays snowfall and a perfect blue sky.

I love a family with a plan - they knew what they wanted and I went along with it = FUN!

A roaring fire, santa hats for all of the family, happy, easy going children and a cup of coffee to get me going. What a great way to start my day.

Thank you for sharing your Sunday morning with me.

Fabulous Briarcliff Family | Westchester Children's Photographer | Debbie Allan Photography |

2009-11-29T16:24:00.005-05:00

I could not wait to get home and look through the images of this afternoons session at Rockwood Hall Park. First of all it was a picture perfect afternoon, and a great day for a family stroll. The parking lot was overflowing with cars when we arrived and so I think many people had the same idea as us - it was yet another bonus good weather day!

Meeting with the H family for the first time was a treat for me. They are delightful and by the end of the session I felt that I had known them for much longer than 90 minutes.

What a lucky boy J is to have two such wonderful older sisters to look out for him. They have a special family bond and I think it is really evident in the images that I captured.

There are lots more to come, but for now here are a few of my favorites:

Thanksgiving in Brooklyn

2009-11-28T21:27:00.003-05:00

Our family tradition is to celebrate Thanksgiving with our friends in Brooklyn. They are just like family to Craig, the boys and I. Thanksgiving without them would not be the same.

We spent a big part of the day in Prospect Park. The weather was beautiful and so Maddie and the boys were very happy to run around in the leaves and chase squirrels (well at least Maddie was anyway).

Dinner was SUPERB, as was the wine. Thank you so much for hosting once again. We are now looking forward to our Christmas festivities together.

Here are a few of my favs from the day:

Wacky Wednesday Tarrytown Lakes | Debbie Allan Photography

2009-11-28T21:17:00.003-05:00

It felt so great this Wednesday not to have to get the kids up and dash out of the house for school. We had a leisurely start to the Thanksgiving Holilday school break.

We meet up with the Kids Unplugged group at the Tarrytown Lakes and went for a short walk on the Wilson Park trail.

Children foraged for leaves to make table decorations for their Thanksgiving dinner tables, or just ambled along chatting with friends. Either way it was wonderful to get some fresh air and shake a leg.

Family of Seven | Glen Rock Family Photographer | Debbie Allan Photography |

2009-11-24T22:23:00.003-05:00

Yesterday I had the pleasure of meeting a wonderful NJ family of seven. The youngest were 10 months old and full of energy. I had a great time getting to know them all. It was incredible to see how the older children all nurture their twin brother and sister. They are a huge help to mom and dad too.

Thank you so much for allowing me into your home. I had a very enjoyable morning.

Happy Thanksgiving.

Here are just a few images from the session.

7 Days Young | Westchester Newborn Photographer | Debbie Allan Photography

2009-11-20T20:58:00.004-05:00

WOW, what an amazing way to start my day! Baby C is adorable. He was the perfect newborn model. I had a wonderful morning hanging out with Mom and baby. I look forward to watching him grow.

Such a perfect early Christmas gift. Congratulations.

Quick Shoot | Tarrytown Children's Photographer | Debbie Allan Photography |

2009-11-16T20:56:00.005-05:00

Every time I drive by Horan's Landing with the boys I say to them "we must come back with the camera". I am drawn to the long grasses they have planted as edging throughout the gardens. This afternoon we literally had five minutes before swimming lessons. The clouds looked amazing, the sky was the most gorgeous shade of blue. I wished we could have stayed longer.

Cameron was really in the mood for posing for me - even more so than usual! He was having a blast leaping and running around. I managed to get a few air shots of him. The only thing missing was his skateboard!

Campbell was feeling a little tired after a hard day at school, but now he wants to go back to try some jumps!

Maybe tomorrow.......

........ we did end up going back and here are some of my favs from part two of Horan's Landing.

Sleepy Hollow Family Shoot | Westchester Childrens Photographer | Debbie Allan Photography

2009-11-15T22:11:00.005-05:00

This morning, I was once again relieved that it had stopped raining, after a continual downpour yesterday afternoon.

I headed to Sleepy Hollow to capture holiday photos for a wonderful family of five.

There are some great shots that are going to make for a wonderful Holiday card.

Kids Unplugged | Tarrytown Photographer | Debbie Allan Photography |

2009-11-15T21:54:00.006-05:00

This Veteran's Day we drove up to Westmorelands Sanctuary, Bedford Corners for an early Wacky Wednesday hike.

It was a treat for the boys and I as Craig was off work and able to join us. Gina and I were both amazing by the size of the group - what a fantastic turnout. I think the final count was 19 families, with lots of energetic children. Maybe the biggest group to date for Kids Unplugged.

We hike the Easy Loop and stopped off at the pond. The Sanctuary kindly leave fishing nets out by the shelter for children to use. This generated a huge amount of excitement, especially when a crayfish was caught. Followed by snails, fish and tadpoles.

Sesame Street Filming | Tarrytown Photographer | Debbie Allan Photography

2009-11-12T10:09:00.005-05:00

Much to our disappointment this morning the segment filmed at Stone Barns in July, featuring Cameron did not air today.

Thought I would post some images I took that day instead!

We have now been informed by Stone Barns that the segment will air on Friday 20th November instead. (7am on PBS for those in our viewing area).