True Life is Beautiful – Page 2 – True life is beautiful.

fall break | maine scenic photographer

Fall is typically my busy time of year. If I’m not behind my camera, I’m in front of my computer — culling, editing and posting the images previously shot. This year provided some breathing room and so it was a great time to take a little time off.

Where to go in Maine in the fall? I would run out of fingers and toes tenfold counting all the beautiful spots in this great state. So we settled on Point Lookout in Northport — not too far that it would take more than a half day to leisurely make our way there, and not too close so that it felt like we were going away on vacation. My honey and I, and my sister and her honey bunked in a sweet, rustic log cabin nestled in the woods and warmed by the fire in the cast iron stove. We took the short trip up Mount Battie that overlooked the lovely little coastal town of Camden, and then went into town for dining and some therapy shopping(!). Belfast wasn’t too far up the road and it turned out to be a delight, and Lincolnville was well worthwhile for getting up and out before the break of dawn.

We had such a great time that we’re thinking we’ll do it again next year! I’m happy to share snippets of our mini vacation with you!

I’m so glad to live in a place where there are Octobers.

llmontgomery, anne of green gables

Jane is a lifestyle, portrait and elopement photographer covering Maine, New England, New Orleans and beyond. Contact Jane at jane@janeberger.com for more information.

a fall break | maine scenic photographer

We had such a great time that we’re thinking we’ll do it again next year! I’m happy to share snippets of our mini vacation with you!

I’m so glad to live in a place where there are Octobers.

— anne of green gables

Jane is a lifestyle and portrait photographer covering southern Maine, New England, New Orleans and beyond. Contact Jane at jane@janeberger.com for more information.

March of Dimes Signature Chefs Event | portland maine family photographer

For the second year in a row, I’ve had the pleasure of participating in some pre-work for the March of Dimes Signature Chefs Event, taking place this Thursday (September 28) at DiMillos in this wonderful foodie city of Portland, Maine.

In a nutshell, this is a food station frenzy meets silent auction event! First, more than a dozen chefs from some of Portland’s best restaurants will offer their own culinary creation — it was so delicious last year, and will be equally as delectable this year! Who’s participating? Think Union, Sur Lie, Baharat, Honey Paw, Ice It! Bakery, Mami, Union Kitchen, RiRas and so many more!! Secondly, there is an online auction (click here to see what’s on the block and to bid NOW!) as well as a silent auction taking place at the event on Thursday night. Yours truly is donating a family lifestyle session that includes a beautiful album — great for a family night of board games and popcorn, an afternoon of baking and crafts, or your annual tree-cutting outing ending with a delicious cup of hot chocolate! These sessions are fun for all!

My assignment, and I loved every minute of it, was to make images of the participating chefs, the families, and the children — the sweet little March of Dimes miracles — to help promote the event. I had a ball!

For more information on this yummy night out, click here. Buy your ticket. Support the March of Dimes. And then eat, eat, and eat some more! In the meantime, meet some of the talented chefs, the grateful families and the beautiful little children who have directly benefited from the efforts of this organization.

Jane is a family lifestyle and portrait photographer in Maine, New England, New Orleans and beyond. Contact Jane at jane@janeberger.com to capture the ordinary moments in an extraordinary way.

Sailabrate good times! Newport celebration photographer

It was the middle of summer and a beautiful summer day at that. My honey and I were on our way to Newport, Rhode Island, so that I could photograph the 10th anniversary sailabration of the RE/MAX River’s Edge office. Our friends, Michelle Cartwright and Todd Mosher, the broker/owners of the office, hosted what was a fantastic event and they (and their staff, no doubt!) left no stone unturned!

It all began seaside and under the sunny sky with cocktails, chilled shrimp and my personal favorite, oysters on the halfshell. Yum. Next, the big and beautiful Aurora came sailing up to the dock, inviting all the partyers aboard for a two hour tour of Newport Harbor. So much fun, so much beauty.

So wait, there’s more…dining under the tent was a treat, with chicken and lobster and steamers, oh my! We laughed, we danced, we answered trivia and some won prizes. Everyone left with a pretty little bottle of prosecco dressed in ribbon and banners. Such a fantastic little detail that captured the true spirit of the celebration.

It was a great event as evidenced by the smiles….. here is a collection of my favorite images.

Jane is an event photographer in Maine, New England, New Orleans and beyond. Contact her at jane@janeberger.com for stellar coverage of your important event!

princess warrior | maine children’s photographer

This. Little. Girl.

She was born not breathing, and they didn’t know for how long she had been without oxygen. She was handled with care, this beautiful, strong, fierce little fighter, because she was precious stock and she was needed by so many people. There were lots of phone calls, texts, tears, prayers, and faith. They worked, and as it turns out, she is pretty darn perfect.

Meet Joey — Princess Warrior extraordinaire, and she is a delight! She is the granddaughter of my dear friend Kristi, and the daughter of my darling friend Lindsay, who I remember as a sweet little baby herself, and have watched grow into a lovely woman and now a mom. My heart is full that I get to now watch little Joey sprout from an infant into toddlerhood and beyond (no rush…), to document the days ahead and photograph her in all her specialness.

Ten little fingers and ten little toes. Beautiful blue eyes and a sweet button nose. I didn’t intend to make that rhyme, but there you go. She inspires me. 🙂

Enjoy these images of a sweet little one who has turned this world on it’s side — in a good way!

….and though she be but little, she is fierce.

— w. shakespeare

Jane is a children’s photographer who also photographs families, foliage and events covering southern maine, new england, new orleans and beyond when the opportunity arises. To have Jane capture the sweetness of your little one, email her at jane@janeberger.com.

family expansion | maine family photographer

Last week you saw photos of my maternity session with Val. Well, it was really HER maternity session with me. Let’s just make that one clear…. 🙂 If you missed that post, then click }here{ It’s really sweet!

Val is the sweet wife of my awesome, handsome, smart, funny, kind and loving nephew Joe. They were married seven years ago (last week to be exact…) and are now expecting their second child — a girl! — and her name is Riley. How cute is that? Riley’s big brother, Cam, was on hand for the maternity session that was also a sweet family session with some heart-stopping father and son moments. We’re at Kettle Cove, on the beach, with a sunset. *sigh*

So feast your eyes on this wonderful family who I love with all my heart! They will soon be four, and we can’t wait!!

The love in our family grows strong and deep ~

leaving us memories to treasure and keep.

Jane is a family, lifestyle and event photographer covering southern maine, new england, new orleans and beyond when the opportunity arises. For a session that stops a few moments in time, email jane at jane@janeberger.com.

a little life expected | maine maternity photographer

I’ll love you always.

Creating life is one of the most beautiful, most incredible, most extraordinary events to grace a person’s being and I sure love photographing it! My heart jumps at the honor of documenting such a special time in a person’s life, and when it’s Val, it’s pretty awesome! Val is very busy cooking up her 2nd baby (it’s a girl!) due this summer, and so she and her handsome husband and their happy-as-can-be little boy came up to Maine specifically for a styled maternity session with me. (Insert my squeal of delight here…)

After much discussion and preparation — the perfect-for-her dress (from Sew Trendy Accessories), the sweet floral crown (from Harmons), and some yummies with which to celebrate (from Whole Foods), we were ready on this beautiful early summer Saturday afternoon. We went to Kettle Cove in Cape Elizabeth … a place that, in my mind, offers everything a photographer could want (woods! beach! rocky coastline! sunset!) … OH! the beauty of it all! But nothing tops the beauty of Val … just look!

Right?? This post focuses on Val and her beautiful baby bump. Another post will be coming soon that shows off the entire family. In the meantime, enjoy the loveliness that is Val.

How long will I love you?

A second is too short. A second is no time for a love of this sort.

–Mark Sperring–

Jane is a maternity and lifestyle photographer located in Portland, Maine, delighting in capturing love and laughter in Maine, New England, New Orleans and beyond whenever the opportunity arises!

If you’re interested in a styled session with Jane, contact her at jane@janeberger.com.

Aaaaahhhh … that sweet sweet smell of lilacs — maine photographer

Few things evoke such wonderful childhood memories for me like the sight and smell of lilacs. There were a few large bushes outside our home growing up, and when they bloomed, it signaled that summer (and more importantly, vacation!) wasn’t far away. I still feel that same sense of joy as an adult when it’s lilac time but for different reasons. To me, it’s eye candy but better with a scent so rich and sweet that I can hold a lilac bloom up to my nose, close my eyes, inhale deeply many times over, and be immediately transported back to my childhood. And then, the gentle reminders of a time gone by come swooping in, like my mom sitting on the front steps enjoying the fresh air, my brothers coming and going to baseball and softball games, a lawn mower buzzing in the distance, and my friends who lived a stone’s throw away and always eager to play outdoor games in the neighborhood until it got dark. So when the lilacs are in bloom, I bring as many stems into my house as I can. The aroma thrills me, and don’t even get me started on the heart shaped leaves….. sigh …….

For me, the lilac season is much too short, so photographs are the next best thing. If you follow me on Facebook, then you know what I say every year ….

If heaven has a scent, it must surely be of lilacs.

The smell of moist earth and lilacs hung in the air like wisps of the past and hints of the future. –Margaret Millar

Jane is a photographer capturing love and laughter in Southern Maine, New England, New Orleans and beyond. Contact Jane at jane@janeberger.com

fontainebleu state park — a louisiana sunset

I had a list of places I wanted to visit and photograph when I was spending time in Louisiana earlier this year. It was a long list. I didn’t make it to every one, but I did make it to Fontainebleu State Park in Mandeville much to my delight! I specifically wanted to visit this state park for the sunset.

I had some time on my hands, the sky was clear and it was a beautiful afternoon. Perfect! I grabbed my camera and my husband and set out for this place of which I had seen many pictures, but wanted my own.

As we entered the park, it didn’t take me long to yell “STOP THE CAR!!” The sun was moving down the sky and was backlighting these big old oak trees laden with spanish moss in a way that took my breath away. I got to work — which really isn’t work for me at all because it is what feeds my soul, makes me happy, and allows me to share the spin I put on the beauty I witness.

Now you might think that after photographing these gorgeous trees I might be disappointed at what comes next … au contraire! The sunset was a lovely show of pinks, yellows and oranges against the blue sky that made way for the stark contrast for some beautiful silhouettes.

Please enjoy viewing the images because I sure enjoyed taking them!

Softly the evening came with the sunset.

-Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Jane is a lifestyle and portrait photographer serving southern Maine, New England and New Orleans. To chat about a session for you, contact Jane at jane@janeberger.com.

A beautiful mama — new orleans maternity photographer

When you spend time in the south and you’re a photographer, you just have to take advantage! There’s so much beauty in the big’ol oak trees drenched with moss, the flowers that bloom year round, and the gorgeous parks that are home to both. Luckily for me, this beautiful mama is expecting this baby — her third — any day now, and so we had the perfect elements for a lovely and memorable maternity session.

Tracy is lovely, don’t you agree? She is every bit as nice, too. We had a great time walking around City Park in New Orleans capturing her at her most beautiful as she anticipates one of the greatest and life changing moments of her life. I tried to convey the goodness, the pureness, the excitement and the joy of this special time under a beautiful canopy that Mother Nature so lovingly provided.

So glad y’all are here to relive this special day with us. Enjoy!

Jane is a portrait and lifestyle photographer capturing love and laughter in Maine, New England, New Orleans and beyond. For a dream session with Jane, contact her at jane@janeberger.com.