Family portraits that feel like your family.
At a glance
Maximus Visions offers documentary-style family portrait sessions in Bergen and Passaic County parks or in your own home: $500 for 60 minutes, $300 for 30 minutes. Every session includes a curated, edited online gallery, natural-light photography, and location guidance by town and season from the studio's Paramus, New Jersey base.
Our family sessions are unhurried and documentary at heart — at Van Saun County Park's gardens, along the Saddle River, or in your own living room with nothing but window light. We photograph families across Bergen and Passaic County and the five boroughs, always at the pace of the youngest person in the frame.
Where do family sessions happen?
Wherever your family is most itself. Outdoors, our most-booked locations are Van Saun County Park in River Edge, the Saddle River County Park riverbank, and each town's own parks — we know the light at all of them by season. Indoors, we shoot in-home sessions with available light only, which suits newborns especially well.
What if our kids won't sit still?
They don't have to. We don't pose children — we play, walk, and let the session unfold, catching the real laughs in between. The strongest frames in every family gallery are almost never the ones where everyone is looking at the camera.
When is the best season for family portraits?
In our corridor, late September through early November is the signature window — the maples at Van Saun, Borough Park in Waldwick, and Memorial Park in Ridgewood all turn within weeks of each other. Spring gardens and summer golden-hour evenings are close seconds, and in-home winter sessions have a quiet warmth of their own.
What's included
- ●Outdoor park or in-home session — your choice
- ●Natural light only; no flash around newborns
- ●Location guidance by town and season
- ●Curated, edited online gallery
- ●Print and album options available
- ●Weekday-evening slots in summer
Frequently asked
How long does a family session take?
Choose a 60-minute session ($500) — enough for two or three spots within one park without rushing anyone — or a 30-minute session ($300) built around a single location. Newborn in-home sessions go at whatever pace the baby sets.
How much does a family portrait session cost?
A 60-minute family session is $500 and a 30-minute family session is $300. Both include an edited online gallery; the 60-minute format adds multiple scenes and time for an outfit change.
Can grandparents and extended family join?
Yes — extended-family sessions are common, especially around holidays. For groups of 20 or more we recommend open-meadow locations like Goffle Brook Park in Hawthorne so nobody gets squeezed out of frame.
What should we wear for family photos?
Coordinated, not matching — soft neutrals with one or two accent tones photograph best against park greens and autumn color. We send a short guide after booking, and our Journal has a full what-to-wear article.
How do we book a family session?
Send an inquiry with your preferred town and season — portrait sessions typically book 2–4 weeks out, and we'll suggest the best location and time of day for the light.
Our toddler refuses to smile for photos — is a session even worth it?
Yes — because we don't chase smiles. We photograph your toddler playing, running, and being held, and the genuine in-between expressions beat forced grins every time. Parents consistently tell us the frame they print is one they never would have posed.
What's the best park near Paramus for family photos in the fall?
Van Saun County Park in River Edge — the pond picks up warm reflected color through October and the garden path stays framed by maples. The Saddle River County Park riverbank behind Memorial Pool in Fair Lawn is the close second, and it's quieter on weekends.
Can we do family photos at home instead of at a park?
Absolutely — in-home sessions with nothing but window light are some of our favorite work, especially with newborns or in winter. Your home tells your family's story in a way no park can, and nobody has to pack a diaper bag.
Is golden hour too close to our young kids' bedtime?
Often, yes — and a session with a melting-down toddler isn't worth the light. For young families we shoot morning sessions in open shade instead, and in October golden hour arrives early enough (around 5pm) to work for most bedtimes.
Other sessions we offer
- Wedding photography, ceremony to last dance. →
- Holiday portraits without the holiday stress. →
- Engagement sessions built around a walk. →
Dates book quickly in peak season