Couple Builds Their Passion For Photography Into Business
By Lynn Bruggemann

For Brooke and Eric Lagstein, film is not the only thing that develops in a darkroom. As undergraduates at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, the couple spent hours watching their photography come to life along with their relationship.

The Wyckoff residents took that love of photography — and each other — to launch Be Creative Photography. The couple’s work focuses on capturing life’s joyful events like births, families, engagements, weddings and religious celebrations.

The couple is known for their “celebration of life” style photography. Brooke is responsible for infants, while Eric handles weddings and families.

“We photograph people experiencing true emotions and authentic moments in their lives,” said Brooke.

It was the Lagsteins’ families, in particular their grandfathers, that ignited their interest in photography. Eric told Patch he and Brooke were both given cameras by their grandfathers. The cameras are kept on display in their office for inspiration.

“I grew-up in Mahwah and Eric in Oakland, and we are very family-oriented,” said Brooke.

Be Creative Photography has received national recognition. Eric’s photographs have received awards and accolades from the Wedding Photojournalist Association.

Brooke was hired to photograph Broadway actor and former Wyckoff resident Constantine Maroulis’s newborn daughter Malena. The photos were featured in People magazine’s March 25, 2011 celebrity baby feature.

Brooke recommends Valentine’s Day to parents looking for an excuse to get photos of their children and the Lagsteins offer the following tips for capturing the kids at their best:

1. Choose the time of day that your children are the happiest. Make sure they are well fed and well rested. They will be more likely to play along.

2. Put on your own silly face or get a friend to do something unexpected standing behind you. Kids will really laugh and look directly at the camera. Their smiles will be authentic and real.

3. Capture your children engaged in everyday things like doing their homework, sitting on a swing, playing their instrument, reading a book with their dad. This is a great way to preserve the memories of what your child enjoys and who your child is at that stage of development.

4. If you want to capture your child in a natural landscape like the beach or a field, choose dusk or dawn. This is the most flattering light and it will enhance the mood of the photographs.

5. Fill the frame. You want the subject to take up most of the view finder. Get closer to the subject rather zooming in. Especially with digital photography this will help preserve the quality of the image.

For more details visit www.becreativephotography.com

Shooting season is in full swing and we are off to an amazing 2011.  One wedding was at the Jones Beach theatre which was super unique. Engagement sessions and portrait sessions are filling up our weekly calendars. We are hosting meetings for all of our sessions and soon to be clients during the days and some evenings.  It’s amazing we even have time to spend with Marlie.  Somehow it all works, with the support of our amazing nanny and the extra help from our parents, we are forever grateful. We count our blessings that our work and life are so fulfilling and everything just seems to fall into place.

Happy Wedding Season!

Marlie won this Dora at the local carnival. She totally expected that she could hold Dora’s hand and Dora would walk next to her. We are still trying to help her understand this one.

She absolutely loved the rides with Daddy. I’m not into spinning so Eric has to step up for this kind of thing.