Betsy Jo Photography Blog bio picture
  • WELCOME!

    Thanks for stopping by! I'm Betsy, and I like taking pictures-- of people, most of all. I'm wife to Paul and mother to Joel, Nora and Connor. They are my favorite subjects. I'm a Special Care nurse by day, a knitter and reader by night. I love New England, and Cape Cod most of all.

    I am available for some limited travel, especially if it's to Ireland or some other lovely clime.

    Wanna' get in front of my camera? Get in touch and we'll set up a session!

New: coming or occurring afresh; further; additional, fresh.

This was such a sweet little session with a new, beautiful baby boy. Little Raymond was so placid and calm, and just plain went along with whatever idea we had! His Mom and Dad were great, willing to go to these funky little spots that I saw as potential backdrops.

We visited Hickory Ridge Tree Farm in Coventry, CT. Owners Billie and Bob were so kind and accommodating, happy that we were using their farm as a location for fabulous photos. The view from the top of the hill was amazing, and well worth the trek up!
Some of my favorites:

Raymond has such blue, blue eyes-

I’m liking this one- the horizon, the cloud break, the leading lines, the dog, and little Ray peeking over Mommy’s shoulder-


Can’t forget their awesome dog, Woofa:


Ack. Love this one:


Eyelash debut:


Yellow flowers make me happy. Yellow flowers with a baby near? Um, way better!


So Bob, one of the farm owners, thought we should take a picture near one of the young trees, for Jim and Ellen to show Ray as it grows– that he was only 3 mo. old when this tree was a tiny plant. I think Bob had a good idea:


Sweetness itself.


I like how they were both looking at Ellen when I grabbed this shot:

Thanks again for welcoming me, Ellen and Jim, and having me photograph memories of your sweet family!

“If one feels the need of something grand, something infinite, something that makes one feel aware of God, one need not go far to find it. I think that I see something deeper, more infinite, more eternal than the ocean in the expression of the eyes of a little baby when it wakes in the morning and coos or laughs because it sees the sun shining on its cradle.”

-Vincent Van Gogh, Dutch artist (1853-1890)

Last Day! (Finally.)

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Anyone else think that CT schools should get out earlier than late June? Oh, it’s so good to have them home. I think I’m even more excited than the kids! (Plus, the sun came out! Really, it did! For the first time in way too long…)

Another reason I love gardening– Thank you gifts for the kids’ teachers? Ready to pick, right outside my door:

I’m thankful that the school year went well, and even more thankful that we have all summer to enjoy days at the beach, late-night ice cream trips to Friendly’s, bike rides to the park, eating all the watermelon we can stand, and, of course, a vacation of camping at the Cape. Cannot WAIT! But for now we’re off to celebrate in style– by making a run to Target!:)

“Breathless, we flung us on a windy hill, laughed in the sun, and kissed the lovely grass.”

– Rupert Brooke, English poet
(1887-1915)

Sneak Peek

What better way to say ‘New England-born’ than baby portraits on a stone wall, in a town by the name of Coventry? I love Connecticut.

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And I love Robert Frost. Well, his poems, anyway:

“Something there is that doesn’t love a wall,
That sends the frozen-ground-swell under it,
And spills the upper boulders in the sun,
And makes gaps even two can pass abreast. “

It was so nice to meet you, Jim & Ellen (& Ray & Woofa, too!) I can’t wait to show you the rest. There are many lovely images of your beautiful family!

Sweet Summertime


(above photo by my lovely sister Katie)


“What is one to say about June, the time of perfect young summer, the fulfillment of the promise of the earlier months, and with as yet no sign to remind one that its fresh young beauty will ever fade.”

~Gertrude Jekyll, British gardener extraordinaire

Father

Some things are just too heartfelt and private to publicly put on a photo journal. Some things are known so deeply, it’s hard to explain their value. And though I can be rather verbose, I can’t find it in me to publish the recesses of my heart. Suffice it to say that for some reason, I have been blessed beyond anything I deserved with a father of my own, and then with a father to my children, who both support, encourage and love me and our children. I have no horrible stories of pain and trauma from my upbringing, just placid memories and things to laugh about now that they are over. And seeing how fortunate my children are to have a Dad that is so good to them and me, I have confidence that they will be able to say the same thing about Paul when they are grown. Happy Father’s Day, Paul. Happy Father’s Day, Dad. We love you.

“What do I owe my father? Everything.”

~ Henry Van Dyke, American author & educator (1852-1933)