Our friends at Ritz Camera are offering some great Black Friday deals -- click here and come check it out!* *Disclaimer: DFS Partners LLC, the parent company of Matthew D'Alto Photography & Design (MDP&D), has established affiliate relationships with all of the sponsor companies listed on this page. Purchases of goods and services that are made via the advertisements and/or hyperlinks provided above are designed to automatically return a small, pre-determined share of the revenue earned on those purchases to DFS Partners LLC based on ratios determined solely by the companies above. From time to time, MDP&D may use any of the services above for its own consumption and services provided, and/or may periodically recommend in writing various products and services for which it receives compensation through these affiliate relationships and advertisements. Neither DFS Partners LLC nor MDP&D guarantee, or are financially or legally responsible for, the quantity or quality of services or products provided by the merchants listed above. All such grievances and customer-service-related issues must be directed to and serviced by the merchants themselves, and is not the responsibility of MDP&D or DFS Partners at any time, now or in the future.

Check out these photos that Matthew D'Alto Photography & Design recently shot of a home in Westport, CT. I believe this home was a turn-of-the-century ice house that was converted (and obviously expanded!) into the home you see in the pictures today. Click here to see to the entire New York Times listing and all of the New York Times-published pictures by Matthew D'Alto Photography & Design. Matthew D'Alto Photography & Design specializes in photographing interior and exterior real estate, property, designs, equipment, products, and construction for both local and out-of-state companies doing business or conducting projects within its primary market in the Connecticut towns and cities of Norwalk, Westport, Darien, New Canaan, Fairfield, Bridgeport, Wilton, Stamford, Greenwich, Ridgefield, Weston, and Easton; and also (when time permits) within its secondary market within the greater Connecticut area as well as parts of southeastern New York State. Matthew D'Alto Photography & Design owns a variety of professional-grade camera equipment and software designed to produce high-resolution, high dynamic-range photographs in a wide range of artificial and natural light settings -- quality which simply cannot be replicated on today's best camera phones or even with lower-end DSLR cameras and lenses. Importantly, every photograph is individually and properly edited, including adjustments to optimize light, color, shadows, sharpness, and picture noise. All photos are further adjusted to fix all "converged verticals" to ensure wall and angle distortions created by wide-angle lens have been minimized. All of this meticulous photographic editing and inspection is done in-house, and is never outsourced, batched, nor mass-produced. Lastly, private online galleries are provided to all clients so they can conveniently view and download their digital photo files in the file format and quality of their choice. For a free photography estimate of your real estate, interior design, product, or general construction projects, send an e-mail to photos@dfspartners.com, or call anytime at 646-221-2482 and leave a voicemail if we are working and not available to take your call immediately.

She said, "I want a photo of us walking out of the church." He said, "I really like black and white photos." Consider it done. Matthew D'Alto Photography & Design provides personal photography services for individuals, couples, and families, including coverage of special personal events such as birthdays, anniversaries, baby showers, small weddings, as well as other religious ceremonies and celebrations. All photography services are offered within its primary market in the Connecticut towns and cities of Norwalk, Westport, Darien, New Canaan, Fairfield, Wilton, Stamford, Danbury, Greenwich, Ridgefield, Weston, and Easton; and also (when time permits) within its secondary market within the greater Connecticut area as well as parts of southeastern New York State.  Matthew D'Alto Photography & Design owns a variety of professional-grade camera equipment and software designed to produce high-resolution, high dynamic-range photographs in a wide range of artificial and natural light settings -- quality which simply cannot be replicated on today's best camera phones or even with lower-end DSLR cameras and lenses. Importantly, every photograph is individually and properly edited, including adjustments to optimize light, color, shadows, sharpness, and picture noise. All of this meticulous photographic editing and inspection is done in-house, and is never outsourced, batched, nor mass-produced. Lastly, private online galleries are provided to all clients so they can conveniently view and download their digital photo files in the file format and quality of their choice. If desired, prints made from different materials can also be ordered conveniently and simply, directly from the online gallery.   To obtain a free photography estimate, send an e-mail to photos@dfspartners.com, or call anytime at 646-221-2482 and leave a voicemail if we are working and not available to take your call immediately.

Three walls and a curtain was all that separated her from her family and friends (and a photographer!). We all waited patiently in that semi-outdoor, sunlit room behind the opaque curtain for about a hour. She finally arrived with her husband for a lovely dinner together...or so she thought. We all gathered our cameras at-the-ready as we anticipated her approach. The air and sounds evaporated for that moment as the anticipation mounted. Then suddenly, the curtain was drawn. SURPRISE!! ...and the pictures below tell the rest of the story! Matthew D'Alto Photography & Design provides personal photography services for individuals, couples, and families, including coverage of special personal events such as birthdays, anniversaries, baby showers, small weddings, as well as other religious ceremonies and celebrations. All photography services are offered within its primary market in the Connecticut towns and cities of Norwalk, Westport, Darien, New Canaan, Fairfield, Wilton, Stamford, Danbury, Greenwich, Ridgefield, Weston, and Easton; and also (when time permits) within its secondary market within the greater Connecticut area as well as parts of southeastern New York State.  Matthew D'Alto Photography & Design owns a variety of professional-grade camera equipment and software designed to produce high-resolution, high dynamic-range photographs in a wide range of artificial and natural light settings -- quality which simply cannot be replicated on today's best camera phones or even with lower-end DSLR cameras and lenses. Importantly, every photograph is individually and properly edited, including adjustments to optimize light, color, shadows, sharpness, and picture noise. All of this meticulous photographic editing and inspection is done in-house, and is never outsourced, batched, nor mass-produced. Lastly, private online galleries are provided to all clients so they can conveniently view and download their digital photo files in the file format and quality of their choice. If desired, prints made from different materials can also be ordered conveniently and simply, directly from the online gallery.  To obtain a free photography estimate, send an e-mail to photos@dfspartners.com, or call anytime at 646-221-2482 and leave a voicemail if we are working and not available to take your call immediately.

Did you know that websites created by Matthew D'Alto Photography & Design can offer you the ability to sell digital files directly from your website? Best of all, you keep 100% of the proceeds from each sale -- there are no additional fees or commissions when you sell a digital file. You can accept credit card payments right on your website and customers can download your documents automatically upon payment (and no intervention is needed from you). All of that means you can spend more time making...well...more files to sell! Here are some of the file types you upload and sell on your website: Documents Files: DOC, DOCX, XLS, XLSX, PPT, PPTX, ODT, ODP, PDF, EPUB Audio Files: WAV, FLAC, M4A/Apple Lossless, MP3 Image Files: JPG, PNG, GIF ZIP Files: ZIP Your website store is also fully functional to sell other products and deliver a variety of services and conveniences to both you and your customers: Sell products or digital downloads Add an unlimited number of products Accept PayPal, credit cards & offline payments Promote your store with integrated email marketing Ensure a secure SSL-certified checkout Track your sales with an intuitive store manager Manage your store on the go with the Wix Mobile App Add shipping & pickup options Create coupons & sales Get found online with SEO tools 100% commission free Get support 24/7 Learn more today about website stores created by Matthew D'Alto Photography & Design! All of the websites created by Matthew D'Alto Photography & Design currently are built on the Wix.com platform due to its ideal synergies and fit for entrepreneurs and small businesses. Wix is quickly becoming the standard for small business website creation and hosting as it had over 92 million users globally at the end of 2016. Wix also excels in its ease of use, secure and vertically integrated platform with hundreds of potential apps available for plug-in, and the cost-effective ability to grow as a small business grows. While almost anyone can learn how to use and create a website on the Wix platform, the reality is many entrepreneurs and small business owners simply do not have the time or desire to create and manage a website. This is where Matthew D'Alto Photography & Design comes in. Matthew D'Alto is a professional webmaster that has been specifically certified and trained by Wix. We can save business owners the time and money by working more efficiently and one-on-one with business owners to customize their website toward their objectives. We also can help you maintain and update your website after it is completed and online. Matthew D'Alto Photography & Design is located in Norwalk, Connecticut but can remotely work across both city and state lines to remotely create the perfect website for your emerging business. To learn more, go to our website design page, or contact us anytime at websites@dfspartners.com.

In the midst of a large family portrait shoot in Stamford, I recorded this precious moment between this expectant mother and her only daughter. It's hard to tell which of the two was glowing more! Matthew D'Alto Photography & Design provides personal photography services for individual and families, including individual and family portraits in a variety in outdoor settings. All photography services are offered within its primary market in the Connecticut towns and cities of Norwalk, Westport, Darien, New Canaan, Fairfield, Wilton, Stamford, Greenwich, Ridgefield, Weston, and Easton; and also (when time permits) within its secondary market within the greater Connecticut area as well as parts of southeastern New York State.  Matthew D'Alto Photography & Design owns a variety of professional-grade camera equipment and software designed to produce high-resolution, high dynamic-range photographs in a wide range of artificial and natural light settings -- quality which simply cannot be replicated on today's best camera phones or even with lower-end DSLR cameras and lenses. Importantly, every photograph is individually and properly edited, including adjustments to optimize light, color, shadows, sharpness, and picture noise. All of this meticulous photographic editing and inspection is done in-house, and is never outsourced, batched, nor mass-produced. Lastly, private online galleries are provided to all clients so they can conveniently view and download their digital photo files in the file format and quality of their choice. If desired, prints made from different materials can also be ordered conveniently and simply, directly from the online gallery.  For a free photography estimate of your senior portrait or other personal photography needs, send an e-mail to photos@dfspartners.com, or call anytime at 646-221-2482 and leave a voicemail if we are working and not available to take your call immediately.

I may retire from photography after taking this portrait since I really don't know if I can improve from here ;-) Truthfully, this lovely lady did all of the work and made my camera smile. This photo was taken late in the day under indirect sunlight, which caught her blonde hair nearly flawlessly. We also got the benefit of some blooming hydrangeas again a green-wooded background. Yes, it feels like perfection. Or pretty close to it... Matthew D'Alto Photography & Design provides personal photography services for individual and families, including individual and family portraits in a variety in outdoor settings. All photography services are offered within its primary market in the Connecticut towns and cities of Norwalk, Westport, Darien, New Canaan, Fairfield, Wilton, Stamford, Greenwich, Ridgefield, Weston, and Easton; and also (when time permits) within its secondary market within the greater Connecticut area as well as parts of southeastern New York State.  Matthew D'Alto Photography & Design owns a variety of professional-grade camera equipment and software designed to produce high-resolution, high dynamic-range photographs in a wide range of artificial and natural light settings -- quality which simply cannot be replicated on today's best camera phones or even with lower-end DSLR cameras and lenses. Importantly, every photograph is individually and properly edited, including adjustments to optimize light, color, shadows, sharpness, and picture noise. All of this meticulous photographic editing and inspection is done in-house, and is never outsourced, batched, nor mass-produced. Lastly, private online galleries are provided to all clients so they can conveniently view and download their digital photo files in the file format and quality of their choice. If desired, prints made from different materials can also be ordered conveniently and simply, directly from the online gallery.  For a free photography estimate of your senior portrait or other personal photography needs, send an e-mail to photos@dfspartners.com, or call anytime at 646-221-2482 and leave a voicemail if we are working and not available to take your call immediately.

This photo was taken under a cherry blossom tree in full bloom, and as the sun was starting to set in the distance. The colors, light, and shadows are enhanced to create more character and artistry in the photograph. Matthew D'Alto Photography & Design provides personal photography services for individual and families, including individual and family portraits in a variety in outdoor settings. All photography services are offered within its primary market in the Connecticut towns and cities of Norwalk, Westport, Darien, New Canaan, Fairfield, Wilton, Stamford, Greenwich, Ridgefield, Weston, and Easton; and also (when time permits) within its secondary market within the greater Connecticut area as well as parts of southeastern New York State.  Matthew D'Alto Photography & Design owns a variety of professional-grade camera equipment and software designed to produce high-resolution, high dynamic-range photographs in a wide range of artificial and natural light settings -- quality which simply cannot be replicated on today's best camera phones or even with lower-end DSLR cameras and lenses. Importantly, every photograph is individually and properly edited, including adjustments to optimize light, color, shadows, sharpness, and picture noise. All of this meticulous photographic editing and inspection is done in-house, and is never outsourced, batched, nor mass-produced. Lastly, private online galleries are provided to all clients so they can conveniently view and download their digital photo files in the file format and quality of their choice. If desired, prints made from different materials can also be ordered conveniently and simply, directly from the online gallery.  For a free photography estimate of your senior portrait or other personal photography needs, send an e-mail to photos@dfspartners.com, or call anytime at 646-221-2482 and leave a voicemail if we are working and not available to take your call immediately.

Here's something cute: For this couple's 40th wedding anniversary party, they made a life-sized cardboard cut out of themselves on their wedding date, and then posed next to themselves -- 40 years later! Congratulations!

In a prior post, I described a wonderful Korean tradition of celebrating a child's first birthday in a unique way. The "Doljabi" is the highlight of this event. Here the baby is placed in front of various items that the baby may approach and touch. In the Korean tradition, it is believed that the first object the baby picks up will symbolize and foretell something about the baby's future. In this case, the baby grabbed a religious book, potentially revealing her ministerial potential! ;-) Matthew D'Alto Photography & Design provides personal photography services for individual and families, including coverage of special personal events. These include a variety of ethnic and religious celebrations, such as baptisms, first communions, confirmations, bar & bat mitzvahs, Korean "Dol", and other special days in people's lives. All photography services are offered within its primary market in the Connecticut towns and cities of Norwalk, Westport, Darien, New Canaan, Fairfield, Wilton, Stamford, Greenwich, Ridgefield, Weston, and Easton; and also (when time permits) within its secondary market within the greater Connecticut area as well as parts of southeastern New York State.  Matthew D'Alto Photography & Design owns a variety of professional-grade camera equipment and software designed to produce high-resolution, high dynamic-range photographs in a wide range of artificial and natural light settings -- quality which simply cannot be replicated on today's best camera phones or even with lower-end DSLR cameras and lenses. Importantly, every photograph is individually and properly edited, including adjustments to optimize light, color, shadows, sharpness, and picture noise. All of this meticulous photographic editing and inspection is done in-house, and is never outsourced, batched, nor mass-produced. Lastly, private online galleries are provided to all clients so they can conveniently view and download their digital photo files in the file format and quality of their choice. If desired, prints made from different materials can also be ordered conveniently and simply, directly from the online gallery.  For a free photography estimate of your senior portrait or other personal photography needs, send an e-mail to photos@dfspartners.com, or call anytime at 646-221-2482 and leave a voicemail if we are working and not available to take your call immediately.

This sweet little girl made had nothing but smiles for me during an hour-long shoot of her and her family on her First Communion day. It was a perfect sunny Sunday, though there was a little breeze in the air which caught her veil, making for this amazing pose with her flowing veil filled with the Spring wind. Matthew D'Alto Photography & Design provides personal photography services for individual and families, including coverage of special personal events. These include a variety of ethnic and religious celebrations, such as baptisms, first communions, confirmations, bar & bat mitzvahs, Korean "Dol", and other special days in people's lives. All photography services are offered within its primary market in the Connecticut towns and cities of Norwalk, Westport, Darien, New Canaan, Fairfield, Wilton, Stamford, Greenwich, Ridgefield, Weston, and Easton; and also (when time permits) within its secondary market within the greater Connecticut area as well as parts of southeastern New York State. Matthew D'Alto Photography & Design owns a variety of professional-grade camera equipment and software designed to produce high-resolution, high dynamic-range photographs in a wide range of artificial and natural light settings -- quality which simply cannot be replicated on today's best camera phones or even with lower-end DSLR cameras and lenses. Importantly, every photograph is individually and properly edited, including adjustments to optimize light, color, shadows, sharpness, and picture noise. All of this meticulous photographic editing and inspection is done in-house, and is never outsourced, batched, nor mass-produced. Lastly, private online galleries are provided to all clients so they can conveniently view and download their digital photo files in the file format and quality of their choice. If desired, prints made from different materials can also be ordered conveniently and simply, directly from the online gallery.  For a free photography estimate of your senior portrait or other personal photography needs, send an e-mail to photos@dfspartners.com, or call anytime at 646-221-2482 and leave a voicemail if we are working and not available to take your call immediately.

In the Korean tradition, they celebrate a baby's first birthday unlike any other. In generations past, the death rate for children under the age of one were very high due to the lack of medical care and childhood diseases. For this reason, it became a tradition over many generations among Koreans for the whole village to celebrate a baby's first birthday with a feast and a blessing of the child, which was called a "Dol." During the Dol, family participants are often dressed in the traditional clothing, which make for amazingly colorful and eye-pleasing photos. The highlight of the Dol is called the "Doljabi". Here the baby is placed in front of various items that the baby may approach and touch. In the Korean tradition, it is believed that the first object the baby picks up will symbolize and foretell something about the baby's future. Below is a recent picture from a Dol for which I was the photographer. Here you can see there meticulous detail that the family exemplified to prepare for the event. It truly is a beautiful spectacle. In the coming days, I will be unveiling a few select pictures of the baby who turned one in this event. She was such a pleasure to shoot. Stay tuned! Matthew D'Alto Photography & Design provides personal photography services for individual and families, including coverage of special personal events. These include a variety of ethnic and religious celebrations, such as baptisms, first communions, confirmations, bar & bat mitzvahs, Korean "Dol", and other special days in people's lives. All photography services are offered within its primary market in the Connecticut towns and cities of Norwalk, Westport, Darien, New Canaan, Fairfield, Wilton, Stamford, Greenwich, Ridgefield, Weston, and Easton; and also (when time permits) within its secondary market within the greater Connecticut area as well as parts of southeastern New York State.  Matthew D'Alto Photography & Design owns a variety of professional-grade camera equipment and software designed to produce high-resolution, high dynamic-range photographs in a wide range of artificial and natural light settings -- quality which simply cannot be replicated on today's best camera phones or even with lower-end DSLR cameras and lenses. Importantly, every photograph is individually and properly edited, including adjustments to optimize light, color, shadows, sharpness, and picture noise. All of this meticulous photographic editing and inspection is done in-house, and is never outsourced, batched, nor mass-produced. Lastly, private online galleries are provided to all clients so they can conveniently view and download their digital photo files in the file format and quality of their choice. If desired, prints made from different materials can also be ordered conveniently and simply, directly from the online gallery.  For a free photography estimate of your senior portrait or other personal photography needs, send an e-mail to photos@dfspartners.com, or call anytime at 646-221-2482 and leave a voicemail if we are working and not available to take your call immediately.

Matthew D'Alto Photography & Design has learned that Nikon has just released a brand new version of it's 7000-series DSLR cameras: the D7500. It cannot yet be purchased through most of the retail channels, but is coming soon. Here are some preview headlines about this new camera, along with some pictures: DX-format, 20.9 megapixel sensor Class leading image quality, ISO range, image processing and metering equivalent to the award-winning D500 Large 3.2” 922K dot, tilting LCD screen with touch functionality 51-point AF system with 15 cross-type sensors and group-area AF paired with up to 8 fps continuous shooting capability 4K Ultra HD and 1080p Full HD video with stereo sound, power aperture control, auto ISO, 4K UHD Time-Lapse and more Built-in Wi-Fi and Bluetooth for easy connectivity through the Nikon SnapBridge App Starting price (body only) of ~ $1,250

Our favorite website hosting and creation platform for small businesses, Wix, recently launched an upgraded video application that can help you make money with your business videos. Here are some of the possibilities with a Wix video website: Easily create and manage your own video channels. Add videos from anywhere -- your computer, YouTube, Vimeo or Facebook. Sell, rent or offer monthly subscriptions to your videos -- all commission-free. All of the websites created by Matthew D'Alto Photography & Design currently are built on the Wix.com platform due to its ideal synergies and fit for entrepreneurs and small businesses. Wix is quickly becoming the standard for small business website creation and hosting as it had over 92 million users globally at the end of 2016. Wix also excels in its ease of use, secure and vertically integrated platform with hundreds of potential apps available for plug-in, and the cost-effective ability to grow as a small business grows. While almost anyone can learn how to use and create a website on the Wix platform, the reality is many entrepreneurs and small business owners simply do not have the time or desire to create and manage a website. This is where Matthew D'Alto Photography & Design comes in. Matthew D'Alto is a professional webmaster that has been specifically certified and trained by Wix. We can save business owners the time and money by working more efficiently and one-on-one with business owners to customize their website toward their objectives. We also can help you maintain and update your website after it is completed and online. Matthew D'Alto Photography & Design is located in Norwalk, Connecticut but can work across both city and state lines to remotely create the perfect website for your emerging business. To learn more, go to our website design page, or contact us anytime at websites@dfspartners.com.

Today, ShootProof announced some cool changes to their invoicing capability for paid users. Photographers can link invoices to client contracts that they drafted using ShootProof. Clients can now enroll in AutoPay to make payments easier and automatic to the photographer. Payments plans and installments are now possible to set up on each invoice. Integrated invoicing is just one of the added-value options that ShootProof provides to aspiring photographers. ShootProof is a service I use for client galleries and photo file downloading, contracts, contact management, and more. The best part? They take ZERO commissions from my sales and digital downloads, so my business is able to thrive and I'm able to focus on what matters most. For a FREE account, CLICK HERE and give ShootProof a try. Note that a new Shootproof account is totally free (i.e., not a trial period) until you hit over 100 photos stored in the account. It's a great way to give it a whirl and not have to worry about time running out on a trial period or any other time constraints. You only pay as you store more photos, which likely means you are making money from paying photography clients!

Shootproof is a service I use for client galleries and photo file downloading, contracts, contact management, and more. The best part? They take ZERO commissions from my sales and digital downloads, so my business is able to thrive and I'm able to focus on what matters most. For a FREE account, CLICK HERE and give ShootProof a try. Note that a new Shootproof account is totally free (i.e., not a trial period) until you hit over 100 photos stored in the account. It's a great way to give it a whirl and not have to worry about time running out on a trial period or any other time constraints. You only pay as you store more photos, which likely means you are making money from paying photography clients! Stay tuned to this forum, and we will periodically provide some interesting highlights and tutorials about Shootproof and why its a great tool for photographers. Thanks! Matthew D'Alto Photography & Design

In addition to taking the photos, Matthew D'Alto Photography & Design can create and present a variety of photo books from any event that we shoot, from small weddings and marriage ceremonies, to mitzvahs and other religious ceremonies, to anniversaries and birthday parties. Here's an example of a photo book we recently created for a client who was married in an intimate ceremony. Last names have been removed from the cover to protect client identities ;-). Matthew D'Alto Photography & Design provides personal photography services for both individual and group/family portraits, as well as on-site event coverage for: birthdays, anniversaries, religious ceremonies, baby showers, small weddings and marriage ceremonies, engagements, school graduations, and live performances. All photography services are provided within its primary market in the Connecticut towns and cities of Norwalk, Westport, Darien, New Canaan, Fairfield, Wilton, Stamford, Greenwich, Ridgefield, Weston, and Easton; and also (as time permits) within its secondary market within the greater Connecticut area as well as parts of southeastern New York State. For a free photography estimate of your real estate, products, or construction projects, send an e-mail to photos@dfspartners.com, or call anytime at 646-221-2482 and leave a voicemail if we are working and not available to take your call immediately.

Where simple and extravagant harmoniously meet. Matthew D'Alto Photography & Design specializes in photographing interior and exterior real estate, property, equipment, products, and construction for both local and out-of-state companies doing business or conducting projects within its primary market in the Connecticut towns and cities of Norwalk, Westport, Darien, New Canaan, Fairfield, Wilton, Stamford, Greenwich, Ridgefield, Weston, and Easton; and also (when time permits) within its secondary market within the greater Connecticut area as well as parts of southeastern New York State. Matthew D'Alto Photography & Design owns a variety of professional-grade camera equipment and software designed to produce high-resolution, high dynamic-range photographs in a wide range of artificial and natural light settings -- quality which simply cannot be replicated on today's best camera phones or even with lower-end DSLR cameras and lenses. Importantly, photographs are also individually and properly edited and adjusted to optimize light and color in the room. All of this careful photographic editing and inspection is done in-house, and is never outsourced nor mass-produced. For real estate, a wide-angled lens is often used to capture more space in a photo and make smaller rooms and areas look bigger. All such photos are further professionally edited to ensure walls and edges remain straight and are not made distorted and crooked by such wide-angled perspectives. For a free photography estimate of your real estate, products, or construction projects, send an e-mail to photos@dfspartners.com, or call anytime at 646-221-2482 and leave a voicemail if we are working and not available to take your call immediately.

I spotted a hawk in my backyard yesterday. They are notoriously difficult to capture live, so I decided to take a chance and take the photo through my dirty glass window and screen. After a LOT of cropping and Lightroom touch ups, here's how it came out -- not too bad! By the way, I did try to open the window and take the picture, and of course, the hawk quickly flew away... Photography by Matthew D'Alto Photography & Design in Norwalk, CT.