From Jersey Shore family portraits and weddings to professional headshots, branding campaigns and live events, these local photographers bring different strengths to the other side of the lens.
Choosing a photographer involves more than finding someone who owns an impressive camera.
A wedding photographer must capture the emotion of the day while managing timelines, family groupings and constantly changing conditions. A branding photographer needs to understand how photographs will work across websites, advertisements and social media. A family photographer has the equally heroic job of getting children, grandparents and the family dog looking in the same direction.
Different assignment. Different skill set.
The Greater Long Branch and Monmouth County area is home to photographers specializing in everything from beach portraits and weddings to commercial campaigns, professional headshots and live events.
Here are four local photographers serving Long Branch, West Long Branch, Monmouth Beach, Oceanport, Eatontown and surrounding Jersey Shore communities.
Andrea Phox Photography
Best suited for: Family portraits, large groups, headshots, branding and fine art photography
Andrea Phox is a Long Branch-based master photographer specializing in portraits, professional headshots, commercial imagery and original fine art.
Her portrait work includes couples, families, pets and large multigenerational groups. Sessions can take place inside her studio at the West End Arts Center or outdoors along the beach, boardwalk, wooded areas and urban settings surrounding Long Branch.
Andrea’s approach emphasizes genuine connection and personality rather than overly staged poses. She also creates professional branding photography and headshots for business owners, executives and creative professionals.
Beyond portraiture, Andrea produces original New Jersey, New York City, travel and infrared photography. She also leads photography workshops and immersive photo tours.
Contact:
917-545-2538
andreaphox@gmail.com
Website:
https://www.andreaphox.com
Kartheek Photo
Best suited for: Weddings, engagements, elopements and couples
Kartheek Hegde is a New Jersey wedding photographer who focuses on natural interactions, candid moments and the relationships surrounding a couple’s wedding day.
His style combines lightly guided portraits with documentary-style photography that allows moments to unfold naturally. His goal is to help couples feel relaxed and present rather than spending the entire celebration posing for photographs.
Kartheek photographs weddings, elopements and engagement sessions throughout New Jersey, New York and other destinations. His work is especially suited for couples who want polished photographs while preserving the fun, movement and unscripted moments of the day.
Contact:
732-610-9886
hello@kartheekphoto.com
Website:
https://kartheekphoto.com
Elly Dream Portraits
Best suited for: Fine art family portraits, children, maternity, legacy sessions, headshots and personal branding
Elly Dream is a contemporary portrait artist based in Middletown. She specializes in creating artistic family portraits designed to preserve relationships, personalities and important stages of life.
Her work includes children, families, maternity sessions and multigenerational legacy portraits. Elly plans clothing, backgrounds, lighting and session details around the finished artwork the family wants to display in its home.
She also creates professional headshots and personal branding photography for executives, entrepreneurs and business owners. These sessions are designed to produce polished images for websites, LinkedIn profiles, marketing materials and social media.
Elly offers custom albums, wall galleries and finished portrait artwork for clients who want their photographs preserved beyond digital files.
Contact:
732-595-2121
732-800-9389
ellydreamphoto@gmail.com
Website:
https://ellydreamportraits.com
Andrew Lepping Photography
Best suited for: Sports, live events, brand content, portraits and editorial photography
Andrew Lepping photographs sports, live entertainment, local businesses, portraits and community events throughout New Jersey and New York.
His work has a fast-moving, editorial feel that works well for athletic events, concerts, hospitality businesses and brands that need engaging content for social media. He also creates portraits and social-first photography designed to help businesses document their people, products and customer experiences.
Andrew has photographed editorial assignments for Greater Long Branch City Lifestyle, including local restaurants and businesses. His experience capturing both large events and smaller community stories makes him a flexible option for brands that need strong visual content without making every image feel overly staged.
Contact:
732-768-2367
andrewllepping@gmail.com
How to Choose the Right Photographer
Start by looking at complete galleries rather than choosing someone based on one or two strong social media images.
Before booking, ask:
• What types of photography make up most of your work?
• Will you help plan the location, clothing and visual direction?
• How many edited images are included?
• What is the expected turnaround time?
• Do business packages include commercial usage rights?
• Will we receive digital files, printed products or both?
• Do you provide photography, video or both?
• Is a second photographer available for larger events or weddings?
Photography styles and processes can vary dramatically.
Some photographers specialize in candid, documentary-style images. Others provide more posing, styling and creative direction. Some create finished wall art and albums, while others focus primarily on digital galleries and commercial content.
The right photographer is the one whose experience, process and finished work match what the images need to accomplish.
Serving Greater Long Branch and Monmouth County
These photographers serve clients throughout Long Branch, West Long Branch, Monmouth Beach, Oceanport, Eatontown, Middletown and surrounding Monmouth County communities. Many also travel throughout New Jersey, New York City and nearby destinations depending on the assignment.
Whether the project involves a family milestone, wedding celebration, professional headshot or full commercial campaign, discussing the purpose of the photographs before the session will help ensure the photographer is the right fit.