About Portrait Playtime Photography
What makes us different?
Kids First means we want children to lead the way. In front of our cameras, “no” is a dirty word; kids tire of hearing it and parents need a break from saying it. We are unhurried and happily patient because we know that when kids feel safe, connected and powerful, they relax and show their authentic selves. So, lead the way! Take us to an ice cream parlor, to a park, to your own play room, to your favorite spot in the woods, or anywhere else you want us to go. This is about you.
About Jessica
Jessica Wallach is the Principal Photographer and owner of Portrait Playtime. Portrait Playtime grew out of her passion for photography and her deep connection to young people.
Jessica started taking photos in 1997 while visiting a friend in Budapest. With three cameras and a lot of time to kill, Jessica discovered that she loved the way photography focused her attention on the world right in front of her. When she returned home, she studied under Will Crockett, the lighting master, training through his commercial lighting work, with the idea that if she knew how to light her subjects, she could photograph anything.
When Jessica’s daughter was born, she began to see light and shadows not just with the eyes of a photographer, but with the eyes of a mother. As she contemplated how she could join the growing numbers of parents who put their children first and also worked, she began to envision a photographer’s studio where families and children would be truly at home. The business of Portrait Playtime took shape on that foundation, with a mission to take photos of children and their families with a focus on relationships and connections, and with the intention of encouraging children to flourish. Into Jessica’s work as a tremendously talented photographer, she brings her belief that people of all ages, and particularly the very young, deserve complete respect and are naturally intelligent, contributive and cooperative. This core value drives her to carve a safe place in every photo session for children to show themselves.
