Hi! I'm Helen, a South Jersey based photographer who specializes in branding and family photography. I have a background in film production and video editing, which adds a cinematic feel to every session, focusing on bright colors and genuine smiles.

A leafy garden pergola creates a natural green canopy with filtered sunlight and climbing vines.

The creation of Helen Merz Photography

The idea for my business came about while I was working in the video/film industry in Philadelphia mid-2015. I had taken photographs of cousin's showers, engagements, proms, and family events. In 2016, my sister announced her first pregnancy. Together we dreamed up maternity photographs, scoured pinterest, and set a date for their portraits. They turned out amazing!! After that we knew we needed to documented the first year of their family journey. Throughout the process I thought myself, "Would other people want this service and trust me to document their journey?"

Over the next several years, I worked with family members and friends documenting all sorts of milestones in their lives, still dreaming of maybe one day pursuing this business. Cut to 2020 and I was apart of the majority re-assessing what work meant to me. In July 2020, I filed for my LLC and started working towards my first career pivot from corporate employment to self-employment. By 2021, with the support of my husband and friends, I jumped. I went full time into my business.

These first 5 years of business have been some of the hardest and most rewarding years of my life. I've iterated on my packages, added items, subtracted services, updated prices, worked with local partners, and experimented. I invested in new cameras, lenses, flashes, backdrops, photography courses, business courses. Laughed with clients, made a fool of myself to get your kid to smile, welcomed back to many repeat clients, and built a business I'm proud of.

Wedding photographer with leather camera harness photographing an outdoor ceremony.

Learning photography together in a natural outdoor setting.

Portrait in a lush garden pathway with green foliage overhead.

Working with Helen Merz

Relaxed, easy-going, and joyful are the keywords for your session. It's my job to make sure that you feel incredible in front of the camera and that your sessions is a wonderful experience. I check-in frequently as we move through different poses and shots throughout the session. Towards the end of the session, I will ask if there's anything that's popping into your head that you want to capture. I want to make sure that I'm not missing anything that you're wishing to capture.

My photography style is made up of vivid colors, authentic moments, and a documentary styled approach. I like blending posed images with candid moments to get a versatile gallery for my clients. When kiddos are involved, we follow their lead. My Auntie energy comes out to get even the most reluctant to smile. To me, it's most important to capture the essence and feeling of the day versus creative the perfectly curated image.