Hello, I'm Hajar—a mom, wife, scientist, and portrait photographer living in Berlin, South Jersey.
I was born and raised in Ahvaz, Iran, where the summers are hot, and with only two seasons. In 2014, I began a journey to New England, welcoming its four beautiful seasons to pursue my Ph.D. at SUNY-ESF in Syracuse, NY. A few months later, I met my husband, Mike. Our silliness and laughter on our first date led to many more, and we've been together ever since. Marriage has brought its own mix of challenges, especially with our different cultures and languages, but our love has shown us that nothing can stand in the way of true connection. Soon after, job opportunities led us on a journey. We first moved to Cape Cod and now to South Jersey. Along the way, our little Leo became our travel buddy, following us wherever we go. I love to share our family’s journey—a story that’s anything but ordinary. Feel free to ask me about it!
With social distancing and no friends or family nearby, I turned my photography hobby into something more meaningful. I began photographing families and colleagues to build a portfolio, and along the way, I fell in love with capturing portraits. These portraits have become the heartbeat of my work. I'm always searching for the magic of natural light, genuine smiles, and true emotions. When all of those come together in one frame, that’s when I truly smile. I love chatting with my clients and hearing their stories, making each session fun and stress-free. I share the photos as we go, so everyone feels comfortable and confident. Before we say goodbye, I make sure everyone loves their shots because I genuinely care."Hajar is a great photographer. I had a session with her and enjoyed every moment of it. She is fun and easy to work with, passionate about photography and full of great ideas about poses and how to capture great shots. I consulted with her about my outfit and location before the session and she patiently gave me great ideas. My photos were amazing and I got a lot of complement from those photos. I highly recommend her."
"Hajar is a natural photographer, she knows exactly how to get the shot. Most importantly however, is her warm bubbly personality that makes working with her a blast. Combine this with an endless passion for the photographic arts, and you could not ask for nothing better. A real treasure! You will not be disappointed with her work."
"She did a great job capturing my little munchkins! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐"
"I had a great time with Hajar, she is lovely and enthusiastic during the photoshoot. Wish you all the best dear."
"We were lucky enough to have hajar do our wedding photos. She was timely, thorough, friendly, creative, and talented. We can't say enough about the quality of phot she took(which were plentiful) or the experience of having her document our day. Very highly recommend!"
"Hajar, you are an awesome and patient portrait photographer and it was truly fun to work with you. Appreciated your creativity. To me, most important was, you asked and closely listened to make sure the pictures taken represented the need. Thank you and look forward to using your services next time we need portrait/family photography."
"You are such a talented photographer, London and I was thrilled with the results of your work. From the beginning, your friendliness and calm manner, and directions gave my daughter all the confidence she needed. Your photos captured her and the background so perfect you can feel the warm weather coming. In addition to that, I couldn't believe you offered your incredible work for such low prices and we will not hesitate to recommend you to others. Thank you so much I will definitely be using Hajar's photo again!!"
"Hajar is wonderful and sweet. She’s a great photographer with an eye for detail and knows how to capture a portrait or moment in time. She was patient with my toddler and made us feel at ease. Her bubbly personality helps you relax if you’re nervous about taking photos and I would highly recommend her for your next photo shoot!"
"Hajar did a maternity photo session for me and she is absolutely amazing! My husband and I are not, I repeat- NOT natural models and very uncomfortable in front of the camera. Hajar coached us throughout the session and told us exactly what we needed to do to get the best shot. The results are stunning. These pictures are absolute treasures and I am so grateful for them. Hajar is naturally talented but you can sense her passion for growth within her skills as she is always looking to try new things that capture the moment even better. Cannot recommend her enough"
"Hajar was so warm and professional. She did great with directing my very active 6 year old. I love the pictures I have. They are memories to keep forever."
"Hajar was so patient and fun with my kids. She really took her time to capture the perfect photos. The whole experience was great and the pictures came out beautiful! We will definitely be using her again for our next photos."
"We had the best experience, my girls are 6 &13 and she made them both feel completely comfortable with themselves and the camera (and the cold day we had to work with.) Our photographs were nothing less than breathtaking and her eye for different angles and using the background or accessories was perfect! Highly recommend!!"
"Hajar is such a welcoming, friendly, and talented person! She did a shoot for my boyfriend and I and was very personable. We discussed locations and she was willing to be flexible due to inclement weather. My boyfriend and I had never had photos taken before, so we were a little shy at first, but Hajar is so fun-loving, she made us feel right at home. I would recommend her to anyone looking for a photographer in the Falmouth/Cape Cod area."
"My two teen daughters and I have been lucky enough to have Hajar do a photo shoot for us. Hajar is great, she is talented and makes you feel very relaxed in front of the camera. My eldest teen has since had more pictures taken and they ALWAYS come out so great. I highly recommend using Hajar no matter what pictures you are looking for, she truly enjoys her work and is shows."
Our family has never had family portraits done until we met Hajar. The experience was nothing short of amazing. My shy 12 year old showed the camera her beautiful, real smiles thanks to Hajar. Some portraits were beautifully and artistically posed. (Line work of the body and hands-Hajar truly knows her stuff) Most of the photos were natural and Hajar was superb at creating a fun energy for those photos! I truly recommend to all of my family, friends and fellow locals in getting any photos done with Hajar. You will not be disappointed!! Thanks again, Hajar! We will have to book with you again soon!!! ❤️ Also… it was freeeezzzing during our photoshoot. Hajar killed it at building up the energy!
It was so great to work with Hajar! She was incredibly patient with my two young toddlers and we did not feel rushed at all. Definitely recommend her for families with young children, she not only enjoys being around them but appreciates their unique personalities and tries to capture that as well! Our pictures came out beautiful!
We had such a great experience with Hajar…she is such a genuine human with true passion for photography. As you can see in her amazing work. She is so friendly and easy to be around. She finds a way to keep things light and fun with her subjects. My daughter had such a great experience with her, the proof is in her smile! She was so nervous, (as was I! ) yet Hajar knew how to break through that. I highly recommend and we will be doing senior portraits with her shortly!
We had such am amazing experience with Hajar! She captured my Sons personality perfectly in every photo she took for his Senior Pics. Hajar is so enthusiastic, and her laughter is infectious and puts you right at ease! Her passion and talent for photography shows through in all of her photos. We are so pleased with every picture and will definitely be using Hajar again. as well as recommending her to our friends and family! Thank you again Hajar! You are awesome!
Hajar was tremendous at showing my personality in a beautiful set of photos. She let me choose the spot, and we talked as we shot when she got to know me and I got more conformable with her. What resulted was an experience that boosted my confidence and really made me feel good. If you are looking for a set of photos that shows who you are, Portraits by Hajar is your go to!
I highly recommend booking Hajar for a portrait session. Hajar did a wonderful job taking a family photo for our adoption application. Hajar’s expertise and warm personality made the photo session a fun and relaxed experience. She was so kind and patient with our over enthusiastic dog and really helped my husband and me feel comfortable. The final photos are so beautiful and have such a vibrant authenticity, they are truly a testament to Hajar’s skill as a photographer. I will absolutely book future sessions with Hajar for many years to come.
Hajar was wonderful to work with. She was patient and kind with my 2 year old and gave great instruction how how we could look our best!
Absolutely wonderful experience. Hajar assisted us throughout the family portrait process, providing her insights and expertise on everything from our outfits, to the location, to the time of day for the best light. She is great with babies and children and created a relaxed and fun atmosphere. It is evident in her work that she is passionate about photography and wants your family to have great pictures. She returned the photos in a timely manner and they came out great. I highly recommend Hajar!
Starts at
Surprised by my rates? I shoot during my free time, and I love every moment of it. If you’ve already had a session with me, you know the experience!
How to book? Simply reach out to me, and I’ll suggest some ideas. Once we finalize the details, you’ll sign a contract and make any payments.
Scheduling For family and senior sessions, I usually shoot on weekdays after work. I reserve weekends for family time and personal errands. However, please do not hesitate to reach out if you need a weekend session.
During Your Session I’m flexible with outfit changes as time allows.
You will receive your high-resolution photos within two weeks. I remove any blurry, duplicate, or closed-eye shots and deliver all the best images—typically around 50 per 30-minute session. If you’d like additional retouching, there’s a small fee of $10 per image, separate from your session cost.
Yes, I travel! A $50 travel fee applies for locations 20-40 minutes from Berlin, NJ. For sessions beyond this range, please contact me, and we’ll find a reasonable arrangement.
If the weather is an issue, I’ll decide on rescheduling up to 2 hours before your session. If you need to cancel for other reasons, you can do so up to two days before the event for a refund. Any non-refundable deposit can be applied to a future session.
I’d love to hear your ideas and expectations! Feel free to text or email me with as many details as possible.
Phone : +1 315-706-8280 (text)
Email : portraitsbyhajar@gmail.com (preferred)
Address : Berlin, New Jersey (South Jersey)