I am so, so happy we were able to make this session happen at the last minute. This sweet first time mama, contacted me on a Thursday. Baby Luca had already arrived and she wanted a session as soon as possible so that she could have him photographed while he was still tiny and squishy. It’s always a good idea to book your session while you’re still pregnant so that I can guarantee you a spot, but if baby has already arrived, I will try my best to squeeze you in. I missed out on newborn photos with my oldest and I know how devastating that can be. I’d hate for anyone to miss out on the opportunity to capture this special time. Anyway, like I was saying, she reached out to me on the Thursday and thankfully, I had Saturday afternoon open. I’m so pleased it worked out. Little Luca is adorable and he’s surrounded by so much love. Thank you guys for allowing me to photograph your very beautiful love story.
Mentoring For Photographers {Seattle Newborn Photographer}
I am thrilled to start offering mentoring for photographers looking to start lifestyle newborn sessions! A mentoring session includes a hour chat to discuss how to run a lifestyle newborn session. After that, you’ll accompany me on a newborn session. You will watch how I shoot, have the opportunity to shoot yourself and you can ask me about any specific poses you’d like to learn. After the session, we’ll chat about editing and how to deliver a gallery that your clients will love. The cost is $900 plus WA sales tax. If you’d like to know more, please contact me today.
Introducing Baby Dez {Seattle Newborn Photographer}
The summer has been so busy and one of the sweetest sessions I’ve done has been this one with baby Dez. This session was scheduled after baby had already made his appearance and we were able to fit it in last minute. While it’s always a good idea to schedule your newborn session while you are still pregnant, please don’t hesitate to reach out once your baby is here. I would hate for you to miss out on newborn photos, so I will always try to squeeze you in!
This family welcomed their first baby a few weeks ago. He was about two weeks old for his newborn session and was as sweet as can be. I loved including their first fur baby in the images too. He seemed to handle adjusting to the new baby so well and it was so sweet to capture it. One of the best parts of my job is getting to know the families. One of the first things I noticed when I entered their home was a dish towel from New Zealand. Being from New Zealand, this caught my attention. They had honeymooned there a couple of years earlier and it was so nice being able to talk with them about my beautiful homeland.
I loved this session so much and I hope you do too. It was an honor to capture you as you transition to parenthood with that sweet little boy.
If you are wanting to book your own newborn session, please make sure you check out my portfolio to make sure I’m the right photographer for you, then get in touch so we can get you on the calendar. I’m currently booking newborns, both in home lifestyle sessions and Fresh 48 sessions through March 2020.
At Home with a Beautiful Family of Four {Seattle Lifestyle Photographer}
Over the years, I have come to adore in home lifestyle sessions. I love them for both family and newborn sessions, but there are so many reasons why I believe you should have an in home newborn session. The first reason is that you never have to leave your house with your tiny newborn. I come to you so that your family can stay where it is most comfortable. The other big reason is that we can capture baby in his or her own environment. We can photograph their nursery. That room that they will be read to and sung to and eventually go to sleep all by themselves in. Another reason is that if there are older siblings, they are often much more comfortable in their own space. They don’t need to be present for the whole session and the chance of them acting up is lower if they are able to go and play with their own toys.
There is so much I love about this lifestyle newborn session. Some of my favorite images are those of big brother playing with his newborn baby sister in her crib. She’s lying there as happy as can be, and he was playing with cars. It was the sweetest thing. These type of images you just can’t get in a studio.
I am always taking newborn sessions on. I love them and find it hard to say no :) So, if you are on the search for a newborn photographer and appreciate my lifestyle approach, I would love to talk to you about documenting these early days for your family. Please reach out and I’ll get back to you as soon as I can.
Photographing Summer {Seattle Family Photographer}
Can you feel that warm breeze in the air? Finally, it feels like summer is almost here in Seattle, and if you’ve been following me for a while, you’ll know that summer is my absolute favorite time of year to photograph my own children. There are many reasons why. I absolutely love the sun and our Seattle summers are full of it. When the kids are out of school, I have way more opportunity to photograph them. Because there is no school, we often let them stay up late which means I can be shooting at sunset, my favorite time for outdoor photos. I love to shoot film and warm sunny days are perfect on film. Summer is a time of vacations, long lazy days and bright colorful clothing which adds some playfulness to images.
Going into summer, I like to write a photography bucket list. I also sit down with my boys and write a summer bucket list, and the two often go hand in hand. For example, if the boys want to fly kites on the beach, then my photography bucket list will include taking images of them flying kites on the beach, but I also add other goals, such as shooting after the sun goes down. Above is my 2019 summer photography bucket list. Please feel free to use it as inspiration. Some things I’ve put on it are literal, others you can use any interpretation you’d like.
Welcoming Baylor {Seattle Newborn Photographer}
It’s no secret that I adore Fresh 48 sessions. That brief hospital stay before they head home and the first milestone is reached. Everything is so new, and life seems to stop still and all that matters is you and that fresh little baby. Fresh 48 sessions require me to be on call, as most mothers only get twenty four hours in the hospital. The time of day and how much notice I’m given will determine what time I will get there. This little boy was less than two hours when I got to meet him. His mama desperately wanted me to film the moments that his three older brothers met him for the first time. It was such an honor to be able to do this for them. His two big brothers were clearly extremely excited to meet him. Their smiles said it all. Number three was still figuring out what was going on, but you know the four of them are going to be best buddies. I’m honored to share these images with you.
When to Schedule Your Lifestyle Newborn Session {Seattle Family Photography}
As a lifestyle newborn photographer, my goal is always to make your newborn photo session go as smoothly as possible. Here are some answers to the most commonly asked questions:
How far in advance should I book my newborn session?
It is always best to book your newborn session when you are still pregnant. Knowing that babies are unpredictable and come when they’re ready, I will only book a certain amount of newborn sessions each month. We will pencil in your due date, and once baby arrives, you can let me know and we will narrow down the best date. Most moms book around the 6 month mark, however, if your baby is already here, please still reach out because I may have some availability.
How old should my baby be when we have the session?
The beauty of lifestyle sessions is that your baby doesn’t have to be sleeping for the session like most posed newborn photographers prefer. Posed photographers like to get babies in for the session in the first ten days as babies tend to sleep more in that time. For a lifestyle newborn session, it doesn’t matter if baby is a few days or a month old. I typically do in home newborn sessions in the first 2-3 weeks, but we can do it anytime in that first month. This is great if you’ve had a difficult recovery or if baby had a rough start.
How long does an in home lifestyle session take?
Sessions are relaxed and I never want you to feel rushed. I am typically at your house for about an hour and a half. If baby needs to take a break then we will do so. I don’t like to rush sessions so if we need longer than that, then I will stay longer.
What time of the day should we have our newborn session?
I will talk to you to best determine the time based on your families needs. Most sessions take place around 10am, but I am flexible if that doesn’t work for your family.
If you have any other questions or are ready to book, please get in touch. I can’t wait to chat with you.
Tips For A Beautiful Newborn Session {Lifestyle Newborn Photographer}
Your newborn has arrived, your photography session is booked, but now what? How do you best prepare for your lifestyle newborn session? Here are some ideas to make your session go as smooth as possible.
Feed your baby as often as needed
Your tiny newborn needs to eat frequently and their comfort is my number one priority. Please don’t ever feel pressured to rush the session. I will take as much time as needed to capture your family as you adjust to this new little life. Feel free to stop and feed your baby as often as needed. If you want shots of them feeding, I’ll happily take those for you.
Keep your house warm
Lifestyle newborn sessions are different from posed sessions in that the baby doesn’t have to be sleeping. In a posed session, the space has to be hot to help the baby fall into a deep sleep. For a lifestyle session, while the room doesn’t have to be hot, it’s nice to keep it warm especially if we are photographing the baby in just a onesie.
Keep baby in simple clothing
A swaddle or plain colored onesie is all that is needed. We want to show off the natural beauty of your newborn. It’s best to keep the clothing simple so the baby is the show stopper. I do have some beautiful onesies that I bring to newborn sessions if you don’t have any plain colored ones. I also have white kimono style shirts that look cute with a diaper. These allow us to photograph that cute little belly.
Plan on having the siblings participate
I treat newborn sessions very similar to family sessions. With the exception of doing a few individual shots of the baby alone, I include the whole family. I try to get sibling shots done at the beginning of the session so that they can go off and play once it’s done.
Relax and enjoy being with your family
The beauty of lifestyle sessions is that you can just relax and snuggle with your babies. I might ask you to gather on the bed, or stand in front of a window, but I’ll never pose you and ask you to smile. Sessions will be relaxed and as stress free as possible.
At Home with a Beautiful Family of Four {Seattle Lifestyle Photographer}
I found this newborn session to be so fulfilling for me as an artist. Sometimes, I have a session that just seems to speak to me, and this was definitely one of those. The mood was relaxed and laid back. Nothing felt rushed or stressed. It was just like they were going about their new normal with two little ones, and I was just there to observe.
I had the honor of photographing Ezra as he made his entrance into this world. No kidding, that was the most amazing moment of my whole photography career. I wish I could photograph more births but the unpredictability plus having little kids myself, makes it nearly impossible. It is an experience I will cherish for a long, long time though. A couple of weeks later, I was thrilled to head back to their home to photograph the whole family as they adapted to a new family of four. It’s amazing how different the space felt after a couple of weeks had passed compared to two weeks earlier when he was born. There was still the same sense of peace and calm, but you could tell that the family had already adjusted and I’m sure it seems to them like little Ezra had always been there.
Big brother Soren was so sweet and talkative. We had some great conversations. Mainly about gorillas and shopping on Amazon :) Some of my favorite images are the ones where he is peeking in on baby brother as he lies in his bassinet. I adore capturing the connections between siblings at sessions and I always try to focus on that as much as parent/baby images.
It was such an honor to photograph this beautiful family again. I hope you enjoy these images.
If you’re ready to book your own newborn session, please contact me!
Welcoming Baby Number Three {Seattle Newborn Photographer}
I adore Fresh 48 sessions. There is no time quite like the first couple of days of your new baby’s life. Baby is still squishy and new, flakey feet, umbilical cord stump and all, and time seems to stop still while everything and everyone is focused on you and your new little being. Items that are only used for two short days such as the hospital blanket and hat, as well as the bracelets around the ankles should be photographed so you never forget the newness of them. I realized that I never blogged my own baby’s Fresh 48 session so I’m doing it now. Here’s my third little boy at the very start of his time with us.
