Baby Girl Number Three {Seattle Newborn Photographer}

It’s so amazing how quickly babies change. I photographed little Amelia in the hospital (you can see that session here), and just a few days later, I visited her in her family’s home for a newborn session. In that time, she had changed already. Still tiny and newborn like, but she definitely looked more alert and not quite as new as she did a few days earlier. She was one of my more awake babies, but the beauty of lifestyle photography is that they don’t have to be soundly sleeping so you can pose them. With a lifestyle session, the baby leads it. Whether they want to be swaddled, in their crib, or in their parents arms, it doesn’t matter. You’re going to get beautiful images whether they’re awake or asleep.

Dad was an expert swaddler and the one time Amelia did close her eyes, was just after he had wrapped her up. I’ve seriously never seen such a perfect swaddle! I think I need to up my game.

Little Amelia has two big sisters who are clearly so proud of their baby, and both of them took turns holding her. Some of my favorite images are of the three of them snuggled up on their parents’ bed. There is so much pride on their faces!

Towards the end of the session, the big girls had taken off with their Grandma, and it was just Mom, Dad & Baby. I adore these images. It really doesn’t matter how many kids you have, each time you welcome a new one, your heart expands again. By baby number three, these two were complete naturals and it’s always so lovely to just observe parents with their new little love.

Amelia's Fresh 48 {Seattle Newborn Photographer}

I find Fresh 48 sessions to be so beautiful. I love that time in the hospital when the whole world seems to be focused on you and your baby, and I love being able to capture those moments for families. I met Amelia the morning after she was born, in the same hospital my third baby was born in just a few months earlier. She was so chill, which I think comes with the territory when you’re baby number three. One thing I love to include during Fresh 48 sessions is the hospital blankets, bracelets and hats. Sure, they’re not personal, but these couple of days in the hospital is the only time they’re going to use these things, so I think it’s important to capture them with these items. Welcome to the world sweet Amelia!

A Quiet & Love Filled Session {Seattle Family Photographer}

There are so many things I love about in home lifestyle sessions, but one of my favorites is getting to know the families and seeing how different they all are. One thing’s for sure, there is so much love in each family I photograph, but the way they go about their daily lives, the way they interact witnh one another, the level of energy, and the mood is always so different from family to family. This family was so calm, so loving, and if I had to choose only one word to describe them, it would be “peaceful.” The way they interacted with each other was so beautiful. Big sister adores her baby brother, and you can tell, he’s just as enamored of her.

A Cozy Winter Family Session {Seattle Lifestyle Photographer}

One of the reasons why I love at home photography so much is because we don't need to worry about the weather. It can be the middle of winter, freezing cold, snow on the ground, thunderstorms, or pouring rain and our session can go right ahead as planned. We all know that the Seattle rain is coming soon, so you might as well stay home and stay warm and cosy.

This was my first family session of 2018. It was a chilly January morning when I arrived at their house. The little boys were so quiet, sweet and calm. The family read books together, snuggled on the couch, and played on their bed. One thing I thought was so beautiful was that the boys would often stop what they were doing and just cuddle with their parents. They know their safe place and whenever they needed it, they returned there. I am in love with how their session turned out. A beautiful family + a gorgeous house + a whole lot of love. What's not to love? And I've noticed, a funny thing happens when you shoot from the heart. You create images that move you, art that speaks to who you are. This session is evertything that sets my heart on fire.

Enjoy! 

Maternity Model Call {Seattle Lifestyle Photographer}

CLOSED - THANK YOU FOR SUBMITTING

I am searching for a fun and relaxed couple or small family (one other child) for a maternity session. Ideally, you would be around 26-34 weeks and live in an old character filled home with lots of natural light. A dog would be a bonus :) You will get a complimentary session, plus ten digital images. Additional images may be purchased. If you feel you may be a good fit for this please contact me and include your full name, your general location, how far along you are, and a picture of the room you feel has the best light. I can't wait to meet you!

Hospital Pictures and Why They're so Important {Newborn Photographer Seattle}

I know it's not for everyone, but I personally love the time in hospital following the birth of a baby. It's like the whole world stops and everything is centered around you and this new little being. You can forget about the outside world and focus on bonding with your baby. No cooking meals, no cleaning, no laundry. Before you know it, you're heading out into the real world and it feels like baby's first milestone is reached. It is so important that this time is documented. Whether you hire a professional, or do it yourself, make sure you get images of this very special time. You will never get this moment again. Some important images to take include, baby in the bassinet, baby in the hospital blanket and/or hat, foot bracelets, and close ups of face, feet, and hands. The benefit of hiring a professional is that you can sit back and relax while your photographer does it all, plus you can be in the images too. However, I did my own so it is doable. If you're interested in having me document this fleeting time for you, let's chat.

A Warm and Peaceful Family Session {Seattle Lifestyle Photographer}

I knew the moment that this mom contacted me that this family session was going to be special. The words she wrote in her initial email spoke to me so deeply and had me nodding along as I scrolled her message on my phone. She used words such as "serendipitous" and told me that idea of capturing her children in her home made her swoon. I mean, she was speaking my language! We met on a cold December morning, just before Christmas. I felt like an old friend stepping into their home. The mood was warm and cheerful. Holden didn't feel great and was a cuddly little thing. Juniper is a ball of energy and so outgoing and friendly. The love Mom & Dad have for the kids is palpable. Lots of cuddles were had that morning. Dad played guitar. They made popcorn, Juniper drew with chalk. Mom snuggled with Holden. It truly just felt like a relaxing weekend morning with friends. 

Falling In Love with Film {Seattle Family Photographer}

Three years ago, I attended a photography conference with a group of friends. I had been feeling burnt out, uninspired and unmotivated. That conference did so much to lift my spirits and get me shooting again. We talked a lot about burnout and one solution, was to try shooting film. Film has a way of making you slow down and shoot with intention. I left the conference with a desire to learn. My husband very thoughtfully, bought me a film camera for my birthday a month later and after putting my first roll in, I started snapping away. The first rolls came back and they were terrible. I think I had one keeper out of the whole first roll. I knew that if I was going to shoot film, then I really had to learn it properly. I enrolled in an online course for beginning film shooters. That course taught me so much and I finally started to shoot some images I was proud of. 

Film is so much different to digital. For one, it's expensive so you're not tempted to keep on taking pictures like you would with digital. You really do try to get the image in your mind without wasting frames. Waiting for your film to come back from the lab is also exciting. Scan day is like Christmas!

I'm nowhere near where I want to be with my film shooting, but here are some favorites.

A Newborn Session Full of Love {Seattle Family Photographer}

All of my photo sessions are special to me, but this one is extra special. Kate is a fellow Kiwi and her and I were pregnant together. We shared the highs and lows of waiting for our sweet little baby boys.

It was a cold Seattle Saturday morning when we met for baby Moses' newborn session. Moses was wide awake for a lot of the time, just quietly taking in the world around him. Big sister, Zelda was so in love with her new baby. The mood was calm, as it often is with baby number two. We photographed him and the family in between coffee breaks, chats, and lunch. It was so easy and laid back, and the images we were able to capture truly speak to me. I can't imagine photographing babies any other way but in their natural environment.

Welcome to the world Moses. You were so eagerly anticipated, so longed for and so, so loved.

Welcoming a New Little Life {Seattle Newborn Photographer}

I adore babies and I would have ten more if I could. But since I can't, I'll have to stick to photographing them. To me, the most natural place to photograph a newborn is in the baby's own home. This is the environment in which they are going to grow, form relationships, and reach milestones. I adore lifestyle sessions. The focus is on connections, and not simply pretty photos of the baby. One thing you don't have to worry about before a lifestyle newborn session is cleaning your whole house top to bottom. Of course, clearing out some clutter helps, but we really don't need a ton of space. The vast majority of this session was taken on the master bed. 

This family was so sweet and his big sisters were clearly so in love with their new little brother. They doted on him and it was so lovely to watch. It's always special to see a family with two girls and a boy, because that was my family growing up. I was the second girl in mine, and I know that this little boy is going to continue to be loved on and looked after, with maybe just a few scuffles involved ;)