Tips for Photographing Your Own Fresh 48

Must Take Images Before Your Baby Leaves the Hospital

I think we can all agree that this year has been a tough one. While it’s not a big deal in the grand scheme of things, missing out on a Fresh 48 session that you were excited about, can be a bit of a downer. I know it can vary by where you live, but in the Seattle area, photographers are still not able to photograph Fresh 48 sessions. Today, I’m going to share some tips for you to take those image yourself in the hospital while photographers aren’t allowed in. I hope these will help you with photographing those early days until we can have your at home newborn session.

Tip One for Photographing Your Own Fresh 48

Photograph the hospital items that you only see in those first couple of days. The little newborn hat and the hospital bracelets are only used for such a short time so make sure you get images of them while you can.

Tip Two for Photographing Your Own Fresh 48

Make sure you photograph them in the little plastic bassinet that they sleep in. This is so unique to your hospital stay so this is an image you’ll want to capture.

Tip Three for Photographing Your Own Fresh 48

As most hospitals are only allowing one guest, take turns photographing them in each other’s arms.

Tip Four for Photographing Your Own Fresh 48

Use natural light. Turn off the hospital lights. They are never flattering and natural light will take your pictures to a different level. Shoot during the daylight and either shoot with the window behind your subject, or with the baby positioned so the light is hitting them from the side.

Tip Five for Photographing Your Own Fresh 48

Don’t forget a close up of that sweet face and other little details like the tiny flakey feet.

Tip Six for Photographing Your Own Fresh 48

Make sure you explore different angles. You don’t need to take a traditional portrait. Move all around the baby. You might surprise yourself with what you get.

I hope this helps! Please let me know if you have any questions. I’m happy to help!

A Quiet Morning at Home with a New Little One {Seattle Newborn Photography}

Typically, moms contact me for newborn photos month before the baby arrives, but sometimes to do lists get overwhelming and not everything on them gets done. Other times, the parents don’t realize they want newborn photos until the baby arrives and they see how quickly they change within a few days and they know they want to photograph this time before they forget what it is like. Because I’d hate for anyone to miss out on newborn photos, I always try to fit families in even if they contact me after baby has arrived. I can’t guarantee it, but I will do my best. This family contacted me once baby had arrived and it occurred to them how quickly baby was growing. Luckily, I was able to get them in quickly and even better that they happen to live right around the corner from me. Their session was so calm and relaxed and little baby Ryan was so precious. Once she fell asleep, I couldn’t stop taking pictures of her! I hope this family will be able to look back at these images once Ryan is bigger and remember how tiny she was.

At Home With a Family of Four {Seattle Newborn Photography}

Lifestyle newborn sessions remain my absolute favorite. I love capturing families as they transition to their new roles and seeing the love they have for their new addition. This session was no different. The love was palpable and there was so much happiness in the air.

A New Family of Four {Seattle Newborn Photographer}

There was a point during quarantine when I felt like I would stop photographing families altogether. I don’t know why I felt this way. I have always loved photographing all families, but newborns in particular, hold a special part of my heart. It may have been the stress of everything and just feeling down in general. When June came around, we were given permission to begin working again (with some restrictions) and suddenly, all these people started reaching out. I booked sessions and decided I’d see how it went. The first session back I was totally in love with it and I’m still questioning why I thought I’d give it all up. Newborn sessions like this make my heart happy. This sweet little girl was only 6 days old and big brother is only one. When photographing young kids like this, it’s best to let them take the lead. If they want to stay in their parents’ arms the whole time, that’s totally fine with me. This baby girl is so loved and it was an honor to take her newborn photos. Welcome to the world Josephine!

Welcoming a First Baby {Seattle Lifestyle Newborn Photography}

It’s always an honor to photograph any newborn baby but it’s even greater when someone I know personally asks me to capture their family as they transition into their new roles. A new baby is a reason to celebrate but babies born during quarantine have often not been greeted with family get togethers and visits. Several photo sessions had to wait until we were given the go ahead to work again and because of that, many newborns ended up being 5 or 6 weeks by time I could photograph them. This normally results in more awake baby images. The upside of that is getting to see baby’s personality.

Little Mason was 5 weeks old for his session. He was awake almost the entire time which meant we got to see lots of little facial expressions. He is such a sweet little boy and it was so lovely to see this family of two, now a family of three.

Top 4 Reasons Why You Should Invest in Family Portraits {Edmonds family photographer}

Why family portraits are one of the best investments you can make.

There’s nothing more important than family; they’re the people you share your home and life’s experiences with, the people you share meals and happy moments with. You create memories with your family, which is why it’s so important to capture moments together as you are now. It’s rare for you to get your entire family together in one shot but having those photos is truly special. Here’s why you should take the time to hire a professional photographer to shoot a beautiful family portrait for your home.

1. Portraits are beautiful décor pieces.

If you’re looking for something special to hang on your wall at home, a family portrait is the perfect option. Portraits usually work best on a focus wall, which is why it pays to hire a professional photographer. If you’re going to have a photo of your family in a prominent part of your home, it should be beautifully shot.

2. They last a lifetime.

The reason why family portraits are seen as investments is because they’ll last for years. Photos like this can be passed down to future generations so that they have something special to remember their family by.

3. Portraits make for wonderful gifts.

If you’ve been racking your brain for gift ideas for a family member, a framed family photo is a great option. Even more so if someone is having a milestone birthday and you’re looking for something extra special to give them.

4. It brings the family together.

Shooting a family portrait is a great way to bring the family together so why not make a fun day out of it? Get your family members to come up with fun ideas for the shoot if you want to do something a little less traditional and take this opportunity to spend some additional time together afterwards so that you can attach some special memories to the portrait too.

There’s no time like the present to capture the special bond between you and your family.

At Home with Rosie and Her Family {Seattle Newborn Photographer}

Whenever I do an in home session, particularly a newborn session, my goal is to make the family feel as stress-free as possible. I never want a session to feel like it’s just one more thing you should do when you have a baby. I want you to feel relaxed with me, like I’m just a friend visiting, who also happens to be taking pictures. You’re probably going to tell me your birth story, we’ll probably discuss the ups and downs of breastfeeding, we’ll likely chat about how you chose your baby’s name. By the end of it, I hope you feel like you’ve made a new friend.

This session went exactly like that. Little Rosie made her appearance just before Christmas. Like my third baby, she was happiest in her parent’s arms, so that’s exactly where we kept her for most of the time I was with them. Rosie is adored by her big brothers and you just know that she’s going to adore them too. Welcome to the world Rosie. It was an honor to photograph you when you were tiny. I hope one day when you’re big, you’ll look back at these images and see how your whole family was madly in love with you.

If you’re welcoming a new baby this year and are interested in a newborn session, please get in touch. I would love to capture this special time for you.

How to Pick the Perfect Professional Photographer {Edmonds Family Photographer}

What you need to consider before you pay that photography deposit.

If you’ve started the search for a photographer then you’ll know just how many options there

are. Before you go ahead and book a professional photographer for a shoot though, there are a

couple of important things to consider.

What style are you looking for?

Photographers have different styles so you need to decide on someone who can help you

achieve the end result you are looking for. This applies to everything from wedding and

maternity shoots to family and corporate shoots. Ask the photographer for some examples of

their latest work to evaluate whether they can cater to your needs.

Research and review.

Before you invest in a professional photographer you need to do your homework. Get online to

find a few customer reviews, browse around their website to view their latest work and have a

look around their social media pages to find out what others are saying about them. These platforms will also give you a good idea of their personality and style. Some other important

points to consider when researching photographers are:

1. Budget. Do their services fall within your price range?

2. Expertise. Are they experienced enough to give you the results you are looking for?

3. Location. Are they based in your area and are they willing to travel to a specific location

if need be?

4. Quality. Is the quality of their photos good enough? Look at aspects such as sharpness,

exposure, and saturation.

Create a shortlist.

Once you have done your research, create a shortlist of professional photographers that stand

out for you. Get in touch with each of them to discuss your needs and to ask any questions that

you might have. It’s important that you chat with the photographer over the phone if not in

person as this is the best way to get to know them and find out whether you’ll be able to work with them. Feeling uncomfortable or stressed out around your photographer makes for bad

photos.

It’s important that you pick a photographer that you have confidence in. Your photos are there

to last you a lifetime so while there is nothing wrong with helping out your photographer friend

who has just started out, it’s best to choose an experienced photographer for important events

and occasions that you can’t relive.

A Brief Guide to Professional Photo Restrictions {Edmonds Family Photographer}

The photos that a photographer hands over to you are part o their life’s work. It has their name or branding so there are a few important restrictions to not !when it comes to the professional! digita! images that you receive.

1) Copyright. The digital images that your photographer provides you with have a copyright, which means the photographer has the option to use those photos to market their work and services anytime in the future. We are however also respectful! of our clients so if there are any images that you would prefer to keep private, it’s best to let us know about it ahead of time so that we can honor your wishes.

2) Image"type. We aren’t able to provide you with the original files or raw images. All images given to the client have been cropped and have been edited. If you do require further touch-ups we would need to provide you with a quote.

3 )!mage altering. While we appreciate your business and welcome the sharing of our photos on social media platforms, we ask that the images not be altered in any way as this is against our copyright policies. What constitutes image!altering?

• Adding filters or editing photos in Photoshop

• Removing our logo or studio name

• Color correcting or including transitions from color to black and white

• Clipping people or objects out of the original shot

So why do we have this as a restriction? Our photos are a representation of our work so when a customer alters an image it directly impacts our name and brand in the industry. When we present you with the final images, they have already been through our editing process and don’t require further alterations. When images are altered, the results are not always reflective of our original work and can then be mistaken for ours. We greatly appreciate your loyalty and cooperation in this matter. We are happy to give a quote if you want images to be edited in a specific way or if you want further alterations made.

A Gorgeous Fall Sunset Session {Seattle Family Photographer}

Fall Photo Sessions Are Here

The majority of my photo sessions are held in my family’s homes, but sometimes an outdoor shoot feels so good for my creativity and I adore it when I get to photograph families time and time again. These little girls were just babies when I first photographed them and it’s so lovely to see them turning into such sweet little girls. We met at the beautiful Everett Arboretum for their photo session. Although it wasn’t quite if full Fall color yet, the gorgeous Autumn sunshine was still able to give us that light we see only in the Fall.

I only have two outdoor Fall sessions left for 2019, so if you’ve been thinking about a session, please get in touch today. I would love to photograph your family this year!