Smith Family – Woodstock | Atlanta Family Photographer

Children, Families, , , , , , ,

A warm summer morning at a new shooting location in Woodstock amidst kayakers, hikers, and fishermen made for a fun mini session with the Smith family. I love watching siblings interact in front of the camera, and these three were no exception. These sisters are sweet as pie and warmed right up to me when they arrived. Little brother took a little longer to feel comfortable, but he he had the cutest little smile and was right at home in mom and dad’s arms. Middle sister is known as “the wild one,” and I’d believe it after her little solo hike up the rocky path to “go exploring up the mountain.” Such a cutie with no shortage of personality. 🙂 I adored the girls’ matching bows and dresses and their obvious love for their little brother. What a lucky guy he is! Enjoy these woodsy summer session highlights.

Tips for preparing your home for your newborn session | Atlanta Newborn Photographer

Children, Families, , , ,

So you have a baby on the way (yay!) and have booked a photographer for newborn portraits…. how do you prepare for your session once baby is here? I sometimes get questions or concerns from parents about not having the perfect nursery, or their house is a mess, or they don’t have much space for newborn portraits… but I’m here to assure you that I’ve worked with a variety of spaces and lighting situations, and I can always find a spot to work with. My goal is to capture this special, awe-inspiring time in your lives — so while the backdrop is a component of your photos, it’s certainly not the focus. I’ve compiled my top tips for parents to help make your in-home newborn session as easy and seamless as possible.

 

  1. Before the session, walk around your house to determine which rooms have the best natural lighting during the day. Sunlight provides a beautiful, natural-looking light for photographs. So turn off the overhead lights and lamps (I know you think that’s crazy, but I promise it’s the way to go!) and open up those blinds and curtains. When I arrive, I’ll do a walk-through to find a couple spots that work best for lighting. Even if it’s just a hallway or a guest bedroom, we can set up shop and you’ll never know the difference in your final images. I do have a special love for shooting in the nursery to capture some shots of baby in his or her own space, even if it’s just using the crib or glider for some solo shots. If you don’t have a lot of natural light streaming into your home, don’t worry — I can bring along some extra lights in case they’re needed.
  2. How should you dress your family? For parents and siblings, there’s no need to match — coordinating colors/patterns are best for photos. Neutral colors are great because they are pleasing to the eye and don’t compete with the focus of the photos, which is your family! The most important thing is that you feel comfortable and look like yourself. If you can have the baby in just a diaper (swaddled up is fine), then we can easily start photos without having to disturb them by removing clothing. I also love a baby in a plain white or light-colored onesie, so having one on-hand is great.
  3. I will provide a few neutral-colored blankets for backdrops, various colored wraps/swaddle blankets, headbands, hats, and a large basket for photos. You are more than welcome to provide anything else you like — a family quilt, a special stuffed animal or outfit, swaddle blankets, headbands, etc. I also have a white noise app that I can play from my phone, but if you have a noise machine or soft music, we can play that to keep the baby calm.
  4. An hour prior to the session start time, turn your thermostat up to about 85 degrees. It’ll be quite toasty for the adults, but baby will love it and be nice and cozy, especially when partially or fully unclothed.
  5. Plan to feed your baby just before the session starts in order to help induce sleep. A full baby is a happy, sleepy baby. It’s also a good idea to have an extra bottle on hand or be prepared to nurse in case they get hungry mid-way through.
  6. It may be easier said than done, but try to relax and just enjoy your session celebrating the newest member of your family! You’re here to soak in the newborn smell, the baby snuggles, and the love that created this new life. I’m here to take care of the details and create beautiful images for you to cherish forever.

Culbert Family – Smyrna | Atlanta Family Photographer

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When my neighbor Tiffany asked me about photographing her family for her daughters’ 2yr and 6 month milestone session, I was thrilled! We live a few doors down from the Culbert family, and our daughter Leighton was born 3 months after their daughter Emerson, which has equaled instant best friends since birth. We simply adore their family, and it has been the most wonderful thing to watch our girls form such a special, inseparable bond at such a young age. Now that baby sister Evelyn has joined them, I know we’re in for so many more girly, fun memories to come. Make sure to scroll to the end to see which Disney princess joined us for a few photos! 😉

Catherine’s 1st Birthday Party – Buckhead | Atlanta Childrens Photographer

Children, Events, Families

This sweet girl turned one in early July and had the sweetest ice cream-themed birthday party to match! Catherine’s parents and all of her family and friends gathered together on a beautiful Saturday to celebrate her first year of life, and what a wonderful party it was! Ice cream cones, yummy snacks, giant balloons, great tunes, and, of course, a little cake smash for the birthday girl. She was dainty with her cake smashing, but adorable nonetheless!

I love the opportunity to photograph parties like this… it’s so fun to be a fly on the wall, capturing this great big love that so many people have for the itty bitty guest of honor. Happy 1st birthday, Catherine!

Suenaga Family – Smyrna | Atlanta Family Photographer

Children, Families

I’ve been photographing the Suenaga family’s growth since their son was just a few years old, so it was such a joy to meet their newest addition last month! Cade is such a proud big brother — he doted on Harper, held her and kissed her throughout our session. (Insert heart eyes emoji here!) Miss Harper is already 4 months old and has fabulous hair and the cutest little rolls. Cade is headed into Kindergarten this fall, and he told me all about his favorite super hero, The Incredible Hulk. I love getting to photograph my client families again and again and see how their children have changed. It’s kind of like visiting with old friends you don’t see often… each time you’re together, you just pick back up where you left off. Enjoy these highlights from our Smyrna park session.