Oh how I’m a sucker for those baby blues. I don’t know how his mama could ever say no to him with eyes like those!
Tag Archives: folsom newborn photographer
Last week I put out a Newborn Casting Call and was overwhelmed at the response. But as soon as I got an email from the mommy of these twins I knew they were the ones. Ten days old and one girl and one boy–I couldn’t have dreamed up a better fit! Coming fresh off of the Baby as Art workshop I was itching to practice all the posing, composing, and techniques that I learned. And these two little ones were amazing sleepers so I was able to get nearly every pose and set up that I had planned for.
Every time I photograph a newborn I fall more and more in love with the art of newborn photography. It really is so different than any other type of photography I do. Usually I’m chasing around toddlers, quickly snapping an image and capturing them living life out in front of my camera. But newborn photography is a whole different scenario–so much slower, intentional, and deliberate. Every little finger put into place. Every pose planned precisely. But even in those down-to-the-last-detail moments I love when I capture a sleepy little smile and their personality shines through. There really is nothing like it.
So please don’t overlook having a newborn session done if you are expecting. And until I get my baby fix I’m doing half off of newborn session fees (digital package pricing remains the same), so you really don’t have an excuse. Look at it this way–you get to sit back and have someone else do the diaper changes for a few hours and you get gorgeous images of your precious little one as a result.
This first image sums up exactly how last week’s Baby as Art workshop with Carrie Sandoval and Brittany Woodall made me feel–like I was dreaming. Newborn photography is truly such an art and these two gals have it mastered. I still am so in awe of the fact that I was able to learn from the best of the best in the industry and feel like I should pinch myself and wake up! What an invaluable experience to be able to witness firsthand their attention to detail, their calming way with brand new babies, and their overall vision for their images.
There were two baby models during our personal workshop, so here are a few images I took of the first little beauty. There really is nothing quite like a sleeping newborn baby.
“Megan? Megan? Megan, are you listening?”
“No.”
“Why weren’t you listening, Megan?”
“Because I was busy talking to Laura.”
A conversation nearly 25 years old, but I remember it like it was yesterday. She had long blond hair. She played with me on the playground during recess. She had a new baby brother. It was kindergarten and it was the first time I was being scolded by a teacher. But it didn’t matter–I was busy talking to my new best friend, Laura. School could wait.
The other day when I was dropping Abby off at preschool I was chatting with one of the other moms about my photoshoot that day with a five day old baby girl and that her mom and I had been friends since we were five years old. She said, “Wow–that’s something you read about in magazines but very few people are lucky enough to have.” It was then I realized just how lucky I am to have Laura in my life.
We have a whole history together that some sisters don’t even share. Her house was the first one that I ever spent the night at. And we had many, many, more slumber parties after that. And backyard camp-outs. And late night murder mystery movie making (I would love to find those videos!) when we were twelve. And trampoline jumping…for hours. And cookie baking (which was more like cookie-dough eating). And letter writing folded up into cootie catchers.
So many of my childhood memories include Laura. And even more of my teenage memories are filled with her.
She was the first person to ever take me to church and introduce me to Jesus. She taught me my first bible verse. She bunked with me at church summer camp. She encouraged me, she lived out her faith, and she knew what it meant to stand for something, even in high school when it seemed like people would fall for anything.
When I found out my dad was sick with kidney cancer Laura was one of the first people I told. She had always been so close to him and even worked with him at Aerojet (yes, Laura actually is a rocket scientist). And when she said how sorry she was when he passed away I knew she meant it because I knew what my dad meant to her.
And now Laura has a new little one and I couldn’t be more thrilled. And she knows how much I mean that because she knows what she means to me.
“Very few people are lucky enough to have that.” It’s so true.
This weekend was a first for me. Little {J} was officially the first newborn to stay awake throughout his entire session. For three and a half hours we pulled out every trick in the book–the space heater, the noise machine, multiple feedings, snuggling, and cuddling, but he was just too excited for his first photoshoot. But there was also another first during our session. {J} has to be the first baby to not make so much as a peep. And with the fact that he was awake the whole time just goes to show what a happy, content baby he is. He was such an absolute doll throughout the whole thing and once we realized that he just really wanted to be awake, we went with it.
And I’m glad we did because we got lots of adorable, wide-eyed awake images. It’s usually really difficult to get eye contact with a newborn, but {J} was amazing and kept looking directly at the camera, which made my job so easy. And I just love how expressive his eyes are in these pictures.
