With the arrival of baby Kendall, this beautiful family has two beautiful girls! Before COVID took off in mid-March, this Birmingham newborn photographer was able to spend a Sunday morning with a sleeping Kendall, big sister Aubrey, mom, and dad in their beautiful home, which was picture perfect in every way!
Not only did Kendall sleep basically the whole time (which was new for me, as my newborns usually love to be wide awake), but Aubrey was simply adorable and a wonderful big sister. I know these two are going to have so many adventures and memories. Their age gap is close to me and my sister’s and I love having a sister!
This Canton Michigan newborn photographer loves at-home lifestyle sessions with newborns! They are some of my favorite sessions to shoot, especially with brand new parents like Brooke and Alex.
Brooke and I went to college together (we are both English majors and both worked on the newspaper together), and her and her husband recently moved to Michigan from Minnesota. This past fall, I got a message from her asking to meet up, catch up, and talk newborn photos! It was so nice to reconnect after not seeing each other for so long, discussing the twists and turns life has taken us since our college days.
Mia was born in November and two weeks later, I headed over to Brooke & Alex’s home for their first family photos. Mia was incredibly well-behaved, though she didn’t fall asleep until the end of our session. She is absolutely adorable — and now four months old! That full head of hair — so cute!
When I do a newborn session, I like to keep things simple. We use what you have in your home. We don’t need fancy outfits or backdrops. Just you and your new baby is really all we need.
I love it when clients refer me to their friends! It always makes for the best sessions! My wedding client Sarah referred long-time friends Jenny and Dave to me. They invited me into their home two weeks after Emmett entered the world. Is Emmett not the sweetest? He was alert and calm during our session. No tears, no fussing, really a good newborn, so I was a thankful Troy newborn photographer.
If you’re looking for a Troy newborn photographer and are considering studio versus lifestyle, here’s my take. Newborn lifestyle sessions are all about using the environment you’re in and simple swaddles and outfits. The best part about them is that they are meant to be rather stress-free. The point isn’t to look perfect, it’s to capture the connection between the family members. I do not pose newborns in baskets or buckets and I do not use anything other than a boppy pillow, bed, or their crib for safety. I prefer the photos of mom and dad holding baby anyways! They’re always the sweetest.
Jenny and Dave created the perfect nursery for Emmett. Like Pinterest-worthy nursery goals. Emmett is one lucky baby! You can tell the love and care that went into decorating it. The elephant motif was adorable. E for Emmett!
Emmett is now just over four months old, but I’m so glad I was able to capture these first moments for this family of three. They’re just never that little again! I absolutely love this session and am so glad my clients refer me to their friends!
I don’t take on a huge amount of newborn sessions, but I do love to do them! My newborn sessions take place at your home and this Clawson newborn photographer keeps things super low-key, which I think is perfect for anyone who has a fresh newborn at home.
Last September, I was able to take Charlotte’s newborn photos alongside big brother Benjamin. Benjamin was excited to show me his trains and to do anything BUT love on his new little sister. That’s okay though because this Clawson newborn photographer just goes with the flow. We just let the kids dictate the session and got some really sweet documentary photos of the whole family.
One thing that I get asked a lot is “Is my house pretty enough for photos?” And my answer is always, absolutely! Almost no one who actually has children lives in a Pinterest-perfect home. There’s no reason to put off family photos because your home isn’t up to a silly Pinterest-pretty standard. Your home is where your kids play, where they learn, and where you spend time as a family. It holds all of the memories of childhood and my hope is that I capture your family there as they are.
Looking for a newborn at-home lifestyle session from a Clawson newborn photographer? Click here for more info!
It feels so strange to say it, but hello 2020. I’m not one for resolutions, but I am an enneagram type one and INFJ, and to be honest, new year’s time and new decades and birthdays always bring up a lot of introspection, reflection, and anxiety over all of the goals I didn’t accomplish or ways I failed. I’m sure many of you share the same struggle. What a deadly personality combination!
Personal notes aside, at this time last year, almost to the day, I had my final day at my old day job as a marketing manager, and a week later embarked on the greatest adventure (other than my marriage) I’ve ever experienced: journeying through 26 states over 3.5 months with my husband and dog in our R-Pod. What a gift we gave ourselves after a really tough 2018 for us personally. I just recently made some photo books of our trip and it took four volumes to tell the story. From clogged toilets to beautiful vistas, the trip was a once in a lifetime experience that I’m glad we got to do.
This also means that I’m writing as a celebrate my first anniversary as a full time photographer/small business owner. Wow! In my wildest dreams, I don’t think I ever thought I’d make it here. When I graduated college back in 2013, I had no freaking idea what to do with myself other than get a job. So I did that and I tried to convince myself that I was a successful humanities major that “made it.” Ha! Do any of us really “make it”? In 2019, I was 10 years out of high school and I will tell you that in 2009 I never imagined that I could even own a business. In fact, I’m pretty sure I scoffed at anything “business” related. HA! But in 2017 when I decided to really do this, I let my determination, perseverance, and inability to let a goal fall to the wayside guide me here.
In 2019, I just had my most successful year of business. I don’t measure this in dollars or weddings shot or shutter count, but how I feel about the work I’m producing and where I am headed creatively and business-wise. This year I completely changed my business name, revamped my website, worked on upping my client experience, attended my first business workshop, and got better and better with every single session and wedding and edit. By the time December rolled around, I felt like I was finally hitting my stride and headed in the direction I had been seeking for so long.
I am still in awe that people hire me to tell their stories. I am still in awe that they invite me into their most vulnerable moments. I am still in awe that they trust me to be a part of their lives, however small that may be. All of their positive feedback and support always gives me the boost I need when I worry that I should quit or that this won’t last (if you have cure for self-doubt, let me know). They remind me that this job is important and that love is the most beautiful thing in the world. I truly adore working with people in love, no matter their age, because they make me believe that there’s still good in this dumpster fire we find ourselves in daily.
2020 looks a lot different than I thought it would, but I am excited to stretch my creativity even further and really put people at the center of my work. I want to push the documentary aspect of my work because as you’ll see below, those are my favorite images. I know you all print the formal photos, but the moments are why I do this job and why every single wedding and session is different, which I LOVE.
The photos below aren’t exhaustive, but I spent the day going through all of my images from last year and loved reliving every wedding day and every session over again. It was such a full year, but a fun year. There were so many more laughs than tears, and capturing that joy has been the greatest privilege and honor for me. Thank you all for your vulnerability and for sharing yourselves with me.
Fresh babies, there is just nothing like them! In August, I was able to photograph baby Josie at just 12 hours old for a Beaumont Fresh 48 session. She was so good and so little!
What is the difference between a fresh 48 session and a newborn session? This is a super common question. Fresh 48 sessions are very documentary in nature always. They are usually done in the location of the birth (hospital, birthing center, etc.) and within 48 hours of birth. The session captures the first moments with baby and is often a great time for an older sibling to meet their new brother or sister. I love them because your baby will really never be that small again and these first moments are something you’ll want to remember. They’re quick sessions since everyone is tired and we aren’t trying to pose, but just capture interactions with baby, and baby’s little toes, hands, and little head.
A newborn session usually happens within 10 days of birth. My newborn sessions are always lifestyle in nature; no posing your baby, no special backdrops, and completely capturing your family together in your home. They’re different than fresh 48 sessions because they happen in your home and capture the baby in its surroundings (usually a nursery), and usually mom and dad are dressed less like they just had a baby in a hospital.
Both of these sessions are super relaxed and always centered around baby’s needs. We don’t rush and we don’t force anything.
I’d love to do more fresh 48 sessions this winter! I’ve got a special deal for those expecting during January through March. Please contact me if you’re expecting and want to learn more!
