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Cranberry Family Portraits: On-Location with Little Ones

October 25, 2017/by kmiller

I know this sweet family from church and was blessed to be able to make some portraits of them this fall. It’s great to get outside for family portraits, especially with little ones because they aren’t confined to the limits of a studio (i.e. – sitting still so that the light is right and the tripod doesn’t need to be adjusted…as a mom of two young boys, I am a firm believer in the least restrictive environment!). Although I will say, it’s a workout for parents to keep their little ones close and engaged. But the results are so worth it!

family portrait in Cranberry

I just love the sweet and pure faces from little ones this small.

little boy close-up

We were shooting right into the sunset on a particularly sunny day for Pittsburgh!

family at sunset in tall grasses

I love walking shots, and for little ones it’s easiest sometimes to put them up on a parent’s shoulders.

family walking through the park

And I love this moment where this sweetheart pauses just long enough for her close-up.

little girl close-up

And this happens at almost every session with toddlers. Dads love to turn their kids upside down and the kids love it too!

lifestyle portrait with little boy

Here’s our fearless leader leading the way!

family walking across the bridge

And this is probably my favorite shot of the whole family. So blessed!

family portrait in the woods

Cranberry Family Portraits: Cranberry Woods

September 26, 2017/by kmiller

One of my favorite nearby places for photos is Cranberry Woods, a business park off of Route 228. It’s usually quiet and has lovely woods with tall grasses and if a family is looking for a location in Cranberry, this is it! But shhh! Don’t tell anyone.

This family just welcomed home a baby girl three months ago so this session is part newborn session, part family portrait, all outdoors at sunset. And we couldn’t have picked a better day, so I’m thankful for the gorgeous weather on days like these!

family portrait in the woods

Where else can a family walk through the woods without tripping on roots or fallen branches? I’m telling you this secret won’t last long.

family walk in the woods

I just love seeing siblings give kisses—is there anything sweeter when they do this without any prompting?

kisses from big brother

It’s a good idea to bring a blanket along for family pictures. I keep this navy picnic blanket with me for family sessions, and some families bring their own to compliment the wardrobe!

family portrait on a blanket

Goodness gracious, there is something that’s just so satisfying seeing a big sibling hold a baby sibling. Everything just feels right in the world.

big brother and little sister

We stopped for some portraits of this little sweetheart. At three months, she was very interested in the world around her and kept looking up at the trees. But then she’d flash a sweet smile my way when the camera got close.

baby in basket

little sis close-up

And we definitely needed to take some time to photograph this cool little dude.

cool dude leaning on a tree

I really like photographing families from above like this, but I like to give families warning that it can get pretty chaotic. And I’m not sure of why, but it does in a fun way!

the family from above

One of the things this mama was looking for in her session were portraits of her and her husband individually with each of their kiddos. And I love taking an opportunity like this to focus on the relationships between parents and their little ones.

mommy and baby

father and son

daddy and baby

mother and son

And just one more family portrait! Never believe me when I say, just one more! My finger just can’t stop at one click!

family portrait at sunset

Cranberry Family Portraits: Celebrating a First Birthday

August 31, 2017/by kmiller

First birthdays are one of my favorite milestones to photograph. At one year old, little ones are so full of surprises and parents are brimming with excitement to celebrate their baby’s first birthday. It’s such a sweet occasion and it’s hard not to smile when I’m editing the images.

birthday girl

I love the curiosity that this sweet girl has for this book and how mom and dad are so enjoying sharing it with her.

mom and dad reading to their daughter

Getting this cutie pie to smile was effortless with her mommy and daddy at her side.

family portrait

So loved!

kisses!

We started this session at 7:30 a.m., what a great start to the day!

family portrait at the park

I love moments like these that aren’t real contenders for being framed and hung on the wall, but they show the sweet interaction that happened even when this family wasn’t looking at the camera.

a sweet moment between photos

And to conclude this post of non-stop sweetness, here’s a piggyback chase!

piggy back chase

Happy birthday, sweet one!

Cranberry Family Portraits: Multiple Generations

August 29, 2017/by kmiller

I am a big fan of backyard family portraits. I think I mentioned that a time or two. So when I got an email for a multi-generational family portrait here in Cranberry, I was thrilled! It was coordinated by a daughter as a gift for her parents during the family’s get-together at the grandparent’s home. Sweet! And she also mentioned that their family has exploded in the last few years with four kids ages 2 and under. Can I just be honest and share that’s a bit intimidating? It is, but I like a challenge.

First I’ll share the whole family as that’s where I like to begin when everyone is fresh and ready to go. I find that the best shot of the whole group is one of the first few images I shoot, so it’s important to have everything ready to go on my end, so that the first few shots are not a loss.

multi-generational family portrait

Then we break off into smaller groupings like this one of the grandparents and their grandchildren. For this one, I ask one or two parents to get behind me and do a little pep rally to get their kiddos looking in my direction. I’d say, they did great!

grandparents and grandkids

And then we go through and do a bunch of different combinations based on the family’s requests.

family portrait

three generations

And when the kids start getting restless and we’ve covered the list of must-have groupings, it’s time to photograph kids being kids, my favorite part!

learning to walk

eating blueberries

The dads suggested the boys race and I think this is one of my favorite shots!

race you to the sidewalk!

Cranberry Newborn Portraits: Scheduling the Best Time for Your Baby

July 11, 2017/by kmiller

When parents first come home from the hospital with their baby, they’re often unsure of the best time of day to schedule for newborn portraits. If the delivery didn’t have any complications and they get to come home two days later, they haven’t had much opportunity to get a feel for their baby’s best time of day. And with days blurring into nights, it’s hard to really think straight (at least it was for me.)

sleepy baby in gauze swaddle

So when my clients call to set up their session, I most often suggest mid-morning, keeping in mind that I’ll be using mostly window light. The afternoon works as well, and it really depends on the family’s best time of day. If you’re not a morning person, then it makes perfect sense to go for the afternoon.

mom, dad, and baby by the window

What’s more important than the time of day, is that the baby starts the session right after a feeding. So if you’re following a feeding schedule, that can be helpful to consider when scheduling.

alert baby

With lifestyle photography, there is no pressure to make sure the baby is sleeping or awake, lifestyle sessions are aimed at capturing baby
and family in their natural state. Although, it’s best if parents are awake! And some mamas have a preference of sleeping vs. awake and most of the time babies will do both within the time of the photoshoot.

baby feet