lifestyle Archives - Pittsburgh Maternity, Newborn & Family Photographer

Pittsburgh Newborn Photographer: Staying Warm During Cozy In-Home Sessions

January 23, 2019/by kmiller

Looking back on this newborn session from August, I’m recalling a lesson learned that seems very apt for this cold snowy day.

hello baby!

This tiny sweetheart was having a rough day. She was fussy, though I don’t think you’d know it from these photos, but I could tell this mama was feeling defeated because her baby girl just wasn’t feeling it.

snuggling in dad’s arms

mama’s burping baby after a feeding break

The session went long because we were trying everything. Toward the end of the session, I suggested going outside because I thought she’d like the fresh air and a change of atmosphere and we ended up discovering that this baby girl was probably cold! Immediately, she settled and went right to sleep. Even though her home was a comfortable temperature inside on this hot, summer day, with the outfit changes and bare skin, baby girl was cold!

big yawn!

happy baby

now she's sleeping!

Pittsburgh Family Portraits: Lifestyle Sessions Keep It Fun and Fresh

January 17, 2019/by kmiller

With a snow storm in the forecast, it’s fun to look back at this family session in the peak of Fall foliage last year. The fall gets so busy that it’s easy for lovely sessions like this one to get lost in the shuffle. But now that the holidays are past, it’s time to catch up and reflect. And with these school-aged boys, I’m reminded that lifestyle sessions are great for families regardless of the age of their children.

fall family portrait

My thought when I first received this session inquiry is, hmm, what can we do to keep the session fun for this 6- and 8-year old boy? Well, that answer came naturally when this mom asked about a woodsy location. There is so much to explore in this Cranberry location that the boys found their own fun! And when the whole family joins in and goes with the flow, the rest is magic!

family balancing on a log

This is my favorite picture of these two. I’m a mom of two boys too and I just love to see them play like this!

brothers piggy-back

We walked along a path through the woods, stopping for family portraits here and there.

family portrait

The session was fast-paced and the boys never lost interest.

just the boys

Seeing our children enjoy each other’s company is one of the most rewarding moments as a parent. I know from my own experience, that photos of my two boys laughing together are some of my most prized possessions.

playful portrait of the brothers

If you or someone you know is looking for family portraits with a fresh and fun approach, I’d love to hear from you! It’s not too early to start planning for spring sessions! Contact me here to get started with planning.

Pittsburgh Newborn Photography: Let Your Home Set the Tone

September 21, 2018/by kmiller

I don’t think it occurred to me when I photographed this newborn session, that this home and the family’s wardrobe had a wonderfully consistent color palette. I did remember thinking I wish this family could come and decorate my home! But when I got to work on editing their images, I started noticing a lovely tone that makes their images look like a cohesive set, regardless of which room the family was photographed in. We started in their living room.

snuggles on the couch

baby checking out the camera

This sweet baby was awake most of the session and very curious about the camera!

baby in a basket

sweet feet

With a Very Hungry Caterpillar-inspired nursery, this lemon print swaddle was perfect!

baby swaddled in a lemon print

I really love seeing babies peek back at my camera through their cribs!

peeking through the crib

And seeing them in their parents arms is even better – so peaceful!

resting in daddy's arms

Here’s a wide angle shot of the nursery. Well done, mom and dad!

mama and baby in the nursery

Being able to photograph babies in their parent’s arms is one of the reasons I love the lifestyle approach to photography. For three reasons: the baby is so content, it’s natural, and mom and dad are part of the picture!

parents admiring their baby

And I can’t get enough of tiny baby feet.

tiny toes

If you, or someone you know is looking for a newborn photographer, please get in touch. I’d love to hear from you!

Pittsburgh Newborn Sessions: Keeping Baby’s Wardrobe Simple

May 5, 2018/by kmiller

I love photographing babies simply swaddled or dressed in a basic onsie. It’s funny how when a parent is getting ready for their baby to arrive, it’s so much fun to shop for their clothes and get all of the warm, fuzzy feelings that go with anticipating our baby wearing them. So when I suggest dressing a baby simply for my sessions, I know that’s hard to do as a parent. We are so excited for our baby to be photographed and there are so many outfits to choose from, but I think this recent session illustrates how lovely and timeless a simple swaddle or onsie can be.

baby sleeping on a moose

One of the benefits of dressing a baby simply is that you don’t have to do an outfit change, which irritates most babies and by going with a soft onsie or swaddle, the baby is comfortable and more likely happy. This little guy sure way.

sleeping in his mama's arms

Even their dog was super relaxed!

family dog meets baby

They had great window light on the landing of their stairs, so we made a quick stop on our way up to the nursery.

mom and dad admiring their baby boy

so snuggly!

More great window light in the nursery too! Just love these images of mama with her baby.

mama and baby

kisses from mommy

And dad gets a turn too.

daddy kisses too!

When you’re a baby, yawning is adorable.

big yawn, sleepy baby

This might be one of my favorite shots of the session. Just look how this little sweetie is studying his dad!

checking out his daddy

This last one pretty much sums up how meaningful this time can be. Two adoring parents and a brand new baby, what a great start to this family’s story!

sweet family

Lifestyle Sessions: A Great Choice for Young Families

April 27, 2018/by kmiller

I’ve been blessed to photograph this two-year old sweetheart since he was 4-months old and it has been a treat to photograph his family over the last two years. I love their desire to document their little guy’s development and that they’re not coming to the session with an expectation that he’ll want to sit and pose. Because when you’re two, you’re always on the move, unless your napping that is. I’ve learned with my own sons that it’s best to try and capture the moment rather than try to force a vision and I’m seeing more families opt for less stress and go for a lifestyle approach. I think you’ll see, it’s more authentic and so rewarding to get shots that show our child’s personality.

boy swinging at Avonworth Community Park

We met at Avonworth Community Park off of Camp Horne Road. It has a great playground for little ones to explore.

on the playground

This little cutie loved the swings, so we spent a good bit of our time capturing him swinging with his parents taking turns pushing.

on the swings

mommy pushing son on swings

And then he wanted his friend Mickey to swing too!

letting kids play during portrait sessions

He also liked this tree which had perfectly low branches for climbing.

climbing on trees with dad

While lifestyle photography aims at capturing moments, getting a family portrait is definitely on my mental checklist. It may not be posed and depending on the situation, I might have a stuffed Mickey Mouse on my head! It worked.

lifestyle family portrait