baby Archives - Page 2 of 5 - Pittsburgh Maternity, Newborn & Family Photographer

Pittsburgh Newborn Session: Knowing When to Reschedule

March 16, 2018/by kmiller

I have been waiting to photograph this session since before my friend was pregnant—I just knew she’d be a good mom and was so excited when she shared her news with me! Well, the session was just as delightful as I had anticipated. Actually better, thanks to this mama trusting her gut instinct!

mom singing to baby

This little sweetheart has been having tummy issues and just wasn’t feeling good, so her mommy new it would be best to reschedule. And thankfully with the prayers and support of her friends and the wisdom of her doctor, this sweet baby is feeling so much better! Her mom said she was uncomfortable most of the time, so for her baby to go from being mostly unhappy to only crying when she needed something was a huge blessing!

kisses for baby

I just love the personality of this sweet girl at just over two months!

baby looking at mommy and daddy

She even smiles for her first family portrait! Disclaimer: this is not the norm for any newborn, but being slightly older helps!

Pittsburgh-newborn-portraits-003

After a few portraits by the light of the front door and some of them on the couch, we moved to mom and dad’s bedroom which had lots of lovely natural light. Isn’t this a sweet scene? Watching your baby sleep is such a joy!

watching baby sleep

And I like this image too because while it could seem like it should be an out-take, my friend is looking at her husband to see his reaction. It was a moment where I feel like she was thinking, “should I pinch myself? Is this real?” I should ask her if that was what she was thinking, but I think that’s part of a natural response to becoming a parent.

mom looking at dad's reaction

We moved this little sweetie three times during her nap and she would rouse each time, but her mama had all of the soothing tricks down and could easily help her baby fall back asleep.

working her mommy magic to help her baby fall asleep

When they were pregnant, they chose not to find out the baby’s gender and decorated the nursery with an outer space theme. What a beautiful and creative idea to inspire their little girl as she explores her world!

mom and baby in nursery

My friend has many talents and this planetary mobile is one of her many inspiring creations!

outer space themed nursery

Christmas at Home: What Better Place for Your Christmas Portraits?

December 20, 2017/by kmiller

As the holidays near, families are looking for that Christmas card-worthy photo. And what better place to do that than in your own home? This year’s photos are a fun mix of families and kids and babies with the excitement and cheer that only Christmas can bring. My favorite shot of the season is with this family in their Christmas jammies. This mama has a ton of Christmas spirit and her family is in for a treat over the holidays.

family in Christmas jammies

And Christmas time is so much fun for babies too. This baby’s mama mentioned that she pre-cleaned this strand of lights before their session. So cute!

baby with Christmas lights

I’m sentimental, so it means a lot to me to photograph my sons in front of their own Christmas tree. I think the mama of these cuties pies feels the same way.

by the Christmas tree

And this little sweetie even had a reindeer ready for her photos! I love seeing all of the fun families have with getting their kids excited about Christmas!

little girl and reindeer

Baby Portraits: Six Months Old and Celebrating!

November 22, 2017/by kmiller

This session is very close to my heart — my niece just turned six months old and we got to celebrate with a photo session. And while I may be pretty biased, this is one gorgeous baby girl!

close-up at six months

And here’s my sister, an awesome mom to her three little girls.

mama and baby

I love this photo because baby girl is so proud as she looks over at her sisters while standing!

baby standing up

It’s so much fun to photograph a new skill, like sitting up.

baby girl sitting up

When she’s not gazing into daddy’s face, she’s looking over his shoulder at mommy.

daddy and baby

My sister’s home has a lovely entry with lots of natural light, and the girls liked sitting perched up high on the stairs.

sisters

This little lady is getting ready to crawl!

tummy time

The big sisters were ready for their turn—and they know how to pose!

big sister pose

I love her sweet and sassy ways!

sweet and sassy 5-year old

This last one might be a favorite. As a mom, I just love seeing my boys together in photos. And I love seeing my nieces all together too! So much love in one split second!

sisters hug

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