Tag Archive for: in-home

Cozy In-home Maternity Session: Ronnie and Brad

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When it comes to spending time away from my main job as a mama, there are few things I enjoy more than photographing growing families. This in-home session with Ronnie and Brad was no exception, because I love to document the time before a baby arrives. I feel like you can see all of the hopes and dreams in the eyes of expectant parents.

dad newborn photography

It’s fun to see all of the details they pull together to celebrate their baby on the way!

Pittsburgh maternity photography

This photo above reminds me of a sonogram image because of the pattern of white surrounding them as they sit in the corner of this window seat. If it’s just me, I chalk it up to staring at the images as I was narrowing down my choices to share in this post.

expectant parents and dog

If you’re a dog owner, then you know that no session is complete without a shot of the fuzzy child with four legs.

maternity session pittsburgh

Isn’t she glowing?

in-home maternity photo

And here’s one last detail that I just can’t resist sharing – daddy serenading his baby.

maternity session details

Photos of their sweet baby girl are up next!

Lifestyle Newborn Session: Baby Wesley

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Meet Baby Wesley, also known as their little Smurf by his adoring mom and dad. I had the pleasure of photographing their maternity session too. I just loved photographing Megan and Rick on their farm and their newborn session with Wesley was no different. We even got outside for a few family portraits with his extended family! But my favorite images from this session are by far the lifestyle images that mostly took place on the bed in their bedroom. I’ll get to those in a bit, but for now, meet this precious little guy!

newborn close-up

We started out focusing on Wesley with a few accessories and some minimal props and we found out that Wesley preferred his mama and dada’s arms. So we took breaks so that they could soothe him in order to get some of the essential shots we were after. This one below is one of Rick soothing Wesley to sleep and it happens to be a favorite.

baby and dad portrait

And once he was out, he slept quite peacefully, so much so that we could even place him in this vintage bath basin from Megan’s family.

newborn portrait

And here’s where I started to fall in love with this session – Megan swaddled Wesley and sat on the edge of her bed in the soft natural light.

baby and mom portrait

Then Rick joined her and they scooted back toward the headboard where the window light was glowing.

Pittsburgh lifestyle photography

And here’s my all-time favorite of the three of them. They actually chose this for a framed print and I’m so excited to put it together.

Pittsburgh newborn photography

And here’s a sweet pose that I don’t often think of, but Megan suggested it and I’m so glad she did!

newborn session photos

Congratulations, Megan and Rick! Wesley is precious and it’s such an honor to photograph your family! Blessings to you!

Fresh Newborn Session: Baby Graham

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Is there anything more special than those first few weeks home from the hospital with your new baby? I really can’t think of anything that beats it. And it’s such an honor to be able to document this special, tender time for parents and their bundle of joy!

Pittsburgh-newborn-session

baby-photography

I first had the pleasure of photographing Corey and Jeff for their engagement session (back when I was shooting weddings). So it was a real treat to meet baby Graham, who was a little angel during the two-hour session. Look at that adorable face!

newborn-baby-photos

And here’s one of their first family portraits by the French doors in their dining room. What a sweet family!

first-family-portrait

I love photographing newborns, so if you or someone you know is looking for a newborn photographer, please check out my site and get in touch. Thanks!

In-Home Newborn Portraits: Baby Tyler

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Boy is this little babe a cutie! I am just getting caught up on some blogging from last year when I had the pleasure of photographing baby Tyler and his first family portrait. This on-location session took place in Cranberry, Pa., in the family’s living room. During our pre-session consultation, Tyler’s mom, Lisa, and I discussed the best location for shooting this session, and when I heard about the French doors in their living room, I knew we’d have plenty of natural light in the afternoon.

Thoughtful Details Made by Grandma
It was important to Lisa to incorporate some of the handmade items her mother had knitted for her new grandson. So we laid the blanket on the giant bean bag that I use for posing and dressed Tyler in his matching hat and sweater. I know I’ve mentioned before how I love to incorporate some of the baby’s blankets and accessories, but I can only imagine how Tyler’s grandma loves having this photo with her grandson dressed in the clothes she took so much time to knit for him.

Pittsburgh newborn photo

Getting Newborns to Smile
If I knew how to make newborn babies smile, I’d be a lucky lady. But when it spontaneously happens in front of my camera, you can bet I’ll be clicking away. I think it was Lisa’s voice that made him smile like this. But I consider this a special treat, because a smile by a newborn is a rarity!

baby dressed as an apple

Telling Your Story in Natural Light (When Possible…)
I always come to my sessions equipped with studio strobes and other lighting gear, but when there is gorgeous natural light like this, I go for it because it’s the most beautiful light if you ask me. If this family were any bigger, I’d need to add more light with studio strobes to ensure the right depth of focus so that everyone’s eyes are sharp. So I’d never define myself as a natural light photographer solely, because there are certain situations that really call for additional lighting and I think that’s one of the things that separates professional photographers from amateurs.

baby's first family portrait

Lifestyle Portraits Can Be The Most Meaningful
This image of Tyler with his dad is one of my favorites from the session. I knew it was important to capture as this was one of the images Lisa had mentioned wanting during our pre-session consultation and we went about it in a few different ways as far as posing and lighting goes. But this image is the most natural and I think it really shows the bond of father and son.

father and son newborn photo

If you or someone you know is looking for meaningful newborn photography, here’s another post that gives a great overview of custom newborn photography by Captivating Imagery.