I photographed Connor and his parents when he was a newborn. Now that he's almost 1 year old, Connor came in again, this time for a Milestone Session...

There is one thing that Demerest and Conway's Mom said that really stuck with me. "I am so glad we did this photo session when we did." And what she meant was, I'm glad we waited until they were a little older...

Newborn photography, like anything else, has specific styles and methods that are popular among photographers. Right now, there are two main styles that most photographers fall into - Studio (posed) and Lifestyle (at home, not posed). My take on newborn photography is a little bit different.. because I kind of mix the two.

With a photography Studio, sometimes people assume that it’s a big production. My Studio, however, is simply a relaxed little place to have photoshoots and client meetings. I don’t have a receptionist or a staff. There are no associate photographers. It’s not a retail store front (in fact, it’s tucked away on a second floor). And when you call my business phone line, I’m the only person who picks up...

Ilex, who is just around 8 months old, came into the Studio with his Grandma and Aunt to do a photoshoot as a gift for his parents. This was the first time Ilex was photographed professionally. And listen, there are many reasons why parents don't get professional baby photos. Sometimes they don't really feel it's important. They could too busy simply surviving day to day to even give the idea some thought (I certainly know how that feels!). And other times they feel that iPhone photos are good enough, so why bother?

Families reach out to me for many reasons. It's not a secret that I'm not a cheap photographer. So why do families choose me over somebody else?

Not every Mom is super thrilled about getting professional maternity portraits. I, in fact, was one of those. I still am, deep down. Nobody really WANTS to be in front of the camera during the last stages of their pregnancy. I hear "I feel fat" a lot, and "OMG, I feel so huge" from my pregnant clients (none of who are actually fat, or huge, btw).

Parents today face some pretty tough expectations when it comes to providing all possible comforts for their baby (heated butt wipes, I'm looking at you). Today's babies are also growing up as part of most photographed generation.. but parents are consistently making these 5 mistakes with baby's photographs which will leave their babies with no record of their childhood at all. 

Rachel is 2 years old. She seems so much older and mature, and I guess that is why she is able to start modeling at such an early age. Rachel's Mom is also a photographer (she specializes in weddings), and as we talked, it became clear that what I do (the whole Studio photography thing) isn't as easy to replicate as I thought (because, hey, it's kinda easy for me). Even though I don't have any super-complicated equipment or setups, just having a dedicated space, a good light source, and the extensive experience with Studio portraits makes a big difference!

When parents book a newborn photoshoot with me, they obviously don't know a few things. Like, when exactly the baby will be born (even with scheduled C-sections, babies can arrive early), how long it will take for Mom to recover, and if any special considerations will need to be made for the baby.

I am not a trendy person. It took me many years to discover that I like things to be simple and clean, without much fuss or fanfare. And that definitely translates to my photographs.There are many trends out there. Fashion, of course. That's new every season. And every year the style and color is different. Fashion doesn't seem to care about body types or things looking flattering on people. Whatever is in style is what everyone is supposed to wear. 

Being a good photographer has nothing to do with the camera you use. Granted, you have to know how to use your camera (that's a given, I would hope!).. but if that was the only factor, we would see a lot more capable photographers out there. Most people think, you go out, buy a fancy expensive camera, and viola! you can take professional-quality photos. Well, yes and no. Because having that camera is step 1 of the many many steps on the road to producing professional-quality photographs.

It's easy to figure WHY you would want photos of your newborn baby. These first few weeks of a baby's life are so completely and utterly new. You want to make sure to remember them, through the haze of doctor's appointments and all-night feedings. And often the iPhone photos don't really come close to capturing how you see your baby during that time…

There seems to be this idea of how newborn photo sessions should go. Your baby should sleep soundly through the whole photoshoot, allow herself to be changed and manhandled, and will overall be in the most amicable and pleasant mood the entire time. Never mind that she's in a totally new environment and has just been born a few weeks prior…