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

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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!

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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!

Newborn Session – It’s a Girl: Baby Cosette

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It’s been a while since I’ve had the pleasure of photographing a baby girl, after a what seemed like the season of baby boys (including my own little sweetheart!) So when my friend, Susanna, found out she was having a girl, I was super excited to meet and photograph her darling baby.

baby portrait

Baby Cosette was a charmer. She actually seemed to be posing for the camera!

baby photography session

And here is one of the (many) first family portraits! I had a hard time choosing, so this is the image that they chose to print. I think they couldn’t resist this one because it looks like she’s smiling. Such a sweet moment! I love this family!

Pittsburgh-newborn-family-portrait

Custom Newborn Photography

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Having a baby is one of the most wonderful events we can experience in this life. I remember feeling like my life had really just begun when I first held my son in my arms. I also remember feeling a lot of pressure to make sure I captured all of the wonderful details of my newborn son and how exhausted I felt. And it all happens so quickly, so it’s really important to have a plan in place before your baby arrives so that you can be sure to capture this special time in your family. And once you do have your newborn session booked, it is a major weight off of your shoulders, which is a particular relief by the time you get to that third trimester!  If you’re expecting or in the process of adopting and looking for a photographer, check out some of my recent posts to see what custom newborn photography by Captivating Imagery is all about.

Newborn Sessions in the Convenience of Your Own Home

father and newborn son portrait

Capturing Relationships and the Essence of Everyday Life

newborn portrait with parents
Revealing Personality Through Lifestyle Photography

baby close-up
First Family Portraits to Treasure Forever
first family portrait

 

Hiring a photographer to capture your baby’s first year is one of the best investments you can make. As time goes by, your photos will become more and more precious to you and your family.

Check out this video below to get a glimpse at a custom newborn session from start to finish:


During the post-session consultation, I like to introduce clients to some of the products I recommend for preserving their memories, like framed prints, custom-designed albums, and image boxes.

image box from a newborn session

Image boxes are a great way to display your favorite images, especially when you’re low on wall space. And they’re perfect for holding images from multiple sessions, like the newborn session, sit-up session, and baby’s first birthday. I’ll be sharing more products that are available for custom newborn photography in the coming months.

If you’re interested in booking a session with me, please check out my contact page and give me a call or send me an email. In order to ensure my clients have the best service possible, I limit the number of sessions I accept each month, so it’s best to contact me during your second trimester.

Touching Newborn Photos: Baby Lucas

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One of the most satisfying parts about being a portrait photographer is getting to see how families grow. And I was so very excited to get an email from Janelle during her third trimester, inquiring about booking a maternity and newborn session. I was honored to photograph their engagement session while I was still shooting weddings and remembered how much fun we had working together. And little Lucas is no different. He slept most of the session and while we found out that he didn’t like being on the large bean bag, he loved being held in his parents arms, and that’s where the magic happens.

Sweetly Sleeping
 When I arrived at their home just east of Pittsburgh, Lucas had a belly full of milk and was nodding off to sleep, so we started with him in this cozy sweater suit and tucked him into bed.

newborn sleeping

baby feet

Two Weeks and Younger
This session is a great example of why it’s best to schedule newborn sessions within the baby’s first two weeks. Luke was just 8 days old and still in that dreamy state where he can pretty much sleep through anything. At this stage, newborns are less likely to be fussy because their little bodies are still adapting to life outside the womb. So Luke was pretty easy-going. Of course he cried a little here and there, but that’s to be expected. And we found out that he really did not enjoy laying on the large bean bag I use for individual shots. Most babies enjoy sinking in to the soft blankets on the bean bag, but each baby is unique so I’m always on the lookout to find a way to make each baby comfortable. So for the images that are all about Luke, we responded by including his parents in the shots in a way that he felt comforted, but was still the main focus of the image. Here’s a great example of one of those shots. And I kind of love seeing the soft outlines of Janelle and Andre looking over their little bundle.

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I love seeing the baby and mama’s faces in close proximity. And in this shot, it almost looks like Luke is smiling at Janelle.

mama and baby

Capturing the Wonderful Bond Between Parents and Their Baby
You can usually tell when a baby breastfeeds by how they respond in their mama’s arms. And I think that’s really neat, because in this next shot, you get the feel that he’s nursing even though he’s not and there’s no need to blush. I know from my own experience that it can be embarrassing when your baby does this (especially when you’re out in public) but it’s completely natural and I love it when it happens in front of the camera because breastfeeding can be such a wonderful bonding experience and in my opinion, newborn sessions are all about capturing the wonderful bond between parents and their baby.

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First Family Portraits
These last two shots are straight-up family portraits that we shot in their living room. Studio lights were added for this one.

newborn family portrait

And I went with natural light for this one. They’re equally great ways to show off this sweet little family, but there’s something about this natural light portrait that I love. It feels more spontaneous and that’s one of the aspects of lifestyle photography that really sticks with me.

baby's first family portrait

If you like this approach to newborn photography and are expecting a little one, you might want to click here to find out more about what it’s like to work with me.

Lifestyle Newborn Session: Baby Zayn

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Now that I have a little one of my own, my response to a friend or a loved one who’s having a baby is extra spirited. I can finally relate on a personal level, and I’m thrilled to find out about someone else’s joy and all of the fun things ahead as they expect their little one. So when my friend Annie told me she was pregnant with baby Zayn, I did a happy dance, or two, or three. Sometimes I just can’t contain myself and this was one of those times.

Bright-eyed Baby
Here’s one of my favorite shots from their on-location session at their home in Wexford, Pa. Look at those eyes! I’d just love to know what he’s thinking!

baby close-up

First Family Portraits
The baby’s first family portraits is one of my favorite parts of the session. Because that’s where you get to see the love. Sometimes the portraits are formal with everyone looking at the camera and sometimes they’re informal with a focus on relationships and emotions.

lifestyle newborn session

Mixing Natural and Studio Lighting
In my previous post, I mentioned the need for adding lighting to already existing natural light as a family portrait gets larger. Here’s a great example of just that. We started with natural light and I overexposed so that there is adequate light on their faces.

natural light family portrait

This was a cloudy afternoon in December and the sun was setting fast. So it was time to start mixing in some studio lighting, especially since we added in Annie’s parents and I’d need to increase the depth of field to make sure that everyone is in focus. So here’s a shot with some mixed lighting. I still wanted to keep the feel of this shot light and airy, so I made the most of the light coming in from the window and added some studio light to illuminate their faces. This might be too much info if you’re not interested in photography, but I think it’s worth mentioning because my clients sometimes ask why I use extra light in some shots but not in others.

family portrait with mixed lighting

The Lifestyle Approach: Keeping It Natural
Here are a few more natural light images since I’m partial to lifestyle photography and keeping things natural.

babe in arms

baby toes

Are you pregnant or adopting and looking for a newborn photographer? If so, please check out this post with an overview of custom newborn photography.