Newborns!!

We just had a ball photographing new baby "G". We photographed her mommy's pregnancy images... only Mom & Dad did not want family & friends to know the baby's gender... so I had to hold myself back & only use the more neutral images that did NOT show the pink ribbons, and what-not.
Now that little "G" has arrived, we photographed her as well... and am amazed how well this session went. I usually try to get the heat up in the studio so the baby stays comfortable, but as cold as it was out, the heat just was heating as usual... and she still did a great job! Mommy is a friend of mine who is starting a new line of baby-photo props so she had a ton of fun stuff she gave me & we used at the session!
We have another newborn any day now we will be photographing as well I am super excited for! A bride & groom we photographed not too long ago are in the hospital today expecting their new baby girl! So I'll head up to the hospital and then she'll be in shortly after they bring baby home for the newborn session. FUN!!!

Newborn Session, Baby Olivia

So, those of you who know me, are aware I have never marketed heavily toward the baby & kids end of photography. Why? Well, back when I was in college earning my diploma to be a professional photographer I took a job at the Wal-Mart store that was close to the college. I had not been there very long, when a mom & dad brought in their baby for pictures. I had baby on the posing table, I was back by the camera & down falls baby. I felt terrible, and Mom hollered at me & was so upset that it has haunted me. Now, I know it was not my fault, I explained it to this mom to keep her hand on baby until told her to move it out of the frame, and there were large signs posted all around the studio to watch your child... but I still felt terrible. Years later now that I am now a Mother of 3... I "get" it. I am sure that mom was so panicked that her child fell she simply reacted. None the less I have thought about that for years. I have been in business for over 13 years now, and that happened while I was in college. Needless to say I did not work at the Wal-Mart Portrait Studio for very long after that.
So anyway... I am trying to broaden my options now. I figure with how many newbie amature photographers that are out there now taking weddings away I will have to do other sessions just to keep my studio space. I'd NEVER want to move it back to my home again that is for sure.
So my latest I is a newborn session in March, a 5-year-old on April and now another newborn last weekend. This session was fun, because the baby's Mom & Dad were once one of my Bride & Grooms from when I did their wedding in 2008. Now I have been doing babies and kids here & there throughout the years, and my favorite are those who come in that were once a wedding couple of mine to now I am taking pics of their new baby. Those to me are fun since I already know the Mom & Dad, and they already trust in what I do and they themselves are also more relaxed.
This baby, little Olivia amazed me! At a week old she was already lifting her head and scooting across my sets. Once she had a full tummy she did get into a deeper sleep & I was able to get the angel wing pose, the hat, and a few others. We even tried having her lay in some netting fabric & had Dad hold her way up so she dangled inside the fabric. This pose alone I have had SEVERAL great comments on... the funny thing is it did not turn out quite how I had in in my mind's eye, but still turned out. I hope to get Miss Olivia back in for her 3 month portraits as well.

Here at the studio, we are not real busy for May, but have a lot going on in June. This June I have a new gal starting. She does her own photography on the side, and should be a great addition to our team!

Keeping up the blogging...

So I am still not into the blogging yet. Funny, because I am told I am a blabber-mouth so you'd think that blogging would be all for me! I just find my website a bit more fun to play with than the blogging... perhaps this will change. Maybe if I KNOW more people are reading my blog perhaps I will get more "into" it.

Our family recently went to Brainerd, MN. We were able to stay at one of the (many) waterpark hotels there, and the kids had a BLAST! This one in particular was great for my 2 year old twins as it was zero-level entry so I actually walked around chasing them with jeans & sweatshirt on (I am not being seen in a swimwuit until I lose more weight). The room was neat too, as it had a kids bedroom that had bunk beds that looked like a tree fort. FUN!... However our twins are still in cribs at home (I know they SHOULD be in beds... but having 2 sneeking around at night freaks me out!). so them on the bottom bunk meant they were up most of the night coming to tell me they were up, or scared.

I ordered in a ton of new photo equipment, and the last of it I need to pick up at the post office. My ring-light is the last to come in, I am sooo excited to get that!. I got new baby posers, new lights, several new lenses, and just all kinds of fun things! My hubby gives me a questioning look everytime something new is delivered. I have my 3 old doors, and old barn wood I have been begging my hubby to make stands for, so they do not need to be leaned up against anything.. and I am still waiting. I have a lot of old barnwood & old windows in my studio. The "shabby chic' look I have always been a fan of. I have actually been known to be the "Window Lady" from the local expos/shows as My main photo-frames are all old windows from the farm I used to live in. People ALWAYS stop to see my window displays & comment to me. I even get calls "Are YOU the window lady from the wedding show? I have called 2 other studios & am l0oking for the window lady". So I have made my own little niche in my area with my windows.

Well this is all I have to say today! Until next time...