I’ve been going through my personal photos lately, and decided to whip up a blog post and share some of them. Mostly my gang. Over the last few months. Enjoy the little peek into my life

The perfect newborn session. Thats what this was for me.
First, a little backstory.
Before this session I was feeling a little hum-drum about newborn sessions. I’ve just never been that good at the whole- make baby fall asleep, perfectly pose them on a backdrop without waking them up, while you’re sweating-cause its 80 degrees in the room to keep said baby sleeping. (sounds like fun eh?) I’ve given it the ol’ college try. And done ok, but I wasn’t about to be making any calendars anytime soon. and that kinda bummed me out. SO. I did some hardcore thinking, about how I like to play to my strengths. The things I love. The things I’m drawn to and enthusiastic about. None of which was sleeping-cherub baby photos. Maybe it was time to take them off my repitoir.
That’s where this session comes in. Corey and Sheila (the proud mom and dad) are dear, dear friends of ours. This session was sort of a gift to them. As I was getting ready for their session, I felt particularly excited- not just because they were my great friends and I got to snuggle their sweet babe- but also because I realized I had no expectations placed on me! I could do whatever I wanted and I knew they would be happy and grateful! Going into their session with that mindset, totally changed the way I shot. I approached it like all my other photography sessions. Capturing connection. Emotion. Little moments. With some direction and fun little projects thrown in for good measure. And the result- was my favorite newborn session to date. This is what I want to do. THIS is what I love. If you hire me for a newborn session, THIS is what your session will look like. I will still bring headbands and props, but they will be usued in a less typical way. No more ‘ill hang out for 4 hours until baby falls asleep’. Its so much more fun, natural and special this way. In my opinion. And please note….yes they did have an adorable nursery, but many of these shots were taken just with window light and a small piece of plain wall, or with their living room floor as the background (complete with dog beds that we moved out of the photo) or just the sweet dresser and wall decal used as props. What I’m trying to say is really, your house does NOT need to be spectacular to do this type of a session. I promise.

And just because i have a little rant left in me….I know what some of you moms in particular might be thinking-
‘I just had a baby, I don’t want to be in any photos!’(and trust me, i do understand. I have 3 kids myself) But guess what. Im here to tell you, you should be. You should be in some photos with your baby. Who is with your baby 24 hours a day, 7 days a week for, pretty much the entire duration of your infants life? You are.

Who does your baby know and love more than anyone in this world? You.

Why should you not be in your babies photos? Do it for them. Do it because, I promise, when they are 5, 7, and 35 they will love seeing photos of you with them, when they were babies, and so will you. When you are 60 and have grandkids, will you be thinking ‘Jeeze, I look fat and tired. why did I agree to be in those photos!?’ Of course you won’t! I (hope) that you will look back at your photos and remember this incredibly fleeting time in your life, and remember how perfectly imperfect it all was.  Thats what parenthood is to me.  And thats what i want my newborn sessions to be from now on.
Perfectly imperfect.

Well, it wasn’t quite a wedding, but you wouldn’t know that to look at the photos. This was one of my favorite senior shoots this summer (although i had a lot of favorites!) When Kayley said she was going to bring her moms wedding dress, i was pretty pumped. i LOVE original…and i love when seniors, or anyone im shooting, gets into their photos, and brings things, or comes up with ideas they’d like to try. So anyway, when she pulled the dress out, i almost died. She looked like a PRINCESS. How good is mom’s taste for having such a rockin’ wedding dress? Oh, and isn’t her hair AMAZING as well? I may or may not have brought a photo of her to my hair dresser and said, ‘ i want THIS color.’  

I just mailed this CD out today. The LAST one of the year! Boy did it feel good. I truly love weddings and all that goes with them, however this year with being pregnant and then having a newborn, it was a bit stressful trying to wrap up all these summer weddings! Anyway! Their wedding was at The Barn On Walnut Hill, this past September. What a gorgeous venue. I always enjoy shooting there. I really loved Kim and Pats details- the personalized drinking glasses- and the whoopie pie cake! YES! awesome!

They were such a great couple to work with, and i wish them all the best! 

Here is a reacent senior session i just finished. It was my last one of the year actually! I normally dont blog them this soon after i post the gallery, but since im rather behind on blogging, and on a roll tonight, i went with it! Rachel and i had a ton of fun walking around Bowdoin chatting. and taking pictures. and talking. and giggling. yah, we had fun!  :)

Hey there!

Ive been working on getting together some info for Christmas mini sessions (coming soon) and also booking fall family shoots- which has lead to  a few of my clients asking about any tips i have for good color schemes, or outfit ideas for fall. (Don’t forget i have a pinterest board HERE with all kinda of ‘what to wear’ ideas!) I figured while im at it, i could throw up some wardrobe inspiration on the ‘ol bloggie! 

Here is a shoot i just finished editing a few weeks ago, which was SOOOOO late! Things got crazy when i had Amry, and my work suffered for a bit. (um, maybe still is?) But im so lucky, that Kendra was sooo patient with me. She never once even ASKED how they were coming along, and even told me to rest up, when i know she was dying to see her photos! Now thats selfless! Kendra and i went to school together, and havent seen each other much in our adult lives, but we are working to change that! It was so so much fun to get together, and hang with her family for awhile. SUCH awesome kids, and just such a great family all around. Im so happy that we are seeing more of each other now. Arent they ADORABLE?

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As some of you may know, the Small family has been expecting. Our little girl was due  on the 22nd of September, and per usual…she showed up right on time (just lik eher  brother). Amry weighed 8 lbs 3 oz. and was born at 5:34  pm, after a fast and furious 6 hour birth. (hopefully someday here ill post some candid [don't worry, not scary]  shots of the day, and her, right after she was born, but for now, i wanted to post a few of lately.

This was a fun little impromptu thing we did one evening. I was 37 weeks. 

Anddddd…what kind of a photographer would i be, if i didn’t post a ‘before and after’?? (Also the top i was 38 weeks)

And one of her ‘official’ one week old photos.