Almost three years ago now, I bought my very first camera. I wanted so badly to learn how to use it and become comfortable with it, that I brought it everywhere, taking pictures of everyone and everything. Around that same time, my friend Jordane found out she was expecting her second child. Even though she already had all her photo sessions scheduled with a real photographer, she generously offered to let me use her and her baby as models, so I could practice. We did a maternity session, a newborn session, and she has continued to let me take photos of her children ever since.
Most recently, I had the honor of doing her maternity session and newborn session for her third son. I looked back at some of those photos from a couple years ago, and I'm almost afraid to share them. I had no idea what I was doing, at all. As embarrassed as I am of those images, I am also proud, because they truly show how far I've come. I have a tendency to self-criticize and never seem to be fully satisfied with my work. Which I think is a good thing, because it is what keeps me striving to do better. But these images are a perfect reminder that in the last couple years, I have actually learned a thing or two. Here are a couple of the better images of baby Slate, July 2014.
Cut to 2016, and almost everything has changed. I only do newborn sessions in my home studio, where I can best control the light, and the space. Plus, I have my whole slew of backdrops, sets, props, and accessories at my disposal. For baby Granite's newborn session, here is a little bit of what we did.
Before all my newborn sessions, I send mom a questionnaire asking about what colors she wants, and doesn't want. If they have any specific requests, they can let me know here as well. Jordane wanted blues, greens, neutrals, and grays. She also wanted a couple shots with a baseball (a tradition with all her babies), and a little something to show he was born around Halloween. Granite was super smiley and perfectly sleepy the whole time.
And of course, we had to do a couple of mom and baby together <3 <3
Thank you, Jordane for continuing to come back to me after all this time, and for letting me capture these most precious moments <3
