Yesterday I blogged about a gorgeous winter maternity session of an absolutely stunning, second-time Mother-to-be and tonight I am so excited to share the sweet baby girl who safely arrived into the arms of her loving family!
Darling baby Jade came to the studio with her big sister, Jasmyn, and her parents for an absolutely gorgeous newborn session! I was so excited to meet this darling baby girl; one of my favourite moments is laying eyes on my little newborn models for the first time, especially if they are siblings of past newborn clients, to see just how much they look like their older siblings! They always have their unique qualities, of course, but there is always little similarities between them and this time was no exception; I found myself picking out the same little features that Jade's older sister, Jasmyn, had at that age. We had arranged for Jade's newborn session to be done on the same day that we had done Jasmyn's photographs (10 days fresh!) so Mom & Dad can put the photos side by side and see just how much their babies looked alike in some ways, and so different in others.
Mom had fallen in love with a Unicorn Cake Smash I had done just a couple of weeks before and requested a cute little set up with something similar for her girlies. Girls are so much fun to photograph that way; while boys can absolutely rock a newborn session with ease, dressing up and blinging out a little girl's newborn session is just oh-so-fun! Plus, I'm a little biased. Having three girls of my own, I am no stranger to the worlds of sparkles, pink/purple themes, and all things girly!
Jade's Momma is an absolutely amazing hair stylist who has taken the city by force with her amazing skills in hair treatments; I had my own mane balayage'd by her talented hands last summer (I'm due for another visit, for sure!) and it's always a huge compliment to have not only a friendship with a client but also an understanding and respect between us and our "trades", as professionals and self-employed individuals. She is absolutely amazing with her clients and knows what she's doing - if you're looking for someone who is absolutely dedicated to her business and her clients, and does a bang-up job each and every time, then head over and book Celia Stylez Hair! Seriously.. do it! Treat yo'self and look awesome for the summer!
I think that offering experienced and knowledgeable advice is vital for anyone running a business; sometimes clients just don't know exactly what they want, but have kind of an idea of what they're looking for. This was exactly my state of mind when I booked Celia to have my hair done up nice. I knew that I wanted something easy to maintain, but looked current, in style, and beautiful. And that is what Celia suggested a balayage treatment - and she was right! It wasn't too much, but it wasn't too little. I felt like a million bucks walking out of her salon, and my hair (while it definitely needs some tending to) still looks better than it did before I had it done. You can't go wrong with a bit of blonde ;) Thank you so much, Celia, even though it was months ago, I think of you every time I shampoo my hair with purple shampoo, ha!
The same goes for my line of work; I know that everyone comes into a session with the main goal in mind: gorgeous photos that will blow their minds. But, of what exactly? Styling? Colours? Printing? What? It can be very overwhelming, but a photographer with experience and know-how will ASK QUESTIONS, get a feel for what you like, and communicate with you to make sure you get exactly what you're looking for in a session. I'll be honest, while I absolutely love the creative freedom in doing whatever I want, it's more important for me to deliver photographs that I know my clients will love. THAT is my goal, and I accomplish it by asking my clients lots of questions, giving them a few suggestions and seeing what things they tend to lean towards, asking them about how they style their home and what colour the nursery is, etc. That way, when the veil is lifted and clients see their photos for the first time, they are photographs that are not only beautiful, but reflect their own taste, style, and individuality!
While blue wasn't necessarily the first colour that came to mind when I asked Mom the colours she'd like for her photos, I had an inkling that she may enjoy something a little different and unique for Jade's newborn session. I have had this floral backdrop for almost a year and had never used it until now, and I was SO happy that she let me use it during her session; it's the perfect amount of girly, but not too much, and Jade absolutely rocked it! <3
Of course, I know that Mom was a girly girl, and nothing says girly more than pearls and tiaras! I love incorporating fancy little tidbits like such, without making a photo too overwhelming or filled with "stuff". I always try to keep the images about the baby themselves, and not overpower them with all the bells and whistles. It sometimes takes a conscious effort to do so! But you can't go wrong with white, and adding those little details in and just letting baby's skin tones and perfect features still being the main focus of the photograph.
I absolutely love my heart bowl from The Original Photoblocks , it's very easily become a staple prop in all of my newborn sessions. Y'alls don't know how hard it is to get your hands on one of these ORIGINAL heart bowls, and I am the proud owner of one. Some days I want to smooch it.
I also have to just oogle over my favourite newborn outfit of all time by Nicole's Breast Friends / Willow Mint Props; I have two outfits from her and they are hands down my absolute FAVOURITE! Who doesn't love a little lace-backed romper with pearls... just enough to cover up baby but still see some of that perfect, baby-soft skin!
My polka-dot backdrop was a find that had me giggling and dancing where I stood when we, as a family, went to Oregan last Fall. We went to "Hobby Lobby" - an amazing store that I wish Canada had, but for the good of my bank account, is probably a good thing we don't have around here. LOL
Also, a HUGE shout out to my main headband queen; the BEST you can get for adorable and high quality tiebacks and headbands: Fancy Shmancy by Monica Dragan - if you don't have a little bit of Fancy Shmancy in your collection, then you're missing something. You ain't seen nothin' yet until you've seen these gorgeous pieces! (and she does the most phenomenal floral bonnets, too!)
This session was so much fun to shoot; I found myself saying "YAS QUEEN" as I went through Jade's gallery and swooned over all of the delicious girliness and variety of poses we got from her session. She was amazing; despite being a bit cluster-feedy and a bit of a light sleeper, we got what we needed to get done all complete, and it was well worth the effort for this precious baby girl's photos.
As a gentle but firm reminder, folks, these "froggy" images (head held by hands) are composite images and baby is NOT supporting herself on her own at all. Please do not attempt these poses without the appropriate training; my newborn clients are NEVER at risk in my studio and have the necessary support and spotting at all times. But these poses can be dangerous if they are not done properly. If you have no training as a newborn photographer on these advanced poses, I highly recommend hiring a professional who is certified, trained, and fully capable of accomplishing these poses without any risk of harming your baby. <3
Thank you to Jade's parents for their trust and patience in letting me work with their newest baby girl, and for letting me be a tiny little part in the presentation of your kiddos. You have a gorgeous family, and the love for your girlies brings a warmth to my heart and a dimple to my cheek as I smile over the memories of our sessions together.
Here is Jade, everyone! Welcome, sweet baby girl.
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