Classic Newborn Photography
A classic newborn photography session focuses mainly on your new baby and traditionally stays in pretty neutral color tones. That’s not my style. I want all the color. Especially for little rainbow babies! It’s exciting and I don’t know about you, but if you could color my excitement, it would be vibrant and brilliant. Your rainbow baby session should be the same!
This session was a long time coming, folx. A friend I made in my previous life’s career who has a son 6 months older than mine recently moved to my neighborhood. She’s a self-professed “low maintenance friend,” which is why we remained friends having not seen one another for several years between job changes and kiddos. I was thrilled when we reconnected last winter just before the pandemic. It was so nice to have another family in our circle with a friend for my son, so we could at least attempt to give our kids a fighting chance at normalcy. Her family was similarly obsessed with staying healthy so we were a match made in heaven.
The Rainbow After the Storm
A couple years ago her family experienced a devastating loss late in her second pregnancy. It took a significant toll on their whole family and especially on mom. And this woman was absolutely born to be a mother, she’s fucking great at it. Fast forward almost two years later and she found out she was expecting a baby girl. Everyone was thrilled. My mom and I both cried when we found out.
This is a prime example of what I mean when I say I’m beyond honored to take your family’s portraits, especially newborn photographs. I wanted this to be a great experience for everyone after what they’d been through and make this session everything they hoped for. Mom told me in November and I immediately started stockpiling ideas and props for her little one, who was to be named Pearl. Her brother’s name is Stone. They’re so great at picking names!
I didn’t want to overwhelm the poor little thing with rainbows, but I did want to pay homage to the light she brought to her family after their storm and this composite was perfect! It hangs in their playroom with her brother’s also very colorful birthday shoot from last year.
I patiently waited for mom to start sending me nursery designs so I could match themes and color tones. While making this little flower crown when I got the first text with a photo of the nursery rug–turquoise, pink, and orange. Perfect. I built this set around it and was so excited to be able to use one of my pearl wraps for Pearl!
Mom’s family remembers a deceased loved one with hummingbirds so when I was planning this session I started looking for a hummingbird feltie. I got a little concerned at one point that it was maybe not something they would want in her newborn portraits, but then she sent me a picture of some 3D hummingbird art she hung on the wall of the nursery so GAME ON. It came from Russia and I ordered it 5 months ahead of time to make sure it got here in time… and then I lost it. So I ordered another one a month before and thankfully it came in time. Well, I just found the first one about a week ago and gave it to Mom so she could gift it to Grandma (it’s actually a pin!)
I saw this pearl wedding garland at Hobby Lobby one day and immediately purchased it because pearls for Pearl, ya know? I thought maybe I was over doing the pearl thing, but mom was into it every time I brought another pearl thing out 🙂
Sometimes I can’t believe I get to do this job for a living. I’m so lucky to be able to spend this much time around such love and joy and adoration.
