Precious Baby Girl Alexa's In Studio, Milestone Session with Sarah Borchgrevink Photography
Rustic Wooden Floors, Sweet Smiles and the Cutest Baby in Houston!
As a Houston portrait photographer, one of which specializes in newborn and baby portraiture, I delight in photographing your most precious little ones! Few things make my heart more happy. When coming into my studio, I cannot help but feel such joy in knowing all the fun we'll have that day. When I am not photographing the most squishy and stunning newborn babies in Houston, I make time for baby milestone sessions. These are a great option for parents seeking gorgeous portraits of their little one, who is always the light of your life.
Because I am also a mama, I can truly identify with connecting with young children, showing patience, and making sure everyone has a great experience.
Check out what baby girl A's mother wrote about her portraiture experience:
Amazing does not do justice in describing Sarah and her work. She is extremely talented, sweet and personable. She takes the stress and worry out of a photo session and is able to capture the perfect shots. She has taken both newborn and one year photos for me and it was the best investment ever! I appreciate her organization, effective and prompt communication and quick turn around time in delivering the final product. I have hired several other photographers in the past and although they take great photos they have fallen short in these areas with some taking months to just return digital files. I can't say it enough, I highly recommend Sarah!!!
I'm excited to present baby A's in studio, milestone session to you. This blog post is also intended to share a few tips on capturing baby's darling personality and how to create classic, timeless and beautiful baby portraiture.
Keep Nap Times in Mind
When working with younger babies, I embrace the spirit of the little one and make sure to capture who they are. This age is full of laughs, giggles, clapping, sitting up, even crawling. Baby's personality is beginning to shine; sometimes she's more soulful and thoughtful and other times she's carefree and inquisitive. No matter the characteristics, I enjoy working with little ones because many of the baby clients I have happened to be former newborn sessions, too. It's great to catch up with you and hear more about the first year of life. It's full of bright moments, and I truly treasure our time in the studio together.
When booking a baby milestone session, I keep your child's nap time in mind. She's also probably just eaten, so this is a great time to photograph her. I do make time for you to nurse/bottle feed, if needed, so don't feel any pressure. Sometimes mamas choose to exclusively nurse the first year of life, so don't feel worried about time or feeding baby in advance: I want her to be happy and full when we work together. I know when I'm not hungry, I have a better afternoon, lol!
Playing their favorite music
This part truly makes me laugh. I have three little girls (Emma, Lucy and Amelia) and they're completely fun and make my day. However, their favorite music is a video on Youtube called "Daddy Finger" and this song makes me cringe, lol! I have talked to many other parents, however, who also feel the same way about the daddy finger genre. Kids simply love it. It's catchy and repetitive, they know what to expect, etc. When photographing this session, Mama and I played the daddy finger song (linked here for you, just so you don't miss out, ha!) Baby immediately started to smile and engage with the camera by simply having her favorite music on. Of course, it was stuck in my head all day, but I it was worth it! A is simply so charming, sweet, and infectious I cannot help but marvel at how fun it was having her in my studio.
Chat with baby
I know, I know - baby is not talking in full sentences just yet, but they do like when you talk with them. Engage baby by asking her questions; play peek-a-boo, and just compliment her. Babies are generally very sweet natured and like you to show them attention. It's a treat to hang out with a precious kiddo, so I don't mind sitting on the floor, (even in my third trimester, haha) and getting on their level.
This will allow you to capture a ton of variety from sweet gazes, soulful expressions, open smiles, and those awesome grins that really show off the cute little teeth that are growing.
Use props that are low to the ground for safety
Parents often ask, 'what kind of props do you use?' Well, it's simple: anything you see in my newborn gallery are the type of props you'll find in my baby sessions. This is because I like things to be classic, timeless and inspired by vintage pieces, such as this antique hat box little one is sitting on. It's also low to the ground, so she feels comfortable. Baby should never be suspended above the air or places onto an object that her feet cannot touch the ground. I know when I am nervous and feeling tentative, the last thing I want to do is take photos. So by us making sure baby is safe, secure and at ease, we can engage with her in many different angles, such as back lit photos in which the light is behind her and surrounds her in the most ethereal, fresh, and pure ways. I adore the halo of light. While the wood floors are super cool, I have to say that stunning light makes me swoon!
Use Light to show their souls
Speaking of light, I cannot begin to express to you how important you lighting is during a session. Photography, after all, is capturing emotion through the use of dynamic lighting. My studio looks like it's full of gorgeous natural light, but I do not use any natural light sources, such as the sun. This is because the sun is different every day; sometimes clouds cover it or it's raining and this means you cannot shoot. However, by using giant soft boxes (I have 3 86" plms on at all times) you're able to be truly consistent, shoot anytime of the day, manipulate light, and also place the light so it fills baby's face and you can see those gorgeous, expressive eyes!
