My philosophy on letting my kiddos be little and embracing the spirit of the Tiny Tribe of Wild Women
Everyday Happenings With Emma, Lucy, and Amelia
“So let them be little, cause they’re only that way for a while.
Give them hope, give them praise, give them love, every day.
Let em cry, let em giggle, let them sleep in the middle.
Oh, just let them be little”
Hi, friends! Today's blog post talks about how I started my photography journey and the inspiration I find in my daily life, how I apply this to my own portraiture work, and why I enjoy using a more candid and natural photography style to preserve my little ones in the most authentic manner.
Welcome! If this is your first time visiting my blog, you should you know I do specialize in posed newborn photography, however, I work often with my own little ones and photograph them in our everyday lives. My kiddos are what started me on my photography journey which has eventually developed from a small hobby to a thriving business in which I am the breadwinner for my family.
Over the years, my husband, Kevin, and I have welcomed three little girls into our home! Emma is our eldest, who is 7, followed by Lucy, 3, and Amelia, 1, who will be 2 in December, though, so I am looking forward to that birthday milestone! We're also really excited to announce we're having a little boy, Jack, in December so stay on the look out for fun newborn and family photos once he arrives, ha!
As time has passed, Emma, Lucy and Amelia's personalities have truly flourished and we've started called the gaggle of red headed girls the "Tiny Tribe of Wild Women", lol! Yes. We even have had a sign made for their playroom (seen below).
Why they're called the tiny tribe of wild women
Emma, Lucy and Amelia are certainly modern women who do not have meager, quiet, or meek personalities. A few words I would use to describe them are perhaps: spirited, lively, ardent, courageous, vivacious, and truly remarkable. As parents, my husband and I celebrate their personalities and really enjoy raising them. For example, my spouse is the stay at home parent while I work full time, so there are often days I come home to dance parties and lots of dresses and glitter, ha! Kevin is a great sport and awesome daddy. He is always up for a trip to the park, baking cookies, or painting toe nails. He is also the ultimate story reader and puts extra bubbles in the tub because that's what makes life interesting, right? Who needs a bath without bubbles?
When photographing my children, I embrace their spirit and will document their everyday lives candidly. My children don't respond well to sitting quietly or being told they must wear a fancy gown and sit perfectly still and smile. This simply is not who they are and part of having their photos taken is preserving their childhood.
Love letters to my children
I am taking everyday, natural, and candid photos for my little ones. These are for them to have when they're older, it is my love language. This is my gift to them: albums and prints and canvases showing them as they are, allowing them to be their own people, and showing the journey as they grow. Life is not perfect. Nothing is ever going to be precise (unless you're doing math problems, but that's another blog post, ha!). By allowing them to be who they are, it removes expectations that are unnatural for them and also will be a connection to our past. I adore looking through older images of them and sometimes it makes me a little sad because it's not until a milestone has passed do you realize how precious it is.
As parents, we're sometimes so focused on what's next, what our children will accomplish next, we forget to see the everyday beauty right in front of us. Photographing them in their everyday moments, the simple truth in our daily lives, will forever preserve this sacred time. I know I will miss them being small. I distinctly remember crying the day my eldest went to kindergarten. She stepped onto the bus, waved goodbye to me, and the doors shut. I looked at my husband, in a complete panic, and said, "We have to follow her. I don't even know the bus driver! Who let's their child in a vehicle with someone they don't know?" Of course, these milestones are harder on me than them and by having many everyday images of them, it it truly wonderful to look back on their lives and celebrate them.
I also must note: a yearly family photo shoot is a must. Once a year, I do like to have professional family photos taken and I would never discount the beauty in this type of photography. However, one photography session a year is not enough to capture who they are as they do change very quickly.
Having young children inspires my own family portraiture work because it teaches me patience and how to engage with others without being intrusive. It also shows me that mothers will relish in those precious, candid images and enjoy looking back on them. It's totally nice to have 3-4 images in which your whole family is smiling at the camera, but it's also okay to have more natural images, too. There is a balance. I tell parents to not worry: we always do the more posed images first and then we play, have fun, and I give you many tips on interacting with your children.
Here are some of my favorite everyday happenings from November.
Sarah Borchgrevink Photography is a Houston Newborn Photographer specializing in gorgeous posed newborn sessions. Her studio is located in Northwest Houston. In addition to breathtaking baby portraiture, Sarah also offers stylish natural light family photography as well as dynamic outdoor maternity sessions for expecting mothers and couples. Sarah joyfully serves the entire Harris and Montgomery county areas including North Houston, Cypress, Tomball, Spring, Jersey Village, The Woodlands, Magnolia, Conroe, Willis, Montgomery, Humble, Kingwood, Porter, New Caney, Waller, Memorial & West Houston, Katy, Fulshear, Sugar Land, Pearland, Hempstead, Richmond, West University, Rice Village and Porter TX. Connect to chat with Sarah today! Please consider booking your session at your earliest convenience in order to secure your appointments on the calendar.