How to Rediscover a Location when Your Favorite Spot is Packed

Sarah Borchgrevink Photography shares tips and tricks on rediscovering and falling in love with hidden gems at your favorite location.

Good morning, friends! Greetings to you and howdy! Today's blog post is all about what to do when your session is not going exactly to plan. For instance, as a professional photographer, I have a great list of locations for my clients to peruse. It includes everything from downtown Houston and urban decor to rustic, rural fields and tree-lined paths. Part of designing a fantastic natural light, on location session is selecting the perfect location! After this, clients base their outfits and even hair and makeup around the look of the location. Typically, we arrive at sunset, or sunrise if this is your preference, and then have a dynamic, soulful session.

In this case, however, the client chose a popular location. It is totally swoon-worthy, so I get it. It's perfect. Why would someone not shoot here? 

I pull into the location and I can barely park. I feel a little bit of shooting anxiety starting to build up. There are at least 30 other cars there and all of my "go to" spots are being used. I had a succinct session flow in mind on what I was going to do with my client; the light is fleeting and I start to feel a little bit of pressure. 

I ask myself, "How am I going to create a gorgeous set of maternity photos when I cannot use the areas I like?" I considered moving locations, but then had a thought: look around. Let the light guide me. Find a new path. Check out what's around the corner. Don't let the client see you sweat. Be flexible and open to new experience.

For someone like me who is type A, that's easier said than done. Part of why I enjoy photography is having creative freedom. In this case, I was tempted to fall into old habits. But I took a deep breath, greeted my client, and told myself, "You will rock this session. This will be amazing." 

After all, if you're shooting a natural light, on location maternity session, such as I was, and you're in a public location everyone else has just as much right to be there as you. And that's okay. I take no issue with this. If anything, the issue was me being nervous to step outside my comfort zone.

But I did it. I discovered new parts of this location I love. I followed the sun as it set and let the golden rays showcase the beautiful love, bonds, and commitment between this expecting couple as we documented their pregnancy portraits. 

My tips and tricks to you are to be kind. Be open. See everyone for who they are and to not let yourself feel stress or anxiety when things don't go quite as planned. There is a whole world out there and even if 30 other people are using the same backdrop as you, make it your own. Use your artistic creativity and gifts to shine through. Rock that session and give your clients photos that last a lifetime!

Here are my favorite images from their session. 

Melissa & Brandon's Stunning Maternity Portraits in Houston Texas

This sweet couple is the best! Also: mom's gown is perfection! She selected from a list I provide on Top 10 Gowns for your session. We had an amazing time together and they were very genuine, kind, warm, and giving. I loved hearing about their daily lives, how they meet, what they do for a living, and even making friends with their adorable fur baby pup, Bailey. I will be seeing them this summer for an in-studio posed newborn session as they are belly and baby membership clients.

Here's what Melissa and Brandon said about their experience with Houston Maternity & Newborn Photographer, Sarah Borchgrevink:

I am beyond thrilled with my maternity photos from Sarah Borchgrevink Photography!! Sarah is incredibly talented and kind. She makes everything super easy and stress free. I first saw Sarah's work on Facebook and followed her for years before we were blessed with our first little miracle baby. I immediately knew who I wanted to do our newborn photos. From our first contact, Sarah was professional but personal and very prompt in responding. She remained in close communication every step of the way so I had no questions or need to worry. You can tell that she truly loves what she does. Our maternity photos were gorgeous! She made me feel beautiful and captured the joy my husband and I feel as we cherish this precious time waiting for baby. There are so many amazing shots, I don't know how I'll choose which ones to display on our walls. I absolutely cannot wait for our newborn photos!

Thanks for reading about how to fall in love with a location, even if your favorite parts are being used! If you are currently pregnant, feel free to shoot me an e-mail. I'd love to have you on my calendar for a gorgeous session and document this joyful time in your life.

Sarah Borchgrevink Photography is a Houston Newborn Photographer specializing in gorgeous posed newborn sessions. Her studio is located in Northwest Harris County. 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 Houston, Cypress, Tomball, Spring, The Woodlands, Kingwood, Memorial & West Houston, Katy, Sugar Land, Pearland, Richmond, West University and Rice Village.

7 Tips to Rock the Baby in a Bucket Pose: Last Week in Studio

Houston Newborn Photographer, Sarah Borchgrevink Photography, offers stunning portraiture for brand new babies & their family. See tips for posing babies in the ever so popular parent requeted set up: the bucket.

Favorite pose of parents

When booking a newborn session, parents are sent a styling questionnaire in which they're able to share their favorite props, colors, and also must have poses. It never fails: every parent requests a bucket shot because what is more precious than a newly earth side little one perfectly tucked into an adorable bucket? 

As a professional baby portrait studio, I truly love working with my most petite & darling clients, particularly when it comes to a floor prop set up, such as an antique bucket. I have a huge array of props on hand, all of which are available to you. They're all vintage-inspired, often purchased from local antique shops. 

When posing a baby in these rustic pails, parents often ask, "How do you achieve this look?" Have no fear! I am happy to share some tips on this so you, as a potential client, can be informed on how I safely pose little ones.

Moreover, this blog posts also showcases babies who visited in the last week so you can see variety in how I style my dreamy, timeless and stunning newborn sessions. 

7 Tips for the bucket set up:

1. Baby must be in a deep sleep for these images. I keep my heat on 77 degrees so baby is nice and warm, but also mold-able and peacefully slumbers so we have serene, gorgeous galleries! Part of being one of the Best Houston Newborn Photographers is providing parents with amazing galleries. The foundation of an amazing floor prop set up must always be a warm room so we have a sleepy, sweet baby.

2. Place weights in the bottom of the bucket. This keeps it from toppling over and helps baby stay in place.

3. Don't pose baby naked in the bucket. You see, we want to create the "illusion" that baby is naked, however, if their legs are out, this could be a danger to baby's well being because newborn babies are much stronger than they appear! They could push forward with their legs, thus launching baby out. This would be a disaster so in order to avoid this, keep baby's legs wrapped and their arms out.

4. Select a bucket, pail or another floor prop that coincides with baby's size. I know, I know: all buckets are the same, right? Actually: this is not true! I have different buckets for different sized babies. 5-pound babies, to elaborate further, will need a different bucket than a 10-pound baby. The baby should fill most of the prop and you should not be stuffing tons of items in the bucket. To ensure we have the perfect prop for your precious, sweet little baby, I send a questionnaire once little one has arrived so you may share details such as their weight.

5. Make sure baby is fully supported. You do so by using posing beans.

6. Pose baby's arms before placing them in the bucket. You do not want to be picking the baby up and moving them around whilst in the bucket. The placing of the baby should be seamless: pose their arms, while the baby is in your lap, and then move them into the bucket. This keeps their head supported and you're not jolting their ever so fragile limbs.

7. Get those elbows hooked. Essentially, this means that you have to hook their elbows over the rim of the bucket so baby does not slip downward. This is why it's ever so important to place weights (such as 20 pounds) inside of the bucket so it will not be top heavy.

Joshua's aquamarine set up

Isabella's neutral bucket pose with galvanized pail

Gorgeous Aria's Mint and Seafoam Green Rustic Pail

Mia's ivory, lavender, and warm wood classic baby in a bucket pose

Chase's feminine and girly lavender & purple floral styling

Desmond's Pale Green & Spring Greenery Newborn Portraits on barn wood flooring

Are you currently pregnant and expecting your own bundle of joy? Let's connect so I may more information about the newborn collections I offer. 

Sarah Borchgrevink Photography is a Houston Newborn Photographer specializing in gorgeous posed newborn sessions. Her studio is located in Northwest Harris County. 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 Houston, Cypress, Tomball, Spring, The Woodlands, Kingwood, Memorial & West Houston, Katy, Sugar Land, Pearland, Richmond, West University and Rice Village.