Behind the Scenes: Photographing a Newborn

A few weeks ago, a few NAPCP Atlantans gathered together for coffee. We chatted about family, talked shop and discussed our strengths & weaknesses in photography and business. It was a wonderful little pow-wow amongst friends sharing a common love for photographing children.

One of the girls confessed that she was scared to death to photograph newborns. "How do you pose them?" "What equipment do I need?" "How do I soothe them so that they stay sleepy?" "Help!" We heard her plea, and before any of us could say anything, Crystal James, a local Marietta photographer, and honestly - one of the most caring & thoughtful photographers I know - opened her new studio for an impromptu newborn workshop. Wow. She arranged for all of us to come to one of two hands-on sessions where we would be able to photograph ("experiment") with her new niece and a friend's new baby.

What an incredible opportunity it was for all of us. The session, which Crystal could have easily charged hundreds of dollars to host, allowed each of us the freedom to challenge ourselves creatively. Even though most of us had been photographing for years, we all walked away with new ideas, a broader knowledge of our very unique craft, and most importantly - added confidence & assurance in what we do.

Here are a few behind-the-scenes photos from the day:

Crystal prepping Ally for her photoshoot...



5 Days Old.



Beautiful natural light coming from a south-facing window, bounced by a 60" reflector:



This is Danielle's idea. Although she didn't make it to the workshop, we wanted to try her idea...



And the result..

So much fun!

For me, Crystal and this impromptu workshop was a testament of what the child photographic community is all about. While most business owners shy away from giving away their secrets and techniques, our community has embraced sharing... And we realize that when we do share, grow, and connect - we are are bridging gaps and raising our industry's standards to another level.

Thank you again Crystal, Lisa, Danielle, and Kim! Looking forward to getting together again soon!

ps - if you're a child photographer in Atlanta and you'd like to meet some fun ladies for coffee & cameras, email me!

Family, completed.

Sometimes life doesn't happen as expected. Sometimes it's much better.

I met with Shelly and her beautiful family last week for a session at her in-law's Atlanta home. We had a fun playing with 15 month old Jack, running through hoops and tickling him with feathers to get him to smile. And it was a beautiful summer day.

After our session, Shelly and I had a chance to wind down, talk girl's talk, and I got to learn about how their family became a family...

Shelly had just come back from working in New York, fell in love with her childhood neighbor, and soon after - found out un-expectantly, they were expecting! Within 4 months, they married without witnesses in the Caribbean's. Life was about to start for this 24 year old.

Then Jack was born, and Shelly's world changed. This sweet, cuddly, little boy smiled when they looked at him, didn't care where they lived or how chaotic life was, and made everyday a day worth celebrating.

I really believe children are God's gift to us. Whether we're ready for them or not - they teach us to care and love unconditionally. The allow us to grow out of old habits and become responsible parents. And we begin to find joy in the smallest things in life.

I'm so glad to have witnessed all of the joy in Shelly's life and hear her story of her family. She feels complete, and that is a wonderful thing.

Piper turns 2!

The little "firecracker" - as I called her a year ago - is now the sweetest, more enduring, little girl. Some of my favorites from our country session!

Laura and her blue chair

It's always such an honor for me to photograph other photographers and their families.

I began photographing Laura Hathaway's family three years ago, before Laura decided to pursue her love for photography. She's slowly growing her business, keeping her priorities on her family first until her children are ready for school. That's what I love most about our craft and our subjects.... We can grow both simultaneously and not feel guilty about leaving behind either... :)

Laura and I wanted to do something a little more outside-the-box during our session, so we asked her husband Daniel to drag their favorite blue chair to the middle of a field... I love the results.