Archive for the ‘Babies & Children’ Category

Recently, I had a newborn photography session that turned into a family portrait session.  Three-month-old Emerson brought his parents and his older brother, Henry.  I photographed Henry when he was born.  We had lots of fun and got some great images.  We couldn’t resist putting Henry in my new bear outfit and I can’t resist sharing the image with you!  What an angelic face!  Sean and Lindsay are both teachers and have lots of patience and love children.  It’s obvious. 

I look forward to watching these little men grow.  I continue to create portraits of little boy after little boy in the studio!  Are there any little girls out there, folks?  I have great tutus. But the boys just won’t look good in them, you know?!  LOL.

I end up spending so much time with families like this when they come in to the J. Love Photography studio.  I don’t wear a watch, I don’t have a clock here.  Time stands still.  We laugh, play, pose, try different things, and interact in a way that is enjoyable for everyone.  There is something about the tenderness we witness as photographers when parents come with their new babies. When they forget about us and just enjoy the moment, we make photographs like my favorite one below.  I can feel Lindsay’s gentle touch as she cradles Emerson and coos to him.  Can’t you?  Ahhhhhh. Love my job!

Photographers are always on the lookout for unique props for our studios.  I was excited to come across Mandy Pomo and her mom, Sandy Crews who share Sweet Pea & Co.  These two talented women create the most amazing soft dolls and whimsical clothing for children.  I have many, many outfits in my studio for children’s portraits such as a bear costume, a pea pod for a newborn baby, and lots and lots of tutus like the one pictured here.

Blue Faerie

I have grown up women ask me all the time why they can’t wear them!   I agree! When I create childrens’ portraits, especially when they are between the ages of 2 and 5, I let them go.  No posing.  Forget that! Children need to just ‘be’.  So we turn the music on, dress up, dance, play, and have a great time! Kids love playing dress-up with this clothing!  Quite honestly, adults like me are jealous!  What does Cyndi Lauper say… ‘girls just wanna have fun…’

These are the kinds of moments we capture.  Priceless!  So stop down and see Sandy and Mandy at Booth 43 during Dexter Daze Friday, August 13 and Saturday, August 14 by the gazebo. Check out all of their whimsical creations… and then come see me so we can create beautiful portraits of your children! Please pick up one of my business cards at their booth… there’s a special offer on the back side for Dexter Daze.

Dexter Daze is one of those small, hometown festivals that reminds you of how good it feels to live in a small community. Check it out and mark your calendar!

Zoey

I’m not big on carrying a camera around.  Yet, of late, I’ve decided that I need to photograph my personal life more.  I seem to be so busy creating portrait photography for other people that I often let the moments of my own life slip by.  And that can be a very bad thing since there is no one in my family remotely interested in holding a camera let alone using one!  So candid portraits, even snapshots, here I come.

On a recent warm summer evening, we had dinner outside with our kids and our granddaughter. ’Z’ always steals the show. None of us pay any attention to anything but her discoveries and delight of the most simple things.  She loves music and dances to everything including commercials.  She does yoga poses because she’s figured out it makes everyone laugh, especially when she’s stark naked which is a good deal of the time in the summer by our pool. She says “Mmmmm” whenever she tastes something good and blows kisses to everyone and anyone like her life depends on it. How can anyone not love babies?!

It’s occurred to me lately that I rarely take snapshot photos let alone print them. I’m too concerned with getting ‘the perfect shot.’  So I’m trying to turn a new leaf.  Tiny moments matter so much in our lives. They are here and with a whisper they are gone.  Get out your camera! Catch it.  It doesn’t matter if it’s perfect.  It matters that you have something to remember it by.  That’s my new motto for a while.

As our granddaughter grows, I want to catch it all.  Her mommy grew up in a split second. One day she was a tiny tot with her pony tail blowing in the wind and before I knew it she had grown up on me.  I have a chance to savor the moments more this time.  We intend to do just that.  I’m going to keep her one day a week (Mondays) for our daughter while she goes off to nursing school. Don’t worry, I will be exercising and eating my vitamins to make sure I have the stamina!

I’ve taken hundreds of photos of this sweet child since she was born 18 months ago. I love so many of them. But how ironic that my favorite portrait of her was one I grabbed on a hot summer evening just enjoying her thoroughly and snapping away mindlessly as she played. When I saw this image, it took my breath away. She so reminds me of her mother when she was tiny. Someone said ‘Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the number of moments that take our breath away.’

Get your camera out. Don’t let the moments slip away. Document them. Print them. Save them. Treasure them.

We’re all so busy today. No one has time to breathe anymore. I’m no busier than anyone else. I get frustrated and know I’m holding my breath just try to keep up the dizzying pace of owning a one-woman business, being a wife, being a mother, a grandmother, daughter, friend, etc. On a good day, I remember my old faithful, Ram Dass, and his words that still touch me from long ago… Be Here Now!

A perfect morning is where I get up, stretch, go out, and hit the park for three miles, and then come home and make a cup of decaf and sit down to read a bit. I can make a shift this way to having a good day no matter what I come upon… or what comes upon me! Today is one of those days.

So in all the craziness, one of the things I really enjoy that helps me really get in touch is creating portraits of children. I am reminded how simple life is, how playful and fun it can be, and how important it is to let our light shine like they do. They sooooooo get it!

I’ve gotten off track (what else is new)… One of my morning reads is Alan Cohen’s A Deep Breath of Life  for a daily dose of inspiration. I was behind and decided to read up on the past stories I’d missed. Ironically, I had been looking for one of my very favorites and there it was. Thought I’d share it with you today…

Jill With Friend

The parents of a four-year-old boy arrived home with his new baby brother. Soon the elder child began to pester his parents to leave him alone with the infant. Fearing that the four-year-old might hurt the baby, they refused. Finally, after the boy persisted, the parents consented. As a safeguard, they turned on the intercom to monitor the boy’s visit. Listening from the kitchen, they heard the older brother approach the crib, lean over, and ask the baby, “Tell me about God… I’m starting to forget.”

We have all forgotten about God, and we are starting to remember. We love children because they still bear the innocent light of heaven, and they have not yet been sullied by the pain and small thinking of the world. They are our connection to the divine.

The light that children shine still lives within us. It has not been lost, just covered over. The spiritual path is not one of attainment, but return. We are returning to our innate wisdom that the beauty we seek shines in us, through us, as us.

I hope today you let your light shine! I know I am!

Everett here is another of J. Love Photography’s little friends who are in our Baby Love program. We photograph babies through their first year, doing three portrait sessions.  Sessions can be created for maternity, newborn, 6 months, one year… you choose! This was Everett’s 6 month session. I love this portait because I can see joy in both of their eyes. It always makes me smile.

As a member of our Baby Love program, you are entitled to discounts on product and portraits. Included in the program price is a beautiful, fine art collage of your baby’s first year that is printed on an archival, gallery-wrapped canvas. We end the first-year session with a birthday party complete with bubbles, a hat, and birthday cake!

We have fun, little costumes for the babies to wear as well. I’m working on getting more little boys outfits, as it’s always easier to find things for little girls. I’ve just added a little pea pod outfit for 0 to 3 months and a teddy bear outfit for one year-olds and up. Many of you have seen the array of tutus I have for little girls as well.

When my little babies toddle off after the year is over, it’s sad for me. I know I will see them again, but it isn’t the same. To watch a newborn grow into a toddler and celebrate their first birthday is a joy I cannot explain. I feel so blessed to capture these moments for their families and them.

Yes, I get peed on, pooped on, thrown up on, and sometimes a baby will cry and cry. It’s much harder on the parents than me. I’m used to it. I’ve had a few sessions where the parents are sure we weren’t able to capture a thing. But good light and quick reactions in the split seconds they take a breath between crying often gives me a perfect image of a baby that delights us all!

And then I get babies, especially the recent pack of little boys I’ve had, who are all smiling, happy babies who just ham it up for me and love every minute of it! I know that a lifetime from now, these images will be passed down in their families and be treasured keepsakes of moments that will never be forgotten. How can I not love what I do? It’s what makes my heart feel so full.

Here is what a recent mom whose son, Karl, recently completed the Baby Love program had to say:

“I am so happy that we found you just in time to memorialize our son’s first year of life!  The images that you took ages 3 weeks, 6 months and 1 year capture Karl’s essence.  When I look back now at these brief moments in time, I am overcome with gratitude for your artistry.  Thank you also for making the photo sessions a fun experience for Karl – he seemed to really enjoy himself!

I also appreciated how quickly you were able to share the images with me and process the order.”       

Megan Fink

If you know of someone who is pregnant or has a baby and might be interested in capturing those moments by a professional who cares, please share this blog with them! I’ll leave you with a few more images today of Everett being his sunny, little self. Doesn’t it make you smile?