When I first met the Wiersma family, their oldest daughter Lucy was only 6 months old and I have had several wonderful opportunities to photograph their growing family over the years! With brother Isaac's newborn photos and now the maternity, family photos and newborn session for their third child, little Maisie, I have absolutely loved being able to photograph their family change and grow! Mom and Dad, Carrie and Nathan, are very laid back and relaxed so when it was time for their maternity and family session, we chose a location that would allow the kids space to play and explore as I captured more lifestyle and candid moments of their family together. Beechwood Farms Nature Reserve was the perfect locations for them to roam and it offered a wide range of beautiful backdrops for their playful photos! There are so many lovely spots all throughout Beechwood Farms, from wooded trails to open fields with tall grass, blooming trees and a pond to check out the frogs and ducks! Carrie and Nathan also came prepared with Lucy and Isaac's favorite stuffies and some bubbles to keep the kids having fun and laughing. It was so much fun following them around as they explored the park, played chase, tickled each other and giggled and laughed the entire time!

When little Maisie arrived, I was excited to not only meet the newest member of the Wiersma family, but also observe big sister Lucy and now big brother Isaac were doing with a new baby in the house. As per my usual routine, we started with family photos and we chose a room in their house that had tons of beautiful natural light. I asked the family to sit together on the couch, cuddle and play around so that I could capture some of those truly candid moments of mom, dad and their three children. I was able to capture some snuggles, kisses and little touches from the older siblings and their new baby sister. As the family were preparing to move to another state soon, we also went outside for a few photos of them all together in front of the first home they lived in as a family. What a bittersweet image for the family as they move on from their first home and on to another amazing adventure together!

Lucy and Isaac were soon ready for a snack and playtime so we moved on to Maisie's posed newborn photos. In the pre-session questionnaire, Carrie stated that she did not have any specific color or prop preference and that she trusted my judgement in the set ups. But she did mention that the nursery colors were grey and mint, so I brought several options including complimentary colors and props, like pink and neutral tones. Maisie slept so well, with only a few breaks for feeding and snuggles, that we were able to work through several set ups. She was so snuggly and posed well for a variety of looks to their final gallery!

I am so happy that I was able to photograph the Wiersma family to celebrate their newest addition to the family and before their big move! I am always sad when such an amazing family moves away because I know I will not get the same chance to catch up with them, but I am really excited for the Wiersma's newest adventure!

The Cummings family contacted me about a portrait session for their family and baby daughter Claire. Not only would this be a milestone, sitter session for Claire, but also updated family photos for this new family of three! Mom, Meredith, decided that Claire would be happier and more playful in the morning so we settled on a sunrise session in the Mellon Park Walled Garden. This is such a beautiful location and always showcases the best light for both sunrise and sunset sessions! It is one of my favorite parks within Pittsburgh for portrait sessions!

We ended up scheduling our session on Father's Day, so after a 'Happy First Father's Day!' to dad, Steve, we began with some family photos near the brick wall and walkway at the entrance of the garden. We took our time walking around the garden, looking for the best spots to use the morning sunlight but also capture the beauty of the garden and blooming flowers. Claire was able to sit comfortably and steady enough on her own that we were able to capture some adorable photos of her sitting tall and playing on the blanket. After some time warming up in front of the camera and LOTS of peek-a-boo, Claire gave some really big smiles! It was a perfect morning for this adorable family's portrait session!

I am so excited to welcome baby Mia and the Pappacena family to the blog! When mom contacted me to book a session for their family, she had originally booked the Belly to Baby package which includes maternity and newborn photos. But then a world health pandemic struck which changed our plans for their photos. We were unable to capture their maternity photos due to the shutdown and I was not able to meet the family for their newborn photos until Mia was already 3 1/2 weeks. But one thing I have learned during this pandemic and subsequent shutdown of my photography business is that I need to be flexible and quickly adaptable. So while I typically plan for newborn sessions within the first 2 weeks of life, I have learned with all of my newborn clients born during the shutdown, that older newborn sessions are doable and so much fun! 

Mom and Dad completed the newborn session questionnaire and shared that they had decorated her nursery in a beautiful floral theme with pint and mint colors. So, mom asked that I bring various shades of pink, mint and neutrals with fur textured blankets and floral accents. These would be the perfect way to coordinate with their nursery decor and style. We started with their family photos and posed in Mia's beautiful nursery. Mom and Dad were both so snuggly with Mia that we were able to capture such cuddly, lifestyle images of the new family of three. 

After we finished their family photos and individual photos of both parents with Mia, we then started on her posed newborn photos. She was very comfortable being swaddled in the soft wraps that I brought, so we kept her wrapped and snuggly for her first posed set on the pink fur blanket. Mom had specifically requested a pose with Mia on a fur blanket, and the beautiful pink color balanced out her gorgeous dark hair. We then moved on to different sets incorporating mint tones. A soft mint blanket with floral wrap and then a mint wooden bowl with a pink and mint floral headband were a great way to combine the pink and mint tones that mom had requested for her posed photos. Mia slept so well that we were able to work through several set ups and poses which provided a wide range of looks for the Pappacena's final gallery. 

When I first met the Collard family, their son Easton was just a baby for their holiday mini session. So when mom Jessica contacted me about scheduling a maternity session for their growing family, I was excited to see them again! I absolutely love seeing how much a child grows between our sessions and it was so much fun to see Easton as an active, smiley toddler with such a full personality! This session was also special as the family would soon be moving from Pittsburgh and they wanted to capture updated family photos and celebrate this time of the upcoming birth of their baby before they moved. 

We settled on Beechwood Farms Nature Reserve for the family's session. This is a beautiful park that offers a variety of backdrops for photos and it's always a gorgeous location regardless of season! Spring is full of blooming, green trees and early wildflowers and we took full advantage of the landscape throughout the park. This is also a great park for children to walk around and explore the various trails, rocks, and fields. Easton had so much fun exploring the grounds with his family which gave me the opportunity to photograph some really adorable candid interactions! 

Along with their family photos, we focused on Jessica for some maternity photos as well. She looked stunning in her blue and white striped dress which completely complimented the blue tones in Dan and Easton's outfits. I love when pregnant mamas wear flowy dresses in their maternity photos as it provides movement to the photograph and is flattering in showing off her baby bump. Comfortable and flattering clothes are key when planning your outfits for a photo session and Jessica totally nailed it with her beautiful off-the-shoulder maternity dress!

The Collard family was so much fun to work with and I am so excited to have had the opportunity to capture this important moment in their lives as they prepare for baby number two as well as a big move from the town where they started their family! 

Introducing beautiful Avery Ann! Born in early March, right before everything shutdown, Avery was already 12 weeks by the time I was able to come into their home and photograph her newborn session. Mom was not sure how much of a traditional posed newborn session we would be able to capture, but was excited to photograph her new baby girl and her new family of five! 

We started with family photos in their gorgeous new home and included their two older children as well as their family dog. Especially when there are older siblings, I always start with family photos during a newborn session because I want  to focus my attention on the siblings while they are still excited to take photos. And once we're finished, they can relax, change their clothes and go play or take a break. It's important to be fast, flexible and fun when photographing young children which is what we did with their lifestyle family photos. Mom and Dad were also a great big help making big brother Jack and big sister Emery smile and laugh when taking photos with their new baby sister. They were all so silly and fun but loved giving kisses and snuggles to little Avery!!

Once we finished up their family photos, Dad took Jack and Emery out to play and run errands while Mom and I started making final selections for Avery's props and set ups. Mom wanted to focus on more of a 'spring' look to the set ups including pinks and light tones as well as flowers. I had the perfect light pink floral lace backdrop that I brought with me and I was so excited when Mom chose it for one of her sets! Avery slept so well and was such a relaxed and easy baby to pose. We were able to work through several floral backdrops and were able to pose her in a wooden crate with the perfect little floral headband and dusty rose wrap to compliment her final gallery. Mom was excited to include a photo of Avery in a bucket so we made sure to include a set of this gorgeous girl posed in a prop. 

​I am so happy that I was able to capture posed newborn photos of Avery for the Tosadori family. Being in quarantine and the uncertainty that went along with that has been stressful for everyone, so I am happy that we were able to capture these special images for their family and document newborn details of little Avery!

Introducing baby Lainey!! The first born and most recent addition to the Ascah family! When Lainey was born, mom sent me a photo of her in the hospital which gave me a sneak peek of her beautiful features, including her gorgeous hair! So when I was finally able to meet her at 4 weeks, I was so excited to photograph this sweet baby girl!

Due to the state shutdown, we were not able to photograph Lainey's newborn photos right away, but this gave us plenty of time to plan and prepare for her session. Mom shared details of her nursery decor as well as their family's personal style. This was helpful in deciding on which props, backdrops and headbands I brought with me for Lainey's posed newborn photos. Mom also shared that they preferred more lifestyle images of the family so we focused on this style with their family photos. We started with family photos in the nursery and made sure to incorporate their two adorable pups as they lounged in the room with us. 

Once it was time to start Lainey's posed newborn photos, mom helped me settle on the final set ups including colors that would compliment her pink and mint nursery. We selected a variety of variety of texture blankets, wraps, and various shades of pink and mint that worked well with their styles and preferences. The tiny bow headbands looked so delicate and beautiful against her dark hair. I am so happy that we were able to capture these newborn photos of Lainey. The newborn phase passes so quickly and we were able to photograph all those sweet little details that we love in the newborn stage. Moments documented that will hopefully be cherished for a lifetime!  

Meet the Marshall family! To say that new parents Shannon and Mike were excited for the arrival for their baby girl would be an understatement. When I first met them at the Walled Garden in Mellon Park, the excitement and love for the new little baby that they would be welcoming into the world was absolutely palpable! And they were so loving and comfortable with each other, I knew we were going to have a great session. Shannon had warned me before that both she and Mike did not always feel comfortable in front of the camera (to be fair, not many people do!) but I assured them that we would focus on them snuggling with each other and I would try to make it as easy as possible. The lighting for our sunset session was absolutely stunning and provided the best backdrop for their maternity photos. Shannon had requested a location with lots of texture - bricks, stone, gates - and Mellon Park is the best option for the type of the location they wanted. 

Dressed casually in jeans and simple shirts, both Shannon and Mike stayed true to their laid back personalities. Their outfits really allowed the connection between them and the landscape of the park shine through their photos. I offered simple posing guidance and took a step back to let them interact with each other. I have found this is a great way to capture the true emotion and interaction between a couple or family. I always prefer the natural connections versus a posed photo where everyone is looking at the camera, although we do also get those images too. It was so lovely to spent the hour with the Marshall's and it made me even more excited to capture the arrival of their baby girl!

Oh, sweet Maverick - what an amazing family you've just joined! As their fifth child, mom and dad are familiar with the process of welcoming home their newest addition, but with Maverick being born during a world pandemic, it was certainly a very different experience for the Hirschboeck family! 

When we were finally able to schedule our portrait session together, Maverick was already 5 weeks. While newborn sessions are typically done within the first two weeks after birth, we were able to accomplish a range of poses while Maverick slept comfortably. We started with family photos, including mom, dad and their four oldest children, in the family's backyard which was a perfect backdrop for this beautiful group! They were all so welcoming and sweet, with the older children sharing how their online learning and virtual activities have been going during quarantine. They were really adorable with baby Maverick and were doting all over him during their photos! After the family photos outside, we then focused on mom and dad with Maverick in his nursery. He had an adorably decorated nursery with neutral tones and natural accents. 

Mom had shared that she wanted to continue the neutral theme of his nursery for his posed newborn photos. She also  loved the idea of a variety of textures. So, when planning what materials and props I was going to bring with me, I chose a range of textured fabrics, wraps and natural bowls all within neutral tones to fit the family's preferences. Maverick has a beautiful full head of hair, which stood out on the neutral blankets. It was the perfect way to show off his gorgeous locks! 

Welcome to the world sweet Lila Lee! Delivered during the shutdown, Lila was my first newborn to photograph once we were able to open back up for business. Mom and dad wanted to capture as much of the newborn stage as we could even though Lila was already almost 9 weeks old. Patience and flexibility is important when photographing newborn babies, but especially with older newborns. Older newborns are more awake, alert and not as easily posable in those super squishy traditional newborn poses, so it's even more important to follow baby's cues during these sessions. As always, we started with the family photos first which also included their adorable puppy. Mom had a cute little outfit for Lila to wear during their family photos and the floral design matched the dainty floral decor in her nursery.

In their pre-session questionnaire, mom Maggie asked to use pink colors, flowers and anything feminine for props and backdrops. We were able to incorporate pink tones and floral touches to each of her set ups which provided a cohesive overall look to her final gallery. Lila started off awake and alert during her posed newborn photos, but this gave me an opportunity to photograph her striking beautiful blue eyes and facial expressions. Sometimes babies take time to settle in to being wrapped and posed during a session, but once she adjusted, she fell asleep and we were able to work through several set ups and poses. Mom loved the off-white wooden crate that I brought and Lila looked beautiful with the vintage style lace blanket and floral headband! She definitely preferred to be wrapped and cozy during her poses, but she was sleeping deep enough that I was able to wrap her in a way that showed her little fingers and toes. The perfect way to showcase those tiny newborn details!

At the time of our session together, our communities have been through a lot of uncertainty and stress. But I am so glad that I was able to photograph Lila and capture this newborn stage for the Matthews' family so that they have these fond memories to look back on during these uncertain times. Lila was such a sweet, beautiful baby girl and I am so happy to photograph their new family!

Evangeline is a one year old!! I first met this sweet girl and her parents for their newborn session so when mom contacted me about booking Evangeline's first birthday session, I was beyond excited! I absolutely love photographing families over the years because it's so fun to see how much the sweet two week old baby has grown into a one year old! 

When we booked her session in early May, we ended up with a chilly spring evening but had an absolutely gorgeous sunset. The trees were starting to bloom and the garden at Hartwood Acres was just beginning to grow. Evangeline was a little cold so I encouraged mom and dad to give her lots of snuggles to keep her warm. This also allowed me to capture some sweet, candid moments between mom, dad and their baby girl.

They brought a small cake for Evangeline so that we could photograph a few cake smash images. She did not want too much to do with the cake, which often happens with babies in their cake smash sessions. Some babies really go for the cake and others are more hesitant. So instead of cake smash images, we just took cake images to celebrate her first birthday! And anytime we can celebrate a birthday with cake is a great birthday!!