Sometimes when you get in the editing "room" and get into your images, you have a specific an clear idea of how you want the images to look.  Sometimes, it turns out perfectly.

 Sometimes you get into an image, and it doesn't want to turn out the way you planned. Sometimes, you get stuck, sometimes it just needs something completely outside the box you want it to fit in.  

That moment when I flounder, when I can't make it right, I try to think out side my predetermined box. I use my go to tool, black and white. There are so many different versions of black and white images, you can make one image look like a completely different one with just a slight shift in brightness, contrast, levels can change the composition completely.

When I was editing these images, my mindset was for color, muted, matte finish, with a soft dreamy feel. I didn't plan to edit any in black and white. So imagine my surprise when I, on a whim, threw one into a new editing technique, just to play.  It was amazing, and beautiful, and great.  

These images were shot, with the intent to keep them in color but I have to admit, I almost prefer the colorless version. I will let you decide...

I have had an entrepreneurial spirit for as long as I can remember.  Reaching a milestone such as one year in a business of my very own, is really amazing to me.

I have alway sought a way to harness my creative energy, provide for my family, and interact with people. This business, this accidental creation has afforded me all of those things.

I am a stay at home mom to three awesome and energetic little people. They keep me running, and on my toes. They keep me on the edge of sanity most days also!  After six years of staying at home and raising these three crazies I started feeling the urge to venture back into the world, and started searching. I prayed, cried, prayed, talked to my husband, talked to my friends, prayed some more.  One day I was approached to create some custom prop pieces for a very talented photographer friend of mine, one thing led to another and I was soon accompanying her to sessions, and helping with some set staging.  This fine lady was instrumental in the creation of Little Mother Photography.  

After receiving a camera for Christmas I was staging some sets for my little ones, one friend asked if I could do some of her little one, then another and viola I was in business.  Placing adds, doing sessions for free, taking classes, reading, asking a bazillion questions, and soaking up every bit of information I could find about being a professional photographer. That is how I have spent the first year of this venture.  

Supported by some amazing people, my husband who is awesome and always encouraging, even when it means some late nights putting kids to bed by himself. My parents, and in-laws for loaning props, watching kids, and being supportive. My friends, gosh with out you all to watch my kids, let me practice on your kids, and just letting me know that I don't stink, and that business will grow organically and naturally. Also those same friends for carrying my cards around, and always sending people my way Thank YOU!

The mentors in this area for aspiring photographers are so awesome, there are some amazingly talented people who are so willing to share their knowledge and that is worth its weight in gold.

My babies, who suffer through countless sessions, let me practice on them, and put up with me spending time on the computer to communicate with clients, edit images, and promote this business.

With out my village this would not even have been a possibility for this to be a possibility. 

Lastly I really couldn't be a business with out my clients, you all, reading this right now thank you for trusting your precious little ones and precious memories to me and my vision.

This last year has been a huge adventure, a new balance for my family, and for me personally the realization of a dream I didn't even know I harbored.  I envision many more years of sweet little babies, and messy smash cakes, the miracle of birth, and mommas with bellies full of babies.

Thank you to everyone! Please pop by Saturday the 28th from 2-4 to help celebrate Little Mother Photography's first anniversary, enter to win the drawing and snag a cupcake!

Kandi

This lovely lady came in for a family session and we managed to squeeze in a mini " newborn" session for her.  I just love how this session morphed into something outside all of our expectations.  
She was such a sweet sweet baby. Full checks, and sparkling eyes. 
Midway through the session we took a break so big brother could wind down, and little sister could get in a quick nursing session.  She crashed out and we were able  to keep her asleep for some newborn style poses.

Typically a newborn session is best when baby is brand new, less than ten days old. Much past this age baby is to alert, and not as easy to pose and mold into those newborn poses we all enjoy so much.

 We kept it simple and didn't move her to much, I just changed the angle I was shooting from, and gently draped wraps over her.   Even big brother got in on these, and though he was thoroughly over having his picture made, with the help of some toys, tic tac's, and fruit snacks, we were able to get him back pn set for a few pictures.

Here are just a few of these adorable pictures, enjoy.

Little Mr. L, what a character! He was a sweetheart from the start, gave me a big hug right off. Thats a way to start at session!  Loved working with him had to prompt and prod a little for him to stay on set, and getting some smiles required me to sing "If your happy and you know it" on repeat but it was worth it in the end. 

And little miss, she was such a cutie pie, didn't raise a fun for all her costume changes, fell asleep and even managed a mini newborn shoot for her two month old self.  It is marginally harder to photograph babies older that 10 days in a newborn style. However this little lady was very compliment and let us play a little with her pretty self.

The entire family was so great, friendly, happy, and full of great energy. I could take pictures of families like this all day. Some times shooting a larger group in the studio can feel overwhelming for me, it is such a small space and really designed for babies, and children. When I have a great family, with a wonderful attitude I hardly even notice were all squished in!


Here are a few out takes from this session, I will post little miss's newborn/ 2 month pictures in a separate blog post.

Waiting and waiting, sometimes as a photographer, you just can't create the perfect set. Sometimes you have to wait for mother nature to bless you with it.  Finally we received some snow, enough to go play in! Not only were my own kids excited to go out in the white stuff, but one of my senior ladies has been waiting to do a snow session for months!  

Every time it was predicted to snow we would be texting back and forth making tentative plans in case we actually got some of the white stuff.  

This session was so fun, she owned her red coat and lips, and was brave enough to tromp around in the snow with me even though it was super cold. We worked quickly and here are the results of our efforts. Enjoy!

Such big eyes you have!  

This little lady has some of the biggest blue eyes, she didn't so much love her session, but  I do love the outtakes her momma picked from her pictures.

She was a super sweet little lady, and I really had fun planning her session and playing with her little baby self.

Newborn sessions are usually best done when baby is less than ten days old, they are still sleepy, posable, and flexible. When they get a little bit older you can capture some of those big open eyes and a little bit of their character emerging.

Here are Miss A's sweet pictures...

One thing I enjoy the most about this area is the willingness of people to share knowledge, encourage others, and work together.   I am so blessed to have a great friend who is also a photographer, she super talented and knowledgeable. She invited me to be a second shooter for her cousins newborn session. I was all for it.  Being able to observe another photog in action, and learn from their method is priceless, can't learn that from a you tube tutorial!  

Using just natural light, and several hands we were able to get this handsome little mans, newborn session in the can!  

Im going to share some of the behind the scenes shots and some of my edited images here for you to see.  Enjoy these and remember if you or some one you know needs some newborn pictures done, let me know.

Camping, Cake and Cuteness oh my! This little guy started it all, my first ever newborn session is now ONE!!!!!

I can not believe it, he is so stinking cute, and handsome, and sassy!!!

This session was such a blast to plan, his momma and I enjoyed so much the back and forth of ideas and excitement.  Love all the fun conspiring with friends to create a great set, and session theme.  

We settled on a camping theme, with hand painted backdrop, fun felt food and fire and the same little log round we used in his newborn session.  This entire photo shoot really came together and gelled to create a great cohesive set of images.  Enjoy!

Swoon, sometimes all the hard work, time spent learning, practicing, praying, and crossing your fingers all pays off.  This session was one of those moments, and I am so excited to share these images with you.  This little lady was so amazing sweet and sleepy!!!! She slept right through the entire session right up until the very end.  She didn't even make a peep through all the poses, shifts, wraps and headpieces. It was like working with a doll or a professional baby model! 

I don't even have words for some of these images, they are so peaceful and sweet.  I am going to let you enjoy them ...

When you have your first baby, people tell you, be careful they grow so fast you will blink and they will be in Kindergarten.  At the time, it seems like those people are crazy, sleepless nights, colic, dirty diapers, etc... all those things from the trenches of having a newborn, seem to last forever.  

Then one day you look up and your little girl is asking you to get her hair cut like "this".  Showing you a picture of a classic pixie cut, very grown up and sophisticated.  Blink, rub your eyes, and realize that your precious little angel is now six years old missing two front teeth and getting bigger and older everyday.  

Sometimes when we are in the trenches of parenthood its hard to see the changes happening in our little ones.  Their faces change, ever so slightly loosing some of the baby roundness. They shift from pudgy arms, and stocky legs, to knobby knees, and feet to big for their bodies.  One day, you see them and it is as if they have been replaced by this new little kid, no longer a baby.  

When our oldest decided to have her hair cut super short, we were worried about her reaction to the hair cut,  afraid she would have buyers remorse, hate it and cry for her long hair again.  What we should have been concerned about is our reaction.  That one hair cut took her from 6, to 12 inside of 20 minutes.  It was amazing to both of us how much older she looks with it.  

The day after, when I picked her up from school, it was like she was a different kid. She was beaming from ear to ear, "everyone liked my new haircut".  She had experienced a classic moment for a young lady, a defining moment, her hair cut, the way she looked, made her feel good about herself. I know our self esteem should not be measured by our outward appearance, but face it ladies, when we have a good hair day we know it!  

I really wanted to capture this new young lady in pictures, her new found confidence, that sassy style all her own, and her unique brand of... well her.  She's is an amazing little girl, and I love her so very much.  I hope you all can see her true self in these images. She's a one of a kind, amazing young lady and I can't wait to see what her future holds.