Outdoor Newborn Photography | Maryland Newborn Photographers

We are still in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic and it has been really hard to be able to feel normal and safe with things that we would typically be enjoying. Most corporations are working remotely and small business are trying to find safe ways to remain open and in business for their clients. Our county in Maryland has lifted some restrictions and allowing photographers to be able to work from a safe distance, which is great and that means you can get those updated family photos you’ve been meaning to get! I’ve seen so much online about parents feeling like they aren’t able to get a newborn session scheduled, and I think that’s how it used to be because now is the perfect time to schedule your newborn session outdoors! Be sure to follow the guidelines of your county and state prior to booking your photographer!

So what exactly does an outdoor newborn session look like?

An outdoor newborn session looks really similar to you guessed it - an in home newborn session! I had a long lens that allowed me to remain at a safe distance from the family while also wearing a mask to keep everyone safe! I typically provide newborn sessions inside of the home, but due to wanting to be in a more open space, this family’s backyard in Maryland was the perfect area to photograph their family. I photographed mama, dad, and big sister last fall and was so excited when they contacted me again to document their growing family. Baby boy was 8 days new and was so snuggly and calm!

I wanted to capture portraits of the entire family as well as ones of each parent with each child and of course portraits of the newborn.

If you’ve ever had a lifestyle newborn session you know that the session is baby led. although we have poses in mind, we pretty much have to go with the flow of the baby’s needs.

This little guy was asleep at the beginning of the session so we started with family portraits and portraits of the parents with him. Big sister didn’t want to be left out and you can see how adorable those photos came out when she was noticing her baby brother’s tiny feet! We moved onto taking portraits of baby brother and he was so calm! We had to take a couple of nursing breaks for the hungry baby boy and I typically like to continue shooting during these “down” times. These are relaxed moments where I wasn’t guiding the family to pose or interact. They did it themselves! At the very end of the session we were still doing well with time and had gotten a variety of photos of all family members and we took a few photos of baby boy in sentimental clothing.

Are you interested in booking an outdoor newborn session in the DC area? Send me a message!

What Should I Wear for my Family Photo Session?

I get this question often! What should we wear for family photos? When you’re picking out what you want your family to wear for family photos I always like to suggest a few things you can do.

The first thing I will note is that I am a lifestyle family photographer so what’s most important to me is that you enjoy your session and the photos are able to show what your family connection feels like, not necessarily a photo of everyone dressed perfectly and looking at the camera.

With that being said, I do feel that there is some strategy that comes along with outfit choices.

Keep reading to see what to wear at your family photo session:

Keep these tips in mind and you can dress as dressy or casual as you’d like!

1. be comfortable

   Dress comfortable! If you have little ones, you’ll be carrying them and moving around to play with them and I want you to be comfortable! Comfortable to you can mean a dress for you Mama, or it can simply be a cute top and jeans (or shorts!). I would suggest dressing with the season so that you’re nice and comfortable and not too hot or too cold.

2. start with mom’s outfit

   I usually recommend starting with an outfit that Mom feels and looks great wearing. Once Mom is good to go, see if your family members have clothes with colors that compliment the colors in your outfit. For example, if you’re wearing a patterned dress, you can have your family members wear choices that bring out the colors in your dress.

3. coordinate, not match

   Your lifestyle family session isn’t a formal - let’s all go to a studio and dress alike - everyone look the same - session. Be you!

   Simply use colors that go together such as different shades of the same color or complimentary colors that are opposites on the color wheel. We aren’t going to be all wearing those white tees and matching khaki pants here. Add some more interesting clothing choices than that! I promise your photos will look much better when your outfit choices coordinate and look arranged but not matchy matchy.

4. stay away from large logos & “screen tees”

   Unless you’re going for a specific look/theme for your photos, please stay away from wearing shirts with large logos or screen / character tees. This can sometimes date the photos and won’t look as great for the professional look of family photos. It is probably best to stick with solids and prints for your session.

5. add pops of color

   I love love love color and it’s pretty obvious on my website and when you see my work! If you have some items in your wardrobe with a little bit of color definitely go with that! It helps to make the photo more interesting and helps to add layers and variety to the photo.

6. add a mix of texture & pattern

   I would change things up and have one or two of your family members in a different texture or pattern than you. This can mean someone in your family wearing plaid and another member wearing something a little more simple. Think about what you already have in your wardrobe and lay out everything before your session to see how it all looks together.

I have also put together this Pinterest Board in case you need more What to Wear ideas! I hope this is helpful!

Send me a message to schedule your family session!

Why I like using my 35mm for Lifestyle Family Photos

There are so many different choices that a photographer can make for how they want their sessions to look and feel. Choosing a location, a lens, the style of photography, time of day, and what kind of sessions to provide are all at the preference of the photographer. I love looking through photos from past family sessions and figuring out what I love most about each session. For this particular session I was so happy with the images and contribute it to the lens choice for this family.

Keep reading to find out why I like to use my 35mm lens for family sessions.

including a pretty background

This was a late summer/fall photo session and I wanted to be able to photograph the pretty foliage at Winn Park in Midtown, Atlanta, Georgia. I have had a few sessions at Winn Park and you can find more photos from those sessions here and here. Winn Park has pretty trees, natural light, and an adorable little pond. All of this is in the middle of Midtown, Atlanta! A wide lens like a 35mm allows me to be able to photograph the surrounding environment during the family sessions.

getting closeups of the kids 

With the 35mm lens for family photography sessions, I’m able to get in close to photograph individual family members. This works out great when the little ones are already sitting in mom and dad’s lap and works too when the little one just wants to remain there. I have taken several children’s portraits while the children are still in their parents arms! The 35mm doesn’t have a zoom capability and I much prefer to “zoom with my feet” by taking steps closer towards the family to get those closeup shots.

being able to touch and guide family members

When I use a short focal length lens such as a 35mm, I’m able to remain pretty close to be able to touch and guide family posing. This comes in handy when my brain thinks faster than the words that come out of my mouth and sometimes it’s easier to gently guide the family to sit or stand where I’d like them. It might feel like you’re already in close with your family, but some of the time there may still be space between you, and the photo ends up looking like you are farther away from each other than you really are. Family posing and guiding is important even with lifestyle family photography to ensure your family is connected and engaged for those special lifestyle photos!

engaging children by singing a song 

Often at my sessions if the children have seemed to lose a little bit of interest or when they want to explore rather than sit still, I will either sing a song or have the parents sing a song to keep them interested. When I have a 35mm lens I’m already remaining pretty close to the kids and I think it makes it easier for me to engage with them (even singing a silly children’s song).

engaging children by playing a game

Another trick I do all the time when photographing children is playing games! Depending on the age of the child they may show some interest in the camera or try to figure out exactly what I’m doing. Other times they want to look at the camera and say, “cheese”. I will not be asking them to say cheese! I rather engage with the children in a game like peek-a-boo with my camera and this usually does the trick to relax the child and bring out organic smiles.

Are you interested in booking a family session?

Send me a message!

What I look for in a Session Location

When planning a family session location, there are a few things to consider. Your family may already have a special place that is meaningful to you that would make the perfect location! Here in the DC area, there are several areas that make for a great place to take family photos. When I am helping a family decide on a location for family photos, there are some things that help make it a great location.

Keep scrolling to read what I look for in a session location…

1. a place to stand 

   At the beginning of the session when we are getting started, I like to start with standing poses. This gives me and the family an opportunity to chat a little and get the “safe” photos where the family is looking at the camera. These standing poses start off a little traditional, and then I will guide the family to interact in order to get more of the lifestyle photos you see in my portfolio and social media pages. Finding a great spot for standing poses is the first thing I like to look for when choosing a session location.

2. a place to sit 

   Of course we need a place to sit as well! Moving around to different spots at the session location gives us a way to have variety in the session. There are several photos we can create when there is a place to sit and/or lay and interact with one another. I want to make sure that there is a clean and uncluttered place to sit without many distractions in the background so that the focus can be on the family.

3. an open field 

   Having an open field is great to have at a session location because it gives the kids a way to run around if they need a break from the session. I don’t typically make the children look at the camera, but sometimes children (especially at this toddler age) still need a cuddle or snack break for a few minutes. This little guy took advantage and was supported to walk around and I’m glad I kept shooting!

4. hazy light 

   If you’re able to either see the sun rise or set at the session location, take advantage! What I love about this location is that there is beautiful sun if you go at the right time. We weren’t there quite in time for the actual golden hour/sunset but I was able to still choose an area with beautiful hazy light to take some creative images of the family.

   Many locations will have “open shade” where the light is even and make for great photos. If I see a sliver of hazy light or golden hour rays, I will definitely guide the family to move to that area to see how we can add more variety to the family gallery.

5. easy parking

   We know how hard it is to find parking in the DC area. I tend to offer session locations that allow for easy parking because I think it makes a great session experience. Many times the family has little ones and/or strollers or pets, so it’s always helpful to be able to have parking close by.

Did I miss anything that you like to consider when choosing the best location to take family photos? Leave a comment!

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Differences between Lifestyle Family Photography and Traditional Family Photography

If you’ve ever searched for a family photographer you may have an idea of what you’re looking for and how you want to experience your session. You may have a special place in mind and you might already have the family’s outfits picked out. That’s great! There are likely several photographers in your area and it might be overwhelming to choose whether you want a lifestyle family photography session or a traditional family photography session. I wanted to share this blog post to give you an overview of the differences between lifestyle family photography and traditional family photography.

at a traditional family session,

You will receive images of everyone looking at the camera:

Typically with traditional family photography, your photographer will do a lot of posing and guiding to make you all look your best while you’re looking at the camera. It’s a great way to get that shot of the family that Grandma wants and it’s great for holiday cards. Your photographer will have tips or noise makers to have the little ones pay attention to the camera and smile so that everyone is looking together at the same time.

the photos will show what you look like:

Traditional family photography focuses on what you look like and tend to be a little more formal (in my opinion) and they are great for documenting photos that are perfectly composed and perfectly lit and just, well, “perfect” but doesn’t necessarily always focus on what it feels like.

at a lifestyle family session,

Children want to play:

During a lifestyle family session I encourage your children to play. It might take them a little while to get comfortable with a new person following them around with a camera. I encourage playful interactions when I photograph your family, which means if your child wants to play a game of chase or enjoys tickles or wants to look at the flowers, I will follow you and document those moments.

Sometimes children want to be comforted:

If your child needs a nap or hugs from mama, please take advantage of that time. I love photographing those little moments when she’s reaching for your  hand or when he needs a paci to be comforted. As your children get older they will grow out of these little moments that will make you wish they were still that little. Sometimes these moments can be missed at traditional family sessions when your photographer is working hard to have the children look at the camera rather than focusing on family connection.

We can capture everyday moments:

Everyday moments of your family can take place outdoors at the park or right in your own home. When you book your lifestyle family session with me I want you to share those moments that are special to your family and see how we can incorporate them into your family session and get photos of those moments. I offer in home lifestyle family sessions as well, which is perfect if you want your home as a natural backdrop. It’s also great for the kids because they can grab a toy or book and I’m right there to photograph it! There isn’t usually as much flexibility at traditional family sessions because there isn’t as much of a focus on family connection and interaction.

you don’t need to smile:

I tend to photograph children as they are. If they’re happy they will smile. If they’re engaged with their family, they will laugh and want to continue playing with their family. I try to be quick when photographing so that I can catch those fast moments. At a traditional photo session your photographer may have a lot of tricks to get the child to look at the camera and smile and it might also take some bribing. I don’t focus on that when I am photographing families but rather make sure to catch those moments and ensure I’m right there when the children are having a good time and smiling naturally.

you don’t even have to look at the camera:

I mentioned this at the last point and think it’s important that family portraits don’t require everyone to be looking at the camera and smiling. Some of my favorite photos of myself and others are when the people in the photo are engaged with one another and you can see the engagement in their face and expressions. Traditional family photographers are typically looking to find ways for everyone to look at the camera and say cheese.

Don’t be surprised at your session when I tell you to only look at the camera at certain moments. Sometimes moments are better uninterrupted and rather photographed, than interrupted making everyone stop having a good time just to look at the camera and smile.

Do you think you now know enough about the differences between traditional family photography and lifestyle family photography?

Please reach out to me and we can schedule a session that you feel will be great to capture your family!

related blog posts

5 Reasons to do a Photo Walk with Photography Friends

A few months ago I got together with some local photographers in the DC area to go on a photo stroll in Georgetown. The girls are a mix of family, portrait, and food photographers and it was such a fun experience to support the “community over competition” mentality, as we had such a fun time talking, laughing, posing, and scouting fun and interesting locations in Georgetown. I’ve written this blog post to include reasons why you should do a photo walk!

Keep reading this blog post if you want to read…

5 Reasons to do a photo walk with photography friends 

1. get to know each other better

   I had met a few of these photographers at a photography get together previously, but not all of them. Going on a photo walk gives you a way to use your common interest to connect with other photographers. We are all members of the Elena S Blair Community Chapter of DC, which is a group of family and newborn photographers located in the DC Area looking to build relationships with one another through local meetups. We were able to introduce ourselves over coffee before we began the photo walk and we made a plan to walk around as a group to connect, talk, and photograph each other.

2. view different perspectives 

   Each artist has a unique talent of seeing things differently than someone else. We all took turns being the “model” while the other photographers took turns photographing us. It was actually quite hilarious, as people in Georgetown would walk by us and seemed to be questioning “why are there so many photographers?” Through out the session we were able to see how differently each person photographed through their lens. We shared the photos after the shoot and it’s so neat to see how the same subject and the same location can be photographed using different perspectives.

3. learn a new location 

   I had never had a photo shoot in Georgetown so it was really neat to scope out areas that I would have probably otherwise not have noticed. Using my camera as a tool I was able to pay more attention to the amazing flowers, doors and textures all around Georgetown. It was very interesting to shoot mid-day, which is typically a harder time for a session, but we made it work by staying in well lit areas. And some of them aren’t perfect but I love them!

4. practice a new lens or tool 

   When we were making a plan for this shoot we talked a little bit about what may have been new to us. Going on a photo walk with friends is a good way to practice a skill or use a new lens. There is less pressure with friends to not have to produce a “perfect” image and it’s a great way to get used to your equipment prior to when you need it for a family session.

5. to have fresh content for marketing your business

   We knew that the photos would be shared with each other and we had permission to use them to market our business. It’s a great way to have updated photos to use on your website and social media to stay relevant to your audience.

Have you ever gone on a photo walk? What did you learn?

Comment below!

Fresh 48 Hospital Session | Atlanta Family Photographers

This blog post may have caught your eye because it features an adorable fresh new baby! In these days of COVID-19, restrictions are in place that do not allow hospital photographers to help document these special new moments for a family as they welcome their little one. I was looking through photos from previous sessions and I wanted to share photos from a Fresh 48 newborn session that I did about a year and a half ago. Even though these photos aren’t super recent, the photos are still meaningful, as this Mom and Dad welcomed their baby girl.

So What is a Fresh 48 Newborn session?

A Fresh 48 Session, also known as a Birth Place Session or Hospital Newborn Session, is a photo session that takes place where you welcome your baby within the first 48 hours of your baby’s life.

These are typically done in a hospital once you are in the recovery room, but can also take place in your home if you have had a home birth. It’s a special time that allows you to soak up every second of welcoming your baby, holding her, changing her, and taking in all that parenthood has to offer, while having a photographer to document these moments.

Fresh 48 Sessions are a little different than Lifestyle Newborn Sessions, in that there are key elements included within the first couple of days of welcoming your baby.

These are a mix between lifestyle and documentary, where there isn’t much posing, but rather me moving around the room photographing hospital elements such as the hospital bed, the hospital bassinet, the hospital shirt and blanket, and more elements that help to tell the story if your baby’s first few moments.

Typically, I like to take a photo of your family, as you may have not yet taken a photo of your new, growing family. I take portraits of Mom alone with baby, Dad alone with baby, and of course portraits of baby. Many times the families include images from the Fresh 48 session to use in the birth announcement of their baby. Fresh 48 Sessions are also a great time to document the siblings meeting for the first time.

These sessions can range between 30 and 60 minutes, considering ensuring you have enough of a variety to tell the story of baby’s first few hours. I like to include the typical hospital clothing, as this is the only time baby will probably be in this clothing. I also enjoy incorporating adorable outfits like this matching robe and swaddle for Mama and baby.

related blog posts:

• How to Prepare for your Fresh 48 Session

• A Fresh 48 Session at home

Send me a message if you’d like to chat more about booking a Fresh 48 session! I offer a bundle when booking with a maternity or newborn sessions so please mention that so we can find a way to offer you several images to welcome your baby!

DMV Maternity Photographers | In Home Maternity Ideas

There’s usually SO much that comes out of a photo shoot that is right in the comfort of your own home! I typically offer in home lifestyle newborn sessions and I did something a little different offering this in home maternity session. And now I want to photograph more families in their home!

When you decide to schedule a maternity session, you may have a good idea of what you’d want your maternity session to look like. Being a lifestyle photographer, my sessions are, you guessed it- lifestyle!

So what does an in home maternity session look like?

snuggling in close with your family 

It’s so important to get a photo of the entire family, even when you book a maternity session! Maternity sessions are focused on photographing you as a beautiful expecting mama and making sure your family can be included in the session as well. We started the session getting in close and snuggling.

using your home environment 

Of course we are in your home and we use your home elements! This can mean a colorful girls room, it can mean photographing a cool wall, a rug, or anything else that has meaning to you. Photography is all about capturing this moment in time and what your life and home looks like in this moment!

unique posing with the bed

After we were finished with snuggles with the whole family I wanted to get mama with her girls and show off her youngest baby in her belly. I worked with the light and wanted to do something fun so had mama lay down and the girls were willing participants to be close to mama and their baby sibling. It’s fun to move around and get different angles that all help to tell a story.

dramatic window light 

Most of the photos you see on my website are bright images with contrast and color. I do also like to experiment with light and window light. The nursery didn’t have a lot of light but I did see a pocket of light to use so we moved the crib and I used this time to focus on mama. I love the contrast and the darker editing on these and it helps to focus on her new and exciting bundle of joy that will be joining the family very soon.

kitchen light 

Towards the middle of the session the girls wanted a snack so I grabbed some photos of just mom and dad. Their kitchen light was amazing and who would have thought to use the kitchen? During your in home family session we will use areas in your home with great light, or light that will make an interesting photo. I loved the brightness of the kitchen photos and it was so awesome to photograph mom & dad’s sweet love!

incorporating child elements 

This family had a wall of the girls’ art and I knew I needed to take a few photos to document this special element during their in home session. Do you have anything that is special to your child or anything that you think would be important to look at 10 years from now? This can be something your child made, a hand me down/handmade blanket, or even a photo in your child’s room. I don’t have many photos of myself in my baby room so I love providing this gift for families as memories.

using the front door

At the end of this family’s session we had some playtime in the backyard and then took some photos right in the front of the house. I loved the way they turned out!

Thinking of booking a maternity session? Check out the Maternity Gallery

5 Reasons to Have your Newborn Session at Home

If I had to choose a favorite type of photography between a lifestyle newborn session and a lifestyle family session, I would have a really hard time. I love both. Both sessions include multiple family members and both use the same lifestyle approach to show the family’s connection. Most of the families that I’ve photographed have included an on-shoot location, meaning an outdoor location. We go to the park, we go to an urban location, or whatever location is meaningful to the family.

When families book a lifestyle newborn session I find it easiest to have the session at home. There are a few reasons for this and I decided to write a little bit about it.

Thinking about why having a lifestyle newborn session at home is a good idea? I’ll give you 5 reasons to have your newborn session at home!

1. you don’t need to leave home

Okay so first things first - I come to you and you don’t have to think about leaving home or going anywhere! I find that getting used to a new baby and new family dynamics can be a little challenging to navigate at the beginning, so why add to that? As soon as you decide you want to schedule your newborn session, contact me and we will schedule it and I just have to show up! No planning transitions, getting everyone in the car to go anywhere- I keep it easy and photograph you at home!

2. you waited 9 months to meet your baby

You have been loving your baby for many many months and the day has come and he’s here! It’s the perfect time to schedule that newborn session because you’ll want to remember all of the details and moments you had when your baby was this tiny. It was all you wanted and waited for over the last 9 months. You definitely need to hire a newborn photographer!

3. your home is the perfect backdrop

Newborn sessions allow me to be creative and use the family’s home, which I find makes a great backdrop. Most of the areas in the home that I use during newborn sessions are the nursery, master bedroom, kitchen, and living room. It really all depends on light. I have quite a few photos of me when I was a baby but I can only think of a few where I was a newborn. I don’t know that many of the photos really had a lot of detail about what my bedroom or home looked like. I am honored when families let me into their home for these special newborn sessions. I start off by noticing the light in all of the bedrooms and using color, textures, and angles to add to the photo when I photograph you.

4. your baby is only this little once

Babies grow so fast, especially when they are newborns and I strive to photograph those little moments and body parts that soon you may forget. Those baby hands, toes, and the way they curl their body are all things I want to photograph during your lifestyle newborn session. I pretty much let the baby guide our session, when he’s sleeping we cuddle and photograph him. When he wants to be held, we get those photos when he needs to be soothed. I love using hands to tell the perspective and show the size of baby.

5. you need to be in the photos - for your children

If you leave keeping one of these things in mind about why to schedule a lifestyle newborn session (whether in your home or on location) PLEASE do it for your children. My mom looks back on photos of herself when I was a baby and cringes at her perm, but guess what - I get to see how beautiful she was when she rocked the curly big hair. My dad actually was a hobbyist photographer and I definitely got this interest from him and am glad to carry it on.

Your children will thank you for it.

Never mind that you think you need to lose a few pounds or you don’t feel pretty after having your baby. I will focus on capturing connection and you, your baby, and your family in a way that you will love and cherish.

So thankful you’re here!

Urban Photo Session Location Idea in Bethesda, Maryland

Urban Photo Session Location Idea in Bethesda, Maryland

Have you ever wondered where to have your family photos, especially if you want something a little different from the typical park setting?

When I help families plan their sessions, one of the first things we talk about is location, depending on the look and feel for their photos and of course the season and time of year. There are some really great urban photo locations in Bethesda, Maryland that can create a fun and modern feel.

This family chose Bethesda Row near downtown Bethesda, and it ended up being a really fun backdrop for their session. If you’re considering an urban setting for your own family photos, here are a few reasons why this type of location can be such a great choice.

Colors, Textures, and Visual Interest

When it’s possible, I always try to look for colors, textures, and patterns when I’m photographing children and families. I think it makes the photo more interesting. Downtown Bethesda was a perfect area to have a family photo session. Between the architecture, leading lines of the buildings, pops of color from storefronts, and beautiful outdoor plants, there’s so much variety in one walkable area.

All of these details create natural visual interest while still keeping the focus on your family’s connection.

For the best experience, urban locations like Bethesda Row are ideal early in the morning, before the crowds arrive. If your family does well with morning sessions, this can be such a relaxed and easy option.

A Fresh Change of Scenery

There are so many great options when choosing where to have your family session.

Some families love park settings for their open space and greenery. Other families prefer the comfort and intimacy of their home, especially when welcoming a new baby.

But an urban family photo session in Bethesda offers something different that you might not find in a traditional location.

The Montgomery County area has several walkable neighborhoods like this, making it easy to think a little outside the box when planning your session.

Built-In Art and Personality

One thing you’ll find when you venture out and have your family photos at an urban location is the opportunity to find cool and unexpected art! This was my second time at this location and I didn’t realize the fun mural on one of the walls. We took the opportunity to bring the boys over there and it was perfect!! They were the perfect size to showcase the wings and added personality to their images.

Planning Your Bethesda Family Photo Session

If you’re thinking about booking family photos and aren’t sure where to start, I always help guide my clients through choosing the best location for their family’s style, energy level, and overall vision. This can change season to season, and will depend where you live/how far you want to travel, and the age of your children.

If you’d like help planning your Bethesda, Maryland family photo session, I’d love to chat and recommend locations that feel just right for your family.

my style of photography

How I define my Style of Photography | washington dc family photography

I think it’s really important to show photos of my work that I’m most proud of. I want the photographs to focus on things I look for when I am composing the photo. When you look through the photos on my website in the family, newborn, fresh 48, and maternity galleries, you will notice that the photos will usually have something in common. Whether that is composition, lighting, editing style, proximity, or touch, I am proud to have those elements in my work.

I am writing this blog post to share how I define my style of photography.

bright

I love photos that are edited bright rather than dark and moody. I want you to have a photo of yourself in the way that I photographed it, in lighting that was similar to when I photographed you.

Joyful

I have photographed several families and I always want to take some time at your session to document playful moments. Those can be when the kids are up high on dad’s shoulders, or when the siblings are competing in a race. I want you to have photos to help you remember the joyful, happy moments not only from your session but the joyful moments of your family.

colorful

if I see colorful home décor when I’m in your home, I will most likely ask to photograph that space. I shoot most of my photos with natural light but I always take a speedlight flash with me in the event that I want to bring out the colorful space in your home. Think of fun art, bedsheets, nursery walls, and playrooms. I love using all of those colorful home spaces during your in home session!

connected

I will usually tell your family to squeeze in tight and remain close together. There’s something about connection in photos that really helps to show the family dynamic. I love making sure everyone feels comfortable with one another and connected.

candid

I will pose some family interaction to get your family engaging and will get you to sing a song or just hold your baby tight. The result of some of this prompting is candid. The prompt and the moment may have been created at the session, and it is my job to make sure you have those laid back, candid and personal moments that are special to your family.

Are you interested in booking a family session? Send me a message and let’s get your session scheduled!

Bethesda Family Photography | Tabitha Maegan Photography

I am a little behind my blogging from my summer family sessions here in the Washington DC area so today I am sharing this sweet family with you! I have booked many sessions that include newborns and toddlers and I couldn’t wait to photograph this family with young twin boys. We had our session at McCrillis Gardens which is in Bethesda, Maryland and McCrillis Gardens is great for a lifestyle family session! At the beginning of my lifestyle sessions I try to get the family close together either sitting or standing and go from there. The boys were a little shy to warm up but they quickly relaxed and it was as if they forgot I was there photographing them.

What I really enjoyed about my time with this family was the ability to focus on their dynamics and close relationship with one another. I definitely got some shots of just the boys together and wanted this lifestyle family session to focus on the interaction between them. This family was so playful!

You’ll notice in a lot of my work that one person may be looking at the camera and that’s on purpose.

I try to have a main purpose for each image, whether it’s a portrait or a feeling. Some of my favorite lifestyle images is when no one is looking at the camera and when the family is interacting and looking at each other.

The lighting was perfect at McCrillis gardens because we were able to get many family images and portraits, and we spent the last bit of our session towards one of the back gardens where the sun was setting. The lighting was incredible and I love the haziness. I definitely like playing with light when the location allows for it.

How do you want to feel when you see images of your family? Leave a comment below!

Rock Creek Park Outdoor Family Session | DC Family Photography

Have you ever had a family session at Rock Creek Park?

Things have been so busy lately and I am coming across so many amazing images I wanted to share from sessions I had over the summer. I got to photograph this family session at Rock Creek Park in Washington DC. I drive through Rock Creek Park almost everyday but I haven’t actually gotten to hike it much. Several people enjoy this park because it’s great for walking and hiking. There’s also a lot of beautiful foliage this time of year and I definitely need to spend more time there! When driving I noticed there are several areas that are good for family sessions and figured “why not?!”

We started our session getting playful family images of their sweet family. C is full of energy and you can tell by all of the photos with her Mom and Dad!

Lifestyle photography allows me as your photographer to capture your family doing things that are unique to your family, in the way that you enjoy doing them.

Of course we aim to take a few standard family portraits (usually at the beginning of the session because of the attention span of the little ones) but once those are done we play! Each family is different and my goal is to make sure you have images after your session that you can show off to friends and family.

After we got some family shots in the green area of Rock Creek Park we went over to Peirce Mill and used their amazing door, which I think was one of my favorite areas from this session! We played a few little games with C to make sure she was still interested in us and she was occasionally looking at the camera with genuine expressions. She danced with Mom and Dad, played on Dad’s shoulders, and sang some songs with Mom. This is lifestyle photography!

We don’t spend your session focusing on everyone looking at the camera. We focus on capturing your family interacting and spending time together.

At the very end of our family session at Rock Creek Park we played in the water and got to see the beautiful waterfall. It’s a waterfall in the middle of Washington DC which I think is awesome. You wouldn’t really know it was back there unless you are familiar with the area. I did a little bit of research and knew I wanted to take some photos near there. We brought water shoes and had some fun!

I am still booking family sessions this year so please reach out if I can be so lucky to photograph your family!

Differences between posed newborn and lifestyle newborn sessions | DC Family Photographers

I’m always looking for ways to share images from my Washington, D.C. area and Atlanta area family and newborn sessions, and I realized I hadn’t written a blog post about this sweet in home lifestyle newborn session yet!

I met this family as they welcomed their second child, and it felt like the perfect time to share a little bit about our session together, by including not only photos from their session but to also share some of the differences between the two main types of newborn photography that you have probably heard of - traditional posed newborn sessions and lifestyle newborn sessions.

Big sister was so helpful and wanted to be involved in every part of the session. She played with mom and dad, proudly showed off her big sister book, and it was so adorable to watch how excited she was about helping with her baby brother! They’re only a couple of years apart, and I loved getting to spend time documenting this new season for their family and seeing big sister take on her new role!

The family reached out about scheduling a newborn session, and I loved that we planned to photograph them right in the comfort of their own home.

Having your session at home allows me to capture the natural elements of your space while creating a relaxed and laid-back experience. It also makes it much easier for families to settle in and simply focus on being together.

This session is a beautiful example of what a lifestyle newborn session can feel like. These sessions are calm, connected, and centered around real moments.

Families often ask how this type of session compares to a more traditional posed newborn session, so I wanted to share a little more about the differences.

How do you know if you want a posed newborn session or lifestyle newborn session?

There are two main types of newborn photography in the Washington, D.C. area: posed newborn sessions and lifestyle newborn sessions. Both create beautiful images, they just have different style and they focus on different details. Keep reading below about the differences between posed newborn photography and lifestyle newborn photography.

What Is a Posed Newborn Session?

Posed newborn sessions are perfect if you love those classic images of babies in the sweet, curled-up positions, typically sleeping and carefully posed.

These sessions are usually scheduled when your baby is very young and extra sleepy, which helps make the posing easier.

Posed sessions tend to focus primarily on the baby and often include:

• Swaddles or newborn outfits
• Styled poses
• Backdrops or props
• A studio setting (or sometimes in-home setups with equipment)

Because of the level of detail involved, these sessions can take several hours to allow time for soothing, feeding, and carefully positioning the baby to get those beautiful, artistic portraits.

What Is a Lifestyle Newborn Session?

Lifestyle newborn sessions typically include both the newborn and family members, focusing on connection and natural interactions.

These sessions take place right in your home, so you don’t have to worry about packing everything up or traveling to a studio during those first few weeks where you’re still figuring out routines, schedules, and naps.

One of the reasons I’ve always gravitated toward lifestyle newborn photography is that everyone can participate, and we can follow your baby’s lead and their wants and needs. Your baby can be awake or asleep, and if they need to eat or be comforted, we take a break.

I usually continue photographing during those in-between moments because those are the moments that might feel insignificant but they are part of your story and you’ll want these photos to look back on.

Lifestyle sessions offer a beautiful peek into real family life - the feedings, diaper changes, and snuggles.

We follow baby’s lead and focus on moments of connection rather than perfect poses.

Related blog posts:

• 5 Reasons to Have your Newborn Session at Home

• How I define my Style of Photography

Why Many Families Choose Lifestyle Newborn Photography

Lifestyle sessions are also much more flexible when it comes to timing. Unlike posed sessions, which usually happen within the first couple of weeks, lifestyle sessions can take place several weeks after birth. I’ve photographed newborns even at one to 2 months old!

Because I offer all-inclusive sessions, families receive all of the images that help tell the full story of this time, and they don’t need to worry about choosing only a small handful of favorites.

My hope is always that you’ll love far more than just ten images!

Thinking About Booking a Washington, D.C. Newborn Session?

If you’re drawn to relaxed, natural images that capture your family’s connection and the real moments of bringing your baby home, a lifestyle newborn session may be the perfect fit.

I’d love to chat with you and help you plan a session that feels calm, meaningful, and true to your family.

5 Important Reasons to Print your Family Photos

My friend got me a photo album a couple of years ago to fill up with my experiences, memories, friends and family and I have almost filled it up entirely. I printed out about 50-60 photos from the last 3 years and I love looking back at the memories!  I absolutely love being able to have the album as a way of printing my photos and viewing them differently than on a computer or phone. I tell the story of when I used to visit my grandfather in California I always wanted to look through his photo albums because there are hundreds if not thousands of photos of the way my family grew up. There are photos of my mom and her sisters when they are infants!

These photos are amazing to see and it gives me a way to learn about my family. I now offer family albums as a service to compliment your family session so that you can have something extra to take away from your session. I’ve written this blog post to talk about reasons why you should print your photos from your session in this blog post called…

5 important reasons to print your family photos

1. they don’t take up much room

In this example I wanted to talk about an album as a way to show off your family. This album is a 10x8 photo album that can lay nicely on your coffee or side table. It doesn’t take up much room and it’s also amazing to have right there next to where you’re sitting. I printed out about 100 5x7 photos and to be honest it can be a daunting task to organize them in order and put them in the album slots and start all over if you accidentally made a mistake with how you wanted to view the photos. Viewing and organization should never be daunting - let your photographer design your album! The albums that I offer are very nice to the touch and it is not a bulky item. In fact, it will fit nicely in your bag!

2. It’s tangible and you can feel it with your hands

One of the things I love about ordering prints and family albums is being able to touch it, turn the pages of the album, and feel the beauty of an image. It sounds silly but it definitely makes a difference when you can touch and feel artwork.

3. The images look better than a phone screen

Let’s be real - I’m a huge fan of using my phone to take photos. It’s super convenient. But it can get limiting when that’s the only place you can look to see photos. And your phone screen is smaller than a 5x7 photo! Let’s print your photos so you can look at your beautiful family outside of that little hand held device!

4. You have something to pass down to family members

Prints, albums, and artwork are all examples of ways to pass down memories to your family. I still have photo albums from high school and college and I don’t plan on getting rid of them anytime soon. I have albums from the last couple of years as an end-of-year review and I love looking through them. If you order prints and albums you have something tangible to pass down to family.

5. to remember the insignificant details

Photo albums can store quite a few images. As your photographer I take the time to place images from your family session in a way that makes sense. I include a variety of images from your session and put it all together to tell your story. There are small details I include such as him resting his head on your shoulder and the way you touched the side of her face to calm her down. I want these images to make you feel an emotion and I want you to remember how those details that seem so insignificant be significant to your family.

How do you want to tell your family’s story? I’m booking newborn and family sessions in the Washington DC and Atlanta areas.

Please contact me to book your session!

Atlanta Family Photographers | Decatur Newborn Photography

I had the opportunity to photograph this family when I flew home to Atlanta last month for a lifestyle newborn session. I enjoyed my time getting to know this family and how we could document their new addition to their now family of four. Newborn sessions are perfect for this type of storytelling!

Lifestyle newborn sessions take place usually right in your home and we use your home elements to tell the story of your new and growing family. During this newborn session we started out by taking lifestyle portraits of this little guy and some with Mom, and then had his big sister join the fun. We were able to get so much variety that incorporated blankets that meant a lot to the family, lots of snuggle time with the baby, their family dog, and of course playful images of big sister on her trampoline and playing “skies” with her Dad in their gorgeous great room with beautiful skylights.

Are you interested in a newborn session in Atlanta or the DC area? Send me a message and let’s see how we can document this new and important time for you and your family.

related:

Victoria’s Lifestyle Newborn Session

Did you know I also offer Fresh 48 Sessions?

Check out the Fresh 48 Newborn Session information here!

Kirkwood Atlanta Family Session | Tabitha Maegan Photography

Thank you for being here! I’m all about color and connection and I love sharing photos from recent family sessions on the blog. I think it’s a great way not only to show off the beautiful families I get to photograph, but to also show what a lifestyle family session gallery looks like. We move around a lot during our sessions and I try to get a variety of images of the children alone and with their parents, as well as a group family photo.

This session was with the Sunshine family in Atlanta, Georgia and I absolutely loved seeing them again. I had photographed their daughter when she was two days old during a fresh 48 birth place session and it was awesome to see how big she’s gotten!

This lifestyle family session began indoors in their home and we transitioned outside. Can we just take a few minutes to admire their front porch? Wow! It’s beautiful! I loved the lights and the swing and they helped tell this family’s story. We ended our session in their backyard and it was fun to see their daughter explore and play with Mommy and Daddy.

I’m currently offering lifestyle family photography in Washington, DC and love how much this city has to offer. If you’re looking for a family photographer in the Washington, DC or Atlanta area please send me a message. I’d love to photograph you!

5 things i learned from my session with allison corinne

I like getting my photo taken I admit it! But I will say there is a difference between quick snapshots on the cell phone and scheduling a portrait session with a photographer. I reached out to Allison Corinne Photography to get a couple’s session on the books for Chris and me and it was such a good decision! I wanted to find a way to share some of the beautiful images she took and share a few things I learned being on the other side of the camera. Allison’s work is beautiful but I do prefer a brighter style so they are edited by me to fit my style (please do not ask your photographer to change their style!).

Keep reading if you want to know …

5 things I learned from my photo session with Allison Corinne photography

1.       We needed to be posed

One thing I learned from the amazing Elena S Blair is that lifestyle family photography is posed! It was something that took me a little while to grasp. How did photographers always take the most amazing images that look so candid and natural? It’s posing! We have to tell our subjects what to do. Even in lifestyle photography. This might mean sitting close together and telling your subject to look at each other. The toddler might be squirmy wormy so we might tell Mom and Dad to sing them a song.

We have to guide our subjects and what is created is unique to the family.

I love seeing images and thinking to myself, “wow I don’t know this would have happened if we didn’t do that”.

We were so comfortable with Allison. I had only met her once prior to our session and Chris hadn’t met her until our session. She posed us and made sure we had the fundamentals to make a lifestyle image. Even though this was the first time she had been to our home, she where to post us for the best light. She also kept saying “I want to see hands” and various ways of telling us that our hands needed to be in the frame.  I want families to keep that in mind when I am photographing them as well -hands create connection!!

2.       It took some practice to be ourselves

I mentioned that this was Chris’ first time meeting Allison and believe it or not he’s not the biggest fan of getting his photo taken. It took us being efficient with our time and making sure he didn’t have to stick around longer than he needed to. I am comfortable behind the camera and it actually does take some strategies for me to relax in front of a camera when a photographer is taking my photo! Since we had this lifestyle couple’s session in our home, it was comforting to have our home elements, which made it easier to be ourselves. Afterall, it is our living space. Chris and I have our own dynamic but a photographer isn’t always around to capture our relationship.

We had ideas of how we wanted our story to be told such as using color in our living room and seeing if our orange fatty cat Simba would participate. That is us.

It can be a little weird at first when someone is taking a photo of you being intimate with your significant other or your family but I promise it’s worth it.

3.       It’s fun to use areas in our home a little differently

When Allison and I were first planning our lifestyle couple’s session we were trying to figure out the best place to take these photos. Did Chris and I want to go to a park or a local area? We really can be ourselves anywhere so a park would have been a fine place to have it but we decided on our home. We have been together for quite a while and made the leap to move from Atlanta to DC and thought it would be the perfect time to get photos taken of us in our home. Sure, it’s not all the way decorated (who am I kidding we haven’t hung our framed photos or set up the guest bedroom) BUT I knew if we waited until all those things happened we would have just put off the session until who knows when.

Don’t worry about cleaning every inch of your home. You can still have a session in your home. Done is better than perfect.

My ideas were to use our kitchen and bay window and Allison piggy backed on that and had us crouched into a little corner with amazing window panes and shadows. We got a variety in our kitchen! We also used areas of our living room because I’m all about whites and colors. I love both! So we wanted a warm, homey feel for some of the photos. We also wanted to spend some time in the bedroom just being ourselves. We have so much natural light in our home that we definitely took advantage of that and we were able to fill our gallery.

4.       I got to view a different perspective

Each photographer has their own style of photography. Some photographers use elements such as leading lines, framing, or negative space. One of the reasons I love Allison’s work is because she tends to fill the frame and photograph close to her subjects. It’s something that I actually want to try more often now.

My photography style tends to be a little more wide so I can capture elements of the space such as a nursery or neat windows, but the image can tell a completely different story just based on how close or far away you are from your subject.

Most of my lenses are wide angle lenses but I feel I can be more creative with my use of lenses and how different an image can turn out with that change. One thing I also wanted to mention is that I had ideas in mind of how I wanted the photo to be taken which Allison completely did, and she also had more ideas of taking them from a different angle and using nontraditional framing that I absolutely loved.

If you’re a photographer I encourage you to be on the other side of the lens so that you’re able to see things from a different perspective and through another person’s lens.

Pun intended 😉

5.       Any time is the right time to be photographed

I scheduled this session with Allison shortly after our move to DC. Allison and I are both lifestyle photographers and I was familiar with her work to know I was interested to book a session with her. Many couples tend to book a couple’s session with a photographer once they’re engaged (don’t get me wrong it’s an amazing reason to take photos!) but to be honest we had so much going on with the move and us starting new jobs that we weren’t really considering waiting until we were engaged to book a couple’s session. We are so happy with our decision to get these photos.

If you’re still reading this,

I wanted to let you know that CHRIS PROPOSED TWO WEEKS AFTER THIS SESSION!!

I had no idea it was coming and I actually have asked him a couple times why we didn’t just push the session back. I mean, he could have made up some excuse because he obviously knew he was going to do it. But he says “yeah right Tabitha, when you’re set on something there’s no changing your mind”.

And that is likely why we still got these photos done. Engaged or not. Ring or not. We are likely going to use some anyway until if and when we get “engagement” photos done.

If you’re thinking about the best time to schedule a photography session just do it. Don’t wait for the perfect time, don’t wait until your house looks like it does from the magazines, don’t wait until you lose a couple pounds. Just do it. Your future self will thank you for it.

Thank you so much Allison for taking these for me and Chris. We had so much fun with you and I can’t wait to photograph your family next month!

Looking to get some photos to tell your story? I am booking lifestyle newborn, lifestyle family, and fresh 48 sessions.

DC Family Photographers | Lifestyle Family Photography

One thing I love about lifestyle family photography is the way moments organically unfold. As your lifestyle family photographer, I do pose and guide you into an area and work on getting your family close together. This is what helps to create beautiful images in your lifestyle gallery. During your lifestyle family session I do have a little bit of structure in terms of guiding, but I am definitely aware that toddlers are busy and they want to play.

The last time I photographed this family was when baby sister was just a two week-old newborn. During her lifestyle newborn session I captured so many adorable moments and got to document their new family of four. I couldn’t help but to include some photos from their newborn session!

Fast forward about 9 months, we scheduled another family session before I made the move from Atlanta, Georgia to Washington, DC. I was so excited to see how big these girls got and it didn’t take them very long to warm up. We sang songs, looked at the pond, and got to play with Mom and Dad.

I want your lifestyle family session to be fun and playful and I want you to love how the images tell your family’s story.

This session was at Winn Park in Atlanta and I absolutely love shooting here. It’s a hidden gem in the middle of Atlanta and there are several areas in the park that are great for variety in the photos. There is a little pond, a waterfall, and beautiful foliage. I photographed this family of four (also with two toddlers) as well as this sweet family and love photos from all of their sessions!

Please send me a message if you think you’d like to schedule a family session either in Atlanta or in the DC area! I love when families book me as they add family members, or just when they need updated photos. I definitely miss my families in Atlanta and I’m happy to say that I am always willing to fly back home to book sessions and see how much my families have grown!

4 Places to Take your Family Photos in Washington, DC

I just moved from Atlanta, Georgia to Washington, DC a little over a month ago and I have spent some time exploring and scouting photo shoot locations in Washington, DC to make sure I can have options for the families I photograph when they contact me for their lifestyle family session. I knew many photo locations in Atlanta, but now that I’m in DC I have to start over to make sure I am comfortable shooting in specific locations!

There are 3 things I am looking for when I am scouting locations for lifestyle family sessions:

1. natural light

I am a natural light photographer and it’s important to find areas for a family photo shoot that have great light. Natural light is our friend!

2. variety in the location

I want to make sure there area different areas at the location that we can have variety in your family gallery

3. parking

Parking can be so hard here in DC so I want to find locations that have easy parking options!

keep reading if you want to find out 4 places you can take family photos in Washington, DC.

Peirce mill - washington, dc

Peirce Mill has great texture with a nice barn door, an open field, and a gorgeous waterfall in Rock Creek Park.

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glenview mansion - rockville, maryland

What I love about Glenview Mansion is the architecture of the house and front porch, the large front lawn, and the small, shaded backyard.

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mccrillis garden house - bethesda, maryland

McCrillis Gardens is a quiet, almost hidden location and I love shooting there. It has colorful foliage and an open backyard that lets in beautiful sunset.

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downtown bethesda - bethesda, maryland

Downtown Bethesda is perfect for an city-feel location for your photo shoot. There is a lot of color, leading lines, not to mention neighborhood eateries and coffee shops that are perfect for lifestyle photography.

There are many other historic, well known areas in Washington DC that I want to use for lifestyle family sessions so I will be writing another blog post with you for Part 2 of Places to Take Family Photos in Washington, DC. Stay tuned!

I can’t wait to photograph you!