Maternity
Hey you guys - I’m headed South for the weekend! It’s a working weekend, so please please hit me up for your session requests; I’d love to do the custom session of your dreams in Anchorage and/or the Valley while I’m there.
Also, I’m doing snowy mini-sessions on the afternoon of Sunday, March 3 from 1 - 4:00 pm at a fabulous outdoor location TBA.
If you’re in the area, you can reserve yours here!
A sequence of my photographs are featured in the current winter issue of Alaska Parent Magazine piece on creative newborn photography. You can see the whole article here.
The more important point of this post, however, is that my friend Ali is a genius.
She knew she wanted to do Catch Me If You Can sessions for her soon-to-be third baby, but then she had another thought. She asked if she could use the year-long CMIYC package (5 sessions) to document her pregnancy as it progressed - and my response was, WHY HAVE I NEVER THOUGHT OF THIS BEFORE?
It was so much fun to document this special chapter. Of course, the sibs stole the show…but with that kind of cuteness, how could you go wrong?
If you would like to purchase a year-long Catch Me If You Can milestone package of 5 sessions, you can find more info here or contact me to book!
I know the bathtub might seem like a weird place for a session, but seriously, it's magic every. time.
Hear me out.
Milk baths have been a "thing" since the time of Cleopatra, who was said to have bathed in "the milk of asses" (of the donkey variety) as part of her beauty regimen. The lactic acid in the milk acts as a mild exfoliant for the skin; the fat makes a natural moisturizer; aaaaand it's just plain cool. Add some epsom and essential oils (and perhaps a few flowers...) and it's a beautiful experience, inside and out.
Herbal baths have long been a favorite of mine, first and foremost for their soothing, restorative properties so appreciated by the bodies of new mamas and new babies alike. (I have more information about why herbal baths are so darn cool on my FAQ page.)
They're also really pretty.
I am now offering stand-alone bath sessions for a special rate of $250 for those wanting a unique and beautiful maternity, newborn, or mother + child session. Sessions include all bath supplies, up to 30 minutes of shooting in the tub, and a complete set of 15-25 high resolution finished images + print release.
AND. 'Tis almost the season for outdoor milk baths (yes, it's possible!), so sign up to take advantage of the sun while you can!
If you have any questions or would like to talk about booking your session, please drop me a line!
All year long, crazy session ideas will strike me - usually at extremely busy, inconvenient times. I've been trying to write them down, though, so that I could pick those ideas back up again when I do have some breathing room. That time is now! Well, kind of. I can't exactly say I'm at a loss for things to do, buuuut at the same time it's a far cry from the craziness of summer, so I'd like to take this opportunity to have some fun.
So here's my list of Concept Sessions: pre-designed sessions that are ready to go and just need participants! They're essentially the same custom lifestyle sessions I usually offer - except I've taken care of the "custom" part of it, so to speak. Every session is definitely going to be unique (I think we'd have a hard time avoiding that), but rather than you & me cooperatively designing a session from the ground up, you get to step right into a ready-made session blueprint.
Even better? Because these are ideas on my personal list, these sessions are yours for half price. Win-win!
The Fine Print: MODEL RELEASES ARE REQUIRED. Regularly priced lifestyle sessions include 1-2 hours of shooting, a complete set of high resolution images + print release, a custom USB, and an online gallery for a fee of $550. Concept sessions as offered here include 1-2 hours of shooting, a complete set of high resolution images + print release via digital download, and an online gallery for a fee of $275. When applicable, gift certificates, coupons, and other promotions may be applied to the regular session cost, and the concept session will be one half of the remaining balance (i.e., a gift certificate of $100 would take the regular cost to $450, and the concept session would be $225). All concept sessions must be scheduled to take place before May 12, 2018.
Let's start with the biggest one first!
FILLED. Commercial and Editorial Photography for Small Businesses. I am seeking a local business/businessperson (sole proprietors are fine!) to 'model' for a truly custom, editorial business package. I would like to work with you to design an authentic portrait of your person and your business, no matter how big or small, from top to bottom. This is highly variable depending on the nature of the business, of course, but the work could include shadowing a typical day or relevant work process; studio stock photography; environmental portraits; studio headshots; and lifestyle "action" sessions to show endproducts in use.
FILLED. Maternity Photography. I am seeking a mama in her second or third trimester (30-35 weeks is ideal) who is expecting baby number 2 to participate in a mother + child themed maternity session. The older child will ideally be under the age of four. This session will take place in the studio and will in part require a bare belly.
Lifestyle Parent + Child. I would love to document a bathtime routine with a mama or papa and a bubble bath. At least one child should be two years old or under. The big requirement here is that the participating family MUST have a bathroom with a tub and at least one window.
Breastfeeding Portraits. I am seeking a mama and nursling set (multiple nurslings ok; any age of child/ren ok) to participate in an intimate nursing session. This session will take place at home in your bedroom. Mama must be ok with tasteful toplessness. The most important requirement is that you MUST have a window in your bedroom. (I also may ask for permission to move your furniture so your bed is closer to said window - just a heads up!)
Lifestyle Family / Parent + Child. This session would be lovely with either the whole family, or just one parent having a special day with the kiddos. I would like to document a family in the kitchen working together to bake something. I was thinking cut-out cookies because they are so visually rich during the decorating stage especially, but I'm also open to your ideas! This session will take place on location in your kitchen. Windows are a huge plus.
FILLED. Lifestyle Family / Parent + Child. This session would be lovely with either the whole family, or just one parent having a special day with the kiddos. I am seeking the indoor-blanket-fort-building-champions of Fairbanks. I think you can see where this is going. :) This session takes place in your home; windows are a huge plus.
FILLED. Newborn Photography. I am seeking a newborn (under three weeks of age at the time of the session) for an in-studio newborn milk bath mini-session. Mama's hands and arms will also be photographed.
FILLED. Herbal Bath Session. I am seeking a mama + baby pair to participate in an herbal bath. Tasteful nudity a possibility. Nursing relationship preferred. This session takes place on location in your home; you MUST have a bathtub and a window in your bathroom.
Hopefully one of these sessions sounds PERFECT for your family! If so, give me a holler. Only one session per concept is available at the special rate, so jump now. If you are interested in one of the in-home sessions listed that requires a window, please send me a snapshot of that space with your inquiry so I can get a general idea of what we're working with.
Oh, and if you'd like the exclusive first peak on stuff like this in the future, be sure to sign up for my email newsletter! They got this list a full 24 hours before it hit the blog, just sayin'.
I'm looking forward to hearing from you!
I'll be completely honest. I keep finding myself paging over to sunny summer sessions, thinking, "oh, it's about time these got on the blog..." - when really, they're just feeding my seasonal ennui (it's about that time of year when I decide I'm kind of over winter...too bad for me there are several months of it left). In an effort to get my head in the right place and to be more seasonally appropriate, I bring you this sun-drenched winter maternity session, taken on the ice almost exactly a year ago.
It's given me a whole new appreciation of winter.
I hope to bring you more from this beautiful family's story soon. Stay tuned.
In real time, we've just passed the winter solstice and welcomed the new year full of gratitude for our few extra minutes of light a day. We've got months to go before we get there, but part of me is already craving the long stretches of sun of summer. This session is one of my favorite cheats, so to speak - it completely encapsulates the summer solstice season for me.
The Fresh 48 Session that is the other bookend of this family's year will hit the blog soon as well. Stay tuned!
I once heard Erin refer to herself as a "Tlingit Princess." I've never heard a more perfect description - absolute perfection.
Be sure to check back soon for the birth story that accompanies this adorable bump! Erin and Allan came all the way from Kotzebue to have their birth in Fairbanks, and it's a love story you don't want to miss.
This session is from almost exactly one year ago! Insert adage about how time flies here.
Check back soon for the birth story that accompanies this bump!
Baby, it's cold outside. (Sorry. I couldn't help myself.)
Check back soon for the birth story that accompanies this bump!
This family, you guys. This session was a rare treat.
Shooting in the direct (brutal, brutal) sun is challenging, both technically speaking and in terms of hot little Alaskan kids unused to this thing called "eighty degrees." (As a friend would say, our Alaska is showing.) The difference in the exposure between the sun and shadow is extreme, there's haze and sunflare (which I love, but in controlled amounts), and above all else, trying not to blind your clients. But as this session reminds me, it ALWAYS pays off.
This session actually garnered one of the best compliments I've ever received from a session. Robin wrote to me that when she shared these images with her family, some of whom are far away, they told her it felt like they'd just spent a day at the park with her and the kids. That hits home in a big way, because believe it or not, preserving a slice of life is one of my main goals in any family session. I want you to be able to be immediately transported back to that time whenever you revisit your images, to remember the feel of the details of your kids when they were that age, to remember how you felt when you were 35 weeks pregnant (for better or worse, lol!), to remember what it was like to be a family of five about to be six.
I can't even tell you how much it means to me that at least in this case, I pulled it off for one family.
Make sure you check back soon to read the next installment of this family's story - the Birth of Lilly Mae!
