Baby Hannah | Newborn Portraits | Atlanta Newborn Photography

I had such a good time with this litlte girl.  She was so easy to work with.  Daddy just rocked her in his arms for a few minutes and then she was asleep pretty much the whole session!

This little girls has an amazing story.  She came to her 2 loving parents the day before Christmas and totally out of the blue!  Yes, she was adopted, but you would never know it.  God certainly did have a plan for this family.  They adore her and I can promise you she adores them!

Baby {V} | Newborn Session | Peachtree City Newborn Photographer

I was the middle of creating this sweet baby girls birth announcement when I realized I needed to blog her adorable pics!! I had such a great time with her and her family. She was the sweetest baby, but just didn't feel like falling asleep until the end of our session. But a good 20 minutes on her Momma's chest did the trick.  

She is really a gorgeous baby girl, isn't she?  That Daddy is gonna have to fight the boys off with a stick...am I right?  I can't wait to watch this sweet girl grow as I'll be taking her 6 month and 12 month pics too!!  Exciting!!

One Year Portraits | Peachtree City/Lake Kendron Photographer

Meet my friend Claire and her adorable little family!! I first met Claire through her blog over at A Peachtree City Life.  She blogs about life, crafting, and home makeovers and of course about her adorable little 1 year old!! The picked their location over at Lake Kendron.  It was a little hot, but was a beautiful day.  You can't go wrong with a lake! :)

We took these pics for her daughters 1 year birthday!  Isn't she adorable?  I love her cute little cheeks!!

Small Fry Cutie Pie ~ Giveaway ~ Dorothy Nicole Photography ~ Atlanta Photographer

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I am so excited to give you guys another giveaway!  This giveaway is so fun because it's a new idea...at least to me!!  Her business name is Small Fry Cutie Pie.  You can go to her Esty page HERE and her FB page HERE!  She just recently created the prototype and is making her products even more awesome with every passing day!  What is her product you ask?

It's called BIBB'IT's!!  Basically it's a onsie with a snap on/off decorative bib with matching shorts/skirt.  Perfect for those droolie babies or worse, acid reflux.  My oldest had the WORST case of Acid reflux and we would have to change her clothes DAILY.  She lived in those ugly thick bibs.  So, personally, I would have LOVED this product 7 years ago.  

With this giveaway, you'll win a choice of THREE products...

A bibb'it for a baby girl with 2 matching decorative bibs..

A bibb'it for a baby boy with 2 matching bibs, one being a faux tie (so cute)...

Or if you don't have a baby, then this cute little dress for an older child.  Ribbons have buttons on them to make this dress adjustable.  Size can be customized.

Here's some other products she's made.  I LOVE the little tie BIBs and the owls are SO cute!! She can even add a little something on a t-shirt for your older kiddos.

So, want to know how to enter?

It's easy just enter below.  You can earn MULTIPLE points and DAILY!!  The giveaway will end on Friday!!  

Good Luck

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Newborn photography tips ~ Capturing Joy with Kristen Duke

I am beyond thrilled to have a guest blogger today!  She is Kristen Duke, pretty much a Jack of all trades, but today she's giving you and I tips on newborn photography!!  Whether you're a professional or just a DIY kind of mom, you're gonna want to read this post.   She has some GREAT suggestions!

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I'm so happy to be guest posting today, and share some fun tips on photographing newborns! To introduce myself, my name is Kristen Duke and I blog over at Capturing Joy. I started blogging by sharing sneak peeks of my portrait sessions, but now share so much more: home projects, recipes, parties, and fashion!

 

Today, I'm chatting about photographing a newborn! Whether you hire a photographer or take them yourself, here are some tips to think about.

 

1. To get PRIME newborn pictures, take them within the first 2 weeks of life, if possible. Babies are more sleepy and easier to pose.

2. I like to use the background of my clients home, to make it more personal. Sometimes the baby room, sometimes the family room. It is fun to include elements in the home such as the crib, a rocking chair, dresser, or rug. I like to freeze the moment in time and capture the scene to tell their story at that time in life. The only downside to that is new parents often have a little bit of a mess, but I try to mention ahead of time that I'd like to use the nursery of somewhere in the home in the shots.

3. I like to use parents as a backdrop as well. Babies are cute by themselves, but parents are important and need to be documented, too. Most moms won't love the way they look, but I think it is important to include them, if only a brush of their face, or part of their hand.

4. Use a blanket as a backdrop. I used to have a backdrop set up at my home, and have clients come to me, but I have stopped doing that. This is the only type of session I actually enjoy the look of a backdrop... but still prefer the backdrop of the home.

 

I really enjoy the photo journalistic side of newborn sessions.

5. I often bring a handful of blankets with texture, solid black furry blanket, and beanbag. I will also throw in a few diaper covers (crocheted or cloth diapers), hats, etc. but I like to use the special blankets or hats that the parents have bought for their child instead of using mine and then leaving with it. But I do provide it as an option. A Boppy pillow is also a great place to set the newborn with a blanket in between. I also tell parents to wear solid colors (prefer black) to be a makeshift "background" as they cradle the baby. Long sleeves are best.

6. Keep it warm! I often suggest to crank the heat up in the home so baby will be cozy and happy. Have them fed (and happy) just before the shoot, but if crankiness occurs, I just plan to sit and chat while they are fed--and am constantly reassuring the parents that this is normal. Binkys on hand are great, white noise, but I am regularly rocking and shushing (in a rhythmic way) the baby myself and will place them in the spot I have in mind.

7. Eyes opened/eyes closed. I like both. I do not have the sleep-baby-posed-just-so-with-hands-tucked-under-chin pose down. There are videos on you tube, I've seen people do it, but I guess I don't try enough because it isn't my thing.

8. I often bring my bean bag as close to a window as I can with the baby facing it, grab a kitchen chair to stand on, get above the baby and shoot down below. Great angle. Great Light. The above shot is just that.

9. I am not a big fan of "baby outfits." You have newborn portraits taken to see that fresh new baby-ness, not the cute little outfit you bought with just a head poking out. I like to shoot partial nudity. Naked with a diaper/diaper cover on. It is a good thing to discuss ahead of time with the parents so it isn't an awkward thing there. If they are completely against any form of nudity then I love the clean look of a white onesie. If possible, strip them down to the desired look well before the shoot/before feeding and wrap them cozy in a blanket so as not to disrupt that peaceful phase as you being shooting.  

10. I take close ups of the feet, and often cradled in mom or dads hands to show the size difference.

11. Pee and poop is inevitable. Embrace it, friends, and laugh with it. Those can be fun shots, too! I also like to capture a little cranky face. Seems sad at the time, but I enjoy viewing that raw emotion later.

 

12. Unless there is a lot of colorful home decor, I often show the majority of my images in black and white. There is something so pure and simple about that look, and often the baby skin has blemishes that are hidden with black and white. Here are more of my newborn portraits. This is such a beautiful time of life. The new addition to a family, the joy, the love. I do my best to capture that emotion and tenderness. If you want to be a better photographer and take pictures yourself of your newborn, check out my book, Say NO to Auto with simple steps on learning your manual settings.