I tend to like to focus on the positives in life to the best of my ability. Hard things are hard to talk about. I consider it a compliment when someone comments the candid elements of my personality. Being straightforward is a trait I admire in others too. We all faced a really tough thing three years ago when covid changed everything. I know–trauma–negative, and I started out by telling you I try to focus on positives–stick with me. One thing in my life that was heavily impacted was my ability to take baby photos for my clients.
A photographer can choose any niche to photograph. Landscapes, weddings, pets, etc. I photograph newborns. They’re my sweet spot–my work love. No thank you to a beautiful beaded dress and a perfectly coiffed bride and groom on their wedding day. Give me sweet baby toes, knuckle dimples, that fresh baby smell with their wispy hair and soft baby skin, and I’m here to take photos all day.
My first child was in the NICU for a month when he was born. He has a ton of lifestyle photos from his NICU time but I wasn’t able to have for him what I give to my clients. The why on that is an entire blog post for another day. It brings me joy to create cherished photos of my client’s tiny babies. Knowing that you will have what my son and I could not really adds purpose to what I do. It is always recommended to reserve your newborn session before baby is due. If a client calls me with the request to fit their baby in last minute, I always try. If I can’t fit them in I reach out to colleagues for their availability.
When the United States went on pause, I felt tremendous stress about not being able to provide photos that I know mean so much to my clients. The last newborn I was able to photograph was this sweet family and their now youngest baby. She is three, and it is just so hard to believe. A few times during the pandemic when I simply couldn’t work I came back to the thought of “at least I got them in. I recently saw them for photos and felt a glimmer of life coming full circle. Their session was very much about family photos and not specific to birthdays. It was so great to see how connected the kids are. Big sis carried the littlest everywhere and brother was so chill and fit right in.