Elkhart + South Bend Fresh 48 Photographer - Newborn R Meets Her Siblings

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Baby R was the long awaited girl in a family of boys. She was loved beyond measure before she even arrived and I was so blessed to be a part of her first hours on earth. When I got the text from mom (also one of my best friends), that said "Surprise!" alongside a family photo of mom, dad and baby, I was shocked. We had spent the prior morning together on a play date and while mom had felt very ready for baby to make her arrival, she wasn't having any signs that she would be earthside just twelve hours later! 

When I arrived at the hospital, it was a truly beautiful moment as the family's friend and pastor, along with his wife, were there cuddling and praying over the new baby girl. It was such a great start to a session. The first half hour, I got to take some really soft and beautiful documentary portraits of Miss R, all while she stared quietly around the room. She was so alert! In fact, she was awake the entire session. She was so intent on exploring her new world in her own quiet way. It was one of the most laid back and calm Fresh 48's I had been to. 

Then, in came her brothers. End the tranquil calm! These boys are the sweetest and cutest little guys and they are all boy. They rushed into the room, thrilled to see their mom and more than a little curious about their new baby sister. They were so inquisitive and patient around her...but when they weren't around her, well, they were still all boy. Just take a look at the last photo in this post and you will get a good feel for what this amazing family's new normal looks like!

Thank you Mom and Dad S, for letting me be a part of this amazing sibling meeting. Little Miss R is so lucky to have such fantastic parents and loving big brothers. 

South Bend + Michiana Birth Photographer - Birth Photography Can Be PG

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It's funny because when it comes to birth photography, people seem to be totally for it or absolutely weirded out by it. Most of the folks I meet who do the "You're a WHAT photographer?!" double take think of all of the raw and unfiltered moments of birth and wonder why anyone would want that documented. And I get it! I really do. (But trust me when I say that even the raw unfiltered stuff can be documented tastefully and beautifully.) However, I'm not here to change anyone's mind or opinion, but I would like to explain how birth photography can be completely PG. Nothing "raw'. Nothing "embarrassing". Nothing you wouldn't want your kids to see. 

Birth photography doesn't have to be "shocking."

Mainstream media has taught us to believe that birth is traumatic and "gross." However, your photos will reflect differently. There are so many moments during labor, delivery and postpartum that are soft, calm and beautiful. A mother laying eyes on her baby for the first time is breath taking; a moment that you can't get back. It's also a moment that we, as mothers, can't see for ourselves. Having photos to look back on and see the joy and relief and pride on our own faces as we meet our children is priceless.

BBP's packages are totally customized long before the delivery.

I realize that birth photography is a big investment, both monetarily and in trust, which is why I want you to feel comfortable and in control every step of the way. At our first consultation, I will answer any questions you have before booking a session and make sure that I am someone you feel comfortable with including in your birth story. Then, at the beginning of your third trimester, we can meet in person, talk on the phone or communicate via email (your discretion) to customize your session. You dictate what moments you want documented and which you don't. For example, one previous birth client wanted minimal labor photos, no delivery images and mainly wanted immediate bonding moments, dad's reaction to seeing baby and all of the little details like weight, footprints and first latch. It was a PG session through and through and the images were refined and beautiful. But don't take my word for it...

"She [Cara] photographed our second son's birth ... and we are completely in love with the photos. She was professional and courteous and like a "fly on the wall" during labor and delivery -- I didn't even know she was there! She asked plenty of questions about what type of photos we wanted to have as a result of her photographing his birth and just made sure she knew what we were looking for."

This is your baby's first milestone. It deserves to be documented.

We document our children's first steps, first words, first everything. Yet somehow, we often don't document their first moments on earth. Babies are born perfect and beautiful and they also change day to day. By waiting to document your baby until the traditional newborn sessions lets days slip by that are filled with changes! Make sure you don't miss your baby's true newborn moments.

Niles Michigan Birth Photographer - Baby C's Birth Story

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When I first met Momma T, I was so excited for two reasons: 1) she was a super awesome human and 2) she was having a home birth! For some reason, in our area, birth photography largely happens in the hospital (which is kind of backwards from many other areas). So when I found out I was going to be shooting a home birth, I was incredibly excited! As I got to know this sweet family, it became obvious that this was going to be an amazing birth.

The family of four was team green, meaning they didn't know what gender baby #3 would be. Big sister was pretty set on having a little sister but little brother...well, I don't think he cared much. When I arrived, it seemed that everyone felt confident that we would be welcoming a girl into the world soon. I was so impressed with mom's concentration and calm throughout her long early labor and I loved watching her breathe through contractions as her kids played around her, like nothing exciting was even going on. These thoughtful parents also gave their oldest daughter a camera for her to document the birth from her perspective (can I admit that I geeked out over this a little?). Once early labor passed into active and transition, stuff got real pretty quickly. Once mom got into the birth pool, it was just a matter of time! Momma T's doula and midwife was so supportive and amazing and helped talk her through her sunny-side-up baby who took a little extra effort to bring into the world.

And guess what? It was a BOY! Just scroll through this beautiful gallery below and see if you can pick out which image showcases mom finding out she was holding her new son. I am so grateful for this family inviting me into their home and into this intimate and emotional experience as they welcomed a baby boy, also their rainbow baby, into this world. What an incredible moment!

Fresh 48 Newborn Session at Memorial Hospital - South Bend, Indiana

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I am so behind on my session shares! So lets flash back allllll the way back to Baby B whose birth I was so blessed to be able to capture. I also got to come back and capture the meeting of his big brother and what a sweet moment that was. I have no doubt that these two boys are going to grow up to be the best of friends...and cause lots of anxiety for their momma ;) #boymom

Fresh 48 Newborn Photography + South Bend and Michiana / Baby Lindsay Sneak Peek

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This sweet, tiny little girl decided to join this world five weeks early! Prayers to this girl as she adjusts to life earthside. I can't wait to share Baby Lindsay's entire birth story and gallery, but until then, here are some sneak peeks to give everyone a quick adorable newborn fix in a tiny preemie package...

Newborn Photography in South Bend and Michiana - Leila's Newborn Session

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I had a blogging fail. After scrolling through my old blog posts, I realized that while I released a sneak peek for Baby Leila's newborn session, I never posted the full gallery!!! And seriously, what a total shame that would be to let it go unseen because this baby girl and her family are simply gorgeous.

And so, even thought baby Leila is coming up on her 6 month milestone session (what?!), here is her completely lovely newborn session...

Indiana Birth Photographer / Indiana Birth Photography - Taking Your Own Amazing Newborn Pictures

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I am the first to admit that I literally had to go out and buy a new iPhone with more storage when my daughter was first born. Why? Because I took approximately 236 pictures of her a day. When you first bring baby home and you're SO excited and SO proud that you created this beautiful, perfect little creature, there is no stopping a momma's shutter finger! With that in mind, we also want to get the best pictures we can with our limited camera phones so here are some tips...

Don't Skip the Professional Newborn Images

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If it is in the budget, I still encourage you to get these done professionally. Whether it is a Fresh 48 (pick me! pick me!) or an in-home newborn session, invest in it. You will never regret having those professional photos of your beautiful new baby.

Get the Details

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I would venture to say that there are few things more beautiful than the tiny, intricate details of a newborn. From their squishy cheeks, to dimpled chins (just look at that little guy above), to their perfect little toes, don't miss those shots! Make sure to get creative here and notice your light and your perspective when taking these images. Don't take 12 pictures from the same exact spot, use some variety and move your phone around then delete the ones that are less than favorable (or just upgrade to a larger storage plan on the cloud and keep them all...like me...sigh).

Tell Your Story

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Use your surroundings to tell your baby's story. Even the newest of babies has their quirks and habits and you never want to forget about those. Make sure to reach beyond the beautiful details of your baby's face, fingers and toes and tell the story of your life as it is right now (messy house and all).

Use Your Light

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Unless you are catching that amazing first smile or some other fleeting moment, use all of this newborn sleepiness and down time to make sure you get the best picture possible. Natural window light is your best option so make sure baby is placed somewhere that the soft light hits their sweet faces just right. Embrace the shadows and use it to play up some of those features! Don't be afraid to move yourself or baby to get the most flattering angle.

And probably the most important tip...

Get. In. The. Frame.

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I get it, ladies, I do. You just had a baby. You may not be feeling your most attractive (although you totally should because there is nothing more radiant than a powerful woman who just spent nine months growing a human and then battled for hours to bring said human into the world but I digress...). At this point in time, you are quite literally the sun to this newborn's world. You provide safety, comfort, companionship, food and never-ending love. Capture that. Don't let these moments slip away. Because let me assure you, you will blink and suddenly this tiny baby who once fit in the palms of your hands will have to fold themselves into impossible positions to fit in your lap...if they even let you cuddle them for that long anymore! This time with your baby is irreplaceable and both you and your baby will want these pictures to exist years down the road. So hand the phone over to dad and tell him to click away, because you are the friggin' sun! 

Granger Newborn Photographer + Family Photographer: Family of Five

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When a family grows and a new baby is brought into the equation, everything suddenly changes. Sometimes this looks like loving chaos. And sometimes, every now and then, it just look meant to be. That is how this newborn/family session with the N family went. Their family grew to a total of five, with the oldest sibling being only five. What should, in theory, be utter craziness was just so loving, comfortable and fun. 

From the minute I got there, the kids were excited to show what great big siblings they were to their new baby brother. Between helping mom feed baby to taking turns holding him, they were absolute naturals. Once Baby was settled and in full blown momma-milk coma, it was upstairs for story time with Dad. I loved how into the story both the older kiddos got; complete with singing and shaking their booties (and yes, I got that on video - which I can't wait to share down the road! Stay tuned.). 

After stories was crafts. Mom wanted to do a fun family canvas with little hand and feet prints to go underneath. This ended up as such a fun project for the kids, and even though Mr. Toddler decided to taste some paint and also decorate his jeans and feet, the final product was super cute. This was such a fun session and I feel so lucky to have been a part of their morning!

Michiana Family and Newborn Photography - What to Expect from a Documentary Newborn Session

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There are a few specific life events that trigger the "I need pictures" area of your brain and probably the most common one is the birth of a baby. Newborn baby photography started becoming more and more popular in the last decade and now, it's almost more uncommon NOT to get them than it is to get them. There are few things more beautiful than a brand new baby and portrait photographers have showcased that through posed, swaddled, accessorized and propped babies. The images are adorable, undoubtably. However, the issue falls with this: they all look the same! I don't want to look at my newborn's pictures and have them look just like the session before hers. I want to see how peaceful she was in her new home, how little she looked in her crib, how curious our dogs were about this squishly little human and how utterly in love with her we were (still are). Doesn't that just pain a sweeter picture?

So now you're on board. You see the value in documentary newborn sessions. But what happens next? Here's the breakdown:

Choose your time frame.

When photographing newborns, often portrait photographers suggest getting them done between days x-y because the babe's are still pliable and sleepy (i.e. easier to pose). Your documentary newborn session can essentially take place as quickly or leisurely as your prefer. Some people want that immediate session within a day or two of getting home to truly get that newborn feel and to commemorate those first days as new parents. Others want to get settled in or let the newborn blemishes pass before the photo day. This is one of the great things; you choose whatever fits your needs.

Photos where you're most comfortable.

This is a big one for me. I am a homebody, and this was emphasized when I had a newborn. The last thing I wanted to do was pack up my baby and alllllll of her things (because, come on first time moms, we all know we overpacked every time we went out) and sit in front of a camera in a studio I'd never been to. The beauty of a documentary session is that you get to be in your own environment, doing what you'd be doing anyway. Fallen into the habit of nursing in your favorite chair? Perfect. Love putting baby in their bouncer while you prepare food in the kitchen? Great. Enjoy putting baby on your bed and just marveling that you created this tiny person? Lovely. Not only will these moments generate amazingly beautiful pictures, but will also help you remember what life looked like in this new chapter of your life.

It's more than "just" the baby.

When we think of newborn pictures, we usually think of just that: the baby. But documentary newborn sessions let everyone else get in on the moment. You get to choose the focus of your session. If you want solely baby focused images, no problem. We can do that! But often, we have other people (and even pets) that are a huge part of our newborn's story. Grandparents stop by with food, aunts and uncles come to get their baby fix, siblings patiently (or not) wait for cluster feeding to be done (see above haha), and furbabies learn to love the new addition. All of these things can be incorporated into your session and will be priceless additions to the photos.

Variety.

Life is rarely (if ever) stagnant. Inviting a documentary photographer into your home ensures that no two pictures will be the same. Each moment changes the scene and you will end up with a gallery of images that are unique and beautiful. 

Interested in a newborn session? CONTACT ME.

Granger Birth, Newborn and Family Photographer - The Specialist

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When you have a cold, do you go to the dermatologist? When you want a perfectly prepared steak, do you go to a baker? When you want to learn about literature, do you go to a science teacher? The answer to all of these questions is simply: no. 

In almost every field of work, there are specialists.

These are the people who focus their training and attention on a specified area of work or interest in order to be the best in that field. Yet for some reason, this just doesn't seem to be the case in photography. Many times, photographers market themselves as a "jack of all trades"; they do weddings, engagements, newborns, families, events. You want it, they'll make it happen. And while this may seem appealing, I just can't get on board with it. 

I don't want to be "pretty good" at everything, I want to be exceptional at something I love.

My passion lies in families. I love families. I love their dynamics, their complete and total uniqueness. I love the story of life. I think that families are often under-appreciated and overlooked and I strive to put a stop to that and showcase the absolute beauty of families. This is why I specialize in birth photography and family photography. 

To me, the growth of a family is a new chapter and often one of the most important ones. Birth, fresh 48's and in-home family sessions allow me to focus entirely on what I love and offer skills and experience to you that maybe a "jack of all trades" doesn't have. When I spend every single session out of studio, in unique homes, with unique families, I am constantly learning how to better capture the lives in front of me. This constant practice lets me grow continuously which in turn, means stronger and more priceless images for you. You don't deserve pictures that are "pretty good." You deserve pictures that are captured by a specialist whose love, passion and practice is right where you are: in the heart of your family. 

Michiana Newborn and Birth Photographer -

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It's sneak peek time again! Baby Leila's in-home newborn pictures turned out so gorgeous with all of the soft whites and lovely, bright window light. Once again, this family made my job easy because they were so willing to just hang out and be together in a totally effortless, beautiful way. These are the sneaks focused on Miss Leila but gosh, I can't wait to share the full gallery complete including the documentation of a well-earned chocolate milk party...

South Bend Birth and Newborn Fresh 48 Photography - Lets Talk About the "C-Word"

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Caesarean. C-Section. Surgery. 

This topic is so very important. So many women think that birth photography or even Fresh 48 sessions aren't for them if they are getting the dreaded "c-word" and I want to just clear one thing up: That. Is. Not. True. C-Section births are just as beautiful as "natural" births. Birth is birth is birth.

I bring this up for many reasons. First, because there is a stigma. For some reason, some people see caesareans as a weak way out or not a "real" birth. But I challenge this thinking in every way! These moms and moms-to-be had to make a seriously hard decision, often in the heat of a very scary moment, to do what is best for their babies. I'd dare to assume that no one stops and thinks, "Gee, I think I will opt for major abdominal surgery that leaves me bed ridden for twice as long as vaginal delivery and in pain and/or discomfort for months after my baby is born." It is not a decision that is ever made lightly. I speak from experience.

C-Sections are absolutely beautiful. The strength shown by the parents, the graceful and skilled dance that the nurses and surgeons do that brings a beautiful new life into the world - its all incredible. So if you are a c-section momma and you want birth photos or a fresh 48 session (or both), don't hesitate. This is your story and it is one to be proud of. Don't let it go untold. 

IV's, needles, stitches and staples can't hold back the beauty of a fresh c-section mom and baby.