South Bend Family Photography / Granger Family Photography - Leila's 3 Month Sneak Peek

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For this session, I wasn't in my element. I have documented just about every milestone except a three month milestone. So going into Miss Leila's session, I was a little less confident than I am in some of my other sessions. But the moment I peeked at my memory card and saw some of the images, I knew this had potential to produce some of my favorite images to date! I just love this family and baby Leila and I can't wait to finish editing the entire session...

South Bend Family Video / South Bend Family Photography - April's "Beauty of a Second"

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I genuinely have no clue where April went! I'm pretty sure I blinked and it was gone. I love these "Beauty of a Second" videos because it is always so much fun to look back and see how much my girl has changed in just one short month. For example, when I look back at March's video and the very first day of potty training, it is crazy to think that now, it has been over 6 weeks since an accident and going potty is just a part of our day now! (It seemed like such a huge mountain to climb in the beginning!) Watching these videos also makes me feel insanely lucky because I get to see all of the amazing and fun things that we are able to do, all thanks to a supportive husband who decided me being home most days with our girl was far more important than a predictable pay check and who encouraged me to follow my passion and offer documentary photography and video to other people in Michiana. 

Oh, and can we just talk about some of the beautiful weather we have had?! I can't wait for summer! 

Do you love these One Second a Day films? Then be sure to check out Jennifer Hardina Stamps's monthly video.

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South Bend Birth Photography / Plymouth Birth Photography: Interesting Facts About BBP's Birth Services

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BBP Serves other areas!

These areas are included for no extra travel costs: Fort Wayne, Valparaiso, Nappanee, Osceola, Rochester, Plymouth, Culver, Argos, Knox in Indiana and Niles, Buchanon, Stevensville and Edwardsburg in Michigan. 

BBP's birth photography is not rooted to just the local area! There are babies being born all over Indiana and Michigan and I'd love to be a part of them, no matter the distance. If your location is approximately 90 miles or less from South Bend, Indiana, I am willing to travel for your baby's birth day at no extra charge! But that doesn't mean that I can't be your birth photographer if you're further than 90 miles; it just means there will be an additional travel charge. I'm even willing to fly or stay in a hotel so really, the options are unlimited.

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"Birth" is a term I use loosely.

Let me clarify: I am a birth photographer. However, that doesn't limit itself to strictly traditional births. I can capture natural or cesarean births, hospital or home births, obviously. But I also think there are other amazing subcategories of birth like:

Adoption Photography

So what if you aren't physically giving birth to your new baby?! You are still becoming a parent and expanding your family and to me, that is as "birthy" as can be. Adoption sessions can cover the birth of the baby if the adoption is organized prior to baby's arrival, it can be the meeting of the baby and parents or it can be the courthouse ceremony that officially places baby in the parents' legal custody. What a beautiful story to tell!

Surrogacy Photography 

Some people are just not built to carry a baby themselves and that can result in one of the most beautiful gifts one woman can give to another: surrogacy. BBP would love the chance to capture this entire journey of surrogacy from start to finish. 

Fertility Photography 

When a baby is wanted so badly but takes some extra effort to make it's appearance, there is often an epic fertility journey. This journey is often so emotional and beautiful, especially when the end result is a long awaited baby (or babies). Just check out this amazing journey as documented by Sarah Krieg.  

BBP offers not only birth photography, but birth video!

Fusion films and video are one of my favorite things to offer! By capturing short clips of video and sewing them together into one beautiful feature, your baby's birth story is told so much more completely.

You can save money on BBP's packages

I realize that birth photography is a big investment both in trust and finances. However, as a way to help you save some money in the process, you can get 15% off by signing a model release (and no, I will not post any nude or "extreme" images from your gallery. In fact, if I even question your comfort with using an image in my portfolio for modesty reasons, I will ask your permission beforehand, even with a signed model release). You can also save 5% by signing your contract and paying your retainer within three days of our initial consultation.

Every birth package is totally customizable

I want you to walk away loving your images. It doesn't matter if I have a preference of composition or moments; if you want something specific, I will do my best to deliver it. You have an infinite amount of possibilities when designing your package, which is why we have an initial consultation to go through the basics and then a second, more in-depth consultation close to your due date. This is one of the biggest moments of your life and your photos should reflect exactly what you want.

For this momma, breastfeeding was one thing she wanted to capture. By customizing your packages, you're able to specify what moments mean the most to you. This is a forever favorite image of mine!

For this momma, breastfeeding was one thing she wanted to capture. By customizing your packages, you're able to specify what moments mean the most to you. This is a forever favorite image of mine!

I hope this gives some of you readers some good foundation to work off of when you think of a birth photographer. Please contact me to set up your first consultation! I can't wait to work together. 

 

Michiana Birth Photography / Michiana Birth Photographer - Why Birth Photography?

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"Why birth photography?"

It's a common question I hear, often with different inflections behind it, depending on the source. I usually give a short, simple answer and move on but this last time someone asked me, it really started to stir in my mind. Why do I concentrate on birth photography? What are my reasons? I've written many blog posts about why YOU should choose birth photography (like all of these), but I've never spelled out exactly why I do it. So, here it goes...

Its Beautiful

I think this is the most obvious answer but rightly so. Birth. Is. Beautiful. There is absolutely nothing in this world more amazing than watching parents meet their new creation. It is so insanely humbling to watch a baby placed in their parent's arms and know that this baby is a direct result of love. Whether it is the first baby or the eighth, a long awaited result of a plan or complete surprise, this baby is here because their parents loved each other. I mean, wow. It's the most beautiful love story ever told.

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It Needs to be Normalized

Now don't overthink this one: I'm not a super crunchy granola momtog (nothing against those folks, I'm just not one of them). However, it boggles my brain how something so normal as birth can be considered so tabu. I mean, we were all born. Most of us give birth. It happens daily. Its literally the creation of a person. How is this not considered the most normal thing in the world?! Birth photography allows me to play a small role in nudging birth in the right direction, into the normal zone.

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I Meet Amazing People

I am a people person. Before I was a photographer, I was a high school teacher. In college I worked in retail sales. In high school I taught horseback riding lessons. I love people and I love meeting new people and honestly, some of the most amazing people I have had the privilege of meeting were a direct result of a birth. The parents I have met make me want to be a better mom myself. They are always so loving and open and fun to be around. The birth team members are also some truly wonderful people who put their own needs and ideas aside to give mom the attention she deserves. What a blessing it is, having a job that brings so many lovely people into my life!

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Its Intense and Fun

I love the feeling of excitement. I am that person who shows their excitement, sometimes even too much so. This means anything that can give me that "can't wait" feeling, I'm hooked. The entire labor, delivery and bonding experience is just flat out thrilling! Pretty much nothing can compare to watching a new life join the world, take his/her first breath, finally meet the mom and dad they've been listening to for the past nine months. It gives me all of the feels and makes my heart so happy.

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I'm Selfishly Intrigued

My own birth was not what I had planned (read about it here) and I honestly feel like I somehow missed some of it, even though I was there. Being at other women's births gives me a peak into what I missed! In some ways, I missed out on a vaginal birth so watching other mom's deliver this way allows me to see what its all about. Watching another mom's c-section (something I'm yet to do but hoping to experience) will undoubtedly be equally as amazing because I will see exactly what I went through from an entirely new perspective. 

Those are my reasons for wanting to being a birth photographer. I'm sure I could list about 15 more but for your sanity, I will keep it brief. If you are considering birth photography, please don't hesitate to contact me. We can chat (totally noncommittally) about your birth journey and if that includes birth photos. 

Michiana Family Photography - Finding the Beauty in the Ordinary

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As I was writing my bi-monthly newsletter, I found myself typing out the phrase, "Find beauty in the ordinary." I closed my lap top and went about my evening but then the weight of that phrase really started to set in for me. The more I thought about it, the more I realized that it completely embodies what I do as a documentary photographer and what my clients do when they book sessions. 

In todays world, we are constantly bogged down with media: both large scale and small scale, like social media. We see everyone's extravagant vacations, their brand new cars, their perfectly choreographed parties and internally, we start to feel a little less good about our lives. But the thing is, your life is beautiful because its yours. Your daily happenings are beautiful! Whether that means a birth or a newborn or just a day in the life of your family, there is true and cherished beauty there that deserves to be preserved. 

Want proof? Here are some of my very favorite images that perfectly embody finding beauty in the ordinary...

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This image is so relatable to anyone with multiple kiddos. Its such a simple moment. A moment that probably happens a few dozen times a day. But when time is stopped and the moment is captured in a photograph, the beauty just jumps out at you and tells so much about this family.

If you follow my Facebook, you know how much I adore documentary style portraits! This picture was from a mini-milestone session. It took place at a park. Not the scenic, peaceful ponds type of park. The 101 kids climbing all over some crazy playground equipment (no, seriously, a bus showed up about five minutes into the session and dropped off no less than 40 kids). Yet the simple, beautiful portrait was still captured during all of this chaos and it means even more to mom because it is at a park that they frequent and that Sophie adores!

Coloring. I think its safe to say that most families do this on a daily basis. Its a great filler for those down times when we want our kiddos to be content yet intrigued. Rarely would you run for your camera to snap a picture, yet in this in-home family photography session, the vibrant crayon colors, the careful selection by Mr. Cain along with his concentrated face and little sis in the background observing while savoring a sucker all tell an adorable story in a beautiful way.

(I had to sneak a personal image in here). My own home is where I truly learned to see the beauty in the ordinary! I love capturing the fun quirks and habits of my girl as she grows. Since she was very, very young, she has loved to take my books and pretend to read them. Its a simple habit that, in words, doesn't sound like anything special. But in this picture, its truly gorgeous.

See? Its not just the big moments that need to be captured. It doesn't have to be a major milestone or epic event to deserve to be preserved. Our every day lives offer infinite opportunities to capture their beauty. Contact me to schedule your session and capture your family's beauty!

South Bend Event and Family Photographer - Norah's First Birthday Sneak Peek

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One of the great things about hiring an event photographer, is it lets you concentrate on the important things rather than making sure to take pictures. You can play hostess, visit with your guests and make important memories. Basically, its just one less thing off your already very full plate.

Little Norah was such a bundle of happiness at her first birthday party! Seriously, this girl didn't shed one tear and was so happy to have all of the birthday festivities around her. As if her sweet smiles weren't enough, the family's fun demeanor was just the cherry on top. I can't wait to share this fun gallery with you but until then, here's a sneak peek:

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Michiana Family Film and Photography - Beauty of a Second: March

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This project just gives me all of the feels. I seriously (and not exaggerating) watch these short monthly films about twenty times each. It's such a fun way to capture my daughter and all of her milestones and quirky habits.

Don't forget that BBP offers family films and fusion films to clients as well! Wouldn't it be lovely to have one of these for yourself???

Want to see other amazing Beauty of a Second projects? Check out Margaret's "One Second a Day" project and follow the links to see more.

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!

South Bend Family Photography - Day in the Life Session

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Looking back over my past blog posts, I have gushed over each type of session I offer...except the Day in the Life sessions! Which is ironic because it is probably the most epic one (except maybe birth) that is offered and is also a personal favorite. Many people have never heard of a "Day in the Life" session so here are a few basics to get your gears turning...

What is a Day in the Life session?

It's exactly what it sounds like: a personal family photography session that documents a typical day in life. I show up right when the family generally wakes up and I catch all of those amazing moments that come with the morning routines, family activities and meals, daily emotions and milestones, as well as the always adorable bedtime schedule. 

Why would I want an entire day photographed?

Why wouldn't you?! Your daily doings are your story. Just think about your future self, 10, 15, 20 years down the road. Your life will look wildly different! How amazing would it be to have the opportunity to look back at a gorgeous photo book or video that perfectly showcases what your life looked like with your littles back when they were, well, little. Our kids grow so fast and change daily, don't we owe it to ourself and to them to be able to share those every-day memories that you create each and every sun up to sun down? 

Being a parent looks different to everyone and our roles are changing with ever passing second. The parent we are now is not the parent we will be in 10 years, just like our kids are not the people they will be 10 years. I know I never want to forget what my daughter was like right now, and Day in the Life sessions let me ensure that I wont. 

But my days are so boring and bland...

They're really not. When we are living our current lives and going about our normal routines, it is easy to feel like nothing important or exciting is happening. But the truth is, our "normal" is beautiful and perfect. Just because you don't have epic outings every day doesn't mean your life isn't photo worthy. Just take a look at my own personal Day in the Life session I did for my daughter's 2nd birthday:

 

 

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Michiana Family Photographer - 50 Beautiful Moms Campaign Sneak Peek

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Beauty Revived's 50 Beautiful Moms Campaign was such a blessing to be included in. When I found out I was selected as one of the photographers, I was so honored and humbled. Then, I started getting the nominations and that took things to an entirely different level. To read about some of the amazing moms in our community was simply beautiful and I truly wished I could have donated a session to each one of them. However, in the end, only one mom could be selected and so, I'd like to introduce Katie Van Tornhout.

Katie's story is nothing short of amazing and I can NOT wait to share it with everyone in depth when the campaign is officially published. Until then, here are some sneak peeks form her sweet in-home family session:

Michiana Birth Photography - Invest in Your Moment

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I had a lovely meeting with a potential birth client recently (side note: I genuinely love meeting new people and hearing their stories) and as we chatted, I loved her complete understanding of the beauty of birth photography. One thing that I consistently see people struggle with when it comes to birth photography is the lack of what I like to call "frame-ability." 

So many times, people can't see paying a significant amount of money for images that they can't share on their walls or social media pages. But here are a few reasons why this is just not a good argument against birth photography...

It is frame worthy!

Just look at the image above. I can definitely say that I would be proud to have this hanging as a beautiful canvas in my child's room or my room or even in my living room! It's stunning and absolutely honest; it shows the beauty of your first moments as the new parents of your tiny human. Not all birth images have a "shock factor" or are too intimate to be hung up. Many are just simple and heartwarming and absolutely wall quality. 

It's a moment you can't get back.

Birth is often chaotic. There are so many emotions happening and whether its the pain induced memory blur or fuzziness from epidurals or just plain stress related, our memories aren't perfect and accurate. We frequently miss entire moments! Quite frankly, I just feel that birth moments are not something that we can risk giving up. It is one of the biggest life changing events in your life and it deserves to be preserved. Even if some of the images are confined to a beautiful album or on a gorgeous slideshow, you deserve to have them to revisit as your babies grow.

You aren't there for every moment.

Think about it. Birth and birth photography is more than just about Mom (although you are the star of the show). There is so much that goes on behind the scenes! Your partner plays a huge role in your baby's birth, sometimes in ways you don't see or notice in the moment. Wouldn't it be great to be able to let the chaos pass and have images to look back on and see all of the love and support they offered? Your caregivers (nurses, midwives, doctors) also have wildly important role in your birth story. There is something truly humbling to have pictures of these wonderful humans caring for and genuinely loving you in your time of need. 

The details.

Birth is filled with minute details that we don't even think about. The completely mind-blowing placenta, the first latch of your baby, the first finger grab, the first weighing. These are all irreplaceable details that we, as moms, often miss because we are busy recovering/sleeping/crying/laughing/[insert any post birth activity]. Having pictures of these details to cherish is priceless. 

Michiana Family Film and Photography - Personal Fusion Film

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Have I mentioned how much I LOVE fusion films? Maybe once or twice? Fusion films are this completely amazing compilation of stunning images and fun video and it takes documenting your family to an entirely new level. While nothing can ever replace wall art and albums, this is the digital age and I have zero doubt that these types of fusion films are the next big thing in family photography. So obviously, I have to make them for my own family all of the time! Here is a fusion film of our amazing family trip to PCB. Enjoy :)

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