Maternity Session in Baton Rouge at Hilltop Arboretum.. and me 5 Months Preggo!

First Babies and making beautiful Maternity Sessions!!! 

Man, I couldn't REALLY know how exciting this aspect of Motherhood was until I became pregnant myself! I had done hundreds of Family Photography Sessions and Maternity Sessions since starting my business full time but honestly, I didn't understand the JOY behind this slot of time to really appreciate it all! 

Until now.... when I am almost 5 month pregnant! (Picture of me with Baby Charles in tow). Some people say I don't look 5 months pregnant but let me assure you, Natty is FULLY pregnant!! That tummy was non-existent till Baby Charlie arrived on the scene and I have 3 months of sickness to vouch for his growing little self as well! 

So when I photographed Karla and her hubby the other day it was so much more meaningful celebrating in their sweet joy that's on her way! 

Of course my sessions will always look very lifestyle and classic. I asked Karla what her desire were for their maternity session and she was all about the great outdoors and nature. This of course made me more than happy to accommodate! We went to LSU's Hilltop Arboretum off of Highland Road to begin.

We got some many precious takes with the three of them. I could not help myself but to of course utilize the Golden Hour. Did I mention how gorgeous Karla is and how impossible it was to get a bad photograph of her? Yeah... there basically was not one. And her hubs was such a nice guy- asking me if I needed help with my bags and always helping with the set up of shots. A lot of time guys are not the enthusiast ones with photography sessions so this is a real treat! 

We wrapped up the Maternity Session talking about potential names and finding the best spots for the end of their session. 

What even BLESSED me more than I have expressed is this sweet lady brought ME a GIFT!!! Do I need to remind you that this was the first time we met? She didn't know me from atom and she was so kind to think of me when we were there for her!!! 

Thank you Jesus for some of the best clients a girl can ask for!! 

Happy Motherhood, Karla!! You will be an excellent first time mommy, I am assured of it... 

Baton Rouge Family Lifestyle Photography Session

This family. GAH!!!

Love them so much! Do you ever just meet "cool people" and know instantly that you want to be friends with them? That's what happened YEARS ago when I met this girl and her soon to be man- Katherine and Blake! We were in an internship at Healing Place Church together in 2007!!!

GASP.... I KNOW.... Where in the world does the time go? 

Back to 9 years ago... I met Katherine and she was the bookish, English, introverted type and that made me happy because I am all of those things wrapped up with some crazy Natty tendencies. Kat was immediately awesome in my book! She loved God and she loved internship and she immediately invited me to hang with her for coffee to talk life. 

Aren't those the best kind of people? Just easy going and fun to be around! Ahhhh... love a good refreshing coffee date! Well, here we are ALL THOSE YEARS later... and Katherine married a fine young fella named Blake who is the cool, sarcastic type (like my hubs but Johnny may have this guy beat) and they have since settled down and just had their third son- Knox.  

That's right- THIRD son!! Ole Knox-y man came after their oldest, Dax and their middle child, Hendrix! Both whom Natty completely adores! 

Me and the littles had more fun than I imagined! We talked favorite candy and crackers and they explained to me about Ironman and Superman and how apparently there is a big difference. I just told them I loved Ironman's suit. They agreed it was cool. 

The two boys were like gold though and made this little family photography session a breeze.  

They listened to mommy and daddy with such perfection. I loved seeing how easy going this couple made parenting appear. (I know parenting has it's weaknesses but it's refreshing to see parenting done so so well.)

Back to the man of the hour- Baby Knox!

He was so smitten on his mommy and was a complete breeze to photograph. The thing with newborn photography is you have to have baby ready for it's shoot by being well fed and preferably ready for a tiny nap. All of which Knox was! We got some great lifestyle photographs with him and was able to capture their relationship oh so well. 

(Blake was entertaining the wild ones in the other room- super dad!!!) 

He had the most darling Modern Burlap swaddle and we made the most of tailoring darling little shots with Knox-y and his Crosses and XOXOs. He complied completely <3

Then I got the whole family on the bed and made sure we got some natural, quality photographs of the whole family interacting together. All the boys made it such a great time and we got some jewels! 

Of course the Prudhomme's live happily ever after...

Baton Rouge Newborn Photography Session

Ahhhh, a newborn photo session.... What is more sweet than a newborn? 

I am going to share how I come about my images for most sessions...

 I always ask my clients to shoot in their home, nursery or master bedroom. I am always looking for the best lighting in the home. Light is everything within photography. Second, I always try not to pose mommy and daddy as much as possible. I love to capture the family as they are... just them being them.... this is called lifestyle photography or maybe even, documentary photography. It's where I am not posing the frames I am capturing but more of just trying to allow the subjects to do what they always do and tell the story of what's going on. This has always been my desire even when I was 20 years old learning at LSU on my manual camera. I always stayed in the background to try to capture my subjects in my street photography.

This is my end goal always. To tell the story.

To me, I think that it makes the most beautiful and raw images. For instance, this particular moment is something mommy and daddy have done for hours and hours since baby Charlotte was born and I want to capture that for them so they can always remember swooning in her nursery as they try to soothe her back to sleep.

Another thing you will see with this kind of photography is capturing the story of what is going on in the scene. I try to utilize all the aspects of the clients home and surroundings that make up their world. Here I added their beloved albums to the frame.

This is storytelling not posing. 

I added my macro add on to get some of those details that we cherish so much. 

What is more adorable that tiny little toes and baby fingers?!

Mommy and daddy were so happy with their images! And there is nothing more rewarding than to hand off a Gallery to clients and them respond with such love and adoration and awe.

It makes my life complete.... and hopefully theirs :)

So thankful for every client that entrusts me to tell their story <3

Baton Rouge Adoption and Family Session

These two.

Known for years. Loved since I met. Absolutely no one like them. 

Barton and Heather Pickens. 

Within the last two years God has been doing something very, very special within my friend's lives. Unbeknownst to them until recently, their little story will be involving a special addition into their family. One that could not be any more welcomed. 

My dear friends will be adopting. 

Some people build corporations, some firms, other's build other people's dreams...

Well, these two will be building a child's life.

One who could otherwise have been... without. 

When Barton approached me about sharing their story I was beyond thrilled. To be a part of what God is building in another friend's life, there is no greater joy. I loved his creativity to help share their news with friends and family. They were full of ideas and thoughts on how to best share their news so we set a date and headed to downtown Baton Rouge to capture their story.

It is a step of faith they are stepping but it one they wholeheartedly feel they need to move into. So we got together to share their news that they would be adopting a Baby Girl Pickens within their next year! 

They have absolutely ZERO idea what state she will come from, or who her family is now or the color of her hair or the tone of her skin but they know this... she will be theirs and she will be loved. 

I can not express enough how joyful I am for this darling, little family to begin! After much prayer and waiting and seeking they fully are prepared for the journey that lies before them. And I can't express enough how much they deserve it! 

This little duo is about to become a trio and there is just no amount of anything that can hold their joy back!!! 

This little bebe to be, whether still in the womb, not even here yet or almost to her birthday, will be totally and outrageously loved and cared for by these two.... forever... 

I just love documenting families and now families to be! 

So here's to a remarkable journey for a remarkable couple that will ultimately change all three of their lives forever and ever. Amen. 

Baton Rouge Newborn Family Session

Umm, this Newborn Session slash Family Session was just the most perfect ever!!! 

I met this family through their doula, Katy Soong from Louisiana Birth, and these two were just darling. I did their natural birth session a couple weeks ago and it was the first natural birth I photographed and seriously one of the best experiences to date! Justin was a super-dad supporting Michelle and she was just a rockstar delivering Mckenzie! 

We got together after newborn Mckenzie got situated and mom and dad got some sleep :) We actually live in the same part of town, the best part, in the Garden District. When I walked into their apartment I just fell in love. I could not stop taking pictures of newborn Mackenzie's most perfect room! It was a pale mint green and had darling, little decor items in accent color GOLD for the win!!!

Michelle was truly a natural mommy. Loving on her new baby girl like they were long lost buds. 

Newborn Mckenzie was just the sweetest!! She even let us semi-get her into a tutu!! I am pretty sure it was a tad itchy because it certainly didn't last long on. But look how precious she looks with her sweet little sleepy self with her bow! Just edible!

Little fingers are the best next to little toes, of course! 

We moved into the living area that was guess what?? DARLING... 

This was all their sides of their family together on one piece of artwork. Both sets of their  parents parent's :) And they shared the stories of them with me. It was so refreshing to see them cherishing their families history. And to top it off it was all displayed in a DYI. I just loved it all. 

They really were just naturals with their newborn Mckenzie. 

Doesn't she look so smitten in his arms.  

I just love this image. Such a strong dad daughter photo.

Que: So Happy Together!!!! 

And they lived happily ever after with their darling newborn, Mackenzie!!