Baby Studio Session | Okotoks Photography Studio
There is always such a rush to get maternity and newborn photographs. And, for good reason. Those moments are fleeting. They rush by in a blur of doctor's appointments and sleepless nights. A baby is only a newborn for such a brief window, that many people actually miss getting those portraits. They don't realize that newborn photographs are best booked by due date so that they can be sure to leave space for them before the moment passes them by. If you are an expectant mother looking to book a professional photographer, it is best to contact a photographer before you hit 32-34 weeks. This way, you can take advantage of any maternity photography specials that they'll offer to their newborn clients. Maternity photographs best happen at 32-34 weeks. You can also get in their schedule for your newborn session. They'll give you information on how to prepare for that session ahead of time, so that once baby arrives, preparation for the session is at a minimum.
All of that said, 6-9 month portraits...those are my favourite. This is how you will remember your baby. The big happy grins, the chubby cheeks, and the pure joy at just being with mom and dad. I'd like to say that you'd be better slept, but the truth is, you'll probably just be better at managing your lack of sleep. You'll be hitting your stride with parenting and these moments are worth capturing for your family just as much as those itty bitty newborn toes. Many photographers offer 'first year' type of packages for their newborn clients. If this is something that interests you, please ask!!! All of my newborn clients are eligible for a 6-9 month session in studio for a flat rate of $500(+gst). That includes the session and the digital files. I thought today, I'd share with you a sample of what one of those sessions looks like. This is wee baby Wren and her amazing parents. I have photographed this family starting at their wedding all the way through to these portraits. They are what I call one of my 'legacy families'. Watching families grow is one of the greatest joys of my life.
So, bring my all of your babies!!! I'd love to see them in the studio or in your home. Contact me for more details.
~ Dana
Neighbourhood Family Adventure | Calgary Photographer
Not all families seek adventure in the ruggedness of the mountains. When babies are small, sometimes just a walk around the block can be an adventure. Discovering fallen leaves. Running into Mama's waiting arms. Just exploring the world around them. Adventure is everywhere if you know where to look for it. Lessons from watching toddlers explore for the last decade(did you know that 2017 marks my 10th year in business?).
So, what neighbourhood do you live in? Kensington, Inglewood, Auburn Bay or Tuscany? So many great neighbours to explore and look for adventure. I'd love to come visit yours.
Living With Photographs | Okotoks Photography Studio
I am passionate about filling my walls with photographs from our travels and our life. So, when it came time to design a wall gallery for my studio, I tossed a number of different ideas around in my head before settling on what I am calling my 'website on a wall'. I wanted a way to show the visitors to my studio that displaying family photographs can be cool.
I documented the process in a stop motion slideshow that you can see below. What we did was take the advice that we found on Pinterest about making paper templates from the Ikea Ribba Frames that we wanted to use. We had a couple of different ideas as to how to go about this, but this was by far the best solution. We did, however, make our first mistake with the templates. I assumed that the Ribba frames had not changed much over the years and used a couple of older ones that we already had as templates. They were slightly out and this tiny difference made us have to make a few adjustments when we went to hang the frames. It also meant that I am a couple of frames short of finishing. I just have to run in to Ikea to grab two more before the prints arrive.
I know that people will wonder how much we spent on the frames and the answer is close to $600. And, they will also wonder how much we spent on the prints...close to $500(none of them were mounted...they were all simply photographic prints). So, as much as this was a 'budget' solution, it wasn't exactly a dollar store budget solution if you know what I mean. It also took us several days, so you can see the light change in the studio. I am awaiting on the prints to arrive from my lab. Once they do, I'll post the finished product. Until then...enjoy us setting it up.
