Can I just say that I love working with the Cady family? Danielle is one of those people that is up for just about anything, and it makes working with her a breeze. From the initial planning stages of this session, all the way through, she let me take creative control and just let the session happen. Because of this, it was very easy to capture the uniqueness of her family and really showcase their personalities.
And boy do they have a lot of personality :)
Here at Mikaela Joy Photography we are gearing up for more babywearing minis! Have you booked one yet? If not, please get in touch because we still have a few openings.
As I'm fielding the inquiries, I've been getting a lot of questions about how to prep for the sessions, so here are a few tips to get you ready.
Carrier Choice
I've been getting a lot of questions about what type of carrier to use for minis. Is my tula ok? Is my ring sling ok? My definitive answer is yes. While your babywearing mini is somewhat about the carrier (how could it not be with some of the beautiful textiles we use to hold our children), what it is really about is the bond between you and your child. I want you to wear something that both of you are comfortable in, something that makes you smile whenever you put it on. Whether that is a baby bjorn or an expensive handwoven wrap, we will use it to take some beautiful pictures of you and your child.
That said, there are a couple considerations for how to hold your child. Back carries work well for portraits, but often don't show a lot of interaction between mom and baby. Front carries are good for interaction and snuggly photos (if you have a snuggly baby). Hip carries can be the best of both worlds if it's a position your baby likes. Ultimately you know your baby best and know what will work for you two. We will have time to switch carries once during your session, but any more than that will be tight.
Clothes
When it comes to clothing for your mini session, simple is generally better. We want you, your baby, and your carrier to stand out. So choose your carrier and plan around that. A good idea is a plain tee and jeans or a simple dress/skirt. Keep in mind how chest belts and other carrier features will interact with your clothing choices. For example, loose clothing will often look better with a chest belt whereas a waist belt may cause the same clothing to sit strangely.
Don't forget to pay attention to detail! Chipped nail polish, a hairband around your wrist, or bra straps sticking out can really detract from an otherwise beautiful photo.
Makeup
Makeup is an important consideration for photos. I've asked Abbie, a fellow VBE with Savannah Slingers as well as a licensed esthetician and makeup artist, to create a video with makeup tips for your session. You can check out more of her stuff here
Posing
This is one thing you don't have to worry about. I've got you covered. You'll probably hear me asking you to bring your forehead forward, chin down, lean forward, etc and it will feel super awkward. I know it does. But just trust me that it will make your portrait look that much better. Sometimes I won't pose you at all. My favorite photos are the ones that show interaction between you and your baby. I want it to look natural.
Are you as excited for these next couple rounds of mini sessions as I am? So far they have been an absolute blast and we've come up with some great pictures. As I mentioned before, we still have a few slots left, so sign up while they are available!
And don't forget to like my facebook page to see all the updates about future mini sessions, casting calls, and other great deals. You don't want to miss out.
Last weekend I did a photo shoot with a mother and son, Stacy and Riley. This was a special shoot for a couple of reasons. First off, it was one of my first formal sessions working with children. I'll admit, I was a little nervous, but I had absolutely no reason to be. Riley was a blast to work with! It took him about five minutes to get comfortable in front of the camera and from then on out he was full of ideas (many of which involved taking action shots of him skateboarding and jumping off of things-- my favorite!). In fact, quite a few of the poses in this set were set up by Riley. He's got a bright future ahead with all that creativity!
The other really cool thing about this shoot was that Stacy is a local to the area which means she was able to show me some new locations. We met up at Wormsloe, which I had seen in so many pictures of Savannah but had no idea where it was, and then finished up the shoot at Bethesda. Both of these locations were absolutely gorgeous and I definitely will be coming back for future photo sessions.
We ended up shooting for somewhere around 2 hours and had so much fun in the process. The pictures turned out great and I'm so excited to see them in print. I'll be looking forward to working with these two again, and watching Riley grow up.
After doing this shoot I've realized that I've only scratched the surface for the beautiful photo-locations that are around Savannah, so I think it's time to play the tourist for a bit and do some exploring. I'm open to suggestions, so if you are from around here and have any suggestions please leave a comment. I'd love the feedback!
