Halloween Studio Sessions | Mikaela Joy: Savannah Children's Photographer

I hope everyone had a great Halloween! Ours was a bit un-eventful (at least in the evening).  Riley and I had plans to attend a Halloween party, but he decided to forgoe parties or trick-or-treating, and instead just go to bed.  A kid after my own heart.

We had a lot of fun pre-halloween though.  We had several kids in costume in the studio for photo shoots.  Riley participated as well.

First we had baby peach. She was pretty much the easiest model in the world.  She just sat there and smiled.

And we seem to have a theme here, because Mario came next. He really got into the game. It was important to him that the poses matched a particular version of the Mario games.  I only ever played on a super nintendo, so I hope that I did okay in terms of accuracy.

Riley joined in on the fun as the Eleventh Doctor. (I've never seen the doctor chew on his sonic screwdriver before, that's a first)

Then we had a couple of superheroes, Super Daniel and the Hydro Warrior Princess.  These two were so amazing, that I made them their own comic book cover.

I had such a blast shooting these and it was amazing to be able to really transform these kids into the characters they were dressing up as.  I will definitely be doing more of these soon (discount halloween costumes, anyone?!)

Prepping for your Babywearing Mini | Mikaela Joy Savannah Lifestyle Photographer

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.

Kitt and Séamus | Mikaela Joy: Savannah Family Photographer

There's nothing more beautiful than the bond between a boy and his mother.

I'm sure this is pretty obvious, but I'm very passionate about babywearing.  The term sounds weird, but when you strip it down to what it really is- holding your baby close as much as possible, well that's something I can really get behind. 

It's been a total lifesaver for me since my little man was born.  My wraps have tamed tantrums, soothed teething pains, and allowed for me to do all the things I liked to do before baby.  Because of babywearing I have a photography assistant, lunch date, adventure buddy, and more! My little man is with me constantly, and I love it.

But this post isn't about me.  I met Kitt and Séamus through Savannah Slingers Babywearing group where I am a volunteer educator.  Kitt teaches a babywearing bellydancing class, a concept that she came up with after practicing her dancing while spending time with her little one.

The bond between these two is so beautiful. He is so comfortable and happy while wrapped up with mommy and she just exudes love for him.

This is exactly what I wanted to capture in this session.  The shoot fell just around Séamus' bedtime, so it was a bit difficult to get him to interact the way I had hoped, but when we got the shot, boy did we get it.

These two were so great to work with!  I can't wait for the chance to work with them again, and to watch little Séamus grow up!

365 Days of Riley | Savannah Lifestyle Photographer

One of the best things about being a mom and photographer is having a subject to work with all the time.  I'm constantly taking pictures of Riley.  If I find an idea I like, I test it out with Riley first. A location inspires me? Riley is my go-to guy!

I'm pretty sure that I've taken a photo of him every day since he was born.  He's constantly doing something cute or photo worthy.  But the thing is, most of them are on my cell phone.  There are some great photos I've taken that I would love to print big- if only they were taken on my real camera.  So I've decided to start another 365 project.  This time, I will be taking a photo of Riley every day for a year.

We've been going for just over a week now, and so far I'm having a lot of fun with it.  I'm already surprised in how much variety I've been able to capture in his daily routine.  It's really pushing me to find different angles and light.

So far, my only problem is picking just one photo each day!

If you'd like to follow along, you can find the gallery here

My Top 5 Values

I'm going to get a little personal today.

I've been watching a lot of creative live while I edit and I recently stumbled upon a course that caught my attention.  It's taught by a portrait photographer named Sue Bryce who shares her success stories and the path that got her there.  The class is called "Empower Yourself."

Now "Empower Yourself" is not something I would normally click on.  It sounds cheesy as heck! But it came on after another class I had been watching and I was hooked pretty quickly.

She talked about a lot of different ways to achieve a fulfilling life, but one thing that was memorable to me was this question- What are your top five values?  She wanted us all to consider what 5 things mean the most to us; what we spend our days doing and talking about? Her idea is that once we have a good handle on those things we can work through them to achieve our goals instead of working against them.  For instance, since family is a top priority for me, I can achieve my goal of getting in shape by working out with my son rather than trying to leave him to do so.  That way he helps motivate me instead of being a reason not to work out.

It makes sense, so I decided to give it a go and figure out what my top 5 are.

1. Family- My husband and son are my top priority.  Regardless of my future goals, that won't change.  I'm sure many of you parents can relate to that. Everything I do is for my son's happiness and the betterment of his life.  But in order to keep him happy and fulfilled I need to remember to achieve both for myself as well.

2. Creation- Whatever the form, I'm an artist and I have a need to create.  Whether it's making a beautiful photograph, writing a poem, or just coming up with a new recipe for dinner, I won't feel fulfilled unless I have some sort of creative outlet.

3. Connecting With People- I consider myself to be an introvert. I'm uncomfortable in large social situations and I genuinely enjoy my alone time. But leave me alone too long and I will go crazy. I am fascinated by people. I love listening to other people's stories and seeing where their passions lie. It's what inspires my art.

4. Relaxation- My ideal house would be full of quiet corners with comfy seating and books to read (don't forget the purring cat!). It is very important to me to have a couple hours of downtime each day to gather my thoughts and reset my mind.

5. Change- This may seem like a strange one for some people.  Change can be terrifying. But I am a restless soul and I thrive on it. That's why I make such a good army wife.  Every few years I get to do a total reset of my life. But this need for change can make it hard to accomplish long term goals. I get really fired up about something, only to lose interest and get excited about something else 6 months later. I'm pretty sure I've blogged about this before, but It's something I still struggle with.  How am I supposed to focus on just one thing for the rest of my life?  The answer is I can't.  I need to learn how to work with my need for change to constantly create new interesting work.  At least I know my creativity will never go stagnant.

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Although I've spent lots of time thinking about what's important in my life, it was an eye opener to survey my surroundings and day to day activities and actually write down how things stack up.  This is just the first step of figuring out how to achieve what one wants in life, but it's a pretty good place to start.  I'd encourage everyone to try it.

So let's hear it, what are your top five values in life?

Welcome!

Hello there,

it looks like you've found your way to my new website/blog.  If you are a previous Wordpress follower, thank you for bearing with me as we make this transition.  If you are new to the blog, I'm so happy to have you.  All the old posts are still here, so feel free to look around and see who I am and what I'm all about.

Most importantly, don't forget to sign up for my email list on the right.  By doing so you will receive updates for new blog posts, all the current special, and even coupons before anyone else. 

Thanks for stopping by! I'll be seeing you around!

Elliott | Mikaela Joy Savannah Newborn Photographer

I have another fun share today- more baby photos!  Recently I had one month old Elliott in my studio for some late newborn photos.

Generally, you are supposed to do newborn photos within the first two weeks of life, so I was a bit nervous about little Elliott coming in at over a month old.  It turns out, though, that I had absolutely no reason to be.  This little man was a dream to work with.  He fell asleep easily, posed well, and then woke up for a few bright eyed photos at the end.

With his red hair and blue eyes, this little guy is certainly going to be a charmer! I had such a great time working with him and am excited to watch him grow up.  What a sweetheart!

To see the rest of his photos you can visit my website here.

Sebastian | Mikaela Joy: Savannah Newborn Photographer

Since I finished setting up my studio, I've been dying to work with some newborns.  Those first few weeks of a baby's life are so special- everything is new, the bond between mom and child is strengthening, and baby is growing like crazy!  One of my favorite experiences shooting photos of my own son was when he was five days old (in fact I shared one of those photos in my last post). The newborn phase is so important to capture because it's gone so quickly.  It's a wonderful experience to be able to be a part of those fleeting moments.

Much to my excitement, Sebastian came to my studio as it's first newborn visitor.  He was exactly two weeks old and absolutely adorable.  Right on time, mom showed up at the door with a sleeping newborn and I thought, "Oh good, he's already sleeping.  This will be an easy shoot."

Boy was I wrong.  Little Sebastian somehow managed to stay away the entire time he was with us.  He took a few short catnaps in his mom's arms, but always woke up as soon as he was set down.

So we were forced to improvise.  Luckily, Sebastian was perfectly content as long as he was with mom.  We were able to get some lovely portraits of the duo.  He also was willing to pose a bit as long as he got to show off those beautiful eyes.

Want to see more? The full album can be found here

Why I Edit| Mikaela Joy: Savannah Lifestyle Photographer

In preparation for an upcoming newborn shoot (which I'm very excited about!) I decided to revisit the photos I took of my own little man when he was 5 days old. At this point I was a bit sleep deprived, inexperienced with babies, and lacking in a proper lighting setup.  I used a blanket, a couch, and some window light and came up with some decent shots, considering the circumstances.  Since then I've fixed everything but the sleep deprivation, and added some new photoshop skills to boot. Since the editing is such a drastic change, I thought I'd share my before and after:

The original photo was fine, but it looks like what it is- a baby sleeping on a blanket draped over a couch.  It's a fine snapshot and gives a good idea of what my little boy looked like at five days old.  But what a transformation a little editing can do! This is the difference between a professional photo and a snapshot.

I've been asked before why I edit every photo I reveal to the client.  Many photographers deliver unedited products in favor of saving time.  They often claim that they "get it right in the camera" and don't need to edit.  If that is true, then great.  But my goal with photography is about more than the snap of the photo.  For me photography is art.  I want to create something beautiful, something that you will want to hang on your wall, something that will be shared outside of a computer screen.

Yes, it is a lot of work.  Sometimes I will spend an hour or more on just one photo.  Certain types of photos require more, while others are quick. But the proof is in the pictures, and for me, it's worth it.

As a side note, look how little my boy was! Oh my gosh!

Studio Space! | Mikaela Joy: Savannah Lifestyle Photographer

Big news guys! Mikaela Joy Photography now has a home studio! It's a small space- best for headshots, babies, and children, but just enough to help me offer several new possibilities for our sessions. So far I've been playing with photos of my little man and a couple self portraits in the space. Later this week we have another baby coming in to help me really test things out, but until then I'll share some of my experiments.

What's most exciting for me is that I'm now set up to shoot newborns!  With that said, I'm looking for models.  If you or anyone you know has a newborn and is interested in a free session, please get in touch! Send me a message on facebook or through my website.  I can't wait to hear from you!