A year’s worth of memories through baby photography

Happy Mother’s Day weekend!  I know this day can mean many things to various people, but I look at it as a celebration of the special women who have impacted our lives; those who are here with us on earth and those who have gone before us.  No matter what age or stage of life they are in, if they have looked after or cared for someone in their life, I consider them a mom.  Moms have a profound impact on making us the people who we are today, which is why they hold such a special place in my heart with photography.  There is nothing more special than the love between a mother and her child.  With the celebration of Mother’s Day, I wanted to share with you one of my favorite types of photography sessions: documenting a baby’s first year of life and the special milestones that a mom gets to witness from her child.  

Priceless memories between a mother and her child

What I find so special about baby’s first year sessions is the invitation to document and witness the milestones that babies go through in those first twelve months of life.  The emotion and love captured on a new mom’s face as she looks at her little one who has just entered the world is priceless.  I love photographing the little details that make up her newborn’s face, hands and toes.  They don’t stay that little for very long :)

I’d like you to meet Maggie :)  She was born to a set of great parents last year and just celebrated her first birthday earlier this spring.  Throughout the last year, I have been able to document everything from her first few days of life, some of her first smiles, her sitting up and enjoying the sights and sounds of nature, and ultimately her eating a fabulous cupcake that she devoured for her first birthday :)  It has been a true joy to watch her grow into the little person she is becoming, and I’ve thoroughly enjoyed the friendship that has developed between me and her parents too.

The difference that just a couple of months can make is pretty incredible.

Maggie grew up so much between her second and third session – she had a great belly laugh that was very contagious and got us all smiling :)

The first year cake smash was so much fun.  Maggie thoroughly enjoyed the icing and eating the cupcake with no hands.  

Why is a first year baby session important?

One reason I love doing baby’s first year sessions is because they offer priceless memories to parents that tell a story of how their little one is growing and changing every day.  According to several experts across the nation, babies change the most during the first and second years of life, faster than they will change at any other point during their life.  See Kansas University Professor Dennis Karpowitz’s article on Physical Development in Infancy & Toddlerhood.   It’s pretty phenomenal how many changes happen in what sometimes feels like the blink of an eye.  Scheduling a series of sessions at those specific milestones is a great way to commemorate those moments in your baby’s life.

Getting great expressions from your little one

As a parent to a small child, I know it can often be difficult to get great images of your child while still being mom or dad in the moment.  Whether your little one moves at the last second or needs your attention right then and there, it can be tough to get those priceless memories when you need them.  This is where choosing a professional photographer who can help get great expressions out of your little one and document those hard-to-capture moments of your son or daughter can be great.  And you can have fun during the session too without any stress or worry of having to get those all-important images of your child.

Another benefit to having images professionally taken is that a family session can be worked into your child’s session.  This makes it possible to get memories of you interacting with your child/children, thus creating memories you can put on your wall.  This way, every time you walk by those images, you are reminded of the wonderful family you have and how much love and joy you share between one another.

Providing lifelong memories

Something I provide all of my clients is a memory book of favorite images that were taken over the course of the year.  It’s amazing to see the transformation of little ones over those twelve months.  The book is great in that you can take it with you to play dates to share with friends and share it with grandparents and family.  And you can even get a copy for grandparents to have.  I know my mom loves having a book of memories she can flip through of her grandson, especially since she doesn’t get to see him on a regular basis being so far away.

Interested in a first year baby photography session?

These series of sessions are a fun time for everyone and a way for you to have memories that can last a lifetime and share with loved ones all around.  Do you like the images you see above?  If you or someone you know is expecting, check out my gallery of maternity and baby images to get a better sense for my style and see if we might be the perfect fit for one another for me to capture those priceless memories of you and your family.