A sneak peek at Miss Emma D..... {sonoma county newborn photographer, newborn photos}

As long as I've known Jenaye she has always been a Mom. Her daughter, Maggie! A sweet little dog who knows nothing but the pampered life! I was fortunate to get to photograph Jenaye and Kyle's wedding last year and sooooo happy when I heard the news that they were expecting a little angel! Just as I expected once I arrived I was greeted by the matriarch of the family, Maggie ;) and any time I picked up Emma Maggie was on me like a hawk! It was so cute! Miss Emma is going to be well protected!!
I took these photos early this morning but I thought I would share a few today to hold you over until I finish the rest =)

Please help Maggie and I welcome 7 day old Emma....







while some people are barrel tasting this weekend I'm baby barreling.....

There was this amazing field in front of Jenaye and Kyle's house and I was very excited that they were trusting enough to take Miss Emma out there with me to take these.....


The field just gave off this vintage type vibe so I played around with it and edited it a bit more on the vintage side. Not sure if I like the regular version or this one better but thought I'd share them both

and this was another one I was undecided on color? or black and white? I think I like the black and white best??

Precious Baby Trayce William - Terrible blog owner! {sonoma county newborn photographer}

I have been terrible with my blog lately!! In an attempt to keep my facebook page updated and full of images I have neglected my blog! Man can't it all just update all with one click??? can someone invent that please!! Thank you!
Here is a sweet baby boy who was born on February 2 of this year! If you follow me on Facebook you've seen these images several weeks ago but he is just THAT cute so enjoy a second look! and for those of you who don't follow me on Facebook... you should ;) but in case you don't here is a look at this adorable baby boy!!!

Baby Clark {sonoma county maternity photographer, maternity photos, maternity photos with other children}

Melinda's Mom Kathy is awesome! She is a scrapbooker. If you knew me "back in the day" you know that I was ALL ABOUT scrapbooking! It's really what got me into photography. I started taking photos so I had something to tell a story with in a scrapbook. Melinda's Mom is awesome at it! and I love it because I know that all of her Grand kids (that I photograph) will all get a really great amazing use out of all the photos I've taken through the years and the ones I will take in the future! Kathy e mailed me the other day with a request... Will you take photos of Melinda's belly with a bow, with some blocks and with the kids .... I think that list is a mixture of the e mail I got from Kathy and Melinda's ideas but whatever you get the point! Regardless, I was on a mission this evening! I had a checklist! and then I got the great idea to go pinterest hunting and find a few other cute ideas to add to the list! Pair my checklist of creative ideas with the most amazing weather we've ever seen in JANUARY!!!! and WOW you have an amazing shoot!!
In addition to these I also took some super cute photos of just the kids but I didn't have time to pull those out as well so more of those photos to come...

The Rogina Twins! {twin photography, sonoma county newborn photographer}

The ideal time to take newborn photos is within the first two weeks. They are still sleepy, curled up, and they typically aren't as squirmy and aren't trying to hold their heads up. They usually just let you position them however and then eventually fall asleep. Which is how we get all those super cute newborn photos.
There is a point between about 3 weeks old and 6 months or so when taking photos is just let's say, CHALLENGING! They aren't sitting up on their own yet, the move like crazy, you put them on their back and the second you step back they roll over, you sit them on their bellies and they either scream like crazy or they roll over to their backs and if they do fall asleep they wake up the second you touch them. So good photos at that age is pretty hard.
These adorable twins unfortunately were sick their first couple months of life so taking photos wasn't their first priority. But like all Mom's Erin still wanted some cute photos of her super adorable twins. So I gladly took the challenge of photographing these 10 week old twins!! and oh boy were they adorable!!!!!!

blog world meet Jordan, Jordan meet the blog world! {birth photography, sonoma county birth photographer, sonoma county lifestyle photographer}

I think I've found my new favorite type of photography, birth photography. It's such an amazing thing to have a baby. For all people involved. It's such an amazing thing to have a child enter your world, everything that leads up to the moment that child enters the world becomes a blur the second that baby arrives. I remember going in to have my second child just 22 months after having my first and so many things about being there and the things I went through I had completely forgotten in 22 short months!

I've photographed a handful of births so far and each one is uniquely amazing and an incredible honor to be apart of. The machines, the monitors, the ice chips, the friends and family anxiously waiting, the first breath, the first time that child's parents lay eyes on their baby.... it is all so amazing and so quickly forgotten with the craziness of the first few months of being a parent to a newborn.

Marjorie has had quite a journey the last few years. You can't tell when you are around her though. She is such a positive person with such a presence. There was something about her and Mike that I felt really connected to when I first met them last year. I was so honored when Marjorie said she wanted me to photograph their first born as he came into this world! I finally got the text on the 29th so I headed down to the hospital. After 27 hours of labor the baby was finally tired and there wasn't much progress so the Doctor came in to tell them it was her recommendation to have a C section to get the baby out safely. Marjorie and Mike did what my Husband and I did.... they played hookie on "C section Day" in their birthing class. Who needs to show up that day if you don't PLAN to have a C section??? So like the amazing parents they are they swallowed their nerves and headed down to the OR. First Mike had to get into scrubs, a hair net, and a mask before he was able to head down there. I remember watching him as he put it all on and just seeing all the mixture of emotions and thoughts across his face as he prepared himself... his last 15 minutes as a soon to be Dad.

Since they only allow the Father of the baby into the OR I set my camera on Auto, removed my big ol' speed light and diffuser, and handed it to Mike. Gave him and the nurse a quick tutorial and sent them on their way. Once they were out of surgery and they had brought the baby back to the nursery I was able to grab my camera and snap a few shots of the family gazing in the nursery window and several of them giving him his first bath and of Mike just in awe of his new baby! Such an incredible night!

I later came to Mike and Marjorie's home a few days later to take Jordan's newborn photos.... I will post those later but for now please enjoy a look at Jordan Peterson's first day of life!

Marjorie was craving a big glass of fruit punch but they don't let you eat or drink much they really only give you ice chips but she was goin on 24 hours and after she found a nice nurse willing to break the rules she brought her a Popsicle!! I've never seen anyone enjoy something more!

here is the shot of Mike as he was putting on his mask just before heading down to the Operating room.... this is one of my favorite shots!

wow!


When you have a C section they take the baby over to the warmer and get him cleaned up and the nurses have their way with the baby for a few minutes while the Dad gets to "cut the cord" and sit there and watch. Meanwhile Mom is lying on the table trying not to freak out because you can hear your baby cry and hear everyone gushing over him but you can't see him yet. It's a terrible tortuous 5 minutes! I love that the nurse was able to capture the first glimpse Marjorie got of Jordan...

I love this too, Marjorie as she is looking at her baby for the first time and then her Brothers and other family and friends all gathered around the nursery window as they later see him for the first time!



Marjorie and Mike are the best parents! I am so happy for them and so excited to be there to capture them through out this journey! I will post Jordan's newborn photos next week! But for now here's a tiny teaser...

I big pink puffy heart the Grimm Family! {newborn photos, sonoma county newborn photographer, newborn baby boy photos}

I always encourage parents that want newborn photos taken that we do the shoot in their home. Although there is a larger level of the unknown for me. I find that I have more opportunity to capture who the family is and add more personal touches than if I do them at my house. Not to mention, it is much more personal to have the pictures done with their own blankets and pillows. The list of possible things we need is long and too much for parents to have to bring along with their newborn!

To me, a great set of photos is a balance between strong technical skill, personal style from the photographer, style from the subject, and creativity. When you get a right balance of those things you get a picture that captures the spirit of the subject or in the case of newborn photography, captures the spirit of the family that loves them so much! If I'm in their home I can see the decor, the furniture, the little things like the cigar box or a sign that is hanging in the kitchen. The littlest of things can sometimes really add the perfect final touches to a newborn photo. Something that has meaning when the child grows up and asks about that box they were in, or that sign that was in the photo.

From the second I walked into the Grimm Family home, which happened to be the original school house in Sonoma, I was in awe! I could barely hold a conversation with them because I was sucked into the details that were in their home. Nick had re-done the interior walls but used the same color and same texture and style just with new paint. They collected old pieces from the property and from family and friends and used them as decor in the most creative ways! Their home was the most perfect balance of old eclectic and vintage with modern color and style. Their bedroom looked like it was right out of a Pottery Barn catalog! Nick took old wood boards and nailed them up as crown molding! It looked so amazing! He even hand made Henry's crib to look like an old waggon!!! There is not one single thing that I used in these photos that was a "prop" everything in these photos are things that either serve a purpose in the home or they are apart of their decor! I honestly have dreamed of owning a studio just exactly like that where each room has endless possibilities, where every room pared with different "things" lying around the house and then paired with my clients would keep me inspired from now until eternity!! Needless to say....... I big huge pink puffy heart the Grimm Family and their home! oh and Henry Ford Grimm is such a super cute adorable little baby boy!!!! can't forget about him!!!

Baby Baltierra {newborn photography, sonoma county newborn photographer}

I had the pleasure of photographing this adorable 2 week old baby, Madison. The Baltierra Family drove all the way from San Mateo to my home in Petaluma for the shoot! She was so adorable! It's always so fun to watch new Mommies and Daddies with their new precious baby! Here are just a few of my favorites!!