Most of my friend’s had babies around the same time I did….it was kinda odd now that I think about it. The little ones will most likely be in the same grade at school…have similar milestones and interests…go to one another’s birthday parties and be in the same Sunday school class. It’s kinda like God was ensuring that I would be friends with my girls for a lot longer. Like an insurance policy. except for friendships. Good job God. because I currently really like my friends.
Sorry about my ramble…here is one of my friend Brook’s little girl, Maggie…and a couple smatterings of big sister Lilley too. You may recall that I snapped some photos of Brook when she was in the hospital. And if you are really good, you may remember Lilley from waybackwhen.
Like my backdrop? Yeah…I got four yards of this cute colorful polka dot fabric for a couple bucks at Goodwill. It’s amazing what I walk outta there with.
Kent got in on the action…love the pink shirt.
Maggie fell asleep part of the time I was there…
so we stuck her in a basket. Everyone loves a baby in a basket.
You can’t really tell in these photos because they are all edited…but she had some major red splotches. She was only four days old and you could tell her skin was adjusting to the air. It’s funny because Brook said that it was only that day that she broke out like that. Figures. I betcha she did that just to make editing a little more of a challenge. Babies do that, you know…they sense what you are capable of and then push a little farther than that.
I love this one. I think it’s because you can see all that dark hair…it’s so girly to me…a head full of dark hair. Maybe because I had a head full of darkness…so whenever I see it, I kinda melt a little inside. Yes. I know that sounds conceited.
Brook’s mom walked in right before this shot was taken. I just shouted “C’mon Gaye…jump in” and she did. Brook hadn’t seen her since she delivered…so you can kinda tell that Brook is starting to tear up…
I love how even as adults we still need our moms every once in a while. Like when they are in the room, we can breathe a little easier. My mom says that love always flows down…from mother to child…but I’d like to argue that every once in a while, like in a moment of crisis, love flows up. I know that I still need my mom. probably more now than I am an adult. funny how that works.
Maggie woke up for a minute. Nursed. Took a couple photos. and then fell back asleep. She did let us see those newborn grayblue eyes though.
Since Maggie was a little in and out of sleep and hunger and pooping, I just focused on Lilley. She wasn’t happy.
I think I need to start practicing editing photos a little bit brighter and lighter…you know…because it doesn’t come natural for me. I like the dark. I like the moody and the brooding. I like shadows and detail and the grit of a dark edit job. But I can see the value in lighter. in the overexposed look. I think they look fresh…even if the subject is a little salty 🙂
Just something to practice. See the graininess? That’s from pushing my camera to it’s limits. It just isn’t capable of some things…like shooting in a dark room and with a high ISO and coming out non-grainy. That’s ok…we’ll just call it artistic, right?
She got a piece of bread and perked up. She is a girl after my own heart…loving carbs like that.
So have you guys been practicing your photography skills? Or maybe you are working on your editing? Or perhaps you just can’t get over the polka dot fabric…or are you about to call your mom just to tell her “I love you”?
p.s. I got another couple baby photo shoots coming up soon…so my apologies to your aching uterus 🙂
These are so beautiful! They made my heart melt. What sort of camera were you using to shoot with?
I give you “most addictive blog” award. 🙂 If I see that you’ve posted, I must click.
That is a beautiful baby! Those are beautiful photos! I especially love the first one with the polka dots! 🙂
I have a stinkin point and shoot and I can never get my photos to look great. I’ve been experiementing with photoshop a lot more lately, but I’d love a camera upgrade! Maybe I’ll ask Santa.
I think half the problem is that I get home from work and it’s dark outside, so that leaves me with Saturday and Sunday to take pictures!
What cute little girls. I love the one of the newborn on the dot blanket!
I tend to edit dark also. I go through phases sometimes…dark, light, high contrast, super vibrant, black and white. I stick with one and then can’t stand it and switch it, but I always go back to dark. I always darken and black and white photos with a lot of noise. If there is too much noise I think black and white fixes it.
Adorable! I wish I had a friend like you who could take such lovely family portraits!!
Hi Ali,
These were taken with my Rebel XSi and my 50mm lens.
xo – kb
Katie B, your baby pictures make my biological clock tick a little louder.
I have been working on my photography skills and was pretty pleased with this shot: http://realmountainvalues.com/2010/11/snow-glorious-snow/snow-2010-mountains/
But really I’ve got nothing on you! Even the grainy one just captures you with her eyes. How do you decide on the poses for the newborn? They’re great.
A new camera is in the near future I hope, editing skills in much need of sharpening, and I need to start searching for props ASAP. Baby No.2 is on her way so I’ve been taking notes and printing out your photo posts – keep them coming! 😉
Hi Brianna,
Honestly, with newborns, you can plan a ton of poses and have none of them work out. Sometimes you just work with what they give ya. I do a lot of photography blog reading and see tons of ‘standard’ poses…the curled up baby sleeping on their belly with legs tucked under em and hands under, the arms folded under face pose, the kissing parent photo, the baby in a basket or a plate or a swaddle….all are great for babies 🙂 But it is definitely just a roll-with-the-punches experience.
xo – kb
Aww why did you edit the blotches out!? Babies in their natural, ruddy, chapped complexion are so pure and beautiful on their own. We have some pictures of my son from about a week after birth with his little toes peeling from his adjustment to the outside world. So perfect and sweet 🙂 She is such a cute little girl and so is the big sister!!!!!! What a lucky family. <3
Sammy…this was not just a little cute peeling toe. This was straight-up-who-gave-that-newborn-chicken-pox-and-splattered-her-with-red-spraypaint….not the best look for birth announcements and such. I give all the originals to people after photoshoots…so Brook has the blotchy babe to look back on if she wants…but I am sure that she wouldn’t prefer to announce the birth of her second born with a photo full of red bumps…especially since she doesn’t look that way now. All in the preference, I’m guessing.
xo – kb
Those little girls are so beautiful and you take some really stunning pictures. I really look forward to reading your blog, you always make me smile!!!!!
Great pictures! I really love the pics with the polka dot background. Too cute!
Good pictures! I really need to head down to the store and get some back drop fabric. I dabble in photography as a profession, so I’m always working on my skilz. Anywho, I had the same ISO problem that you do (and had a rebel). I saved some money and bought a Canon EOS 50D. Oh man!! It was expensive, but I don’t worry much about light (unless it’s really dark) and I’m not kidding it will take 100 pictures in a row if you want it to…even on a manual setting.
But really, it’s all so subjective. I hear grainy and unedited is the new cool. I’ll never keep up.
Love the baby pictures. I’m a new aunt this year & just got back from a weekend visit with my amazing niece. I got a XSi a few months ago to try my hand at photography & I love it! This weekend blessed me with lots of pretty pictures for me to gush over 🙂 http://www.janeandeugene.blogspot.com/ Babies are so beautiful.
You’re right, my aching uterus! I love your pictures, though! I hope I can track down a photographer with your skills when the time finally comes for me to have pregnancy and newborn photos taken.
Adorable! Great pics.
Why do you do this to me? We decided we wanted two kids, and we do. Then I see these pictures of this ridiculously cute child – what now?!?! I’m crazy about babies…my husband is gonna freak when I tell him, “just one more….please!”.
Katie, you’ve mentioned you read natural light photography blogs and other ones. Can you recommend any for us Photoshop semi-novice and Photography semi-novice ones to check out? Thanks to your tutorials and hints I’ve started my own savings jar for an SLR camera! I’m looking into buying one used off Amazon – any experience with that?
Gorgeous! Have you thought or are you planning on starting a photography business? You seen to have natural talent!
Hi Lisa,
Yay! I love savings jars…it’s so exciting to see the little fund grow into something fun…like a DSLR. I don’t have any experience with buying one off amazon or buying a used camera. I have heard from other peeps that buying used has worked for them…and I wouldn’t be opposed to it. I guess I am just a scaredycat when it comes to not having a warranty 🙁 I guess I will have to do a post about my favorite photog blogs.
xo – kb
heehee! tell the hubs I am very sorry.
xo – kb
Katie – my new camera should be here anyday and I need all of the help I can get. Can you recommend a couple of photography blogs??? Thanks!
Oh! I am so glad I found your site when I did! Baby #2 will arrive in 2 weeks and I am so excited to shoot her and her big brother. He’s already quite the little model, should be good photos. I was able to download Photoshop elements for FREE from my school’s software program. Can’t wait to play. Do you like the tutorials included in the program or did you learn the basic editing skills from another source? Starting at the very very beginning here and need all the help I can get.
Katie,
I have enjoyed reading your blog and getting lots of good tips!
My question: Approximately what size was the basket you used in this shoot? We are expecting our second and third (all at once–YIKES!) and I want to get ready for the cute pics we missed out on with our first. I cannot for the life of me picture what size basket to look for–I guess I forgot how big the newbies are! Thanks!
1.yes please do a post on your fav photo blogs!
2. How did you make it look like a studio with no distracting background?
I agree that you definitely seem to have a natural talent for taking photographs. These are just beautiful!
Off (sorta) topic… what was the biggest factor in your & hubby’s deciding to have children? My husband and I are undecided on whether we have kids or not. I’ll be 29 soon and I guess I’m feeling like time is passing by way too quickly and for some reason feel pressure to decide soon. We LOVE LOVE kids & work with them all day (we both work in a school) and volunteer to coach little league soccer. I know that it’s an absolute personal decision to have children or not but I like to hear others thoughts on this. Would you mind sharing yours?
These photos are absolutely AMAZING. Babies are adorable but challenging subjects to photograph–you’re very talented! I would definitely love to hear more photo tips and what photo blogs you read.
oooh my ovaries. between the pictures of will sleeping and these adorable girls, i am not sure i can wait the 8 months until we are planning to pull the goalie and get down to business! sorry that’s kind of an overshare…ANYWAY, awesome pictures. i love the old time look on the last two of lilley. oh and i am totally camping out for black friday so i can get a fancy dslr!
Do it Ashley…you won’t regret it. My camera has literally changed my life forever.
xo – kb
Hmmm…the biggest factor? Well…basically we both wanted children one day before we ever got together but didn’t know when. Then my grandmother died. She was the oldest girl of 14 kids. And the people at her funeral were all siblings and children of siblings and her own kids, grandkids and greatgrandkids. It opened our eyes to the fact that we wanted to start that scary adventure called parenthood. We were ready to create that chaos. that love. that clan of people that can’t get rid of each other and will be there for each other even as 90 year olds. I can’t tell you that it’s easy or completely rewarding every single day or anything crazy like that….but I can say this…if you think you love kids now, you will be shocked how much you love a child that is your own. It’s unreal. Just remember that it is YOUR decision and that nobody is ever ready…so don’t think that you can be 🙂
xo – kb
Hi Sabrina,
Here is a tutorial on how I made the background look like a studio.
xo – kb
Hi Missie,
Okay…take your arms and make them so that you are hugging a tree. Let your hands overlap. I am about 5’7″, so if you are shorter, open the hole bigger one inch for each inch shorter you are. That’s how big. And remember…babies are bendy…so even if it is too big or small, you can sortof stretch or skrunch em.
xo – kb
Hi Kristina,
Well, I started with Elements and it was great to go through the tutorials…but I mostly learned online. I just would google “Photoshop elements ______(whatever I wanted to learn to do)”. It was amazing how many hours I logged on Youtube for that alone. Good luck – I am sure you will love it!
xo – kb
One of the most important things is to make sure baby is well fed and nice and warm. I used to have a wonderful job of being a newborn baby photographer at the busiest Mother and baby hospitals in San Diego.