North Louisiana Lifestyle Family and Newborn Photographer

Category: family portraits

Abigail Elise | In-Home Newborn Photographer In Louisiana

ok, y’all. This in-home newborn session in Haughton Louisiana was something worht taalking about. You see, this sweet baby girl is a miracle. I know, all babies are miracles. And I completely agree. However, this one is more than your average mircle.

Andrew and Candace were married the October before we were married. They’ve been married for over eight years and have struggled with infertility. They have prayed and believed for a baby.

There was a young girl in our church that was diagnosed with Alopecia. This is an auto-immune disease that takes all your hair. She was bald but faith struck her heart. She went through a prayer line with bobby pins in her hands and said ” want to wear these.’ After much prayer and faith, her hair began to grow back and today she has a beautoful head of curly black hair and IS wearing those bobby pins.

Why am I telling you this? Because this testimony struck Candace’s heart and she, in faith, began buying baby items. Because she was going to use them one day. After years of standing in faith for a baby, here they are, with their gorgeous baby girl.

This was such a special session to be able to capture. I always love newborn sessions, but when it’s a baby that you have prayed and believed for, it makes it so much more special.

I arrived at their home in Haughton, Louisiana to photograph them in the comfort of their home. Little Abigial was a little older because of sickness that hit my family, but she still was wonderful! She didn’t want to sleep, but we were able to get some of the best awake images of a sweet baby that I have ever gotten. I can’t complain.

I am so excited to share these with you and I hope you enjoy them as much as I do.

If you are expecting a sweet baby, please reach out to book your in-home newborn session!! We love these sweet babies.

May 23, 2022
The Bornaman Wedding | RiverPark Church | Shreveport, Louisiana Wedding Photographer

The Bornaman wedding was one of the sweetest wedding days that I have ever been able to capture. I had the pleasure of second shooting this Shreveport Louisiana wedding with the amazing Misty Swilley Photography. She has been so kind to let me tag along and be an assistant for her. She is truly a gem of a photographer. I am so thankful for the opportunites she has given me.

This day was a hot one, but it didn’t stop the celebration! The Riverpark church in Shreveport Louisiana made a wonderful venue for this special day. Everyone worked so hard to help this day be perfect for this sweet couple. I know this was a day for them they will never forget. Family and friends gathered together to witness as they made their vows and promised to love each other until death should they part.

The colors were gorgeus, the setting was perfect. It was just a pleasure to be here.

I wish you two all the happiness in the world

Xox,

Courtney

Too book your wedding with us, head here.

May 19, 2022
Naomi and Shawn | Minden Louisiana Wedding

The wedding of Naomi and Shawn was such a wonderful day of absolute joy! Naomi was just glowing al day.

The ceremony took place at Naomi’s church in Minden Louisiana on a day that rain clouds threatened.

The days leading up to their wedding were especially rainy and the venue they had booked was a swampy mess because of it. After much consideration they decided to move ther wedding location. Thankfuly there was never any rain on their big day, but the clouds did loom all day. But that didn’t stop us!

This wedding day is a little unique in that Naomi’s mother MADE her dress and veil as well as the bridesmaids dresses and the flower girl’s dres. WHAT?!? They were so stunning! I couldn’t believe my ears when I heard it. What a seemstress!!! You couldn’t find a flaw.

The cakes were divine and so lovely. Everything flowed together like a dream. I know they couldn’t has asked for a better day.

I was so thankful to have been able to capture this lovely wedding for such a sweet couple. Many happy years lay ahead!

May 18, 2022
Five ways to help your small business owner friends | Louisiana Photographer

Have you ever wondered how you can help your friends that have small businesses? As a photographer in Louisiana, I have some really great ways to support your friends! So keep reading.

As small business owners, we know that our friends and family aren’t always going to be able to support our business in monetary ways all the time. There’s a time and a place for that. But there are still some really awesome ways that you can help your friends that are running small businesses and it was have a huge impact!

1. Like and follow their business accounts. If you’re already doing that, awesome!!

2. When you see their posts, like it!! Facebook and Instagram only show things that get feedback. So your likes count!

3. Leave a comment. The comment can be as simple as an emoji or “love!!” Engagement is huge for us small business owners being seen!

4. SHARE!! If you’re seeing their posts, share them! This gives your friend that much more exposure and it costs NOTHING.

5. Tell others. Help spread the word of just how awesome your friend’s business is but telling your coworker, neighbors, church friends, high school friends, childhood friends, mom friends. You get the idea. Talk about your small business owner friends and I promise you will make their day!

As a small business owner myself, I just want to say thank you for all the support! It means the world to us. More than you’ll ever know!!

May 16, 2022
Three things to know before planning your in-home newborn session | North Louisiana Newborn Photographer

As a family and lifestyle newborn photographer in North Louisiana, I’ve learned a few things that I’d like to share with you as you being planning your in-home newborn session.

This is such an incredible exciting time for you and your spouse. Bringing a little life into the world. It is one of the best and most incredible experiences. You want to document this precious time because, truly, it goes so fast.

I want to share a few things to help you prepare:

1. Don’t stress about what your home looks like. If you don’t have a chance to clean up before I come, don’t worry! I know just how hard it can be to clean and care for this new life. If anything is in the way, I will move it. I’ve never come into a home that I couldn’t work with.

2. It’s ok if your baby is awake during the session. We can’t predict exactly how baby will be for his/her session. Some babies sleep the whole time, some are fully awake, some cry. I do my best to help them be comfortable and I practice a lot of patience while they get sleepy but sometimes they just don’t want to sleep. And that’s ok. I let baby lead the way. I never try to force anything on them.

3. If your home doesn’t have incredible natural light, that’s ok! I always bring a flash with me and I’m always able to make the lighting situation work.

I hope this is helpful as you being planning your in-home newborn session. I am so thrilled for your little family! I pray all the blessings God can bring for you as you begin this incredible journey of motherhood.

If you’re ready to book your in-home newborn session, reach out us here! We can’t wait to chat with you!!

To view more of our newborn work, hop on over here.

May 9, 2022
Pruitt Family | North Louisiana Family Photographer

Meet the Pruitt family

We have been planning this session for over a year now. I’m so glad it finally worked out!

We met on our land in North Louisiana – in between Minden and Homer- to get images in the beautiful wisteria that was in full bloom. I wish you could smell these images so you could know just how amazingly fragrant this stuff is! Oh man, does it smell good! We open our front door and just breath in the wonderful smell every day. The wisteria in bloom is my favorite, favorite time of year!

It was a blistery, windy day all that day on the date of their session. I was really hoping and praying the wind would settle down. Thankfully, it did settle down and we were able to get great images without having to worry about the wind blowing hair all over the place.

We had such a fun time with all the kiddos. The two youngets wer loving having the spotlight on them when it was their turn for pictures of just them. They are so cute.

I always love to incporporate games into our family session to loosen up the feel and get genuine smiles. It works almost every time.

Thank you again, Pruitt family. I greatly enjoyed our time together!

April 25, 2022
Wisteria Sessions | North Louisiana Photographer

If you live anywhere around North Louisiana, you know this time of year is special. Wisteria has just bloomed, fields of red clover are popping up everywhere, azalea bushes are bursting. It’s such a lovely time of year.

We live in between Minden, Louisiana and Homer, Louisiana on 10 acres of land. At the bottom of our field we have a huge, huge wisteria patch that blooms each year with stunning color. You can open the front door and smell them. It’s amazing!

Ever since Elaine was 18 months old I have made it a point to take her (and now Emma, too) down to the wisteria for photos. It is always my favorite thing to do. We love looking back and comparing each year. My, how much they change in a year. You don’t even realize it until you look back at pictures. Then your eyes gets all watery as you wonder where on earth your baby went. Oh time, you’re a thief!

This is why I do what I do. This is why family and newborn photography is such a huge importance. Because time is a thief. You want to remember every little detail about your kids, but it’s easy to forget.

I love capturing details so that we can always, always remember them.

Thank you so very much for being here!! I hope you enjoyed this. Feel free to look around at our other blog posts or even check out our website.

Much love,
Courtney

April 25, 2022
Brickstreet Coffee | Minden Louisiana Brand Photographer

Brickstreet Coffee is a new coffee shop coming to Downtown Minden Louisiana. To say we are excited about this is an understatement!!

Debbie and Derek moved here last year from Washington. They brought their current coffee business with them, Barnyard Coffee. Go check them out! They are some of the sweetest and most genuine people you will ever meet and we are so thrilled for this new venture they are taking on.

If you are a business owner then you know the excitment and the fear that they are facing doing something this big! It’s totally normal to do things scared. If it makes you uncomfortable, it’s almost always what you need to be doing. Growth doesn’t happen inside your comfort zones. We know that God is with them and guiding their descisions and that they will be blessed in this new phase of their life.

A few momnths ago, Debbie reached out to me to photograph them in their new building for a magazine feature. WHAAAT?! I was so excited, and nervous. HA! I had never done this before.

We met at their coffee shop in Minden, LA and began photographing details of the shop and getting some shots of them as well. We had a great time together!

We waited a few weeks for the magazine to go live before sharing these images so as to not spoil any surprise. We can officially share everything because the magazine is live! WOOHOO!!

If you’re ever in Minden, LA be sure to get in touch with Debbie and Derek over at brickstreetcoffee and barnyardcoffee on instagram. In fact, just go follow them now!!

If you would like to check out this magazine you can do so here.

April 12, 2022
A testament of love | Minden Louisiana Photographer

This session was one of the most special sessions I have had the opportunity to photograph. This sweet couple has been through many toils and trials but God has been with them thtough it all. They are now walking through another dark trial as Ruth has been diagnosed wtih cancer. She bagan chemo tratments this past week. Just before her chemo began she reached out to me asking if I could photograph her and her husband before she gets so sick. Of course it was an absolute yes! Yes, of course I will.

I met them at their home and photographed them doing the things they would do together on a normal day. Reading their bible together at the table, waking through the garden, etc. It was one of the most special experiences. After our session, we sat talked for hours of how God has brought them through so many storms in life. It was wonderful to see their stand as they are now walking through another storm. They stand firm that God is more than able to carry them through. We are standing with them in faith that God wil bring a mighty healing to her body.

We have seen God in battle many times in our walk with Him. A few years ago, a sister in our church was diagnosed with stage 4 hodgkins lymphoma. She began chemo and only 2 months later was pronounced cancer free! It wasn’t the chemo that did it. It hadn’t had the time to work like that. It was our mighty God! This is a day I will never forget. The faith that stirred within my heart after hearing of this mighty move of God. Nothing, and I mean nothing, is impossible for God.

If you would like to see this testimony video, you can do so here.

Enjoy these images of this sweet couple…

Thank you so much for being here!! If you enjoyed this post, please leave some love.

Much love,

Courtney

April 4, 2022
Seth Nehemiah Mitchell | South Arkansas Lifestyle Newborn Photographer

Some of my most favorite sessions to do are these sweet lifestyle newborn sessions. Photographing these sweet babies and their parents in their home is something that never, ever gets old.
I photographed little Seth a few weeks ago in his home in South Arkansas. It’s a little bit of a drive for me, living near Minden, Louisiana, but it’s always worth the drive. Something I have learned is that families are most comfortable in thier home. It’s their safe place.

When I arrived for this newborn session, I got to meet little Seth for the first time. What a cutie! I went in to different rooms to find the room with the best natural light. I can typically work with just about any light that is available but I do always prefer natural light. Big windows letting in glorious light is my favorite thing to find in an in-home session.

I prepared the room and began taking images of the sweet little nursery. This is something I have always loved doing. Things will change so much over time and these babies grow. It’s always good to have photos to help you remember what it looked like then. I know myself enough to know I would forget all the tiny details as time goes on.

Seth was wide awake for most of his session, but he was happily awake. He was just looking around, admiring what he was seeing. And, no, I don’t mean me. HA!! He didn’t make much eye contact with me. But that’s ok! We can still get great images of awake babies. I have actually found that a lot of mom and grandparents really like the awake images best. I don’t blame them. You get to see their sweet, little eyes.

We had a few feeding breaks and then photographed little Seth with his mom and dad. The outfit he is wearing was made by his grandma for his daddy. How special is that to have that treasure passed down! I just love it!!

Thank you so much for being here!! If you enjoyed this post, please leave some love and check out our other posts.

Much love,

Courtney

April 1, 2022