Today we are pulling from the vault for this sweet maternity session.
Amy and Sebastiaan came all the way from Europe for these pictures. Ok, fine, that’s not true. They did come from all the way from Europe, but the photos in Louisiana were not orginally part of the plan. You see, Amy is my husband’s sister. Her and Sebastiaan came down for Thanksgiving and while they were here we grabbed some pictures.
They are having their first baby in Feburary and we all can’t wait to see how beautiful she is going to be. And I know they will be amazing parents. Our girls love them both so much. They are moving on in their travels in the US today so of course I’m posting this because we already miss them and they just left. Boo for long distances.
We planned to get these pictures done in the evening but after realizing it was going to rain from noon until…. well, all night, we realized we had to make do with the morning cloudy skies. Within minutes of us starting, the rain came. Thankfully, it was only a drizzle. But it did not help with the chilly temps. We sped through the photos so as to not freeze from being wet and cold.
But in the end, these pictures turned out so well. Thanks for trusting me to capture this sweet time for y’all. We love y’all so much!
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The beautiful Katie graced my lens I tell you, I can’t wait for you to see these.
Not only is Katie gorgeous but she is the sweetest little thing. She’s always wearing a smile.
We decided to do her session out on Lake Bistineau, because who doesn’t LOVE Lake Bistineau?! I know I love it. It is gorgeous at every seaon.
Katie is amazing with hair, and HAS amazing hair too! She has an instagram account where she shares hair tutorials so we knew we wanted to get some up close images of her hair. We came in with a plan and I would say we got some amazing images that I just love.
Typically I am a family and newborn photographer but I just love the change of scenery every now and then by doing a portrait session. They are so fun and I love the personality I get to capture one-on-one.
The peach orchard in Shreveport Louisiana is a gorgeous location for family photos!! This session was one of my favorites and a bucket list item checked off my list! Photographing a session in an orchard is so fun!!
Enjoy this gallery scroll form this gorgeous Shreveport peach orchard family session!!
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 reachout to book your in-home newborn session!! We love these sweet babies.
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!!
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Little baby Selah.. Oh I am so happy finally share these here!!
This session at their home in North Louisiana went so great! In home lifestyle newborn sessions are my absolute favorite! There is nothing at all like having sweet photographs in a location that you are so comfotable in.
Little Selah did so good for me, too!! After being swaddled, and a little bit of persuasion, she went right to sleep. She was a little on the older side because my girls weren’t feeling well when she was younger, but she still did so wonderful!
I always like to let mama feed baby and get them nice and sleepy while I photograph the details of the nursery. Even if there are not alot of details, I still find it very important to capture all the tiny details that make up all the story of your newborn’s life. This time goes by so, so fast! One day you’re staying up all hours of the night with a fussy baby and in the blink of an eye you’re starting them in school. It’s crasy how fast it goes!
Sadie had the sweetest little bassinet for Selah that I just adored. There were so many elements that made this sesion so good. The window seat, the colors in the room, all of it was just so good! She had special outfits made by family members. Smocked dresses, knitted bonnets and sweater, it was just so special! It’s easy to say that newborn sessions are my favorite.
I know things are getting repetitive here but what can I say?? It was just that good!! Are you ready for me to stop talking and show you the images? I know you are!!
These were made by her sweet cousin
Jeremy’s aunt made this dress!!
This one is so beautiful!!
Little sweetie
Thank you so much for being here!! If you enjoyed this please leave some love.
xoxo,
Courtney
As a family and newborn photographer in the Haughton, Louisiana area I know that figuring out what to do with your hair is high up on the list of stressful things for your upcoming session.
Treating yourself to a hairstylist doing your hair is a really awesome idea, but if that doesn’t work for you I’ve got some really lovey tutorials for you.
This is the first in the series for hair style tutorials that I’m going to share. If you have long hair, medium, or short, I’m going to cover it all! This is going to be so exciting!
We all know that weather in Louisiana can be really unpredictable, even in the Fall and Spring. Just wearing your hair down with beautiful curls may not be an option if it’s a hot and humid day. Especially if you have long hair.
Coming from someone who has long hair themself, I know that sometimes you just want it off your neck! So I’ve looked around and found the best, and easiest, hairstyles that are lovely and would photograph so well, but that also get your hair off your neck!!
All of these hairstyles can be found on Pinterest and even more on our Pinterest board- hair inspiration. We love gathering pins for inspiration for our amazing clients. Whether the need be hair, outfit, or location or color scheme, we have boards with lots of pins for you to explore!
I know that seeing things can really bring your ideas to life and help you to settle on what you want.
So here goes: hair inspiration for long hair!!
First in the lineup is this easy, classy low bun! Another gorgeous low bun style Last but not least, this incredible loopy pony
We hope these gave you some inspiration and we can’t wait to see your amazing hairstyles for your upcoming sessions with us!
*Disclaimer* these are not our images. Images are linked to where we found them on Pinterest.
We met for Esther’s senior session on the Square in Homer, Louisina. It was such a nice afternoon for a Summer in Louisiana. If you’re from around here, then I’m sure you can attest to how mild this Summer has been. It’s been so nice!! The weather for this senior session was no exception. Not too hot and a nice little breeze. The dream for your portrait session!
Esther graduated from Abeka Christian Academy and even took a trip to Pensecola, Florida to walk on stage with all the others graduating with her. How awesome is that!?! Pretty awesome if you ask me!!!
I scoped around the Square a little bit before Esther arrived and found this awesome wall that displays an art school. I knew this would be the perfect location for a few images because Esther is an artist! She’s so talented and such a sweetheart. I loved every second of our time together.
We breezed through our time at the Homer Louisiana Square and then headed out to a nice remote location that had the wildflowers she wanted. I say remote, but it was really on the side of the road. HA!! But, it was actually quite remote. I suppose. It was smack dab in the middle of nowheresville! I’m sure Esther was wondering what on earth we were doing out here, but the flowers were so pretty!! And it totally looks like a flower field! You’ll have to see for yourself below!
I’m so thankful for the wonderful opportunity to capture such special moments like these for Esther! One of the specific things she asked for was a throwing her cap in the air shot, and as you can see, we did just that! I think it is so important to make the shots that are requested a priority in getting!
Best of luck with all you do, Esther!!
See? Prefect for her, right?!
She got her cap throw!!
Can you even tell this was on the side of the road? I think not!!
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As a family and newborn photographer in the Minden, Louisiana area, I’ve seen my share of outfits. Some good, some not so good. My goal is to help you make the best choices to give you the best images! These tips are coming straight from my style guide- a client exclusive guide.
Outfit choices can make or break an image. Gone are the days of withe shirts and jeans for everyone. Instead let’s coordinate colors. I know it can be a little hard when trying to choose your outfits and really nail down a color, but that is why I created this guide. To help you and give you my best tips.
Styling Her
I always recommend styling yourself first. We as moms (this applies even if you aren’t a mom) are so hard on ourselves and we typically are the last one to check off the list. We are always making sure everyone else looks good and overlooking our own selves. Let’s put an end to that! Mom, find something that you absolutely love.. You want it to be comfortable and flattering, and then coordinate everyone with what you have for yourself.
Dressing to flatter
Shorts and jeans are not the most flattering in portraits. Instead, opt for dresses or skirts. These photograph so well and are flattering on every body. When selecting your dress or skirt, keep the length of the dress and sleeves in mind. You want something that stops above or below the joints rather than right on the joints. Aim for long sleeves, 3⁄4 sleeves, or cap sleeves. Find lengths that are floor length, mid calf or mid thigh. This gives your body that length that we all desire.
Add length to your legs with a heel
While there is nothing wrong with flats, a little heel really adds length to the legs. If you are afraid of falling because of not having the most amazing balance (I get you!) then there is always the option of wearing a comfortable shoe until time to take the portrait. We can do a real quick switcheroo and get those nicer heels on! Don’t be afraid to accessorize
Accessories photograph very well. Hats, scarves, jewelry, etc. really add an extra element to your session and can be really beautiful!
Dressing the guys
When it comes to the guys, the fit is the most important part of their outfits. Clothing that is oversized and baggy is not flattering for them. Men photograph much better in more of a fitted style. I don’t mean tight and uncomfortable, I simply mean, not loose and baggy.
Men also photograph better in pants and dress shoes rather than shorts and flip flops. Going more on the dressy side never hurt anyone, either, so do not be afraid to go for the suit coat! Also, be aware of the tones and shades of colors in belts and shoes. Try and get those pretty similar! We don’t want them to be clashing.
Accessories on men are a little more simple, but it still applies. Watches and ties can really take the portraits to the next level!
Another important note: before the session begins, be sure to empty pockets of phones, wallets, keys, etc. This step is really easily overlooked but can make a huge impact!
Styling Kids
For styling kids I recommend going with something comfortable for them. Nothing is worse than an uncomfortable kid, am I right?! We want comfort but not at the price of style, so I’m not talking play clothes comfort. But you know that. Avoid shirts with large logos and characters as well as tennis shoes shoes with the same. And let’s not even talk about light up shoes. HA! Aim for layers on the little boys, they look oh so cute in them! This can be a t-shirt with a vest or suit coat, a sweater over a button up, etc. In the summer months this may not apply too well, but in the cooler months layers are very nice!! The same applies for the little guys as it does the older guys, they photograph best in pants and dress shoes rather than shorts and flip flops. For the little ladies, dresses photograph so well on them! Layers can be very easily added here as well!
Colors and Patterns
I know that it can be a little hard to figure out what colors to go with and whether you should do patterns or not. here is something that may be of some help! Colors photograph well when they are more neutral and earthy toned. Colors can be done nicely as well as long as they are not extra bold, bright or neon. Aim for more of a muted tone. Bright and bold colors can create a reflection on your skin creating non-natural looking skin. Not only is this hard to edit, but it is simply not flattering.
When selecting the color pallet, look at the colors of the decor in your home. Think about where you would want to display these portraits and ensure that the colors you select would go well in that area of your home.
Neutral tones that are easy to pair include blush, tan, light pink, cream, grey, and whites. It is highly recommended to have one main color for your outfits and then have every other garment and accessory to remain neutral. Patterns can be really nice when they are larger. The smaller the pattern the harder it is for the camera to pick it up. Larger stripes or florals can be really nice. Try to avoid everyone being in something with patterns as this will be far too busy for the eye. Instead, have one person be the statement piece and pair solid, neutral colors with that statement pattern piece. This is far more pleasing to the eye!
I hope this has been helpful! If you enjoyed this post, please leave a comment below and check out our other blog posts!!
I have taken Andrew and Candace’s portraits before at a Christmas tree farm is Benton, LA but this time we really changed things up. We went down to McCormick Street in Shreveport and let me tell you, it was beautiful. This was my first time ever even seeing this street. Funny story is, my husband and I got to the other end of the street and it was not pretty at all. This is where the GPS took us. I texted Candace saying “this spot doesn’t look like right.” She had sent me a picture of what it looked like and the two did not match. We then kept driving and we both said “oh wow!” We had found it!
Andrew is a photographer himself so it always makes me a little nervous when I photograph them. But they do so well for me that my nerves fade really quick! They are totally pros at this. It also helps that they kind of like each other just a little bit. ha
We came to this location around 3:40 and the light was completely gone here by 4:20. So we certainly didn’t have a ton of time, but I will say we made it work and have some great images to share. And to make this session even more memorable, I totally was not watching where I was going (even though Candace warned me) and i stepped in a beautiful pile of dog mess. So that was fun. HA! I know you totally wanted to know that. Hey, gotta give you the full experience, right?!
Alright, alright. I know, I’ve made things awkward now and you just want me to stop. Ok, fine. That’s fine. Here are the beautiful, gorgeous portaits that will make you completely forget about what I have previously said. 😉
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North Louisiana Lifestyle Family and Newborn Photographer 