I remember the studio was bright and welcoming that Friday afternoon. I prepared the room while listening to my favourite soundtrack from the movie Like Crazy. It was so calm and peaceful, and those feelings continued after this little bundle arrived…

Marianne was comfortable, beautiful and having a great time, but the look on her face when Carter and her boys arrived to join her at her pregnancy session here in the studio was sheer happiness. She is so gentle and kind, and yes, this new baby is going to bring a little more chaos to their lives, but also whole lot more happiness.

 As a Niagara newborn photographer, I’ve compiled a quick list of links to help you guide you through the process of creating natural newborn portraits, how to choose the best photographer for you, how they’re created and some suggestions on what to do with your finished pieces.

How many images do you have of yourself and your family where you're all just sitting there, side by side, attempting smiles on your faces but your heart isn't really in it? One of the hardest parts of being a photographer is getting everyone in the right frame of mind, educating clients like you on what to expect when you get to the studio, and then helping you to forget the camera is there and just having a great time together as a family.

So, what happens after your portraits are taken? Let’s say you’re sitting on your chair, looking lovingly at the images of your brand new baby wrapped up cozy and beautiful on your computer screen from home. There are 25-30 images, and each one seems to be even more gorgeous than the next. You want to take these from a screen and put them on your walls, but you have too many questions...

We all have things that we cover our walls, bookshelves and coffee tables with. Maybe it is paintings that make us swoon or words that remind us of what we want for our future. Maybe it's magazines, novels or favourite movies. The most amazing thing that we get to fill our homes with are images captured when we’ve spent time with the ones we love the most.

Meet my youngest three little ones. To some, they may not be so small, but to me, no matter how old my kids are, they will always be my babies.I asked them some questions for this blog post, and here are their adorable, and somewhat questionable answers.

They say that the eyes are the window to the soul. When working with newborns, you don't always get a calm, awake baby. Even more so, you are not always able to capture awake images with eye contact. In those chance moments that you do, the results are always captivating. They are usually among the parents' favorite images in the gallery. They stop a viewer in his or her tracks, and elicit a reaction.

This little peanut is a true gift, as she's the daughter of a cousin of my husband's.  Stephanie brought her brand new, lovely daughter to our Grimsby, Ontario studio to create some natural, organic images of little Violet.  We took our time with her, allowing for baby-led posing and simple timeless portraits.

During pregnancy and leading up to the birth of your child, your life is filled with excitement, preparation, planning, anxiousness, and usually anything but calm. For first time parents, these emotions can be magnified even more because every step of the journey is unknown.

The story of love is one with many different main characters, settings and languages. But the central theme in every variation is love, sweet love. Each version is filled with laughter and smiles, kisses and snuggles. It is the story that warms your heart and touches your soul.

There is nothing that makes a newborn baby look smaller than being cradled in her daddy's arms. In daddy's arms, she is protected and safe. Darling Hannah recently came to the Reflections of Life studio for her newborn session. Her parents, Leslie and Jeff, are so ecstatic to have her in their arms…