About a year ago I wrote a post about what toys and props to bring to your newborn photo session and I featured images from a  shoot where the mom had brought some truly unique and beautiful things to be included in the photos.  (You can see that post as well as my list of suggestions by following this link)

Well, it has been a year since then, and the same family came back for their baby's first year photos with the same toys from their newborn session!

How fun is that?

So once again I'm featuring this adorable family along with some ideas for what to bring to your baby's first year photo session!

Party Hats

A party hat is always a fun prop to bring along to a one year photo shoot.  I can’t promise that your baby will wear it for long, but I can promise that the shots will do get will be adorable!

Letter Blocks

I'm obsessed with letter blocks.  I love the colors and fun patterns!  These gorgeous blocks by Uncle Goose come in a variety of colors, patters AND languages!!  I mean, how cool are these Japanese blocks that spell out this little guys name?!  LOVE!

Special Family Items and Calendars!

This guys mom has been documenting his first year using a Fujifilm Instax camera, so we thought it would be fun to get some photo of him holding the camera!  She also brought a calendar like the one we used in his newborn session to show off his Birth Day!

Favorite Toys

We also did a few shots with his favorite toys.  I did this with my own sons when they were this age, and it's so fun to look back at those photos and remember how important those toys were to them and to our family

Book you session!

Do you have a baby in your life who you need photos of!  Send me an email and I'll get you on the books!  After all, they're only little once! 

I'll never forget the day my children we born.  All I wanted to do was look at them. I couldn't get enough. 

Their little faces!

Their toes! 

Their tiny fingers. 

I would sit and just watch them sleep. 

I loved the way they stretched and squirmed. 

I loved their little yawns and baby sneezes.

They were so perfect!!  I couldn't get enough.

I think about that every time I work with a newborn.  I look at other people's babies just like I looked at my own; full of wonder and amazement. 

Why I Don't Use Props

That is why I choose not to use props or unnatural posing in my work.  I believe babies are perfect, just the way they are.  They don't need anything else.  Just a baby being a baby is enough for me.

I also know that newborns are precious and fragile little humans.  They are meant to be cared for and protected which is why I would never place them in any kind of an unnatural pose.

What You Can Expect From Me

If you are bringing your baby in for a newborn session with me, please know this.  I understand how precious this little person is to you.  Our babies are our world and I know that.  

I will keep your baby safe.

I will keep your baby warm and comfortable.

And I will create classic, timeless images that you can look back on years from now and see your child's personality shining through.

Remember, they're only little once.  Don't miss it.  Book your session today!

Do you know what I love about six month old babies? 

Just about everything! 

For real, this is one of my favorite ages to work with.  They are so engaged, so curious about their surroundings, and almost always ready to great me with a big ol' baby smile!

So today, I want to take a minute to talk about the awesomeness of this age as well as answer some of the most common questions I get about how to prepare and when to book.

How to Dress The Baby

When it comes to dressing your baby for their session I believe less is more.  A diaper (so we can see all that glorious baby skin!) or plain white onsie are my favorites.  Hats are also really cute!  If you have a favorite outfit, bring that as well.  There are no rules!  What ever you love seeing your baby in is the perfect outfit!

When To Book

I call the mid-way through the first year the "Six Month Photo Session" but please know your baby doesn't have to be exactly six months old.  I tell my clients to book when your baby can sit on his/her own but is not yet crawling.  For most babies this is between 5 and 8 months.  

What To Expect

Out of all my photo sessions, the six month session tend to be the quickest.  Babies this age are so fun and engaged.  They come in all smiles!  They clap along when I sing.  They laugh and giggle.  We have a blast!  But they also get tired pretty fast!  I keep this in mind when working with them and do my best to be efficient with our time!  My goal is to keep your baby (and you) happy and engaged for the entire shoot!

I started my career 17 years ago with a maternity photo of my dear friend Ginger.  We shot three rolls of film and ended up with one perfect photo that we both loved.  I used that one photo to launch my business.  It was the face of Sandra Coan Photography for years.  

Back then, it was common for a person to go into a photo studio with the expectation of getting one great photo.  Over the years, that expectation has changed.  Now it's more common for people to come in for a session and expect 50 great photos.  And while I totally get it (I love all the photos too) I would argue that there is power in just one great image.  

The Problem With Many Photos

Here is how I see it.  When you have many photos, they are often times forgotten.  They sit in your cloud storage.  Maybe a few, if they are lucky, will end up on Facebook or on your Holiday card.  But most of the time, all those photos are never seen.  They get lost.  And I think that is a shame.

The Power Of One Photo

When you have one photo however, the dynamic shifts.  It becomes special and the way you look at it changes.  You hang it on your wall.  You share it with your family.  It becomes an heirloom for future generations. 

When you have just one photo, the photo becomes a story in and of itself.  It tells us something about the person and who they are in that moment.  It becomes a portrait in the truest sense of the word.

What You Can Expect From Me

When you come in for a photoshoot with me, I will take lots of photos and give you many to choose from.  But my goal is that you will find one GREAT one.  One that will become your story, your heirloom.  One that you will hang on your wall.

My goal is to create a portrait.  It's what I love to do.  And I can't wait to do it for you.

Most of the time when I write a blog post I really try hard to give helpful advice or answer questions that my clients may have.  But sometimes, a post needs to be written just to share the overwhelming cuteness with the world.  This is one of those posts!

This little baby was just pure joy!  She smiled and giggled through the entire shoot!  So much fun.  And such a little doll!

Enjoy the cuteness!

Ask any newborn photographer what is the best age to photograph a baby and they will say "within the first ten days."  The reason we all say that is because in those early days babies are still really sleepy so it is less likely that they will be fussy, they still curl up like they did in the womb, and they're still really tiny, so getting those newborn shots of the little sleepy baby is easier!

But lets be honest.  Those first days home with your new baby are not always easy.  And sometimes, getting out of the house and making it to a photoshoot is just not possible.

So what do you do if you miss the "first ten days" window?  

I can't tell you how many emails I get from parents who feel they missed that newborn window and are not sure what to do.  Many feel like they just need to wait until the next milestone age.  But this is what I believe. 

There is never a wrong time to photograph your baby.  

Never.  

So you missed the first ten days.  It's okay.  Your baby at three weeks or four weeks or even two months is still really really cute!  And they will never be as little as they are right now ever again.  So don't miss it!

The benefits of photographing an older infant.

There are actually a lot of benefits to photographing an older infant!  

Older babies are curious.  They want to see whats happening around them, so they are more likely to make eye contact with the camera and hold it.  

Most babies start smiling around 6 to 8 weeks.  So waiting until your baby is a little older before scheduling a photoshoot will increase your chances of catching some of those first smiles.

The older your baby is the more you begin to see their growing personality.  And that is really fun!

The take away.

There is a lot of magic in those in-between months.  So don't let the fact that you missed the early newborn days keep you from scheduling a photo session for your baby.  Celebrate where they are now!  After all, they are only little once.

This little cutie came into the studio just before the Christmas holiday.  Her portrait session was to celebrate her fist birthday and her mom made her a beautiful flower crown in honor of the occasion.  None of us were sure if she'd keep it on, but to our surprise she loved it!  We were able to get many photos of her in the crown, and a few with out it as well.  A very fun one year portrait session!

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The moment this adorable family walked into my  Seattle studio, I knew it was going to be a great photo shoot. 

This little lady was so much fun to work with.  And her parents could not have been any nicer!  

It was all made better when, after sending out their gallery, I received this email:  "Sandra.  I am dying.  Going to cry.  I LOVE THEM ALL SO MUCH.  You don't understand.  I'm such a critical person and usually always lean towards hate vs. like for any and all photos and I love these.  You are magic."  

Documenting families, creating images that will stand the test of time, really is my life's work. 

Freezing moments.

Stopping time.

Showing love and connection. 

That is why I became a photographer

Plus... can this baby be any cuter?!!!  I really do love my job!

All images captured using Fuji 400h film with a Hasselblad H2. 
Processed and scanned my Richard Photo Lab.

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Halloween is such a great holiday for kids and adults: they get to dress up while we get to see our little ones in some of the cutest outfits possible! I mean really, who doesn't love a baby in a Halloween costume? 

That is why I've decided to have a little Halloween party here at the studio on  October 29th!  All morning, from 9:00 to 12:00 I'll be having five-minute mini sessions designed to highlight your kids in their best and cutest costumes!  The 29th is also the date for the Greenwood neighborhood Trick or Treating event!  So why not make a day of it?!  Stop in for a photo, then hits the streets for some Trick or Treating fun!!

 Click here to reserve your five-minute slot*. 

You can also check out our Pinterest page for costume inspiration!

*The session fee is only $50 and includes digital files.

Holy moly.... these photos definitely fall under the category of I can't even...!

I knew from the moment this cutie came into my little Seattle studio that this was going to be a great shoot.  She was all smiles from the first moment she walked through the door and we had so much fun together!

From now on whenever someone asks if 6 months old is a good time to come in for photos, I'm just going to email them these pictures! 

Such a fun age, and SUCH and gorgeous little girl!