One-Year Baby Milestone Sessions are Joyful and Fun!

There are so many milestones in your baby’s first life, and a professional photographer can help you capture some of them. One of my favored baby milestones to photograph is the one-year session! I do one-year sessions either outdoors or in my studio. If you have a baby that likes to move and doesn’t like to sit still, an outdoor session can be playful and fun. Studio sessions are great because with my studio lighting and white background, I can create light, bright, modern images of your baby. I like to make my sessions fun and relaxed.

If you were a fly on the wall of my studio, you would hear me playing peek-a-boo, making all kinds of random animal noises, pretending to cough and sneeze, playing music, literally anything to elicit even a tiny smile from your baby. I never promise smiles, by the way. One year olds are unpredictable! But, I do my absolute best to help your baby feel relaxed, at ease and happy. If I can produce a giggle or a full-blown smile, that’s a home run. These photos are from a recent one-year baby session, and as you can see, this little one had a blast during her studio session!

What is the Potato Sack Pose for Newborns?

Potato Sack Pose is a funny name for one of the classic newborn poses in newborn photography. Many clients love this pose because you can get beautiful images of baby’s face, and it looks magical, having baby propped up like a little egg. When you are hiring a newborn photographer, you want to find someone with experience working with newborns and training in newborn safety. In this pose for example, baby is wrapped with three wraps to provide appropriate support. Additional support is placed around baby’s body and under baby’s elbows, and I always use a spotter (usually a parent) to be just out of camera range watching baby’s head closely. In addition to supports in this newborn pose, care has to be taken to make sure baby is not wrapped too tightly, that baby’s airway is not constricted in any way, and that baby does not get too warm. These are among the things I look for when I am working with babies during their newborn session and doing this pose. I’m going into my 7th year photographing babies, and newborn safety has always been of the utmost importance to me, followed by creating gorgeous images. :)

Should You Be In Your Newborn Pictures? Yes!

Yes! You should be in your newborn photos with your baby! When I had my twins, I didn’t know about newborn photography and was surprised (and delighted) when a hospital newborn photographer arrived and asked if I wanted photos of the babies. I agreed, but when she asked if I wanted a few with me in it said, “that’s ok,” having no idea that finding opportunities where someone would be taking (good) photos of me with my kids (paying attention to how I look too!) would be few and far between in the years to come. I have an iPhone photo taken the day after birth where I’m snuggling the babies framed and I treasure it but no professional photos of me and my twins. 😭

By baby no. three I learned to be in the photos and was photographed snuggling my baby during “our” newborn session. I love those photos so much! So learn from me and be in the photos! Let a professional capture those first snuggles, the palpable love of the fresh newborn days, and hire someone who will focus on making you look great too using the right angles and lighting. You’re beautiful and you’re worth it. Your kids will love looking at those images from their earliest days with you.

Best Newborn Session Props

An experienced newborn photographer will know what props to use during your session to maximize and capture your baby’s fresh newborn cuteness. Props, in my opinion, are mostly there to support your baby in sweet poses, however they can also add to the aesthetic beauty of the overall image. If there are specific props that you want included, mention them to your newborn photographer so they can tailor the session for you.

My go to props are a shallow, wide bucket and a tiny baby bed. I’m partial to neutrals, so I love a white prop, or a natural or dark wood. You cannot go wrong with neutral colors, as they are timeless. I can get a wide variety of poses and angles using both of these props. They are also adorable additions to any session. Here are a few images using my favorite newborn posing props. The addition of different colors, layers and textures on top of the props completely changes the look of the images, and is a beautiful way to tailor the session to your client’s desires.

My newborn studio is stocked with a full inventory of layers, textures, colors, and props, and my clients are welcome to use anything they see during their session!

Posing Ideas for Your Maternity Session

Expecting and planning your maternity photoshoot? It’s important to choose a photographer that is experienced doing maternity photography. Check out the photographer’s online portfolio and instagram to see if you like their style. Maternity sessions can be light and airy, moody, ethereal, or fun and casual. Your photographer’s style should match how you want to capture yourself and this moment in time.

In terms of maternity posing ideas during the maternity shoot, keeping it natural, fun and relaxed are my recommendations. If you are relaxed and having fun, that will come out in your images. Good photographers will guide you through a number of poses to capture photographs that look natural and beautiful.

Maternity photo shoots are all about the belly! I usually remind clients to have their hands, and their parents hands, framing the belly and highlight the beautiful curve. You will look down at your belly, look at the camera, look away into the distance with a soft smile on your face. For partners, you will do a lot of snuggling. You can be in all of the images or just some. I do always like to get a bunch of gorgeous portraits just of the pregnant mama-to-be.

Have questions? Reach out!

Newborn Hospital Sessions are Adorable!

I had never heard of “newborn photography” until I gave birth to my twins in a hospital in New York. The day after delivery, a photographer employed by the hospital knocked on the door to our room and asked if I wanted some photos of my new babies. I was delighted and agreed. The photographer took very simple, natural photos of my newborns. She placed them together, lightly swaddled by the white hospital sheets, and photographed them leaning into each other. Somehow, just a day after birth, she captured marvelous hints of their personalities, like my daughter’s sweetness and my son’s playfulness.

Those simple, natural, beautiful images are still some of my most favorite photographs, and I have them framed decorating my home. Looking at those photos, I remember how little my babies were when they were born. I remember the pumping and nursing, the sleeplessness, the magic and awe of holding them in my arms. It’s hard to believe they were once so tiny!

Because I treasure those photographs from my own hospital newborn session, I particularly enjoy capturing the day after birth for clients. Newborn sessions at the hospital are called “Fresh 48” sessions, because they capture your baby in the first 48 hours after birth. I focus on capturing the feel of those early hours, the closeness, the love, the tiredness and the beauty of those early moments. I like to focus on snuggles and tiny details like toes, fingers, and eyes. I capture your family together, including any visiting grandparents or siblings. I of course capture lots of parent/baby images.

I love Fresh 48 sessions so much! They last about 45 minutes to an hour, and I usually provide my clients between 50-90 unique images edited for exposure, color and contrast. If you are thinking of doing a Fresh 48 session, and have questions, feel free to reach out! Here are a few images from my most recent hospital newborn session. This gives clients an idea of what to expect in terms of style during my newborn sessions. As you can see, I keep things simple, organic, natural and beautiful during hospital newborn sessions — just like my clients.

4 Ways to Calm a Crying Baby

One of the biggest questions new expecting parents have is, “What are the best ways to soothe my baby?” When a baby cries, they are sending a message: They need something and they need your help to get it. A baby might be hungry, and need food, they might be cold and need warmth, they might feel uncomfortable and need a diaper change, or be tired and need sleep. You will learn your baby’s cries, and you will become an expert at figuring out how to best meet your baby’s needs.

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Oftentimes, it’s a process of elimination, and the first step is soothing. So how do you soothe a crying baby? As a mother of 3 babies, and a newborn photographer who soothes babies in every session, I follow the “Ss”: Swaddling, Shhhing , Swinging, and Sucking. Pediatrician and author, Harvey Karl, M.D., wrote about the Ss in his book, “The Happiest Baby on the Block,” a great read for all first time parents.

1. Swaddling: Babies love to be swaddled. I always start every newborn photoshoot with swaddled poses. Why? Because babies feel cozy, warm and comfortable when they are swaddled. They feel safe and snuggly, swaddled like they were used to feeling in the womb. Occasionally, a parent will say, “My newborn doesn’t like to be swaddled,” but then they watch me swaddle their baby and the baby drift off to sleep, and they are always amazed. Trust me, it works. There are a plethora of swaddle options out there. Go to a baby store and check them out, or research online and try a few to see what you and your baby like best.

2. “Shhhing” Sounds: A constant, droning “shhhing” sound does wonders for calming a crying baby. The womb is full of sounds, a mother’s heartbeat, the rushing of blood, muffled sounds from outside of the uterus like a mother or father’s voice. This is a cool video emulating the sounds in utero that a baby might be hearing. White noise like “shushing” creates a blanket of sound for baby reminiscent of the womb environment and can help baby feel safe and calm. I love the baby shusher in my studio, and lots of parents often tell me it is lulling them to sleep too!

3. Swinging: Swinging, swaying, or gentle bouncing all work great to calm a baby. I swayed with my babies so much, I remember catching myself swaying at times I was not holding a baby! I know I’m not the only one. In my photography studio, I use an exercise ball, that helps lull fussy babies into relaxation. I also swaddle them and sway with them to soothe them. For my own babies, I had a baby swing that reliably swung them all into dreamland for their naps.

4. Sucking: Sucking is a huge baby soother! Babies like to suck, it’s a basic survival instinct and it’s comforting. At home, babies will suck when they nurse or on bottles when they feed, they will suck on pacifiers, their fingers or baby toys. Some baby “experts” tell new parents not to give a baby a pacifier because it will disrupt latching, or cause problems with baby’s oral development. That may be true. I had twins and I needed them to learn how to soothe themselves (without me at all hours of the night), so there was a time during that first year when each of my twins were surrounded by roughly 20 pacifiers each in their cribs. My hope was that if they woke up and threw out their arm in agitation, they would find a pacifier, insert it and soothe themselves back to sleep with the aid of that sucking. It worked! No judgment please. When I’m photographing newborns, I ask parents to bring a pacifier and tell them they are welcome to nurse or bottle feed, sometimes just to top baby off or give them some comfort during the session. If parents do not want to use a pacifier, they don’t need to, but it is a tool that can be helpful in a pinch. My studio is a breast friendly zone, and boobs are always welcome!

Believe it or not, soothing your baby will become second nature. I hope these tips help!

10 New Baby Essentials

It is exciting, magical, overwhelming, scary and incredible to be expecting a new baby! One of the big questions is what are the essential baby items a new parent needs. With tons of baby boutiques and new items coming on the market all the time, it can be confusing and exhausting to wade through all the available options. From one mama to another, here is my list of 10 new baby essentials:

1. BASSINET/CRIB: As you will soon find out, sleep is everything! A baby needs a safe, quiet, dark place to sleep. This can be a crib in nursery or a bassinet in your room. Keeping baby close can help with peace of mind, and make night feedings more convenient. I have friends who swear by the Snoo, but it wasn’t available when I had my babies so I can’t speak from personal experience.

2. SOUND MACHINE: Opinions differ on this, as they do on many things related to babies sand parenting, but I’m a fan of soft white noise. I used it for my babies and I use it in my newborn studio. I love the Dohm Sleep Machine, and used it long after my babies grew out of needing white noise. I also like the Baby Shusher, and all my clients know it’s a staple in my studio for newborn photoshoots. One of my favorites, was this sweet ocean themed sound machine by Baby Einstein that attached to baby’s crib.

3. SWADDLES: You will use swaddle blankets for everything, to swaddle baby for safe, cozy sleeping, as sun shades on strollers, as on-the-go blankets, as makeshift playmates, or burp clothes to wipe of spit up and spills. Swaddles also come in a variety of types, sizes, and materials depending on baby’s age, activity level, and environment.

4. ACTIVITY MAT: Before you know it, you will want to put baby down for some quality time on their back and maybe a little tummy time. Activity mats provide a clean surface for baby to lie on. I love the ones with arches with hanging objects above baby to interest and stimulate baby. Great for baby’s development, this will also hopefully give you a few minutes for you! Here’s a list of activity mat options for 2023.

5. BABY SWING: I remember looking around at my tiny Brooklyn apartment wondering where we were going to put the babies (I was expecting twins) and my husband said, “The couch?” I knew enough to know that wouldn’t work! I love a classic baby swing. Sweet, simple and works like a charm for some mommy hands free time, or even (gasp) for naps. I let my baby nap in her swing, even though all the books say not to because it will ruin a baby’s ability to sleep in her crib — may daughter was fine, but every baby is different. Here are some baby swing options.

6. BABY CARRIER: Some may not view this as essential but I loved carrying my babies, and found it super convenient. Babies love to be cuddly and close to you, and carrying baby allows you to be hands free. It’s a win-win for everyone. It can also be easier than lugging around a stroller. I loved my moby wrap and ergo carrier, but there are so many amazing options out there to choose from, so do your research and see which one appeals the most to you.

7. STROLLER: Even if you love carrying your baby, there are going to be tons of times you need a stroller as well. A stroller that incorporates a seat that can effortlessly pop out and go from the stroller to the car to the house — again, to preserve baby’s all important sleep — is super helpful. Some people also like jogging strollers as second stroller, and as baby ages, an umbrella stroller can be convenient on the go. There are so many great strollers on the market. Here’s Wirecutter’s list of best strollers.

8. BABY MONITOR: Every parent needs a baby monitor. You can set baby down for a nap, know when they wake up, hear them if they cry, and make sure they are safe and content. I like a baby monitor with a camera so that I can not only hear, but see, that my baby is safe. Baby monitors also come in handy as baby grows. I used mine well into toddlerhood and caught my twins when they first learned how to scale their cribs, confirming that it was time to switch to a toddler bed!

9. BABY AND PARENTING BOOKS: Books are important because, as every new parent knows, there is so much to learn. Parents and friends can be valuable resources, as can books written by experts. Reading or listening to different authors can help you learn what kind of parent you want to be, what your parenting style is, it can teach you tips for different situations, and help give you support and inspiration when you and your baby are struggling with something. Podcasts area also great, but as a quick reference guide or over-arching summary, nothing beats a great book. My favorite baby book, that I still swear by is “The Baby Whisperer Solves All Your Problems” by Tracy Hogg.

10. HELP: Unfortunately, this is not something you can purchase in a baby boutique, but all new parents need help. It’s important to talk to your partner and decide together what type of help might be available to you, and what you might need. Although Dads are doing a lot more in terms of sharing parenting responsibilities, in the early infant stages most of the heavy lifting continues to fall on mothers, so mothers need support, understanding and love. They also need help with baby for baby’s sake, and also to give them a little time to take care of themselves. A happy healthy mother (and father) is the best thing for a happy and healthy baby. Help could mean a night nurse to help with infant feedings during those first few crazy months after birth, it could mean help with cleaning the house, watching baby for a few hours each week, or more extensive support. I was lucky enough to have one rotating parent stay with me for 3 months after the birth of my twins (I had a color coded chart with all the visits lined up before birth!). I remember my dad and stepmom sleeping on a single twin air mattress in my apartment, my mother in law making delicious and nourishing indian food, and my mom and I eating chocolates together as I nursed the babies. I couldn’t have done it without them!

11. BONUS: BABY PHOTOS! In the midst of the chaos, sometimes you just feel like you need to focus on surviving, but remember to take photos! The easiest thing is to hire a professional newborn photographer like me, who can take professional photos of your baby and capture all the beauty and preciousness of the newborn time. I have tons of iPhone images of my babies as newborns, as well as professional photos. Although I love them all, I’m glad I set aside a few hours to get professional photos done. I treasure them to this day.

I hope this list helps you prepare! What did I miss?

Note: I do not get anything from any of the products referenced above, they are simply ones I like. I am not a doctor or expert and recommend you do your own research to find out what will work best for you!

Gorgeous Austin Newborn Session (Blush Pink and Lavender)

I loved working with this baby during her newborn session. Here parents booked a standard newborn session so that we could get the full gamut of classic newborn poses, everything from potato sack pose, chin on hands pose, and several wrapped poses in bowls, buckets and beds. Isn’t she just gorgeous! It’s rare to get photographs of a newborn with eyes open where baby looks content and calm, but she gave us those images as well! While I photographed and wrapped baby, her parents relaxed in the sitting area in my studio, enjoying watching the session. That’s one of the best things about a studio newborn session with Snow Pixie Photography — parents get to relax, often for the first time since having baby, while I take over for a couple of hours!

Outdoor Family Photography Session - Pease Park

There are so many beautiful outdoor spaces in Austin to have your family’s annual photography session. Austin is lucky enough to have the Greenbelt, an area of preserved natural environment with trees, foliage year round, lovely winding creeks, and rock formations. In addition to the Greenbelt, there are parks all over Austin. I photograph families all over Austin and in the surrounding areas. I will come to a family’s home, a park nearby, or to any of a number of locations all over Austin that I can recommend. Have questions about a potential photography location? Contact me! Let’s chat.

I photographed this beautiful family at Pease Park, a lovely park in Austin that was just redone. The entire play area was overhauled, native plants were put in, and a huge spherical play area was erected. If you haven’t visited Pease Park, you should! The park also has tons of trails, and large open grassy areas. We went there in the morning and took advantage of a warm, sunny day to capture and celebrate this little girl turning one. Happy Birthday cutie!

Here are a few of my favorite images from the session. Snow Pixie Photography books family sessions year round. It’s always nice to do them early to avoid the rush of holiday cards.

Blush Pink Girlie Newborn Session in Austin

I love when families come back! This beautiful family has been my client for many years. I have had the privilege of photographing their family, maternity, newborn and baby milestone sessions. I just love seeing newborns grow into little walking, talking, personality-filled humans. This newborn photography session with this sweet baby girl in my Austin studio came out beautifully. We did girlie, sweet details, with a tiny tutu, delicate tie-backs with pearls and blossoms, and used soft colors like pale pink and white. The parents were thrilled with the results and one of the images was published in Tinies Magazine! That was such a cool honor to be featured as a photographer, and a lot of fun for my clients. Newborn sessions are all about capturing the magical beauty of your new baby, and all the love surrounding it. They are hands down one of my most favorite sessions. If you are interested in learning more, contact Snow Pixie Photography!

A Little Fisherman's 8 Month Baby Milestone Session

It’s hard to say which type of sessions I love the best — newborns, babies and maternity sessions are special, unique and beautiful. This month, I’m loving the baby milestone sessions, particularly the 6 - 8 month baby sessions. Baby photography during the first year can capture your baby during all of his or her milestones, freezing time for a moment, when your baby is growing and changing at light speed. My style is modern, natural and timeless, keeping the focus on baby with understated props, soft colors, and natural textures.

At 6-8 months, your baby can do so many things! Babies can sit, have awesome tummy time abilities, are smiling and laughing, playing with their toes, and giving you all kinds of adorable expressions. There is so much to document. So much to remember. Every baby is different, and I always customize the photography session according to my client’s style preferences, and also to ensure it is safe for whatever stage your baby is at.

This handsome little boy gave me all the smiles! He has huge bright laughing eyes, and a contagious grin. He was an absolute joy to photograph. The session was triply sweet, as I had photographed his two sisters for their baby milestone sessions, and done a maternity session for his parents. That’s one of the gifts of being a photographer, you get to work with clients over years, building relationships and seeing their families grow. As a photographer you are in a privileged position, trusted to capture your client’s memories. I just love it.

Getting back to this little one, it turns out his grandfather and father love fishing, so naturally his very prepared mother brought along a miniature fishing pole to use during the session as a prop. Little man gave us all the feels when he picked up and held the fishing pole during the session, beaming a huge smile the entire time. What an amazing image to capture for his dad and grandfather, and for him when he is old enough to look back at the image. I have a feeling there are going to be a lot of fishing trips and wonderful family memories in store for this sweet little boy.

Fall Maternity Session In Austin with Snow Pixie Photography

What a gorgeous maternity session! It doesn’t hurt that my client is stunning. I loved how they styled the session with subdued colors like black and navy, that paired perfectly with the browns and faded greens of early Winter in Austin. Why do I love maternity sessions? It’s a chance to get to a know a couple before I do their newborn session, and it’s also one of the most fun love-filled sessions. Maternity sessions are about capturing the love between a couple, and the love and anticipation they have for their growing baby. They are sweet, unique sessions that I recommend every couple have to capture the memories from this very special and moment in life. It’s also so much fun, years later, to be able to point to pictures from your maternity session, when your toddler or second grader asks, and say “That’s YOU, right in there,” cuddled in mama’s tummy, surrounded by love.

Pink Outdoor Cake Smash!

I had to post about this perfectly styled cake smash session. This mama knocked it out of the park. The balloons, setting and stunning dress were all perfection. Anyone who knows me, knows I love a huge tulle dress, and this dress was amazing! Celebrating baby’s first year, and first time getting messy with a cake, is such a fun joyful moment to capture. It’s one of my favorite baby milestones to capture as a baby photographer. In particular I love outdoor baby cake smash sessions, because there is a lot of freedom in being outside, and Austin has such lovely green spaces to serve as beautiful backdrops for outdoor photography sessions. Here are a few of my favorite images from this cake smash session:

Maternity Photography: Why I Love Photographing Mamas-To-Be

Why do I love doing maternity sessions? I love capturing the beauty of pregnancy! I myself loved being pregnant. Yes, there was discomfort, don’t get me wrong. But, it was also one of the most special times of my life. I loved the cravings, I loved feeling the babies move around in my belly (I had twins!), and I loved all the little things I did to nurture myself and my growing babies while I was pregnant — including naps!

Pregnancy is one of the most special times in a woman’s and couple’s life. But, beyond just being special, pregnant women are beautiful! The female body, and its ability to nurture and birth life is truly extraordinary. Women are fierce! I love celebrating the beauty and the strength of women, and maternity sessions are a perfect way to do that.

Couples maternity sessions are also so much fun, because they are all about capturing LOVE! Along with engagement sessions, maternity sessions (pre-kids), are such sweet moments in a couple’s life to capture. Especially after nights of no sleep, when you are both covered in spit-up, it’s nice to have photos reminding you of how much you love each other. :)

Here are some images from one of my recent outdoor maternity sessions. Aren't these two the sweetest?

Saint Louise Mother & Me Tea 2019

It was an honor to photograph Saint Louise’s Mother & Me Tea earlier this year. The Tea benefits Saint Louise House in Austin, Texas, and organization that provides housing and essential services in Austin to women with children who are experiencing homelessness Their goal is for families to stay together and develop long-term stability and self-sufficiency. What a great cause, fabulous event, and gorgeous location!

October 2018 (One Year)

A lovely one year birthday photography session with a lovely family. I have so much fun photographing babies and catching them as they hit all the milestones of the first year: smiling, tummy time, sitting, crawling, walking, and of course turning ONE! This little boy is adorable, and we captured so many sweet moments between him and his parents during our outdoor photography session. I love the photograph of his daddy enveloping him in a hug after he had walked to him, and all the images of him and his beautiful mommy are simply precious. What a beautiful family!

September 2018 (Newborn)

I had the pleasure of photographing this sweet baby and his lovely parents for his newborn session!  His daddy is a Dallas Cowboys' fan so we had to use some Dallas Cowboy newborn props.  We also used his father's wedding turban in the shoot which was really neat.  I am in love with photographing babies against a grey background, and loved how those photos turned out, particularly the images of baby sleeping sweetly on his hands.  

July 2018 (Newborn)

This was a special newborn session, as this beautiful baby boy had both his mother and grandmother present, and we were able to capture some lovely images of both of them during his newborn session.  This little boy's name is a Norse God, and the first series of photographs seemed quite fitting, as it looks like he is floating on a cloud.  Perhaps a baby sky god?  I loved the sweetness, joy, laughter, and love captured in these images.

Austin Family Photographer / Snow Pixie Photography

Children At Play - Outdoor Session

 This brother and sister were so sweet with one another it made me smile throughout their photography session.  I had the honor of photographing them for Autism Awareness Month. The little brother lit up once we started finding rocks he could throw into the water.  His big sister stayed at his side helping him find rocks, encouraging him, smiling at him, and leaning in for hugs.  What a beautiful sibling bond, and what a lovely family.  

We held this outdoor photography session in the early morning, and the light was warm and gorgeous.  I love the water in the background and the crisp shadows. It was so much fun, and a work out!, capturing these  children at play, in their element, just being kids enjoying a lovely Texas morning.