Meet baby Amelia! She brought her mom and dad in with her and together, we made some magic. How perfect is she??

In between naps, we managed to get some awesome little expressions!

<3

Many of the pictures seen on my website, Facebook, and Instagram portray sweet, sleepy little babies that look incredibly peaceful and at ease. Let's face it- if you have ever spent more than an hour with a newborn you know they don't always sleep! Babies cry, and get hungry, and pee and poo and much of that dictates how the session goes. They do NOT always sleep! In fact, sometimes session look a little more like this:

If your any bit as curious as I am, you'd be wondering what a newborn session is really like. I'm going to take some time to break down a Newborn Portrait session, start to finish!

Newborn sessions really start much before baby is even born, when mom or dad first contact me to photograph their baby. It's best to do this as soon as you know your interested in a session (it's literally never too early!) because I only take on a certain number of babies each month. The reason for that is to allow some flexibility if your little one makes their grand entrance a bit earlier or later than expected; newborn sessions are based off of moms due date, so sometimes we have to adjust a little bit for the best timing! 

 This is one of the most exciting times in your lives, and I am so honored that you are considering me to document it. I'll ask you all about your little babe- I want to know those little details! I absolutely love learning about each of my families to provide the most tailored experience. During that phone call I can answer most of your questions a bit more fully than an email allows, and set a time for your Pre Session Consultation. 

Your Pre Session Consultation is your time to come in to see the studio, scope out all of the baby goodies, and most importantly get to know each other. I want you to feel confident and safe when you bring your newborn baby into the studio, and I believe a part of that is making sure we get a chance to meet face to face first. I want you to be able to put a face to the name! During this appointment you'll receive a studio tour and a complete introduction of each available artwork display, to start giving you ideas on what may be important for you and your family. I HUGELY believe in the power of printed artwork, and for that reason want to ensure that you find a display that you connect with. 

Next is setting a date and time for your session. I do newborn sessions on weekdays at 11:00, and I do it for a few reasons:

• Since your newborn session will be held within the first few weeks of life, you have time off! In most cases, so will your significant other, if they plan to join us at the studio. 
• This timing allows you a bit of freedom to get ready in the morning without rushing. Newborn have almost zero regard for schedules (like sleeping- what's that?) so I understand that it can be challenging to get moving in the morning. 
• This time also allows you to complete your session in the morning, allowing you the rest of the day to do all of the other things you want to do.

After your consultation, you will receive a Welcome Baby Guide. This includes a complete preparation guide for your newborn session. This also includes an artwork guide so that you and your family can start looking at the places in your home that you want to display your portraits! The night before your session you can expect a confirmation email with a quick recap of those helpful preparation tips. Then- session time!

By now we have seen and spoken so many times that you're able to bounce right into the studio knowing what to expect. We undress your bub, maybe have one more little feeding, and then off we go. Sit back and relax while your little babe is snuggled into every cute thing you picked out at your consultation. These sessions usually last about 2-4 hours, so please help yourself to snack and drinks in the studio, or hop down and grab a bite to eat at La Festa or Thirsty Moose both located just steps away. It's kept pretty warm in the studio to make sure that your little one is at an appropriate body temperature while they are undressed (or dressed in little outfits), so you are welcome to go explore to keep yourself at a comfortable temperature. This really is your time off- your welcome to even just sit back on the couch and take a nap!

Each newborn session is a  bit different- everything is based on how your baby feels about it. Sometimes they need a snack break, a position change, or just a good old snuggle from mama. Babies cry! And babies fuss. And both of those things are absolutely normal and expected during your session. You'll hear me cooing, and humming, and using the Shusher (This miracle machine from amazon - https://www.amazon.com/Baby-Shusher-Soothing-Miracle-Babies/dp/B00D2JN87I) amongst other tools to help soothe your baby. Sessions usually last about 2-3 hours or so, depending on your baby!

After your session, it's time for the best part! We've now created incredible images of you and your newest little family member, and now it's time to see them! We set a date and time for your Grand Reveal and Ordering Appointment, which is when you will see your images for the very first time and choose your favorites. Projected onto a 10 foot wall, you'll watch a slideshow of your gorgeous images! It's like your own personal movie, except so much better. Here's what it looks like:

Don't worry, we have tissues :)

This is your very own customized artwork design appointment. At this point, it's likely that you have a pretty good idea of how you want to display your photos, be that in a newborn album or as a unique-to-you wall display. With many options to choose from it's easy for each family to find what they love! 

Every family is a little bit different, and designs a slightly different artwork collection. The most incredible part of this entire experience will be when you see your baby forever preserved in stunning printed artwork. Be that a handmade wooden signature display, or your very favorite images delicately arranged in an album, the option you choose will be a daily reminder that you've created a life that is truly incredible, and I am excited to preserve the very beginning of your baby's legacy. 

Ready to reserve your newborn session? Let's get in touch! 

When Heidi texted me about photographing her precious family once again, I think we scheduled, registered, and planned the whole shebang in under 10 minutes. You could say I was just a teeeeeny bit excited!

I first met Heidi in 2015 when she approached me for a family session of her two gorgeous kiddos, Grace and Aiden, her absolutely incredible husband Matt, and their very excited fur baby.

​Heidi and Matt have this breathtaking relationship that is full of give and take, a whole lot of strength and faith in each other. Over the years I've been priviledged to see this family though growth, deployments, and homecomings and they continue to blow me away each time I get to hang out with them. Suffice it to say, I LOVE this family. 

They've grown up just a little bit, huh?!? 

Well, maybe they aren't tooooo grown up yet. ;)

This is a relatively small hike, made super challenging by the 90 + degrees we hiked it in. One of the things I love about this spot is the views just don't disappoint, ever, no matter where you're standing. Example A:

At their ordering appointment we viewed each of their images and they decided on this drool worthy family portrait for their walls.  Though there are so many things I adore about this family, the fact that each member of the family was excited to see this hung on their walls has got to be one of my favorites. This will be framed and hung on their wall, and will be a constant reminder of what it feels like to be a family. My hope for Grace and Aiden is that each time they see this they remember scrambling up to the top, their silly poses, and how absolutely easy it was to snuggle up to mom and dad after a long hot hike. 

Until next time, my sweet friends. <3

I have been SO excited to share this session but I am going to be very upfront about how biased I am about this baby! Little Everly was born on October 22, 2017, and this little beauty made my sweet girlfriend and auntie. There is absolutely nothing like watching someone that they just became an auntie!

Mom and Dad arrived to the studio around 11:30, and got a chance to see each prop and outfit that I pulled out. Their nursery is adventure themed, with a heavy emphasis on travel and the wonderment of exploration. I knew we were going to be using some outdoor elements! Mom - Danielle- was pretty excited about this little set up!

From our fun holiday themes we turned towards more earthy elements, to stay with images that may compliment Cody and Danielle's current home decor. When they have images from their session up on the walls of their home, it will show that they were designed to be there!

We took a short break for Everly to have a snuggle with mom and eat. Once her belly was happy and full we were able to create some absolutely STUNNING portraits of her family!

I think one of the most exciting moments of the session was realizing that we were going to be able to create a three generations photograph, and also one with Mom, her daughters, and her granddaughter. Having recently gone through some old photographs ( some over 70 years old!) it made me tear up to think of how special it would be for them to have these images in their home for Everly to see when she grows up. 

Reserve your session today! To reach me, please contact me using the following link : http://www.hannahmcmahonphotography.com/book-your-session-today.html  
You will receive a call back within 24 hours to confirm your session!

I knew the second that Cortney and Matt registered for their maternity session that we were going to make some absolutely magical portraits, but it wasn't until the night before that I knew just how perfect they were going to be. Cortney had told me that she was interested in studio portraiture, and sent me her Pinterest board to show me what inspired her. That night, I went to bed thinking of all of the things we were going to do in the studio, but I couldn't help thinking that there was something missing. 

Just hours before her session I spoke with her and asked if they were feeling adventurous, and to my delight they said yes! That began our night exploring one of my favorite hidden gems in Barrington. 

Cortney, a designer for Timberland, arrived to her session in the most perfectly simple, sweet pale blue wrap dress. Her floral crown was the perfect addition to her outfit.  

Can't forget the fur baby- Nyia came along for the fun!

These sequence of photographs is so much fun to look at; this particular design is currently being printed in their Heirloom linen album, a fine art album that will have a gorgeous deep grey "tundra" over to match the depth of shadows in many of their images. 

Matt, an active member of the military, will be leaving shortly again to return to his duty post.  Despite the challenges that being apart during this pregnancy has brought, it was a joy to see how lighthearted and relaxed they were during this shoot. Their Heirloom Album should arrive within the next few days; something for them to share and enjoy even when the other is away.

I love it when we can incorporate a personal heirloom into your sessions. This lunchbox belonged to Matt's grandfather. Love!

Congratulations you two! 

New albums are here and I'm OBSESSED.  These beauties showed up at my door this morning and they are GORGEOUS! Check out these two Heirloom Albums; one perfect peach linen cover and one stunning distressed leather cover; both embossed with baby's name and date of birth for a more personal touch. I'm in looooooove!

Want your own? I can't say I blame you- check them out here! ​http://www.hannahmcmahonphotography.com/artwork.html 

Well- it strikes again. 

Just when you thought those poor little ovaries were in check- behaving themselves and resisting every perfect smush you pass by- well, here's this little perfect man, to make you crave that sweet perfect baby smell all over again. 

World, meet Brady. 

Brady, meet the world!

I must have asked his mom about 47 times if I could take him home. Believe it or not, her answer remained no....

( I know, I was shocked too!)

While most of the images created from your newborn session focus on the sweet and simple, I do love to incorporate nursery these and compost a few statement pieces for you home! Dad was an honorably mentioned athlete and mom wanted to do something to surprise him. I think we did it!

Mom and Dad are just waiting on their gorgeous heirloom album (Whats that? Check it out here: http://www.hannahmcmahonphotography.com/new-pageartwork.html ) to arrive, and once it does they will have a perfect baby album full of this little smugglers portraits. In addition, they will have a canvas of this sweet image for their nursery!

Are you or someone you know interested in learning more about a newborn or maternity session! Let's chat! Come on in for a complementary pre session consultation to begin designing a session that is just for you!

Have you been thinking of maternity portraits, but aren't really sure where to begin? Let's break down the top 5 things to look for in a Maternity Portrait photographer. 

1. Who?
If you have recently started looking into maternity photographers, you've likely done one of two things; google searched "Maternity photographers in blah blah area" or reached out to the Almighty FaceBook and asked for recommendations on where to find one. Without fail, you probably got about 238462879 responses on both. Overwhelming, and often times counter productive.

Solution: There are probably a few names that have popped up more than once, or have been recommended over and over. Yay! There's your start. From there:

• The first place you should start is at that photographers website, where you can check out their portfolio. (Usually it's listed under "Portfolio" and looks like something like this : http://www.hannahmcmahonphotography.com/portfolio.html ) 
• The most obvious thing you can do is to make sure you LIKE THOSE PICTURES! This should be indicative of that photographer style (do you like light and airy? Dark and moody? Matte finish, or crisp colors? Figure out what your personal style is, so that it matches what you have in mind for you own portraits. 

2. What? 
This could really be interchangeable with our first problem- What I mean by this is, WHAT is it that you want from your maternity session? 

Solution- Ask what they offer!

• Most- if not all- photographers will offer printed artwork. Are you looking for an album to preserve your portraits, or to have canvases printed? Make sure that WHAT you want from your maternity session is available. 
• Are you looking for digital files from your session? These are usually available in two different forms- either high or low resolution. 
  • High resolution- usually refers to files that can be printed, or are given with a printing license for the client to print at their leisure. Make sure you check with your photographer to see if they have printing restrictions. 
  • Low resolution- these are either small files that can be printed up to a certain size, or files that are sized for web or online sharing. Some places (like me!) offer a low resolution file with printed artwork so that you have the best quality artwork for your own home, while still being able to share your gorgeous portraits with friends and family online.

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Interested in Albums, Canvases, or Fine Art Prints? Go check them out!

3. When? 
This is a bit different from photographer to photographer, and is based on preference, but it's super important to know when, or in what time frame to do your maternity portraits. 

Solution- Ask the pro! At your pre session consultation you and I chat about when the appropriate timing is for your session, and I often recommend around 6.5 or 7.5 months, for a few different reasons. 

• That bump tho. Seriously! I want you to feel gorgeous as we take your portraits, and around this time period you have really started to connect with your baby bump. I bet you've found yourself nonchalantly holding your belly, or circling certain areas where you know your baby kicks. 
• This is also just before that last trimester kicks in, when you typically have a bit more energy for this type of session! Sessions usually last 1-2 hours, and if you are using an outdoor location, I don't want to exhaust you just going from location to location. 
• COMFORT. I cannot stress this enough- So many of my mamas praise this time period because it is BEFORE the back pain really kicks in, making this time frame a bit more enjoyable for your session!

4. Where? 
Depending on what is most important to you (style, availability, locations, etc) this can vary quite a bit. 

Solution- Figure out what is most important to you, then assess if making that commute multiple times is OK with you. 

• Are they what you consider commutable distance? Most photographers like to meet before your session, then at your session, and for an ordering appointment afterwards, so try to get an understanding of how many times you will have to drive to meet them!
• If you are considering an on location session, check out that place first, or be prepared to ask your photographer for pictures of that venue before you go. Also check to see if they have entrance fees!
• Are you more interested in a studio session? GO TO THEIR STUDIO! Make sure you feel comfortable, confident and safe in that area. 

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5. Why? 
Every once in a while I get a client that says something to the effect of " well I'm supposed to get maternity pictures done" or " So and so told me I should". That is a really great place to start, and I want to expand on that a little bit- 

Why are you getting maternity portraits taken? ​There are really two simple ways to answer that questions....

• YOU want portraits of your body, as you grow a teeny tiny human inside you. YOU want to remember how your body held, shaped, and protected your baby as they were the closest to your heart. YOU wanted to look back and remember those little spots you could touch and feel your baby move, or kick, or how they reacted to your partners voice, or touch. You want portraits that capture that absolutely incredibly thing that is pregnancy as you experience it. 
• Or you may not have thought about this as something for you, but for you baby. These are memories- and when printed they are physical heirlooms- that you can pass down to your babies. An album that you can pull out and show your children when they ask what mommies look like before babies are born, and for your partner to remember the electric joy (and terror and excitement) as you welcome your first child. A portrait to commend your body on the incredible feat of bringing a child into this world. 

Your "why" might be different from someone else's, and that more than ok- it's totally normal. In order to find a photographer who can BEST serve you, and really tailor an experience to your needs, take some time and think about your "why", and how that might influence the other aspects of you maternity portraits. ​

I actually knew Katie from high school, looooong ago- she first contacted me to photograph her first daughter, Karsyn, almost 2 years ago! Since then, I have had the pleasure of photographing not only baby Karsyn, but Katie while she was pregnant carrying their second daughter, and then little miss Kennedy once she was born.

Mike first built his house some number of years ago, as what Katie describes as a "bit of a bachelor pad". This changed pretty quickly as their family grew to accommodate their first baby girl,  and now their second! Their gorgeous country style home now proudly displays 6 heirloom canvases and one stunning fine art print from their recent sessions. 

My FAVORITE part about working with Mike is his eye for artwork- he comes in with fresh perspective, innovative idea, and many times sees arrangements that I may not have.  

Are you or someone you know interested in newborn sessions? Please do not hesitate to contact me! Newborn sessions do fill up pretty quickly as I only accept a certain number of babies each month. Please contact me if you are interested in registering for your session! http://www.hannahmcmahonphotography.com/book-your-session-today.html
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