When planning what to wear for your maternity portrait session, there are a few things to keep in mind: Show off your bump: Maternity portrait sessions are all about celebrating your pregnancy and the new addition to your family. So, choose clothing that will show off your baby bump. A fitted dress or a top that accentuates your bump can be a great option. Comfort: Comfort is key during pregnancy, so make sure to choose clothing that you feel comfortable and confident wearing. Avoid anything too tight or restrictive. *Quick tip!* Wear a maternity body suit under your clothing to help shape your body and look more flattering. Colors: Choose colors that complement your skin tone and hair color. Neutral and soft colors such as white, cream, or pastels can be a great choice, but you can also play with different shades of your favorite color. Textures: Textures can add depth and interest to the photos. Consider incorporating different textures in your clothing, such as a lace dress or a flowy fabric. Accessories: Accessories such as jewelry, scarves, or hats can add a personal touch to the photos and help complete your look. Layers: Layers can add dimension and interest to the photos. Consider incorporating layers in your clothing, such as a cardigan or a scarf Here's a sample of the clothing I have in my client closet for you to choose from when you book a maternity session with me. I do maternity sessions at outdoor locations around Utah County or in my home studio in Springville, Utah. If you'd like a more in depth guide on choosing what to wear for your maternity session check out my blog series: "Maternity Style Guide: What to Wear for Your Maternity Photos". For some quick tips on what to wear, keep reading!
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In today's digital age, it's easy to forget the importance of printing and displaying your family photos. With the rise of social media and smartphones, we often keep our photos in digital form and rarely print them out. However, I believe that printing and displaying your family photos is essential, and here's why: Tangible memories: There's something special about holding a physical photo in your hands. It's a tangible reminder of a moment in time, something you can touch and feel, and share with your loved ones. Unlike digital photos, printed photos can last a lifetime, and they won't be lost in a sea of files on your computer. Creating a legacy: Printing and displaying your family photos can create a legacy that will be passed down from generation to generation. When your children and grandchildren see these photos, they will learn about their family history and feel connected to their ancestors. Your family photos are a visual representation of your family's story, and they are a way to preserve your family's memories for years to come. Personalized home décor: Displaying your family photos in your home is a great way to add a personal touch to your décor. By printing and framing your photos, you can create beautiful and meaningful wall art that reflects your family's unique style and personality. It's a way to make your house feel like a home, and it's a constant reminder of the love and connection you share with your family. At Jessica Esplin Photography, we believe that printing and displaying your family photos is just as important as capturing them. That's why we offer a variety of high-quality printing and framing options, ensuring that your family photos look beautiful and last a lifetime. Contact us to learn more about our printing and framing services or to schedule a session. Check out some of the amazing products we offer:This week on the blog we're going to discuss some important questions that I think every parent needs to ask the photographer that will be creating portrait photos of their precious baby. I will list the questions and then my answers, but even if you don't choose me to photograph your baby I would highly recommend these questions be asked of any newborn photographer to make sure you get the best and safest person to work with your family. First the questions: 1. Are you a registered business and are you insured? 2. How is safety a priority for your business? 3. Do you have a studio or will you come to our home? 4. What is your background? 5. Do you use an assistant? 6. What age do you consider "newborn"? Now my answers and why I think it is important to ask each question: 1. Are you a registered business and are you insured? Yes Jessica Esplin Photography is registered as a business with the State of California and Santa Clara County. Yes I am insured through PPA. Yes I have general liability insurance. I think this is important to differentiate those who will take photography seriously and those who are just doing this as a hobby. The very first thing I did before I started accepting money from clients was to make sure to register for a business license complete with tax number and all fees associated paid up front. Having a business license means I have permission to run my business here in Santa Clara County. I also make sure to get any appropriate permits that are required in order to be allowed to photograph professionally at the outdoor locations where I take my clients. According to the Law Tog, "(Liability) insurance is especially critical for photographers working in sensitive specializations (wedding, newborn, extreme sports, etc.) This insurance works as an umbrella to provide protection against legal actions arising from injuries, accidents and other claims." When it comes to the client's perspective this is the most important insurance for their photographer to have because it deals with the client directly if there is ever an accident or related issue. We all hope we never need to make a claim on our insurance but it is there "just in case". Better safe than sorry. 2. How is safety a priority for your business? Safety is SOOOO important for me and my business. I have had ongoing training from a newborn physiologist and a one time online training conference hosted by SIB that featured a registered neonatal nurse (who specializes in neonatal guidelines as a consultant for the government). I have also had training online specifically for safety from one of the best newborn photographer around the world Kelly Brown. Kelly Brown is one of the top advocates for newborn safety and has taught it often. The training I have had covered newborn physiology, reflexes and safety as well as the best practices when handling a newborn baby in a variety of photographic poses that are used in my business. I make sure to sanitize my props before every session (which is one reason I limit my newborn sessions to one per day). I wash my hands before touching any baby. I am vaccinated and get my yearly flu shot. I move newborns very gently and follow their cues. I use Photoshop to create composite images of any pose that requires more support. Let me know if you have any questions about what any of these precautions mean. 3. Do you have a studio or will you come to our home? I am exclusively an on location photographer. My family and maternity sessions take place outdoors in a variety of locations around the Bay Area. My newborn sessions take place in my client's home. For me it is important to visit my clients' homes because becoming a new parent is a huge challenge. I want you to be comfortable in your own environment. I don't want you to have to worry about getting stuck in traffic. I don't want you to worry about going outside your home where you might encounter a variety of germs that exist there. I don't want you to worry about forgetting something at home. If you need an outfit change (in case the baby pees or poos on you!) I want you to have options and to be able to change in the comfort of you own space. I think having a session in your own home makes the session easier for you. I could go on and on, but let me just say that I think it is important to feel safe and secure and what better place than your own home. In my newborn prep guide I let you know how to prepare your home for your session (what you do and what you don't need to do to get ready). 4. What is your background? I have studied newborn photography since 2013. I have learned from many newborn photography instructors including: Kelly Brown, Julia Kelleher, Ana Brandt, Luisa Dunn, and many more. I attend an annual online newborn photography conference hosted by Lisa DiGeso with The Milky Way. I am a mom of three kids. I also am in charge of caring for the older babies in my church's nursery. Which means I know all of the best toddler songs that are popular these days to help get the attention of your older baby! Ha ha! 5. Do you use an assistant?
I do not use an assistant at this point. If there is ever a pose that I use that needs an extra pair of hands I will ask baby's mom or dad or other adult available at the session. I most closely follow the methodology of Kelly Brown in my newborn photography business; she also uses her clients as her newborn assistant as needed. This is a good question to ask to make sure that someone whether it is you or a dedicated assistant is helping the photographer out with difficult poses. There really are certain poses that should absolutely not be created solely by the photographer; it takes a team to create certain poses. Some of these poses are called: froggy pose, potato sack pose, and occasionally the chin on hands pose. And while I'm talking about poses I want to point out that some poses are created with Photoshop Magic: a good example of this is the hanging/stork pose. Baby should never be held suspended over anything because there is a greater risk of falling. Someone should be near the baby at all times just in case the baby startles and moves rapidly into an unsafe position. 6. What age do you consider "newborn"? For most of the newborn photography world the best time to photograph a newborn baby is when they are under 14 days old (sometimes younger than 10 days old is recommended). After two weeks babies are generally more awake and a little harder to settle into the iconic curly newborn poses. Additionally, things like colic and baby acne often start to manifest after about two weeks of age. However I as a mother understand that having a baby often turns your life upside down and so I will gladly accept a baby for a newborn session up to six weeks of age (after that they can still be photographed in a non-newborn Portrait session). If this is the case with your baby please just let me know when you book so we can discuss the limitations and manage expectations of your older newborn's photography experience. Some photographers draw a firm line when it comes to the age that they will photograph a newborn. If your baby is "too old" you are out of luck with those photographers. And I don't think that is very fair. And I love all of the babies, so I will be happy to photograph them! Choose your own backdrop! I am starting a new arrangement to allow my newborn photography clients to select a few of their favorite backdrops to use in their baby’s session. I already have a good selection of digital backdrops to choose from but starting now I am going to offer a special gift card that will allow clients to choose new backgrounds from a massive catalog of digital backdrops. How it works: you take a look at my specially tailored catalog of backdrops and choose between 1 and 3 that are your favorites. You then purchase a gift card that corresponds with how much these backdrops cost. In return you get a shop credit to use toward your product photo fees (including prints, digital photos, canvas or albums). For example, if you choose a digital backdrop from my catalog that costs $13.50, then you would purchase a gift card from me that costs $13.50 and in return you’d receive $20 to use on purchasing photo products after your session. And if there's a digital backdrop you have in mind that isn't in my catalog, just send me a message about it so I can evaluate if it is something that will work with my photography studio (that I can make it work both technically and aesthetically). Okay, so what exactly is a digital backdrop and why is it something you use instead of a tangible backdrop? A digital backdrop is a photo of a backdrop that has been specially created by top photographers from around the world. The backdrops I have selected come from some of the most creative minds that I have been able to find: Luisa Dunn, Kath V Photography, Sasha Chomakov, Natalie Houlding, Aoife Millea of Cleare Photography, and Maria Murray of Sweet Bambini Design are the photographers I have chosen to add to my client catalog. I use digital backdrops because it allows me to maximize the creativity I can offer you as I come to your home and photograph your baby. I am an exclusively on location photographer so if I had to bring special tangible backdrops to my client’s home it would make the session more stressful and complicated. Digital backdrops allow me to be less intrusive as I need less space to set up my equipment in your home. It basically allows me to fulfill my mission of offering beautiful creative portraits of your baby from the comfort of your own home. Ready to start the process? 😃Find me on Pinterest @jesplinphoto to see my Digital Backdrop Catalogs or contact me for more details. |
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September 2023
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