Apr
24
2015
Just had to share a sweet little newborn shoot that I recently did in my studio. She was such a sweetheart and slept like a champ. I love all the accessories that come with little girls!
Long Beach Newborn Photographer
A good beach photo is easy to love. But, when is a good time to do a beach photo? And by time, I mean the age of your child. The first bit of advice I have is that in order to take a good photo, you have to love the beach. I know it sounds redundant, but if you don’t love spending time at the beach, you won’t love hanging out there for pictures. Your hair will get wind-blown and you might walk away with the soggy jeans.
If you do love the beach, YAY! I do too. A successful beach shoot involves a walking child. Yes, it’s possibly to take a baby to the beach and get good photos. But, if we’re talking best case scenario, it’s a child that can walk. Why? Because sitting and crawling babies are so tiny that even if you set them on a blanket, I have to zoom so far out to capture the landscape that the baby is super tiny in the photo. If I zoom in to crop appropriately, you lose the essence of where you are.
And there’s the sand. Sand that gets everywhere. Sand that’s shoveled by the handful into the mouths of babes. Crawling babies are just curious. They want to crawl right off that blanket and into the sand to taste it.
So, of course you can always book a beach session with a baby of any age, but my best advice is to wait just a little until they are walking to get the most out of your session!
Apr
15
2015
Moms! It’s your special day. And I know you’re always the one behind the camera. Take this opportunity to document this stage with a mini-session.
*If you want some photos with just the kids or you want a family photo too…that’s okay!
Here are the details:
April 26 11:00-1:00 at a park in Long Beach (pretty light filtered in through lots of greenery)
May 2 10:30-12:00 and 2:30-4:00 at my studio in Long Beach (white walls, light floors, very clean and neutral)
Sessions are $100 for the 20 minute session fee and an additional $250 for all your digital images. This is a huge discount from my normal pricing!
To sign up, you can either email me to see what’s available OR click here to pay for the session fee with a credit card and write the time you’d like in the notes.
Mother’s Day Mini-Sessions
I recently photographed a family just before they moved back to NYC. It was extra special because I was able to photograph their baby as a newborn last summer. We got the most perfect overcast lighting that makes everything bright and vibrant. It was chilly, but maybe it was the sky’s way of getting them ready to move back to the cold. Either way, it was a great morning and I’m so thankful I was able to document their time in Los Angeles.
Los Angeles Baby Photographer // Good-bye for Now
Apr
08
2015
This tiny little bit is joining the ranks of girls in their home. I love photographing big sisters with their babies. They are such ‘little mommies.’ These two big sisters were the best, snuggling and cuddling little baby S.
Baby S // Long Beach Baby Photographer
You know that shy feeling you get when you meet someone for the first time? Kids get that too. When they come into my studio with their brand new baby brother or sister, they’re checking me out. Deciding if I’m likeable.
I usually start out by telling them what we’ll be doing. I tell them how we’ll be holding the baby and how important it is to hold up his head. Things like that. I’m kind of in teacher mode. (Side note: I used to be a first grade teacher!)
Once I get the shot set up, I want to surprise them. I want them to be giggly and add a little life to the photo. So, I do something like ask if they think that baby brother has a poopy diaper. That usually gets a laugh to start. Then we might go into scenarios of what would happen if he pooped on… Sometimes, they’ll offer up stories and the laughs don’t stop.
From there, I’ll try to get a soft and sweet shot, so something like kissing the baby will wrap things up. Toddlers can do something like count the babies toes or look at his hair if they are too young to kiss on command.
But, potty talk. It works every time. 🙂
Long Beach Newborn Photographer // Tips for Photographing Babies and Siblings
When photographing newborns with their older siblings, sometimes you have to try a few different things before you hit on what will work. In this session, I had tried a few different positions and wasn’t getting anything fantastic. It’s hard with a 2 year old. Their life has just been turned upside-down. Then I come in and I’m asking them to do things that aren’t their favorite. They’d rather be off and running around!
So, we took a break and I just photographed the baby by herself. I came up with a game plan that involved the baby being stationary on this chair (with a parent off to one side as a spotter). Then, we would bring in big brother and see if he could interact with her a bit.
Here’s what it looked like first. I asked him where the flower was…
Found the flower, check. Next we started being silly and saying funny things. He eventually looked up and smiled at us. Ka-ching.
Then, I asked him to give her a kiss. Or if he could kiss the flower on her head. This whole progression of images lasted about 30 seconds. It involved lots of enthusiasm and silly voices. The moral of the story is that these types of images don’t just happen. They are planned out and they happen QUICK. Two year olds move fast!
Newborn Photographers Orange County // Planning Out a Shot
When we are setting up the details for a newborn session, clients often ask what they should wear. My answer is usually- something soft and neutral so as not to compete with the softness of newborn skin. But, I want to answer GRAY all the time. I realize that not everyone loves gray. I just love the way it looks against a white wall. It’s not harsh like black or navy and you can vary up the shades, unlike white.
Of course, many clients wear colors other than gray for the newborn session, and they look amazing. But my personal favorite will always be gray. 🙂
Long Beach Newborn Photographer // My favorite color (is gray). Photos by Kristin Eldridge.
As much as I love photographing babies in the studio in Long Beach, going to clients’ homes is such a treat. Especially when they are decorated as cute as this one. Good natural light is always a plus too!
I tell my clients to plan their newborn session around 2 things…baby (or toddler)’s nap schedule and when the most light comes into your home. If you have an ample amount of light, the photos will be light and airy. Gorgeous!
// Kristin Eldridge is a Baby Photographer in Orange County, Long Beach and Los Angeles. This session took place at the client’s home.
Sweet little ‘L’
// Photos taken by Long Beach Newborn Photographer, Kristin Eldridge.
