DC Newborn Photography - Maryland Newborn Photography - Annapolis Kid Photographer

Baby Photography Workshop: The Blooming Baby Business!

2011-12-22T12:38:00.005-05:00

Baby Photography Workshops - The Blooming Baby Business

Small group 2-day: $1500

Spring & Summer workshop choices:

April 28 & 29

May 26 & 27

Our Blooming Baby Business Workshops are complete comprehensive workshops teaching how to start and run a Baby's First Year business; ensuring your clients return and your business is successful. In the industry today newborn photography is popular but if you only photograph newborns you are always in need of new clients. When focusing on a baby's first year of milestones there are specific details to focus on to ensure your newborn clients return again & again.

These baby photography workshops cover in depth training for:

business, marketing, sales
session prep and set-up for all baby's milestones
hands-on posing of all ages
shooting & session flow for all baby's milestones
post-processing in Lightroom and Photoshop

We will start with creating or improving your business model - a crucial part for a successful business. You will learn what would typically take years in this business to learn. We then learn set up and efficient session flow. We shoot and work hands-on with models covering four of the typical first year milestones (4 models minimum) to give you the full range of knowledge & experience for your Baby's First Year business. You leave with the knowledge to safely and comfortably handle and pose babies of all ages ensuring your ability to reproduce all shots for profit. We close with an in depth teaching of efficient image workflow and processing starting in Lightroom then enhancing in Photoshop. I will provide information for editing and correcting many of the issues typically encountered when working on baby photos.

*The small group experience is ideal for the photographer who already has a basic knowledge of exposure settings on their camera and is shooting in Manual Mode.

*The one-on-one workshop is best if you are needing more technical help with your camera and are not already shooting in Manual Mode.

****Workshops offered are small group experiences to ensure each photographer the hands-on experience needed. Rita has been in business since 2005 and is offering to teach you in 2 days what has taken her half a decade to learn. This workshop is packed with a wealth of information and training for a successful Baby's First Year business. The technique and topics covered will require practice and implementing.

How to Remove a Stork Bite {Newborn Photography Photoshop Tutorial}

2011-12-22T12:07:00.002-05:00

Here is one way to correct this type of skin mark in a newborn. It will take practice =)

Whether you include this in your typical processing for a newborn session is up to you. I generally consider this advanced retouching and there is a fee which has been disclosed in the session agreement in advance of course. There are also companies that can provide this type of editing such as RetouchUp.Com, I think their about $2.50 an image.

About the Artist:

Rita Lawrence is a professional baby photographer specializing in the season of newborn baby portraits to the one year old birthday milestone. Through her baby photography workshops she also teaches photographers how to start and run a profitable Baby's First Year business such as hers. Workshops are in a small group setting and offer a complete curriculum for business, hands-on session/model experience, and post-processing training in Lightroom and Adobe Photoshop. Check out the website HERE for more information on these baby photography workshops.

Newborn Baby Photography Workshops: Baby as Art and Newborn Dreamland

2011-12-10T00:29:00.026-05:00

Which newborn baby photography workshop should I go to or should I even go?

I had asked myself this question a dozen times over my years of working in baby photography. This year I did take the opportunity to attend two of these workshops with a couple of the most highly acclaimed newborn photography companies in the nation since Anne Geddes. Baby as Art with Carrie Sandoval and Brittany Woodall and Newborn Dreamland with Kelley Ryden and Tracy Raver.

Photography by Bitsy Baby Photography, Posing by Newborn Dreamland (below), Processing was done with the methods/actions taught at this workshop:

Photography by Bitsy Baby Photography, Posing by Baby as Art (below), Processing was done with the methods/actions taught at this workshop:

First, just a little history if you do not know who I am. After having my own newborn baby over three years ago, I began to focus my photography business endeavors on photographing pregnant moms and babies. I was fascinated with the miracle of my baby's conception and birth and as time passed I was delighted by her growth. I needed to capture all her milestones to cherish forever! I have been photographing as a hobby for over 22 years and in the photography business for almost 7 years now. Until June of 2011, I was completely self taught and over the years have learned everything through reading or trial & error just stepping out there and shooting everyday. I would sit online or in the library for hours looking up information and that helped when I needed to learn specifics about my camera, business plans, Photoshop, and many details related to photography improvement. But let's face it, sometimes you do not have the time or want to take the years to read, research, and use trial & error as your learning modes. So you look for a comprehensive workshop that will provide years of knowledge and information in just a matter of a day or two!

Then you ask the question, which photography workshop do I attend?

As I began researching I found several photography companies providing the type of workshop I desired for newborn photography. I am a firm believer that you get what you pay for and I knew these newborn baby workshops would not come cheap. I wanted to learn from those that ran a successful business and whose art I admired. Now I was already set to gross over 100K this year and I already have the very best of clients my area offers. The fact is though, as a photographer there is never a ceiling or cap for improving in your art, it's a continuous cycle of learning, improving, growing, and staying creative and inspired through your years of business.

The Baby as Art and Newborn Dreamland newborn baby photography workshops could be considered costly. There are other photographers offering these types of workshops at a lower cost but I had the means and was ready. These girls have perfected their techniques and styles through years of experience and have proven they have what it takes to be successful in their art and business.

What are the differences, are there differences, which was better?
There were definitely differences, most noticeably each one has their own style and look. You can decide for yourself which draws your eye and inspires you most, it's really a matter of taste. Baby as Art has a more organic and earthy look, where the Newborn Dreamland team provides a more vibrant dreamy feel. I’ll admit I lean towards the organic earthy looks in my own work but I am very inspired by the vibrance of Raver/Ryden's art. It is hard not to enjoy looking at any quality professional newborn photos as all babies are just so sweet to see.

More differences between the Baby as Art and Newborn Dreamland workshops:
They are in different locations; Baby as Art are in San Diego, California and Newborn Dreamland is in Blair, Nebraska.
The cost is different. In 2011 for one full day in a small group setting, which I recommend, BAA was $2500 and limited to four students. Newborn Dreamland's cost was $1800 and limited to five students. Then you have the airfare, hotel, car rental, and food costs while traveling. I met up with another newborn photographer friend at Newborn Dreamland who was also attending so we shared the hotel and car expenses.

Posing and Set Up: Both workshops incorporated an awesome variety of set-ups, poses and models--see sample images below. Which types of set ups and poses you desire and use in your business is really a matter of taste but it was great to see a variety and how they come together. There are photographers recently who are posing babies in glass vases; bizarre things like this are not taught at either workshop. Safety is stressed first and foremost. You will not get hands-on posing experience at either of these group workshops, the teachers do all the posing and handling. On one side this is great, you get to achieve beautiful perfect images without all the typical work that goes into a newborn session. However, you will need to take all you see to your studio and practice, practice, practice in order to duplicate them for your clients. It always looks easy to watch an experienced established photographer do what they have been doing for years, it might seem effortless but these girls worked extremely hard to achieve the poses and set-ups they shared with us. When I returned to my studio, even with my assistant, there were poses that took us several sessions to achieve, some we are still working on, and there are some I just prefer not to adopt into my portfolio on a regular basis. Just give yourself time to grow and perfect what you learn after the workshop once you are back home. You are of course allowed to use the images in your portfolio you obtain at both workshops but if you can not duplicate the posing of the babies it would be wise to get some of the aforementioned practice before using the images to show potential clients. Your clients will expect to get what you show them on your website. One bonus for Baby as Art, we were able to photograph a set-up outside. It was awesome to see the smooth transition from an indoor set-up to an outdoor set. Another note to remember is these girls work as a team, everything you will see demonstrated at these workshops utilizes the help of at least two professional photographers. If you don't already have a session assistant you will certainly see the benefit of having one if you attend either workshop. I am thankful to have had an assistant in my studio for a year and a half now. A bonus at Newborn Dreamland was we also met Joanna with JD Vintage Props there and she had blankets and newborn baby wraps for sale; these baby wraps are AWESOME by the way once you know how to properly use them =) Attendees had the option to take home some of the same sets we photographed at the workshop.

Outdoor images taken at the Baby as Art Workshop.

Soothing: If anyone has had a newborn photography session you know soothing and calming the baby is of the utmost importance. A crying unhappy baby will not make for a successful session. Carrie and Brittany related some posing with promoting a more sleepy baby and their sessions did flow so nicely as a result. Maybe a coincidence but the babies at Baby as Art needed less troubleshooting and soothing than the babies at Newborn Dreamland. Tracy and Kelley did use quite a few soothing techniques with the babies and gave some helpful prep tips to share with the baby's parents prior to the session. The babies at the workshop with Tracy and Kelley of Newborn Dreamland were a little older than those in California as well which may contribute to not being as sleepy. We definitely witnessed a good amount of soothing and calming with the babies in Omaha. Be sure to watch closely if you need help in this area.

From experience I know there are many variables to consider when you are working toward a soothed baby at a newborn session; properly prepping the parents, temperature of studio, posing, patience and confidence of photographer and assistant, parent's mood and energy in the room, age of baby, weight of baby, baby's hunger, baby's soothing preferences - some really do prefer different soothing methods so it's best to know as many as possible in my opinion. I saw great examples of these details in action at both workshops and though it was easy to see each baby is unique with preferences and temperaments that differ, when all of the important variables are in place every baby posed perfectly.

Technical: Both workshops included information on camera technique and how to see and use natural light. Neither work with artificial or studio light at all. If you are a true beginner, still shooting in Auto you may not be ready for something like this, just my opinion. I was even told at Newborn Dreamland that, to their disbelief, some photographers leave and still display crappy photos, yikes.

Processing: At both workshops we were able to see them processing images in Photoshop and were provided the details they use when working on their photos to achieve their "look" in color and black and white. We were provided screenshots at Baby as Art of their process and they let us know what actions they like. We were emailed screenshots and Kelley Ryden's Photoshop actions used by Newborn Dreamland which she also has available for sale on her website. The important thing to remember with processing I learned many years ago is you need to have a decently good photo straight out of your camera before any processing can enhance it and this may be why most of these workshops deal with the actual posing and photography and only a small portion of the day is spent on editing. Processing style can also be a matter of taste, you likely will need to experiment around and find what you like or just go the natural route and do not use much processing.

Lunch: OK, call me pregnant but food is on my mind =) Pizza and salad was served at Baby as Art. Jason's Deli and other snacks like chips and chocolate were available at Newborn Dreamland -- both satisfying :) Lunch is a great time to get to know the other attendees.

Materials: Baby as Art provided their newborn posing trademarked NEST to each attendee. They also gave each of us a printed softcover book filled with all the details they taught as well as additional instruction and sample photos for most poses they achieve. Newborn Dreamland did not provide any material to take home but they did email us a recap and some tips and info they send to clients. Both teams provided the vendors they prefer for the blankets, wraps, hats, etc.

Business: In 2011 neither workshop had specific teaching related to the business so do not expect to learn much in this area. In my years of experience I’ve realized that knowing how to run your business is a vital aspect for success in this industry. During downtime I did take the opportunity to ask some business questions and they were open in sharing info such as how they present the images to clients and what products they offer. So I recommend to just ask questions if you have them. They both provide their preferred vendors for client products too. (Updated to add **it looks like Baby as Art now includes a portion of the 2012 workshops on business processes!**)

Attendees: Baby as Art prohibits attendees that are within their immediate area from attending their workshops. Newborn Dreamland opens their workshops to any photographer even those in the same area.

Based on my knowledge prior to both workshops, I would say I gained more insight at Baby as Art. Brittany and Carrie were patient and professional with the attendees throughout the workshop; babies can be challenging and I know teaching takes the utmost patience and energy. I attended Newborn Dreamland a few months later and I picked up some great tips and images here as well--see below. Both workshops included such a great amount of inspiration and in person demonstration, it is nearly impossible to say if one was actually better than the other. I respect both of these photography teams for their willingness to share their years of expertise to help other photographers grow in their art. So think about who inspires you and who's work captivates you, then save or put it on your credit card and go!

Education such as this is invaluable; wait on buying props, actions, and hats and invest in your art and business skills.

About the Author/Artist: Rita Lawrence owns and operates a baby photography business, Bitsy Baby Photography, LLC and has become known for her Blooming Baby Bundle, a first year package capturing babies from pregnancy to one year. Though she is skilled and knowledgeable in the newborn stage and much of her work now is with newborns her hands-on baby photography workshops focus on the entire baby’s first year to ensure a successful business with repeat clients.

Statements made in this post are an opinion and from the personal experience of Rita. Any questions regarding this post can be sent directly to Rita through her website contact form here.

Baby Dillon {Newborn Photographer}

2011-11-29T09:00:00.001-05:00

Dillon's newborn photography session was so very sweet. The first baby for these beautiful parents and their hearts were overflowing with love for this little soul. It sounds cliche but it really and truly is a privilege to photograph these precious newborn babies when they are so tender and new. I take their safety and comfort seriously and handle them with the utmost patience and care at all times.

Enjoy little Dillon's newborn photographs here =)

About the Artist:

Rita Lawrence is a professional baby photographer specializing in the season of newborn baby portraits to the one year old birthday milestone. Through her baby photography workshops she also teaches photographers how to start and run a profitable Baby's First Year business such as hers. Workshops are in a small group setting and offer a complete curriculum for business, hands-on session/model experience, and post-processing training in Lightroom and Adobe Photoshop. Check out the website HERE for more information on these baby photography workshops.

Feeling pretty thankful! {Newborn Baby Photographer}

2011-11-23T08:50:00.000-05:00

Well I've completed all work and sessions and will be signing out for a short while to spend some time with my family. This is probably the first time in a year or two where I have not had a list of "to-do's" for Bitsy Baby Photography.....though I do adore my work it feels awesome to be obligation free for a short while and I'm so thankful to have been able to deliver all the client galleries before Thanksgiving =) =)

I'm feeling pretty thankful overall actually..... for my family and staying in touch with them over the many miles that separate us, for my wonderful friends and all their babies they have been having lately =), my awesome clients who trust me with the most precious thing to them--their children, being able to do what I absolutely looooove for my job and provide families with heirloom portraits....another beautiful baby on the way, health, contentment, and so so so much joy =) I'm so thankful!

So I leave you with a collage of little Eliza. I last worked with Eliza nearly 6 months ago at her newborn photography session! Now she is a happy sitter and still loooves the camera =) Another precious part of seeing these families several times over their baby's first year of milestones is watching them continue to fall more and more in love with their children =) LOVE this.

Happy Happy Thanksgiving to you!!!

About the Artist:
Rita Lawrence is a professional baby photographer specializing in the season of newborn baby portraits to the one year old birthday milestone. Through her baby photography workshops she also teaches photographers how to start and run a profitable Baby's First Year business such as hers. Workshops are in a small group setting and offer a complete curriculum for business, hands-on session/model experience, and post-processing training in Lightroom and Adobe Photoshop. Check out the website HERE for more information on these baby photography workshops.

Baby James is growing up {Baby Photography Studio}

2011-11-22T09:00:00.002-05:00

I have worked with this family for over a year now starting with the maternity session and moving on to the first year of milestones.....though it is a beautiful thing to see babies grow, it's always a little sentimental for me to see them grow out of their first year at the studio. We often become friends and share much more than a professional photography relationship =) I wish you guys the very best and hope to see you again!

About the Artist:

Joshua Zvi {Newborn Photographer Studio)

2011-11-19T19:14:00.003-05:00

And sometimes they surprise you! Little Joshua came in at 3 weeks here. We typically get lots of wide-eyed shots with this age of baby but not this sleepy one. He snoozed soundly for us the entire time =) Enjoy the samples from his session.

PS: Mom, I am absolutely in love with that blanket and hoodie!!

Donovan {Newborn Baby Photographer}

2011-11-19T18:42:00.002-05:00

As a newborn photographer sometimes I must step out of my routine. Baby Donovan came to the session with a bag of props, here you can see a couple samples using them. My mind was working for something that would be creative using the soccer ball and candle - hopefully this works for the parents =) They will make a great example of his size here as he grows that's for sure!

Remembering {Newborn Baby Photography}

2011-11-11T09:17:00.003-05:00

Remembering those that have fallen, that have served, & those that are still serving!

Happy Veteran's Day!

Baby Donovan saluting his Great Uncle!

10 Great Newborn Baby Photo Ideas

2011-11-10T11:38:00.002-05:00

10 Great Newborn Baby Photo Ideas

Capturing your newborn baby's first days through the art of photography allows you to preserve your child's earliest stages forever. Newborn photographers specialize in arranging props and settings that highlight both the beauty of your baby as well as the special feelings surrounding parenthood.

Black and White
Black and white photography creates an effect that color photography often cannot achieve. The contrast between the black, white and gray tones of your baby's picture can range from soft to sharp, depending on you and your newborn photographers' artistic vision.

Outdoor Settings
Newborn photographers can shoot outside to achieve effects that cannot be accomplished inside a studio. Soft sunlight and natural surroundings combine to create photographs with a theme of introducing your infant to nature.

Sleeping Poses
Newborn photographers can capture your child as he rests in a normal or posed sleeping position. The photographs show your baby in his most peaceful state, and may also capture a cute or funny face he makes while sleeping.

Highlighting Your Baby's Tininess
Your newborn baby's size is as small as it will ever be in her entire life. Demonstrating your baby's size can be achieved using everyday props and settings. For example, your photographer can position your baby in a serving bowl or gently lay her on a shelf to show just how small your newborn is compared to the world around her.

Fetal Positions
Posing your baby in a fetal position creates a reminder of how he was recently growing inside his mother's womb. Posing your baby in this manner can result in sentimental photographs reminding you of both your pregnancy and the joy of bringing your newborn into the world.

Costumes
Costume photography does not have to be relegated to Halloween. Choose animal, flower or other costumes specially made for babies to add a sense of fun and imagination to your baby photos.

Baskets
Positioning your baby inside or on top of a basket may seem like an unexciting photo idea. However, the basket signifies that its contents -- your newborn -- is a true bundle of joy, and your newborn photographer can artfully capture the scene to create a memorable photograph.

Cloth Wraps
Although it may seem simple cloth wrap swaddled around your baby creates a striking effect, especially when no other props are featured in the photograph. The wrap also gives a sense of timelessness, as simple fabrics have been used for covering babies for centuries.

Family Members
Involving family members in your newborn's professional photographs fills the pictures with warmth and love. One or both parents can be shown holding their baby, or older siblings can be positioned beside their family's newest addition. Another idea is to capture a closeup of your baby as it is being held in your hands.

Novel Props
Unusual props like a set of scales or a tree trunk can make your baby pictures truly unique. Novelty pictures using unexpected elements are sure to be popular among your family and friends.

Showing off Charlotte {Newborn Photographer}

2011-11-10T10:51:00.002-05:00

Charlotte was an absolute DOLL, here's a sampling of her images. She was baby girl #2 in the studio in over a month =) Lots of the little boy session samples coming soon!!

Baby Siena {Baby Photographer in Maryland}

2011-11-08T08:56:00.003-05:00

I'm sure you will enjoy these sweet shots of tiny little Siena! I'm due to have my baby girl in February 2012! Every wee little girl that comes into the studio makes me think of ideas for what I'll do for her newborn photos....I have a ton of new materials and wraps - even a dozen tiny little headbands I handmade myself =) All with such a feminine touch and can not wait to try them all out!

**edited to correct spelling of baby's name**
=)

Photography Workshop Giveaway Facebook Contest

2011-11-03T00:55:00.001-04:00

YES, it's true another photography workshop in Maryland for 2011!!
I've opened up a couple more dates for the photography workshops! These are geared towards improving family photos at home!! AND the best part is I've decided to give a seat away for free, that's $175 you can spend on Christmas gifts instead =)

So I am really thankful for my family and November is a great time to reflect on how special my family is to me. So I am wanting to see some of your family photos that you are thankful for, the kind where you set up your tripod (or put the camera on the coffee table), click the shutter, and run really fast to be in the photo!! A previous holiday or Christmas photo you've used your DIY skills on =)

Here are the contest details:
Contest dates: Nov 3 - Nov 19

1. Find a DIY family photo of yours you are extremely thankful for (must be the whole fam, what you would do for a Christmas card etc). If you don't have one, you can go take one now!!
2. Go to the Bitsy Baby Photography Facebook Page HERE. (wait not yet, first read on)
3. "Like" the page if you don't already, then post your photo to the Bitsy Baby Facebook Wall (not on your own wall).
4. Click on "Share" beneath your photo and send your FB friends a message like this: "Yes this is a contest and yes I'm asking you to help me =) I am thankful for my family so I am entering to win a free photography workshop to learn to take better family photos. You can help me by "liking" the Bitsy Baby Photography page (http://www.facebook.com/BitsyBabyPhotography) and then also "like" my family photo. Thanks for your help!!!"
5. The family photo with the most likes will win! **each like must also be a fan of Bitsy Baby Photography on Facebook.

I will announce the winners on November 22nd, the week of Thanksgiving 2011.
The seat is for a group workshop on December 17th from noon-3pm.
If you win and would like to gift your seat to a friend or family member, a gift certificate will be provided!

****I also have a couple seats left for the Nov 5th workshop, this Saturday from 9-noon, if you are interested in coming to this one.****

Cute babies and their costumes at Bitsy Baby Photography

2011-10-31T17:41:00.003-04:00

AND happy babies I might add!!!
Happy Halloween =)

Professional Photography: Shooting in Raw or Jpg

2011-10-31T13:58:00.010-04:00

This is a description on the differences of these two file formats (JPG and RAW) and what I prefer to shoot in...and why. You can decide for yourself what you prefer and need. Each photographer has their own workflows and needs can vary.
Disclosure: "JPG" and "RAW" are mentioned nearly 2 dozen times in this post =)

When your camera is set to JPG shooting your images are compressed and processed in the camera, immediately after snapping your shot; this is known as JPG compression. This processing in other words sets the color, white balance, tint, and exposure of the image dependent on what your camera settings are. Now many DSLR cameras have the option to shoot in RAW mode, meaning the image is not compressed at all and all processing must be done afterwards on the computer.

A key fact to note with an uncompressed RAW image is since all the processing is done on the computer you have a large amount of control over the white-balance, tint, hue, and exposure even after your image is taken. This can be monumental if you need to correct or fine tune any of these details on your images. With a JPG compressed image this processing begins in the camera and the image is compressed before you ever touch it in your processing software.

If you are a beginner and you are just learning what you prefer for white balance and exposure or a brand newbie and have no idea what you are doing with the technical camera side, I would say it's best to shoot in RAW. This way if you must correct something you have more control and image detail to work with. With a JPG compressed image you have much less control on correcting issues you might not have noticed during your shoot.

Now if you are a seasoned pro and you are very familiar with your exposure and white-balance while shooting then it may not be such an important decision whether to shoot in JPG or RAW; you likely will not be doing a lot of correcting maybe just some fine-tuning. However, I do prefer to shoot in RAW for most of my work. One reason being a typical client prints a 20x30 canvas of their baby's photo and I want that image to have the most detail as possible. I have also noticed a great difference when tweaking my white-balance in Lightroom 3. For instance if I I decide the Kelvin I shot at wasn't what I preferred after all I can just type in the Kelvin temperature number with a RAW image whereas with a JPG image I do not have this level of control. I do edit each of my images individually and I love making each one a fine piece of art.

Also, because JPG images are compressed they are much smaller files than a RAW file. It makes sense that a RAW file contains more details then as it is 2-3 times larger in size than the JPG. You will need larger memory cards and likely more storage space on your computer when shooting in RAW. I recommend to just use an external drive and backup RAW images off your computer's hard drive to save the space. I actually just delete the RAW versions of images after I've proofed the session down to the keepers and made my own JPG compressions. I do not take hundreds of images for each session though so I don't find the size of RAW images a problem. Once I got the shot I move on to the next one.

**The details on all my informational & tip blog posts are bits and pieces of information I've learned along the way through my journey of photography either through reading books or old fashioned trial & error. I have been photographing for 25 years as a hobby with the last 7 as a professional business. I offer photography workshops for photographers wishing to build or grow their "Baby's First Year" business. Thanks for reading =)

Tips on DIY holiday photos & Photography Workshop Giveaway

2011-10-31T13:57:00.006-04:00

So that time of year has come!! You either call around and find a professional photographer to take your family's photos or you get out your tripod and get ready for some DIY holiday family photos =)

If you are like me you are about to google family photographers in your area (and hope someone has availability) but if you are like my husband you will continue reading so you can be a little more prepared for your DIY family photo session!

Tips for family photography:
Don't try to pose everyone, create a scene instead! Maybe it's time to have a tea party or even set out the cookies for Santa, these make great activities for children to enjoy while you are photographing them. The best images are those with real expressions with families connecting and enjoying each other (just my opinion now!).

Look for great light! You certainly do not want everyone to be sitting in direct sunlight but you probably already know this. =) If you want to take your photos outdoors I recommend working in the earlier morning hours or later evening hours when the sun is not overhead and harsh. If you are indoors turn off your lights and try to find an area that gets natural ambient light from a large window or patio door. Try to place your family where the light is coming from the side or slightly in front of them but full on frontal light is not always necessary. Leaving some shadows is good and creates definition and interest.

Usa a Tripod and jump in the photos yourself! One of the biggest downfalls of DIY family photography is that someone may need to be the "photographer". I suggest to buy a tripod like this one here or a heavier duty one like this one here Then learn to use your camera's auto-timer either by googling the camera type and using the self timer (for example "use self timer on Canon Xsi" or by reading the chapter in your camera's manual (if you can find it =) that covers the self timer.

This was my DIY holiday photo from a couple years ago =)

I'd loooove to see yours, please post it to our Bitsy Baby Photography Facebook HERE for a chance to win a seat at an upcoming photography workshop this winter!

Look to a Newborn Photographer for a Baby Shower Gift

2011-10-31T13:13:00.001-04:00

Look To a Newborn Photographer for a Baby Shower Gift

Everyone loves babies. What's not to love right? But they don't stay that small forever, in fact babies grow so fast it seems like it is right before your very eyes. Capturing those memories is important and most new parents do their best. But having the chance to use a newborn photographer is a priceless opportunity.

BABY SHOWER GIFT IDEAS-
When you are invited to a baby shower for a friend or family member your mind immediately begins to wonder what you will get them. You find out they are registered at several stores and that may give you some ideas. The usual choices are clothes, baby soap sets, rattles or pacifiers or other common baby shower gifts.

Baby showers are a great way for the new parents to get the things that they will need for their new baby. Most things like diapers or newborn clothes will be used up or be grown out of fairly quick. Ever wished you could think of something really unique this time? Instead of the same thing everyone else will probably bring.

Unique gifts are something that will be remembered for a long time after the baby shower. And a unique gift means so much more to the expectant parents. New parents will undoubtedly want to have many pictures of their new baby. These first memories of the babies life are both precious and priceless.

Everyone snaps pictures with their cameras but unless they are a professional, the pictures may not capture the memory quite the way they hope.

YOUR GIFT CAN BE UNIQUE-
Instead of conforming to the usual list of baby shower gifts, why not give the expectant parents a gift to remember? Giving them a gift certificate for a newborn photographer photo session will be a gift that no one will expect. It will most likely bring the new mom to tears when she realizes what she has been given.

While everyone can take pictures of their own baby, getting those special pictures by a professional will be priceless. Newborn photographers have the equipment that most people would have no reason to own. They have already put the expense into the best cameras and various props to make each photo session special and unique for the parents.

New parents will feel so pampered when they are able to be a part of a photo session by a professional newborn photographer.

A GIFT THAT WILL LAST A LIFETIME-
As you consider what type of gift you will choose for the new parents, consider something that will last. Long after the clothes have been outgrown and the baby shampoo is gone you could be the one who gives the gift that will last a lifetime.

Photos are things that mean so much to parents long after the child has grown. And being able to have a professional newborn photographer to do the job is even better. Most of the props used by the photographer really highlight and enhance the special moments of baby’s first pictures.

Consider giving this gift that will be remembered forever.

What I love for Pregnancy - A Maternity Photographers preferred products

2011-10-31T12:59:00.005-04:00

As many of you know I am pregnant with my second child, another girl, we're so over the moon to be having another baby!! I'm now 22 weeks in and have found some awesome products during my pregnancy I can't live without! I thought I'd share these today =) Many of these items can also be used after baby arrives too.

Pure Essence Mother To Be Prenatal Vitamins
I used these prenatals with my first pregnancy and looooved them so I knew immediately they had to be a part of my regimen this time around too. They help keep my energy levels up while I am in a very busy work season as well as closing in on my 2nd trimester =) To Save $5 Use Code: QED286

Young Living Gentle Baby Essential Oil
I also used this with my first pregnancy as well as this current one. I am really into aromatherapy and a soothing smell can really relax me and put my mind at ease. I use this oil diluted in my Aveda lotion and rub it on my tummy after my baths before bed, mmmmm sweet sleep! This is also great to dilute and use as a massage oil for baby once he or she comes =) A bottle last a long time too!

Maternal America Skinny Jeans
I've spent twice this much on maternity jeans and these are still my favorite! The belly band is so comfortable and doesn't get stretched out after a full day of wearing. The jeans have just the right amount of stretch to stay nicely fit for a couple wears for me. Applessed Boutique is a great shop to get these and other awesome maternity clothes =)

Bra-llelujah Spanx Wireless Front Closure Bra
Another 5star find at Appleseed Boutique for me was this bra, WOW, soooooo comfortable. It's not technically a maternity or nursing bra but is so stinkin' comfy I'll have a hard time giving them up when baby comes =) And I think I can always just fold it down to nurse?!

Night Shirt, Under Shirt, Nursing Tank Top
So three years ago I found the greatest nursing tanks at Target with my first baby, they were always a little short to me though. The other day I was looking for some long undershirts to wear under sweaters and found these, they have a lace decor at the neckline too, love! I use them as under shirts and night shirts now, they do give great support at night for my expanded bust line. The best part they'll transition into nursing tops and probably the only thing I'll wear for a few months when this baby is born =)

Low Cut No Panty Line Panties

I'll be the first to admit I'm practically living in leggings and stretchy pants when I'm not in my MA Jeans. This calls for no seam panties....and I will also admit I'm not into thongs so scratch that idea; I'd rather go commando. Anyways, these panties are so comfy, they fit below my expanding belly and are almost invisible beneath my stretchy pants, score! And they actually do come in a thong if you are into that style. I'm sorry I just never got into the thong-tha-thong-thong-thong thang, lol, call me boring but hey I did manage to get pregnant ha =)

Well I'm sure I'll find more awesome products and must-haves but I'll stop here for now and share more in the next "What I love" post =) If you have a "must-have" I'd love to know about it, please drop a note on the Facebook page here =)

Lukas Sits {Maryland Baby Photographers}

2011-10-11T23:01:00.002-04:00

I had to post a couple beautiful shots of Lukas here sitting up. He is one of my Blooming Babies and I've been photographing since literally in the womb =) As babies grow over the first year of their life their images really show the change taking place especially the milestones they cover so quickly. I think those first few months go by in a blur, when babies are helpless and so dependent on parents for everything. Then comes that happy sitter where they can sit and play with toys and keep contented for a good while. Photographing babies when they are just sitting up is so fun, I haven't met a baby that was unhappy at this age =) Typically it falls somewhere between 5-7 months sometimes older depending on the baby. You know it's time to get out the camera when your baby is just sitting up; in the blink of an eye they will be crawling and it gets a little tricky to keep them in one place to take their portraits once their movin' and shakin' =)
So on to Lukas: serious & smiling and all the while sitting!

Ten Most Useful Props for Newborn Photography

2011-09-22T06:59:00.005-04:00

Any proud parent would love to show off their newborn baby; display the happiness they share about their new gain with other friends and family. And the most prevalent way of doing that is through newborn photography. While candid photos can be shared through any social media, there’s a special touch when done by a professional; one that creates a product with far more value and an at times even stronger emotion.

Of course, there’s a certain standard that comes with such professional newborn photography. The price you pay includes more advanced equipment (most professional cameras start at $5K), up to date technology (processing software can be another $5K+), and importantly quality props which can run as much as $300 each for a true vintage wooden prop. In a field such as this, any photographer knows that without that certain prop for an infant, you may never get the especially unique photo that you and the parents are looking for. Most every client asks "what kind of props can we use". Props give an atmosphere to the photo and can help to convey the emotion that you as a new or upcoming mother are feeling especially when the prop is YOU.

A Prop You Can’t Buy
Though it seems uncanny, the best prop that any photographer could ever hope for in their newborn photography is the parent.
A baby feels most content when in the arms of their mother or father, so it makes sense that with a parent in the picture, the baby would display its most content and relaxed face. Say you’d rather not be included in the photo, something and simple as your hands holding the baby produces a loving and gentle atmosphere and exemplifies the affection within the relationship that you have inherently established with your child.

Other Vitals and Essentials

The next nine props are most common in newborn photography.
• Cocoons can show either the full body or just a part of the child, but the concept of a child having on nothing but cloth really captures the idea of the child just being brought into the world.

• Scales of any kind put the emphasis on a baby's weight, which is always a very talked about topic for any birth in a family.

• Hats can bring about any theme for those creative parents, from cowboy western to enchanted fairy forests.

• Materials and backdrops of any size, color, texture, or pattern are probably the most used within newborn photography; all one truly needs is the right background to potentially say it all.

• Baskets are incredibly adorable. They refer back to the stork concept and capture the idea of a baby just arriving.

• Pillows are very easy to pose babies on; the look of the child being delicate and fragile is almost effortless.
• Bowls, Pots, and Trunks, are items a child can fit in to that helps put their small size into perspective.

As with all newborn photography, it can be the props that make the difference. Professional newborn photography has the props to truly make the experience you are having or will have with your new baby even more amazing and memorable.

Rita is a newborn photographer on the East Coast and works out of her tranquil baby studio set amidst 5 acres of woods. She offers photography workshops to parents and photographers. Visit her on her newborn photography facebook page here!

To find out about the greatest baby photography prop vendors including prop and cocoon providers or if you ARE one, join our monthly newsletter where we spotlight the best of the best! Sign up for the newsletter HERE.

Big News for Bitsy Baby {Newborn Photographers}

2011-09-20T09:00:00.001-04:00

Well it's leaked to a few people already; how can it not with this growing belly & my excited big mouth =) but we are finally making our BIG announcement here to everyone!!

I am pregnant!!!!!

My family and I will be welcoming a brand new baby (our own) into our arms (and of course the studio) in February!!

This is a huge event for our family as we have been trying to conceive this time around for a couple years now. The beginning of the pregnancy had it's issues so we wanted to wait for the big announcement until all was well and going good. The only real concern now is pre-term birth as I went into labor with Marina, my first baby, at 32 weeks. We have decided to take the weekly progesterone shots as that should prevent this from happening again. These shots are typically taken for weeks 16-34 when the baby might have health issues if born. This does mean more Doctor visits but I just don't think I can give myself those shots and my insurance won't cover me doing it myself anyway.

So lots of questions floating around in our home:

Where will I give birth? Due to the early complications we are seeing Drs at Annapolis OBGYN at the moment but my Drs know I plan to transfer to Bay Area Midwifery or Special Beginnings at some point....I'm sure hubby will appreciate Bay Area being so close to the hospital, he says he isn't into the "home birth thing" though if I could I certainly would welcome this baby right into our home from the womb =) That's just me! Don't get me wrong I'm not anti-Dr or anything but a healthy routine birth in my opinion doesn't need a Dr's attendance.

What will we name HER?? Yes we just found out it is a GIRL at Baby To Be Images Sonogram Center in Annapolis. This was a beautiful experience and I highly recommend anyone wanting to visit their baby in the womb to go see the team at the 3d/4d elective sonogram center, very personal and non-medical =) I know many clients that wait to find out the gender until the birth, that's amazing to me but not for me!

Will I take time off work? How much time? I am lucky to be able to have this decision to make. Of course the time off will not be "paid maternity leave" as I am self employed but I'm sure just a short time for a baby moon will be still be in order?

What color will the nursery be? Heck, where will the nursery be? Our only other room upstairs is my office. Our basement is being renovated but it will not be realistic to move our 3 year old or our new baby downstairs anytime soon...so after she spends the baby moon in my bedroom I'll likely have the office re-done to be her nursery!

Will I cloth diaper again? For how long? Even at night? Is it cheaper?

Sooooo much more to think about so I'll be sharing as the pregnancy goes on =)

I hope you will celebrate this beautiful season with us! If you have any thoughts or personal experience with any of my questions and comments above please post some thoughts for me on my Bitsy Baby Photography Facebook page HERE, would loooove to hear from you!!!!!

This is Marina and I in the NICU on her 1st day of life out of the womb. She was the tiniest little jewel at 4.5 pounds =) With most of that being her HAIR lol!

Toodles,

Rita

To read the next Bitsy Baby Photography September e-News article click here.

Baby Austin's First Birthday {baby photographers in Maryland}

2011-09-20T07:13:00.003-04:00

Happy Birthday Baby Austin!!!

I've known Austin and his parents for over a year now, seems like it has gone by in just a blink! So thankful our paths have crossed, this has been a great journey through Austin's first year =)

Advanced Creative Photography Tips {Controlling the Blur}

2011-09-14T19:02:00.008-04:00

Creative (and somewhat advanced) Photography Tips:

Have you ever noticed that part of your image is blurry, especially when photographing children? Maybe it's their hands or their feet that are blurry because they were moving? Most babies and children, unless they are asleep, are constantly moving. As a matter of fact, we typically get the greatest portraits when we let them move, shake, and be happy don't we =)

So another solution to this issue, versus trying to make them "hold still", is to put your camera on Shutter Priority, on a Canon it is usually the letter "T" and on a Nikon it is an "S" and now many hand-held cameras even have this option. Now move your sub-command wheel and watch the numbers changing. You are changing the shutter speed and your camera automatically changes your Aperture setting to expose the image as best the camera can.

Now what number do you want your shutter to be at? Well if you want to freeze the motion of those moving hands and legs I would say to have the shutter on 250 or higher. If you want to show the motion, say you want to see a bit of that movement as a creative blur effect, then I'd say you want a moderate shutter speed. Start at 1/30s and change the shutter number down until you achieve the desired amount of blur you are looking for. **You may need a tripod for these longer shutter speeds. This blur effect is also how you would achieve that dreamy blur of a waterfall if you find yourself at a beautiful waterfall in Hawaii at some point =)

So go ahead, put your camera on Shutter Priority and take control of your blur!

Baby Photography Tips {Newborn Baby Portraits}

2011-09-12T14:40:00.008-04:00

Babies first milestone: sleeping!

From my experience spending so much time with many many babies over the years there are 4 major milestones I've found the best to focus your photography efforts on: sleeping, smiling, sitting, standing...oh and then 1st Birthday if that doesn't coincide with the standing phase.

Today we will focus on the first one: sleeping and getting a great basic first portrait of your baby! So babies usually sleep a lot for their first week of life. Now this is not the time frame most parents want to get out their camera and get creative so we'll keep it basic here. If you just don't have the energy to do a thing during this first week, give me a call and I can do it for you of course =)

The first thing to remember when photographing your baby at home is to turn off your lamps and overhead lights in your home to eliminate unwanted color casts (yellowish or random colors you might sometimes notice in your photos). You may have heard me say this before but it's so easy to forget this important detail.

Then move your baby to a window so you have a good amount of natural light.

One great product to purchase when you have a baby if you plan to do a lot of your own photography is a bean bag! Especially for the younger ages when they can not sit up or control their body. I use www.beanbags.com and like the "puck" beanbags. **one note please don't ever leave a baby alone in or on a beanbag**

I personally love sleeping baby photos, their so serene and angelic. So once baby is asleep place a neutral colored blanket over your beanbag---does not have to be a baby blanket, try finding one with some texture, and place your baby on the blanket. I like neutral colors like cream, brown, white but if you like more bright or colorful looks try something a little more vibrant. I definitely recommend not to use one with a lot of prints or designs so the focus stays on your baby and all those intricate little features.

If your baby is not wanting to sleep or has past this stage already (they typically "wake up" after 2 weeks or so) try swaddling them up nice and snug so they are comfortable (I love swaddle blankets from Sarahs Gift Boutique on Etsy) Be assured your baby will likely fuss while you are swaddling but should calm down after their all snug as a bug! Sometimes it takes 2 people to swaddle a baby =) Then when baby is comfortable lay him on the beanbag. Maybe watch this VIDEO if you need swaddling help.

Put your camera on the "Portrait" mode (the picture of the face) and place the camera strap around your neck or wrist. Stand above your baby so you are photographing directly from above (might need a little stool, careful not to loose balance and fall on the baby) and snap a couple shots--look at your photos to be sure they are looking good and not blurry or too dark and then go ahead and try a few different angles.

Be sure your baby's head is not leaning too far back or too far sideways--you want to be able to see most of both eyes and the tip of the nose versus seeing up his nostrils.

Here are some samples of the baby portraits I am describing taken with only natural window light:

Fall Family Portraits {Newborn Photographer offers family sittings}

2011-09-10T15:15:00.002-04:00

Limited Family portrait sessions are being offered by Bitsy Baby Photography in Maryland in October 2011.

It is always so awesome to see all the families we have welcomed into the studio over the previous years return for our fall family portrait opportunity! This is also a great opportunity to have your baby photographed for one of the first year milestones such as when they are sitting up or standing up.

These fall photography sessions are also ideal for capturing that perfect moment for your 2011 holiday cards =)

Details

Date: October 22, 2011 -- rain-date is Oct 29th.

Time: Random times--we are close to being booked so inquire asap if interested!

Place: Bitsy Baby Photography Edgewater Studio, sessions are outdoors in beautiful fall foliage

Package Includes:

10 high resolution digital images in an online gallery to download
Print release to print your digital images to any size
Box of 25 greeting cards with your favorite image.

Cost is $350

Ready to schedule? Additional questions?

Send an email to Rita@bitsybaby.com

The fine print:

--3 individuals are included in the cost, each additional person is $25

--babies must be 1 month or older

--images for the greeting card must be submitted within 1 week of receiving your online gallery for delivery of cards to be in time for December, if we do not receive your image we will choose one for the card and place the order

--greeting card is a 5x7 card with your image covering the entire front of the card, there are no designs or colors to choose from, no cash value can be redeemed for the cards

--sessions are petite sessions, 30 minutes in length, please arrive 5-10 minutes prior to your scheduled time

--if you can not make it on time, your $350 will be applied towards our regular petite session of $500 and scheduled based on availability

--you will be provided with high quality vendor information to order your prints and products as you wish

Baby Brady {Newborn Photography}

2011-09-08T18:23:00.002-04:00

Hello again today =)

Now let me introduce little Brady and yes we have had quite a few boys in the studio recently!

I always deliver all my client's galleries with both color and black & white images because you never know what someone will like better. However, I find myself loving the classic b&w look lately=) The wood bowl set up here did look so great in color though. Enjoy!

And don't forget if you would like some great tips on getting better shots at home please join my e-News =)

Ciao for today!

Baby David {Newborn Photographers}

2011-09-08T16:40:00.002-04:00

Wow, there has been a baby boom here lately =) Lots and lots of babies! Let's start with a simple beautiful black & white set of Baby David and his family =)

Gallery coming very soon Mom & Dad!

Photography Workshops in Maryland

2011-09-04T08:04:00.003-04:00

Who Should Attend?
Parents, Grandparents, and anyone who wants to celebrate their children and family's legacy through the lens of their camera.

What Should I Bring?
Your DSLR camera and lens or your point and shoot camera. If you are still in the market for a camera you can come without and learn more about exactly what you need!

When?
Saturday, September 17th!

Where?
Bitsy Baby Photography Studio

Cost?
The cost of the Sept workshop is $99 and includes workshop materials, beverages & snacks, and a wealth of information and instruction.

How Do I Register?
Send an email to Rita@BitsyBaby.com with "WORKSHOP" as the subject. I will send you a registration form and invoice to reserve your space. There are a limited number of spaces available per class; spots will be reserved on a first come, first serve basis.

Any More details?
This workshop includes the following and is the stepping stone to future workshops:

* 10 Key elements to creating impressing images
* Instructions on Elements of Exposure including ISO, shutter speed, & aperture
* Instructions on your basic camera modes and when to use what
* Resources for printing and sharing
* Introduction to lenses and their capabilities

A workbook will be provided to you to take home and reference all topics covered.

Though the workshop atmosphere is relaxed and fun, most every moment is utilized to provide sufficient depth to your learning experience.

Additional workshops such as One-on-One and Small Group Classes are available for a more in depth learning experience and hands-on instruction with Rita.

NOW IT'S TIME:
Lets learn how to capture the moment, create a lifetime of memories and celebrate your family today!

***If you are a photographer please inquire for The Photographer's Workshop details, Rita now helps photographers get a jump start on their photography business in the right direction!

Newborn Photographers Keep Memories

2011-08-24T16:14:00.002-04:00

Newborn Photographers Keep Memories of Quickly Changing Baby Stages

The Importance of Newborn Photography:

Those who have chosen to expand their families by adding children will be the first to tell you how quickly they change and grow – especially in those first few weeks of life. From day to day your little one’s eyes, face, nose, expressions, and just about everything else transform. Some days your baby may favor daddy and some days you’re certain she’s just like mommy; but everyday your breath is constantly stolen away by how beautifully and uniquely your baby is her own person. Newborn photography gives parents the opportunity to capture their little one’s rapidly changing stages.

As you have probably already noticed your baby’s most notable changes happen (or are happening) during their first three months of life. Their features are becoming more established. Every day they are more alert and eager to engage the world around them. Their bodies are growing quickly to add weight and length so they can begin the next phase of development. As you look back on these times, referencing those quiet, tender moments with newborn photography will be a treasure for you and your partner to relish for years to come. A professional newborn photographer specializes in the art of capturing a babies’ expressions and personality to make them that much more special to look back on.

Choosing a Newborn Photographer:

There are many photographers out there to choose from for your baby’s first photographs. But you’ll want to be sure that you are choosing a photographer that can capture your child’s spirit and give you newborn photographs as unique as he is. Many parents are drawn to photographers that allow room to explore newborn photography in a more non-traditional setting to allow parents the greatest opportunity for capturing the essence of this priceless time in their lives.

More and more, parents want to explore a wide array of options when having their son or daughter photographed, especially for the first time. Being able to select color or black and white photos, opting for familiar settings like your home or baby’s nursery, and even including the family pet in a portrait are vital to giving your newborn’s photographs the authentic feel that truly represents your family. Newborn photographers are able to capture your infant and your personal stage in life too.

Why Bitsy Baby Photography:

Bitsy Baby Photography sees each child as a miracle, and strives to capture that truth in each frame. Newborn photography sessions only happen once for each precious new life, and newborn photography by Bitsy Baby Photography will provide artistic, magical photographs that celebrate your son or daughter’s entrance to the world. Each session is customized to the desires of the parents. The outcome of each session is a gift you will thank yourself for over and over each time you look at images of your precious baby’s first days on earth.

Bitsy Baby Photography offers newborn photography along the east cost primarily, but is happy to work with families from out of the area as well. For photographs taken with care, consult Bitsy Baby Photography. Capture these precious moments today, and celebrate their memory even tomorrow

A Newborn Photographers Tips on Photographing an older baby

2011-08-15T08:32:00.005-04:00

Tips on photographing an older baby

Sometimes you don't think of having your baby's portraits taken until after your baby is here, that is OK!! We had room for this family to come in at the last minute and they had some beautiful memories captured. Little Caden here was 3 weeks old when he came into the studio and still gave us plenty of sleepy images!

Typically you want to come in during your baby's 5-7 day mark to guarantee the curly sleepy portraits that show the newborn size and age so well. And every so often an older baby will still sleep!

Here are a few details to note when photographing an older baby and by older I mean after the 2 week window where they may not be so curly and sleepy anymore but still are not old enough to offer much body control.

First, think of where you will place the baby for his or her first photos. It's best not to attempt to put a baby inside or on top of props if they are awake. Babies can flail their arms or kick their feet in the blink of an eye and they will topple out of a bowl or off a bookshelf faster than you can reach for them. Just play it safe! The center of a bed works great if you are working at home. A beanbag is convenient too for photographing the babies easily, most photographers now use a beanbag. Be sure that when you are taking the baby's photos you have the baby at the center of the beanbag, especially if you have them on their tummy. An older baby, while on the tummy, can do a froggy kick and lurch forward.... if he is in the center of the beanbag the baby is safest. Another thing to do that helps keep the baby cozy is burrow a little cubby in the middle of the beanbag when posing the baby on it's back, this can give the sensation he is being cradled and may keep him more comfy.

Second, when taking photos of a baby be sure you keep a good distance from the baby so you can get good sharp focus of all their features. You should look at your lens features and be sure you know the distance from your subject you can be for good focus. With some lenses you can not be any closer than 2 feet to your subject or you will have issues with blurry photos. If you are shooting in Aperture Priority or Manual mode I recommend not going below an aperture of 2.5 and keep a faster shutter if baby is moving at all--this ensure that the eyes, nose, and tiny lips are all in focus. An additional thought here when you are taking a photo of a baby and their feet and fingers are in the photo as well, try to place their hands and feet so they are on the same focal plane as their face....this can make the difference between a good portrait and an awesome portrait whether or not all those little features are actually in focus!

Third, have a "soother". A pacifier works great but at this age of an older baby some parents are not yet using a paci or soother, so then what? For a lot of these shots below we had Dad put his pink finger into the baby's mouth to help keep him soothed. Instruct Dad to gently rub the top of the baby's mouth (behind the upper gums) with the tip of his pinky. So his hand will need to be palm up when doing this. It will seem uncomfortable at first and Dad will also be unsure if he has never done this but once the baby starts to suck he will "get it". The only way this really works is if baby is truly not hungry and only wants to suck to be soothed. If the baby starts sucking and stops and continues to cry he is probably hungry so pass the tiny subject on to the parents and have them feed him.

All of these images featured in this post are what we typically can get even if your baby is a little older but has a full tummy. It just takes a bit more time and quite a bit of patience but that is what we are known for =)

Oh and yes we will include pets at the client's request, however, you must be comfortable with photographing pets as well as photographing babies for this to work.

Best Wishes to you in photographing these older babies.

Rita Lawrence specializes in maternity and newborn photography up to baby's first year. She offers convenient digital packages and informative photography workshops to help families improve their photography. She also now offers individual photography workshops for photographers interested in bettering their photography skills or improving their business model.

Newborn Photographer Lighting Tips

2011-07-25T09:03:00.001-04:00

Newborn Photographer Lighting Tips

When taking photographs of an adorable newborn, how do you ensure that the lighting is just right for the moment you are capturing? Lighting is considered to be THE most important aspect of capturing amazing newborn photographs. The biggest tip for photographing newborns is to find your own light! Natural light always produces better end photographs. However, as you cannot always depend upon nature, it is important to understand how to manipulate studio or other lighting to produce the end-result you are seeking. No matter what the setting, your creative newborn photographs will be treasured for a lifetime! These are some professional newborn photographer tips that you can try!

Lighting for Outdoor Shots
Natural lighting often offers the best shots of newborns! When your backdrop is an outdoor garden, or bench, it is important to watch out for the position of the sun, as mid-day lighting can cause dark shadows to appear in your shot. In addition, harsh lighting can cause the newborn to squint, yet again, creating a less-favourable shot. Open shade is ideal lighting when shooting newborns outdoors. Possible options involve placing the baby’s head and neck under a shade source or using your camera’s flash fill if the facial features still appear to dark for your liking. In-direct sunlight is always preferred to direct sunlight. And if you are lucky enough to shoot on a day that is overcast, you may just get your best newborn photographs ever!

Lighting for Indoor Shots
When shooting indoors, keep in mind that bright flashes will likely cause the baby’s facial expressions to appear uncomfortable. When possible, use natural lighting from a window, positioning the newborn where the light highlights his/her facial features. When using portrait studio lighting if that is an option for you, position them in such a way to minimize shadows in the photographs. Reflectors and diffusers could add visual interest when used by the at-home newborn photographer if used correctly.
In addition to the indoor/outdoor basics, there are a few other lighting tips to consider when photographing newborns:

Avoid using flash to help reduce or eliminate red eye, as this is never ideal in any photographs.
Create positioning that fosters the newborn’s pupils to be smaller in size (of course if your newborn’s eyes are even open....many new babies sleep through the majority of photo shoots), as larger pupils foster red eye to appear in photographs.
When you utilize lighting for added effects, ensure that it is angled where the light reflects back into the lens.

Whether you are a novice or professional newborn photographer, paying attention to the positioning and the ultimate effects being created by lighting utilized will enhance the appearance of your end result. The more you photograph the more you will learn to see the light. And if you just can’t get it right yourself you can always call on a professional =)

You have a newborn baby, now what??

2011-07-18T07:23:00.002-04:00

You’ve just experienced the miracle of giving birth to your baby–a huge congratulations to you both! But wait…no one warned you about your baby’s crazy sleeping patterns {or lack thereof}, told you that it would seem like they’re crying all the time or that it would feel like they expect an all-you-can eat buffet 24/7! Frankly, you’re exhausted, frustrated and at your wits end. Soothing Solutions Newborn Coaching can help!

Soothing Solutions Newborn Coaching:

Is ideally taken when your baby is in the immediate newborn phase {1 week-3 months old}
Will teach you the wildly famous “Happiest Baby on the Block” techniques from a certified educator using your own baby {this will be hands-on review if you did my Prepping for Parenthood coaching}
Discusses common newborn issues such as crying, sleeping patterns and how to effectively calm and soothe your baby
Teaches you the “15 Healthy Sleep Habits for Your Newborn” which will make needing to use the “cry-it-out method” unnecessary when they get older
Provides you with breastfeeding information and support {if you choose to breastfeed}
Will educate you about the many benefits of infant massage for you and your baby
Demonstrates many tried-and-true infant soothing products and allows you to try them out with your baby
Shows a DVD which discusses the importance of being in-tune with your baby and responding to their needs
Allows you to have ALL your newborn questions answered in a comfortable atmosphere without feeling rushed or embarrassed

To find out more about this service and much much more that can help you during this season visit the Tranquil Baby website here.

Meet Milo! {Newborn Photographer}

2011-07-15T10:33:00.000-04:00

Introducing sweet little newborn baby Milo. What a privilege it was to capture a beautiful collection of images for his family to always remember his brand new teeny tiny-ness and the joy he brought to the world in the summer of 2011 =)

Happy Friday =)

Baby Photography in Maryland

2011-07-10T11:15:00.001-04:00

too. tired. to. talk. today =)

What to Look for in your Newborn Photographer

2011-07-07T15:39:00.003-04:00

What to Look for in You Newborn Photographer:

Patience and Creativity!

The best newborn photographer knows the importance of capturing the first few days and experiences of your sweet arrivals new life. He or she knows that capturing every little detail is critically important to you, from the wisps of soft hair to their little nails. It is important that you’re able to photograph many beautiful poses to help capture the little details, from the resting on the hands to the cutest basket shots. You also want to make sure your baby is safe, warm, and happy.

To find a newborn photographer, take the time to choose the best one who offers all the benefits and services that you value. These moments are far too precious for you to have to deal with an ineffective photographer who may underwhelm your expectations.

Consider the following.

· Be sure to ask questions about the photographer's experience working with newborns in particular. What services do they offer to help you prepare? How many babies have they worked with? Will there be a professional and assistant managing the shot? Will you be able to spot your baby during the shoot?

· Look at the newborn photographer's photographs. The baby should be peaceful or playful and happy. Do the shots look natural or are they strained and forced? Look at the baby, do you see things like a strained face or changes in the child's face coloring that may indicate that the baby is uncomfortable? A professional newborn photographer must be extremely patient to allow the baby to act naturally instead of trying to force the baby into certain poses or facial expressions.

· Can you get references from past clients? Ask for these and get some feedback from the clients on how the session went, and if they would have done anything differently. Your newborn grows so quickly that you don’t want to risk scheduling a session with the wrong person, and then missing out on capturing these fleeting moments of new life.

In short, the newborn photographer needs to be more than a picture taker. He or she needs to be an expert in shooting the intimate details of a newborn's beauty. They need to understand safe handling techniques of the baby while understanding the child's physiology. There is no rushing this type of art, either. Patience and creativity are what make these shots truly special and magical for the parents and other family members.

Safety is perhaps the most important aspect of the shoot. For you to be comfortable, you need to ensure that your child is safe in whatever pose the photographer decides to use. Keeping that in mind, you also want a newborn photographer who can be creative enough to connect with the child's beauty and unique characteristics to create the picture perfect poses that will hold a special place in your heart for years to come.

Ask questions and get to know the newborn photographer before you decide to work with him or her. This is, perhaps, the best way to find out if they have what it takes to safely create memorable photos you will treasure for the rest of your life. BitsyBaby Photography in Annapolis, Maryland can do that for you, and impress you along this magical journey.

Newborn Photography

2011-07-06T01:00:00.001-04:00

New Life {Newborn Photography}

2011-07-06T00:35:00.001-04:00

Kissy Kissy {Newborn Baby Photographer}

2011-06-26T16:25:00.003-04:00

We met little baby Hunter this week in the studio, what a sweetheart. Thought I'd share her kisses here =) We have so many more to post so come back soon!

Men, Pregnancy, and Birth! {Newborn Baby Photography}

2011-06-14T08:00:00.000-04:00

I see it all the time, my own husband was there at one time becoming a father and finding his place. I think it is important to consider what your baby's father is experiencing. Sometimes this is hard, as we know men aren't always "talkers". I am one of the privileged to witness these men becoming Dad's right in front of my eyes and camera. They come into the studio...pace back and forth as I gently handle their precious miracle and jumping at the first hint of a cry because their instincts are to protect. What I also see is their hearts exploding with love and oozing with joy for their little blessing. I wanted to share this great article from Pregnancy.org by Dr Bruce Linton.

Becoming a father and a parent can be a transformational process for a man. When a man becomes a father, through loving his child, partner and family, he comes in contact with a deep paternal masculinity. When a child enters a man's life, a new depth of feeling and emotion are awakened within him.

In my work with fathers, what I hear new dads talk about most is their interest in being a participating and active parent. They want to be able to nurture their child and family by being more than just the "breadwinner" -- as many of their fathers were. They don't want to just put bread on the table for their families, they want to sit down and eat dinner with them too.

A whole world of feelings are awakened in a man through the process of pregnancy and birth. It has been my experience that although women often appreciate this new awakening of feeling in their spouse or partner, they don't really understand what it means to the new or expectant father.

Men's involvement in pregnancy and birth and their participation in the early years of their child/children's lives has changed dramatically over the past 25 years. In 1965, about 5% of fathers attended the birth of their child. In 1989, almost 95% of fathers were present at childbirth. Men are clearly asking for more participation in the childbirth process. It is also interesting to note how, in a recent survey on men and work, 75% of the men would accept slower career advancement if they could have a job that would let them arrange their work schedule to have more time with their families.

At the prospect of becoming a father, men are filled with excitement, fear, wonder, worry, love, and confusion. (Just to name a few feelings!) Throughout the pregnancy and birth, the man, who is now becoming a father, is trying to find ways to express and integrate these and many more feelings.

PREGNANCY AND MEN

Men in western industrialized countries get little preparation as to how to make the transition from man to father. Participating in prenatal classes, going to prenatal visits with your partner are ways in which expectant fathers can be both supportive of their partners/wives and at the same time include themselves in the pregnancy process. Many men begin during the pregnancy to develop a bond with their child. Expectant fathers in my groups have talked about how they-enjoyed laying their hands on their partner's belly and talking to their babies. This very personal and private communication is very powerful as a prenatal bonding ritual. Helping choose the birth attendants, midwife or doctor, and being involved in the choice of where the baby will be born is another way men begin becoming involved.

In my work with fathers, through the Fathers' Forum, I see men seeking to understand the journey from man to father, and I see how something very special happens when this "search for understanding" is shared with other men/fathers. Finding a relationship with other men/fathers during pregnancy is an important way in which we can help "initiate" each other into fatherhood.

Be sure to check out the full article HERE for more on Fatherhood or to join the forum!

Credit is issued to Pregnancy.org and Bruce Linton, Ph.D for the contents of the article posted here.

A New Season {Maryland Newborn Photographer}

2011-06-09T10:39:00.003-04:00

These are just a FEW shots from a long day with Baby As Art (www.babyasart.com) on my most recent trip to California. What an awesome opportunity to mentor with some of the most amazing photographers in the nation, Carrie Sandoval and Brittany Woodall. I am so appreciative to Jen as well, who answered my slew of questions related to the Baby As Art business. Thank you so much for sharing your knowledge and skills ladies!!

Happy Memorial Day from Bitsy Baby Photography

2011-05-30T01:41:00.000-04:00

My husband has served in our US Navy for over 20 years so I know the challenges and sacrifices a military family makes. Though your children may not always be in your arms when you are away we know they will always be with your heart =) I recognize all military with a 10% off Thank You when booking with us. It's just a small way to say I appreciate your service!

Maryland Birth Network

2011-05-10T22:45:00.000-04:00

We are now a member of this awesome network - The Maryland Birth Network. It's a wonderful resource for all things birth and baby. We have been spotlighted there recently, so be sure to check them out!

Who is the Maryland Birth Network?

They are an independent group of childbirth professionals and families founded on the belief that birth is a normal, natural process that can deeply affect our physical, mental and spiritual well-being.

Their mission is to improve the quality of maternity care throughout Maryland by supporting and educating local childbearing families and health care professionals.

MBN promotes mother-friendly maternity care, encourages informed health care decisions, and strives to improve our community’s birth culture.

Maryland Birth Network members collectively believe that birth is a normal event that brings with it memories that last a lifetime.

What They Do

They educate, support and empower pregnant families throughout the birth process; and build bridges with experienced, educated and encouraging professionals to see it through.

They host monthly meetings and workshops where birthing professionals and new or expecting parents are able to connect and openly discuss issues within a trusted network of support.

They promote awareness and availability of mother-friendly birth professionals to help families make fully informed choices by publishing MBN's on-line provider directory and the Maryland Birth Resource Guide; a free guide, listing local providers who are committed to providing gentle, compassionate services to pregnant families.

They plan a variety of childbirth-related community activities such as our annual Birth Fair, well-known speakers, film screenings, booths at local fairs and participation in national and local conferences.

Be sure to check out them out at MarylandBirthNetwork.com.

Moments with Mom {baby photography celebrating Mother's Day}

2011-05-08T19:53:00.002-04:00

The celebration at our photography studio in Annapolis for our Moments with Mom event last week was beyond words!!! So many of our clients came in with their babies and children and I was able to capture some beautiful moments of them connecting and enjoying each other. I had not seen half of them since the babies were newborns so what a joy to see them growing so big. The focus of our Moments with Mom event was on each mom enjoying a moment with her child, here are just a FEW moments from the day =)

Happy Mother's Day to all our friends and clients!

Waiting {Maryland Maternity and Baby Photography}

2011-05-07T18:29:00.005-04:00

One word comes to my mind as I see so many Moms in their last months of pregnancy: waiting.

There is another time that the word "waiting" comes to mind though, when a couple is waiting for those 2 bars to present themselves on that white stick: the wait to be pregnant. It took my husband and I five years to conceive our miracle, the waiting was exhausting and depressing at times and unless a woman has gone through this they do not understand what this waiting (and Mother's Day) can do to your heart and mind. I pray for strength and patience if you are going through a season of waiting, for a soft heart and a mind at peace and that your waiting will be over soon.

Then I celebrate motherhood with all those that have made it through their seasons of waiting! I am thankful to be such a big part of capturing this love with all of you moms, it brings joy to my heart every single time I see you look at your baby.

Happy Mother's Day!!

Becoming A Mom {Newborn Photography with Moms}

2011-05-03T08:00:00.000-04:00

I talk to new Mom's almost every day when they call our newborn photography studio. I can always see the joy and excitement even through the phone when they say "we are having our first baby" or "I just found out I am pregnant". And yes, I get calls from Mom's who are very newly pregnant ready to schedule their portraits to celebrate this season! I enjoy reading as much as I can about the experience of being a Mom of all sorts--the stay-at-home Mom, the work-from-home Mom, the professional office Mom, the business owner Mom, so many different experiences but for every Mom there is that one common thread, the LOVE they already have for their baby! I wish every Mom out there a Happy Mother's Day this week =)

Here is an article I enjoyed regarding about Motherhood and the new role we are born into when we have a baby!

As we all know, a baby changes everything.

Those changes are wonderful (you have a new little person to love) and terrifying (you have a new little person to care for 24/7). Sometimes, in the excitement of the moment, women and their partners lose sight of how a baby can redefine a woman's priorities, relationships and sense of self. The transitions that come with motherhood involve going from no children to having a child (or multiple children), and they typically require that a woman either balance work and family or switch gears from pursuing a career to staying home full-time with kids. Each scenario is a major life change that can be both energizing and overwhelming.

The First-Time Mom

While you're thrilled to have a baby of your own, you'll be shocked by how this tiny being will consume every moment of your life. The realization will make you kick yourself for never having fully appreciated the freedom you once had. Other changes: Your childless friends won't understand why you don't return their calls and emails. Your home will become less tidy. You'll neglect the beloved pet you once doted upon. You'll continue to wear maternity clothes for a while -- since your real clothes don't fit and, besides, you're getting spit-up on so often.

Some advice: Try, as best you can, to live in and enjoy the moment. Your first child's first year is a fascinating journey. Take pictures on his or her monthly birthdays and you'll be awed by the changes occurring so quickly before your eyes. Try not to agonize too much about your career, your body, your social life, your "To Do List." At least once in a while, nap when the baby naps, and enjoy cuddling your sleeping son or daughter in your quiet home.

Becoming a Mom, Again

When your kid count increases, you'll likely look back on your days as a mother of one and wonder, "What was I complaining about? Why couldn't I get anything done? One was so easy." The challenge of having more than one child is that there's still only one you. Two or more kids are a job unto themselves.

Some advice: Do your best to not disappear beneath the demands made by your growing family. As a mother of three, including twins, I often feel that all I do is respond to the needs of my offspring and attempt to contain the chaos left in their wake. The Three Kids vs. One Mom dynamic is often very tough. When possible, I try to disappear (into my home office or by leaving the house alone or with my husband). I also try to spend one-on-one time with each child. That way we can be together without me shouting things like, "Hold on," "Just wait," "I'm one person, you guys are three.")

Surviving Stay-at-Home Motherhood

When two incomes aren't absolutely essential to a family's economic well-being, having a mother leave the workforce to care for kids is often looked at as the solution to all work-family problems. But for a woman who had a career and active life before becoming an at-home parent, the transition to stay-at-home motherhood can be filled with a host of mixed emotions.

Posted with permission from Pregnancy.Org, LLC. Be sure to read the full article HERE!

Meet the Artist at Vivo! {Bitsy Baby Photography}

2011-04-25T15:56:00.007-04:00

Join Bitsy Baby Photography for our spring “Meet the Artist” event.

Date: May 14^th from 4-6pm

Where: Vivo! In Historic Annapolis, 6 Fleet St. Annapolis, MD 410-268-2258

See our newest products and portraits, mingle with other Bitsy Baby families, and learn more about Bitsy Baby’s designs and community involvement.

All those attending will be entered to win a seat at an upcoming Bitsy Baby Photography workshop!!

Event sponsored by Tiny Prints and Vivo!

A little more about Vivo!

Vivo! is thrilled to feature regional artists, emerging independent designers, and products by companies committed to making the world a better place. We believe that life is better off the beaten path, that finding one's own voice is preferred to following the crowd, and that being different is not such a bad thing. With clothing and gifts for infants through adults, home decor, jewelry, and so much more, it's hard to leave empty-handed. It's even harder to leave without a smile on your face!

PARKING INFO: Vivo! Is located just off the City Dock in Historic downtown Annapolis. Parking is closest at Market Square or the Hillman Garage off of Main Street, but a free shuttle that travels about the Historic District is available from the Navy Marine Memorial Stadium on a regular basis.

On weekends, parking is free at the Maryland State Garage off of Bladen St. just past the fork in Rowe Blvd.

Happy Easter from Bitsy Baby Photography

2011-04-24T08:43:00.001-04:00

Griffin and I wanted to wish everyone a Happy Easter =)

Moments With Mom, Mother's Day Photography Event

2011-04-19T17:39:00.002-04:00

Join us April 30^th from 9:00-4:00 for Moments with Mom, a celebration of motherhood through the lens of Rita's camera. Open exclusively to previous Bitsy Baby Photography clients, Moments with Mom will capture and celebrate a few special moments in time of mother and child. There is no session fee and no minimum order for this event. Rita will photograph each Mom and child in petite portrait sessions. These images will be uploaded in an online gallery where you may later purchase products of your choice.

Moments with Mom is a "thank you" to all of our wonderful Bitsy Baby Photography clients and their beautiful children. An opportunity to capture the special bond of motherhood as we celebrate mother's day. This is a one day event with limited availability, and sessions will be booked on a first-come first-serve basis.

When: April 30, 2011

Where: 1801 West Street, Suite 200 Annapolis, MD 21401

Please allow up to 60 minutes of time at the studio.
Please bring a spouse or helper if you have multiple children.
We will not be working on group images of the family, instead we will focus on your connection with each of your children individually.

How to sign up: Send an email with your name, your children's names and their ages to Rita@bitsybaby.com

We look forward to celebrating Mother's Day with you!

This is a one day event with limited availability, and sessions will be booked on a first-come first-serve basis.

Tips for DIY Newborn Photography

2011-04-17T23:40:00.002-04:00

Tips for DIY Newborn Photography

The experience of studio photography for your newborn and family is wonderful and a great way to capture those special moments of life, but how do you capture the everyday moments at home?

Have you ever been playing with your newborn or toddler, and you stopped and thought, “Gosh, this would be a beautiful photo!” So, you run to get your camera to capture it, but your child was impatient holding a pose as you struggled with the camera settings trying to get the perfect shot? It might be easy to take a snapshot, but not always something that you’ll want to frame on the wall; it could be fuzzy, shadowy, and such. Documenting your family’s life and experiences with photos are just as important as scheduling professional sessions to capture the benchmarks.

To help you along the way here are some tips for “Do It Yourself” (DIY) newborn photography and family photography, to help to give more quality to the images you snap and to help capture those fleeting moments.

Keep the Child Involved and Having Fun

Your child loves spending time with you, so don’t pass up those moments when they’re giggling and playing – and view them as a perfect photography opportunity. A technique that works great for young children is to not make them pose and stop playing. Ask questions while they’re busy at work, maybe coloring a picture or building something with Legos. When they look up to answer you or show you their work, snap a photo. You can also be proactive by setting up scenes that they can interact with, where they won’t even know that it’s a photo shoot – set up a tea party with costumes, or a picnic, or a blanket and chair fort. Creating a new and special environment for them to explore will ensure that they’ll be having so much fun they won’t notice your camera.

Become Little Again

To get the best shots of your little ones, get down to their eye level - lie down, squat or kneel. Let them keep on with what they’re doing, but be ready to capture that glance or side smile. Some professional photographers use a trick where they have the newborn or child lay down on their back on a blanket. They stand over them and catch emotions by surprising and humoring them, like pretending to fall on them, or by making faces. As they react, snap the photo. Or if that doesn’t work, they kneel down and tickle them with one hand while shooting with the other. The fit of giggles is a great time to shoot a few priceless shots.

Think About Upgrading Your Equipment, Or At Least Learn the Basics

As you can tell by the tips, to get the best photos it works best to have a camera that can snap quickly and doesn’t have a time delay. Some types of cameras will make it easier to catch fleeting moments, which is very important with child and newborn photography. Standard point and shoots have a time delay, and so will take more finesse and you may need your child to hold a pose or smile. Look into a little higher-end camera, like a Digital SLR, and you’ll have more luck and higher quality photos. But if you can’t make that investment, you can use some other techniques. One way to make the most of point and shoot cameras is to not have to use the flash. Make sure you’re near a window, outdoors, or in an area with plenty of light and turn your flash off. This will help give better color, and you won’t have the risk of red eyes and shadows.

Perhaps you have the creativity to think of picture-perfect settings for your photos, you just don’t have the skills to know all the settings on your camera that could help you take great shots. Any type of camera can take great photos, you just may have to change the focus or light settings. If you want to become more knowledgeable in the general techniques for photography, take a class from Rita at Bitsy Baby Photography, and learn essential knowledge to use your camera at home. In these workshops you will learn about 10 key elements to capturing impressive images, elements of exposure (ISO, shutter speed, aperture), basic camera modes, resources for printing and sharing, and an introduction to lens capabilities. The basic knowledge offered in this workshop will help you take all types of pictures!

Professional Sessions for Newborns and Benchmark Years

While it is important to sharpen your own general photography skills in order to capture beautiful images of your newborn and family, it is nice to start right away with a professional newborn photography session before you embark on your own ventures. It is so valuable to capture the first days of a child’s life and it comes in handy to take some studio shots so that you can get beautiful photos, guaranteed. You will be grateful to have those first couple of moments captured in an image that has been carefully tailored by an expert.

You don’t want to wait before you start documenting your family and all of your experiences, so start learning some skills that you can put to use for the rest of your life.

Separation from Baby, NICU Babies {Baby Photographer}

2011-04-15T11:55:00.008-04:00

Coping With Separation From Your Baby

This is a photo of me and my baby when she was only one day old, Marina was only 4.12 pounds when she was born and was in the NICU for 10 days...a short stay really but still a difficult experience to endure. I found this helpful article and wanted to share in case you have a baby in the NICU now or know someone that does....it is also great to prepare for the unexpected. We had no idea I would go into labor at 32 weeks and was not prepared. Wishing all NICU babies a happy healthy growth and the Mom's and Dad's lots of love and support!!

Being discharged without your baby may feel like the most devastating separation. Even if you knew you were likely to deliver prematurely, you probably didn't envision leaving the hospital with empty arms. Seeing other mothers being discharged with their healthy newborns presents an unbearable cruel contrast with your situation. As Jayna recalls: "This new mom had her baby with her. They were going home together. My baby would have to stay in the hospital for months, fighting for his life."

And so you struggle between these two worlds -- home and the NICU. As the numbness wears off, you may begin to feel obsessed with your baby. This obsession can seem odd since your infant is confined to the hospital and not completely under your care. But although your little one isn't home with you, your obsession is a natural expression of your devotion. Your heart is exactly where it should be -- with your baby.

Tips for Coping with Separation from Your Baby

To cope with being separated from your baby, try any of the following ideas that feel right to you:

Acknowledge your baby's birth in ways that comfort you. It may help to decorate the nursery; shop for baby clothes, toys, or supplies; or start a photo album or baby book.
Send out birth announcements. Notify people of your baby's birth, sharing whatever details you choose in order to let them know that this is neither easy nor routine for you. This process also gives you a chance to welcome and show your love for your newborn.
Write down your observations about your baby: preferences, features, resemblances, expressions.
Learn more about your baby's delivery. Talk with your partner. Ask the attending nurses and doctors about the details. It may also help to ask why things were done the way they were. This information helps you reclaim memories, satisfies your need to know, and fills in the gaps of your story.
Tell those who want to listen about the delivery and your baby. Telling your story over and over can be tremendously therapeutic. You can also write your story in a keepsake journal or baby book.
Place breast pads or a cotton shirt you've slept in for several nights in your baby's incubator. Your scent may be a comforting reminder of your presence to your baby.
Ask the nurse if you can have something with your baby's scent on it to take home with you. Smelling this item may help you feel close to your baby.
Record yourself reading a story or poem, singing, or talking, and leave the tape in the NICU with your baby so it can be played at low volume when your baby is fussy.
Spend as much time as you can or want with your baby. Don't let others discourage you or urge you to take breaks or to "get away" if you want to stay. Also, don't let others make you feel guilty if you do want to take time away.
Take photographs of your baby and look at them regularly. It is especially important to keep updating the photos as your baby's appearance and condition change.

Posted with permission. Be sure to read the full article from Pregnancy.Org, LLC HERE.

Capturing Parents to Be with Maternity Photography

2011-04-12T00:38:00.003-04:00

Catching the Emotions and Expressions of Parents to Be with Maternity Photography

Maternity photography most often pictures the expectant mother showing off her baby bump. However, some of the most beautiful maternity photography also includes the father-to-be. Let’s talk about the benefits of this! With both mother and father present in the photo shoot, the entire experience and process has evolved. What was once a solo venture now has turned into an experience to share. In these types of shots, couples can exhibit their mutual excitement about their new baby. The love that each has for one another and for the new life that they are bringing into the world can be captured in a photo that will last a lifetime. It is fun to see the father’s excitement in photos like these in their expectant and eager faces.

Using maternity photography to capture the bond between two expectant parents is just as precious as seeing the little newborn wrapped up in their arms. With different poses, couples are able to express the intimacy that goes into creating and raising a child. In these types of couple shots, the father and mother are touching and often times they both are touching the mother’s belly. Sometimes, the couples are caught gazing into each other’s eyes. I also like to capture the couples laughing together at the thought of how much those diapers are going to cost!

The journey of parenthood is a joint effort and it is important to capture that bond for future generations to appreciate. With maternity photography the feelings that come along with pregnancy, of nervous excitement, pure happiness, and a deep connection show through and can be admired for many years to come. It is priceless to see the glowing faces of expectant parents and to look at them later to be able to reminisce about your pregnancy and the first year of life.

Working with a maternity photography specialist is very important to documenting your pregnancy and the first year of your child’s life with newborn photography. In this type of photography it is all about timing and feeling great while shooting. Bitsy Baby Photography does not limit sessions to a specified time and is willing to work around your schedule so that you and your baby are in the best mood during your shoot. As we know, this could take some time with infants, but that is alright and never a burden. With Bitsy Baby Photography you will find that your emotions are captured in the best light and only in the way that you want them to be. You and your baby’s most intimate and loveliest moments are guaranteed to be captured to forever treasure.

Annapolis Photography Workshop Added for Spring! {photography workshops for parents}

2011-04-07T10:11:00.010-04:00

Who Should Attend?
Parents, Grandparents, and anyone who wants to celebrate their children and family's legacy through the lens of their camera.

What Should I Bring?
Your DSLR camera and lens or your point and shoot camera. Note-taking materials will be provided.

When?
Saturday, April 16th!

Where?
Bitsy Baby Photography Studio in Annapolis, MD

Cost?
The cost of the workshop is $99 and includes workshop materials, beverages & snacks, hands-on training, and lots of fun goodies!

How Do I Register?
Send an email to Statia@BitsyBaby.com with "BABY STEPS WORKSHOP" as the subject. I will send you a registration form and invoice along with available dates. There are a limited number of spaces available per class; spots will be reserved on a first come, first serve basis.

Any More details?
"The Basics Workshop" includes the following and is the stepping stone to future workshops:

* 10 Key elements to creating impressing images
* Instructions on Elements of Exposure including ISO, shutter speed, & aperture
* Instructions on your basic camera modes and when to use what
* Resources for printing and sharing
* Introduction to lenses and their capabilities

A workbook will be provided to you to take home and reference all topics covered.

Though the workshop atmosphere is relaxed and fun, most every moment is utilized to provide sufficient depth to your learning experience.

Additional workshops such as One-on-One and Small Group Classes are available for a more in depth learning experience.

NOW IT'S TIME:
Lets learn how to capture the moment, create a lifetime of memories and celebrate your family today!

Clothing ideas for your Maternity Photography Session or any day!

2011-04-05T11:40:00.002-04:00

Pregnant and Proud: Fashion Tips for Moms/Mums-to-Be!

It is a common misconception amongst many women that pregnancy means a few months of feeling fat and frumpy. This should not be the case. In fact, pregnant women should embrace their beautiful pregnant selves and have fun translating their signature look into their temporary new body shape. Shopping for clothes during pregnancy should be just as much fun as shopping for clothes at any other time, you could even use the opportunity to change your style and try new things. You can look great pregnant just as you can at any other time.

Buy Maternity Clothing

Adapting your clothing style to pregnancy does not mean trying to squeeze into your existing clothes. A mistake many women make is to think that they can ignore maternity clothing entirely and buy non-maternity clothes a few sizes larger. This may work in the early stages of pregnancy but not in the latter stages when your belly has blossomed. You may hide a bit of your bump with the extra fabric that non-maternity clothing has but you will also swamp all your body's other stunning curves.

Celebrate Your Bump

There is nothing more beautiful than a pregnant woman showcasing their belly and pregnancy cleavage. Embrace these and show off your new voluptuousness and radiant pregnant glow. You will find that tops which show of the contour of your pregnant belly are much more flattering that the 'tent look' where you try to cover up with yards of fabric. Your cleavage will rarely look better so why not wear some low v-necks and show it off?

Essential Items

The following items are must haves for the second trimester onwards:

• Black Dress – black dresses are slimming and match everything
• Stretch Pants – these will accommodate your growing belly
• Maternity T-shirts – wear these under undone button up shirts for a layered look
• Maternity Jeans – these offer comfort as well as well as style. These don't necessarily have to be baggy. In early pregnancy a pair that sits on the hips is great, and for later on in the pregnancy choose a pair which are stretchy or have flattering panels. A stretchy denim fabric also offers the most comfort.

For the complete article compliments of Pregnancy.org, LLC click HERE

Growth {Baltimore Baby Photographer}

2011-04-04T07:58:00.003-04:00

Change and growth is inevitable. Babies will grow, parents will grow in their parenting, and their photographers (that's me) will enjoy witnessing it all =) Here is another Blooming Baby that I have the joy of capturing over his first year of life. Here is a little of the journey so far =) Loved seeing you guys again and I'll be in touch soon!

Click HERE for more of his newborn photos!

DC Newborn Photographer Captures the Miracle of Life

2011-03-30T16:28:00.003-04:00

Not many words came to me when I saw this image while going through his gallery...mostly just caught my breath and said a little thank you for the opportunity to be where I am at this time =)

Blooming Baby Photography in Maryland

2011-03-30T13:00:00.002-04:00

I will admit, my photography is my full time business....by that I mean I must pay my bills and help feed my family with my earnings. Yet it is also my passion and purpose in life. I believe preserving family memories and moments for all my client families is one reason I live.

So my most popular package is the Blooming Baby Bundle, the first year package where families comes in multiple times a year to capture all the first milestones of their baby. It is such a beautiful thing to grow, not only a business relationship with these folks but we often become friends....I get to know who they are on a more personal level...we discuss more than just their portrait sessions throughout the year as we stay in touch and plan out the next milestone session and it moves my soul. I enjoy being more than The Photographer, I enjoy the friendships we are growing =) I truly truly am thankful to all of you for trusting me to preserve your heritage and be a part of your family as your photographer and friend.

Here is one dear family that I have been working with since their baby was born. This is just a little montage of images from birth =) We have one more session and that will be his 1st Birthday, cake included!

Babies Coming Soon {Maternity Photography in Annapolis}

2011-03-24T09:45:00.002-04:00

We have had so many inquiries for summer due dates, we're pretty full for May and June already actually. We always book minimal due dates each week to ensure we can provide the level of service Bitsy Baby is known for but our schedule is even more limited for this summer: we have joint business ventures in California, family weddings and graduations, and a much needed vacation out of the country I hope =) I'll keep you posted on that one.

So here is a beautiful Momma that came in to capture this season of her life as they welcome their first baby. These images show some of the "reflecting" moods during the session, there are always various moods expressed...laughing, reflecting on the baby, sometimes crying! Grandma attended the session since Dad is out of town serving in the military. At one point I turned to ask Grandma how she felt about seeing her "baby" now with baby and she had her hand over her mouth in tears.....no words necessary for that one! Maternity sessions are quite personal and emotional. Most of the clients we work with are having their first or last child and are ready to celebrate this moment. I am blessed to be a part of this special season for so many families =)

And a big thank you to Modern Millinery for providing our hat to model, she does amazing work, stop by and check her out!

This is how it begins! {DC Professional Photography}

2011-03-22T18:08:00.002-04:00

For those of you that do not already know, for several years my specialty was professional wedding photography and in Hawaii no less. It was my dream come true and I thought I would never do anything else.....then I finally had my baby and realized that dreams can grow and even change =)

I then decided to move into capturing the season of new life for my clients and that is usually all I do now, bellies to babies through their first year. Every so often though I still take the opportunity to celebrate how it all begins for a family!

This is a friend of my husband's and I photographed their portraits before their wedding last week in Washington, DC.

I wish you guys the best and look forward to hearing back when you have a little one on the way =)

The Birthday Boy {Annapolis Baby Photography Studio}

2011-03-20T00:10:00.003-04:00

Luka and his family came to celebrate his ONE year birthday at the studio recently.....I have to admit this was a bittersweet session. Luka has been one of my Blooming Babies so I've been able to capture all his first year of milestones. It has been a joy to watch his family bloom and grow and be a part of their memories. I know they will enjoy and cherish all his portraits for many generations.

Another Miracle {Newborn Baby Photography}

2011-03-13T19:46:00.003-04:00

Meet little Jr, a sweet newbie who graced the studio recently. Every dear soul we work with in the studio touches my heart and I consider myself blessed and privileged to be one of the first people to witness the miracle they are!

How To Buy A Digital Camera

2011-03-10T10:18:00.003-05:00

Ready to buy a digital camera? Are you a little overwhelmed with talk of mega pixels, memory cards, and optical zooms? Here are a few recommendations to help get you started on buying the perfect digital camera for you!

Mega pixels: To put it simply, the more mega pixels the better! A 2-mega pixel camera is fine for snapshots with your iPhone. If you want to produce 8-by-10-inch prints, you'll need at least a 4 mega pixel camera. 8 and 12 mega pixel cameras will yield even larger prints and allow you to blow up part of an image with less likelihood that the print will be blurry. Any time you crop your original image you are taking away from the quality so extra little tip here: shoot tighter and crop less =)

Batteries: To save money, look for a camera that includes a rechargeable battery and charger. Some cameras can use AA batteries of any type--disposable or rechargeable, which is convenient and cost effective as well. All DSLR cameras I know of do use rechargeable batteries. If you will be on a long day of shooting, maybe a vacation or family outing, have an extra battery on hand. One big battery-drainer is using your LCD screen to review your images, if you are running low on battery turn the screen to OFF to save a little battery!

Zoom: For hand-held purse cameras get at least 2X optical zoom. Most cameras offer digital zoom, but it results in photos that aren't nearly as good as those produced with an optical zoom. If you have a DSLR you will likely find it convenient to have a lens that zooms, especially if you are photographing children. The kit lens (lens that comes with your camera purchase) will do you well for your first year maybe two of shooting. Eventually

Memory Cards: Memory cards are how you'll store your images. While a camera may have on-board memory it usually is not very much and memory cards should be purchased. The more cards you have or the larger size (1 Gigabyte is larger than 528 Megabytes), the more photos you can take without having to erase images.

Try It: If possible, hold the camera and take some pictures before making your purchase. Unlike film, the smaller hand-held digital cameras have a "lag time" between when you press the shutter button and when the camera actually takes the picture. Make sure the lag time is acceptable to you, if you are photographing moving babies or children chances are the lag time will be highly disappointing. In that case you want to move up to a DSLR where there is no lag time.

The digital revolution is changing photography. Get out there and find your perfect match so you can start shooting =)

I realize there are many other details to consider when purchasing a camera, please feel free to shoot me a question on our Bitsy Baby Facebook page if you need further help =)

Warmly,

The Spring Itsy Bitsy {baby & child photography in Maryland}

2011-03-09T10:52:00.007-05:00

The Itsy Bitsy Bundle is a special petite session open by invitation only to previous clients and those connected on our Bitsy Baby e-News.

When: Saturday, April 16, 2011

Where: Quiet Waters Park, Annapolis MD

Time: Sessions are scheduled every half-hour between 2pm-5pm

For: Babies & children 3 months +, 3 members of the same family

Details: These petite sessions are perfect for capturing individual portraits of your children or the current milestone of your baby. We do not work towards group images of multiple children since time is limited. If you are looking for capturing a larger collection of images including sibling shots and family group portraits please inquire about our full custom sessions.

You will receive:

a protected online gallery to download all of your images for your personal use. Images are printable up to 8x10. 15+ images in a mix of color and b/w.
one 8x10 ready-to-hang image of your choice

Cost: $325 ($675 value)

**The images included in this post are samples from previous Itsy Bitsy sessions with Bitsy Baby Photography.

If you would like to be included in our e-News contact to receive all the latest updates and special news, please send an email to Rita@BitsyBaby.com with "Include Me" as the subject!

2011-03-08T15:44:00.002-05:00

Meet the Artist at the Bitsy Baby Gallery Showing April 9th in Annapolis, Maryland

A wonderful opportunity to meet Rita and discuss your dreams for creating your families heirlooms. You will see portraits on display, meet other Bitsy Baby families, and hear from Rita as she tells of her love for capturing life's precious moments. Be among the first to see Rita's new designs, hear of exciting upcoming Bitsy Baby events, register for the summer Baby Steps workshops, and have a chance to win prizes.