Photographing Your Baby at Home

Many clients ask for recommendations on the best locations to capture their babies & families. While there are many gorgeous locations in the Tampa Bay Area, the best location in my honest opinion, is actually your home. Here are eight benefits to capturing your baby at home:

Why should I have my baby photographed at home?

1. You can stay in your usual daily routine ~ I can arrive at the most convenient time for your baby. The best time to capture your baby’s blossoming little personalities is usually well before or after thier nap .

2. You do not have to commute to a different location ~ The car ride alone can upset and disrupt your darlings mood or make them sleepy, which can possibly result in a grumpy baby upon arrival.

3. You do not have to worry about the weather or other outdoor elements ~ Your home is a controlled environment. Things like rain, wind or too much sun are of no concern to you. Outdoor temperatures being too hot or cold, itchy grass or any other unfamiliar elements won’t be an issue.

4. Your home is the most familiar place for your baby ~ your don’t have to worry about how your baby will react to new and unfamiliar surroundings, sounds, people, etc. Some babies tend to act differently when they are outside of their most familiar place and might tend to become more shy, fearful or quiet, thus making it a bit more challenging to capture their natural temperament.

5. Your home is the most comfortable place for your baby ~ Just like with newborn sessions, your home is the most comfortable place for your baby because it has everything that they might need; such as, their crib, your soft couches and rugs, favorite blankets, toys and pacifiers. They will typically be the most happy and display their little personalities best at home.

6. You have the ability to take breaks to fulfill your baby’s needs ~ You can take random breaks if needed to change your baby’s diapers or clothing. You can stop to give your baby snacks, milk or anything else that they might need right out of your own refrigerator or pantry.

7. You can incorporate your home into the session ~ No need for artificial props or accessories. No need for posing. Your family can actually be their natural and authentic selves. Your entire home can be used. Various couches, the pretty rug on the floor, the coffee table, your baby’s nursery, your kitchen. All I need is window light to capture bright and beautiful images.

8. Your can save memories of your home and/or your baby’s nursery ~ When capturing your baby at home in their environment, you will always have the memories of what your home used to be when they were very young.

Want to book a lifestyle newborn / older baby session in your home?

Click the link below:

Going with the Flow: Family Photography

In a perfect world, all of the babies and children we photograph would be cooperative and content; however, we know that is not always the case with little humans! They can be unpredictable and so we have to learn how to go with the flow!

Little ones might be shy, tired, hungry and a whole array of other emotions so it is up to us to work with what we get and strive to create something beautiful despite the challenges. So in other words, we have to go with the flow. Being a Mama of six, I get it! I truly do. I’ve photographed my own babies since birth and know all about their varying emotions. When I enter any photo shoot, I always have my Mama hat on, ready to problem solve and figure out how to handle difficult situations and scenarios and still capture a family authentically.

In this particular session, precious seven-month-old, Eliza, was all smiles at the beginning of our session but about five minutes in she started to get fussy. Little Mama was tired because she missed her nap. We captured as much as we could but she wasn’t having it. Rather than rescheduling, I decided to go with the flow and have patience. My initial thought was to just let her go to sleep. We headed over to the bench, sat down and baby girl peacefully laid in her mother’s arms, rubbing her sleepy eyes and started to dose off. This wasn’t planned at all but I decided to capture these moments and we did a got portion of our shoot with her sleeping in her parents arms. Once she was in a deep sleep, I positioned her like I would a newborn and we photographed all around the area with her asleep. It felt like a newborn session and even though she’s a bit older, she’s still a darling baby so it really just worked out. I was very happy with the results. After a little cat nap, she woke up and was happy again. We finished up the session with her smiling again.

Check out the sneak peeks below ~

How To Capture a Great Newborn Photo Anywhere

To capture a great newborn photo just about anywhere, see a few tips below:

When my sister-in-law stopped by my house for a quick visit with my adorable nephew, only ten-days-old, I just had to grab a few photos of him with my camera while he was this tiny and new. I didn’t want to create a whole newborn session scene, I just wanted to document a few quick images of him. I used my professional Nikon Z6; however, you can get a great shot with just about any camera or phone if you follow these easy steps:

• Make sure the baby is fed and changed first: this will make for a smooth and stress free situation.

• Pick a cozy spot with great window light: for example, a couch, a chair, a bed, a shaggy rug, etc. (I chose my couch and the wooden floors next right next to our large living room window)

• Completely declutter the area: so there’s nothing unwanted in the background (we moved the baby bag, stroller & toys so there was nothing at all in the background, we also arranged and fluffed the couch cushions and pillows)

• Grab a few baby items that can be used as natural props: for example, baby blankets, swaddle cloths, knit hats, etc. (in our case, we used a tiny pillow, a blue and white swaddle cloth, a gray blanket, a white basket & a tiny gray and white knit hat)

• Position the baby so that they’re facing the window: this will create a bright and beautiful photo using natural light so you won’t need to use a flash. (my back was to the window but I didn’t block the light and baby boy was facing me and the window)

  • How to position the baby?

  • swaddle ~ using your favorite baby blanket or cloth, swaddle the baby nice and tight. This will give him or her a womb like effect and they will be calm & constrained whether awake or asleep it works wonders

  • sleeping ~ if you can manage to get them to sleep, use a little pillow or fabric and lay them down on their stomach.

How To Select Great Locations for Your Family Photo Sessions

How do you select location venues for your photo sessions?

Many clients and friends want to know how I go about deciding on locations for my lifestyle family portrait sessions. Well, aside from selecting between capturing a family in their home or yard, park, beach, countryside, forest area or city scene, there are certain factors that I take into consideration when deciding what I think will be best for the family shoot:

• The light is an important factor when determining a location. Being a natural light photographer, I’m constantly searching for the light. Prior to selecting a venue, I ask myself questions like: What direction does the sun face and set in relation to the designated spot? Is there shade? Will we be in the direct sun? Will we be struggling with harsh shadows? Is flattering sun flare a possibility? Using light to enhance the images is the goal. When photographing indoors, I look for light by windows or in rooms that are well lit and am sure to turn off any overhead lights because mixing natural light with artificial light produces an unnatural light.

• The time of day is crucial when deciding on a start time for your shoot. The best time to capture an outdoor session is the early morning at or just after sunrise OR one hour before the sun sets, when the light is soft and golden, hence the term, “the golden hour.” You could be at the most exotic location but if you decide to shoot at noon without any shade or light reflectors, then you would be disappointed by the effects of squinty eyed subjects, with raccoon eye shadows and speckles of shadows on them and in the background.

• The scenery surrounding the area is what give the session it’s own unique flair. At the right time of day, when the light is golden and less intense, the scenery becomes dreamy. I look for locations that feature pretty trees, short green grass or tall grasses for a country feel, flowers, rocks, a bridge, walkways, dirt roads, paths, columns, unique architecture, lakes, rivers, oceans, winding staircases, hills, or anything scenic and places that are secluded (or at least semi secluded) from people and/or large crowds unless of course you’re going for that busy city scene.

This family wanted a local park that would be great for the kids.

Using the criteria above, I selected a park in Jupiter because of its unique bridge over the lake and because I love the way the sun shines through the trees as the sun is setting. Since the sun sets in the west, I was able to position the family facing me in the east and create lovely backlit images with sun flair on the bridge. We were also able to capture more images on the grass and in the path. The light was soft and golden and flattering since we started one hour before sunset. Check out a preview from the session below.

Why You Should Select a Preferred Newborn Session

There are many benefits to choosing a two hour newborn session

I have decided to offer lifestyle newborn session options. This will allow clients to decide for themselves which photo shoot will work best for their family. I have a range of clients with completely different needs and I wanted to be able to offer various time frames, price points, prop options and digital collections.

Families have the choice of selecting between three different lifestyle newborn sessions:

• The Preferred Newborn Session

• The Petite Newborn Session

• The Miniature Newborn Session

* Why You Should Select a Preferred Newborn Session:

• If you would like extra time to allot for breaks to feed and change your baby because lets be real, newborns are unpredictable and might need a diaper change after that blowout or they might simply be wanting to eat every 30 minutes during that growth spurt.

• If you would like to include other family members (i.e. siblings, grandparents, pets) more time is needed to transition the baby into different situations; such as, being photographed with the whole family, with all of the siblings, with each sibling, with grandparents, etc. or incorporating a pet, the variations are endless and time flys by when you’re having fun.

• If you would like more prop and accessory options available you need time to change setups

• If you would like a more relaxed environment that doesn’t feel rushed, then more time is essential.

• If you would like to change up the scene and capture portraits in locations (i.e. the nursery, your older kids rooms, the living room, your backyard or local park) you definitely need more time.

• If you would like more digital images included in your session fee

• If you would like more digitals included in your session fee, more time means more opportunities to take a larger amount of photos

• If you would like ALL of the digital images included

This lovely family below opted for a preferred newborn session

It made sense because they are a family of six with four little ones seven and under! Little Baby Hope was a sweet little thing to capture but she did require a few feedings and diaper changes (don’t they all). We were able to capture their session in various rooms throughout their home (i.e. parents bedroom, nursery, family room and backyard! I was able to capture all four siblings together, the older kids holding the baby, the whole family, each parent holding the baby and the baby alone in various setups, I even captured each of the older children as well because they were all at different ages and stages so we wanted to capture them too <3

What to Wear To Your Photography Session

Many clients ask me for advice on what to wear to their family photography sessions?

I always recommend coordinating 3-4 colors. I love all of the colors that this family decided to go with for their session (see below)! They coordinated pink, blue (light blue & navy blue), white & gray and it went well against the yellow house, wooden steps and green background. Always keep in mind your location and then coordinate some of your favorite colors (that match the style or theme of the location), don’t forget to add in the accessories ;-) I love when Mama’s and daughter’s wear dresses too! Layering clothing also looks great!

My logic is: you are getting professional photos done … do it up … get pretty, accessorize (earrings, bracelets, hair accessories for girls, hats, vests, jackets), do your hair and makeup … I will make sure we have fun and capture your best version of you and your family!

I have a website that I recommend for help with styling & outfit coordination:

www.styleandselect.com ~ check it out for more tips & ideas to make the most of your family portrait session :-)

How to Take a Great Photo of Your Child Using Your iPhone

Taking a great photo of your child is not an impossible feat for the everyday Mama! The latest iPhones are equipped with the technology to capture beautiful photos of our babies.

I for one, love to use my iPhone 8 Plus as an everyday camera at home or when we’re out and about. With its portrait mode, shallow depth of field & editing options it’s possible for anyone to capture amazing photos of their kids!

Many of my friends ask … how do you take such great photos of your kids on your phone? They chalk it up to the fact that I’m a photographer and while yes, I am a professional photographer, who is accustomed to manipulating DSLR cameras in manual mode, I’ll be the first to tell you that “anyone” can achieve awesome results with an iPhone camera!

I will give you a step-by-step tutorial on how to take a beautiful image of your kid using your iPhone camera and then how to edit it using the phone’s editing options (no other apps needed) within minutes!

Here’s an image I captured and edited yesterday, using my iPhone. I didn’t want to have to take out my professional equipment for a quick shot of my daughter! I will start with the finished product so you can see what you’re capable of creating if you follow these simple steps below!

This is my 4-year-old daughter. I simply wanted a cute photo of her in front of this pretty tree with pink blossoms that’s in our backyard.

Most people think, I want to take a photo of my kid ~ so they whip out the phone and quickly click on the camera icon, snap really fast & then done, time to post it on Instagram. First, I took the type of snap shot that most Mama’s would capture of their child in this circumstance (see the image below). I mean, it’s cute right? The thing is, it will take a little more effort to get a better quality image!

Are you ready to learn how? Continue on below.

I would consider this a quick snap and done. Notice how it’s dark, there’s a lot of negative space, everything is sharp, you can see a pile of unwanted items on the left, the gate is crooked. I mean its decent, but it doesn't wow you in any way.

Rather then take a photo in this hurried fashion, stop and think about what you are trying to achieve and then select the appropriate option within the camera mode. In this case, I knew I wanted a pretty photo of my daughter with the tree in the background but I wanted it to look a little bit more professional (without having to use my DSLR). If you select the camera icon on your phone you will see a few options; such as, video, photo, portrait, etc. (see below). In order to accomplish a more professional look I selected the “portrait” option (see below) and got closer to the subject (my daughter) so that she was much larger in the frame.

Straight out of the camera phone the photo was decent but rather dull looking and overall pretty dark because it was a bit cloudy outside. So i decided it needed a little bit of editing to really make it pop. If you look at the top right corner of the image you will notice a blue icon that says “Edit” ~ click on it.

If you have selected the “Edit” option within your photo you will see a few icons at the bottom of your image. (see below) I selected the one that looks like three circles, then you will see different color options appear. I selected the “Vivid” option to bring out the color and contrast.

The image looks more colorful but the horizon is still crooked so I selected the little “crop icon” at the bottom and straightened out the horizon by moving the line slightly to the right (image below).

The photo is still dark so I decided to manipulate the lighting. I selected the “sun icon” on the bottom (image on the left). Then a drop down menu appeared (image on the right).

The first option I selected was “Shadows.” Look at the bottom of the photo, you will see a bar that starts in the middle on a dot (you can move it to the left or right to add or reduce shadows). I moved it to the right to reduce the shadows, don’t go crazy here just move it to where it looks brighter but still natural.

The last option I selected was “brightness.” I didn’t add too much here, just a slight amount to give it a more sunshiny feel.

It probably took me 5 minutes to take this photo of my daughter. She’s four, so as you can imagine she didn’t quite cooperate perfectly, she actually fell off of the stump and was being goofy, then my dogs were photobombing her. I took over 40 images until I got a few I really loved. Add another 5 minutes (or less) for the editing. Once you’re familiar with where everything is on the camera app and how it all works, it’s actually really easy to get a great shot and you can do it quickly. It doesn’t take a professional to capture an everyday moment of your child using your phone!

When it Rains on Your Parade, aka Your Family Photo Session

Living in South Florida, it is impossible to avoid unforeseen rain storms! And when photographing families is your job … it can be a huge bummer! Most of the time we avoid the drama all together by calling off & rescheduling the session; however, sometimes it’s just not possible. Why? Clients only in town for that one day, no job flexibility with people who work demanding careers that require weekends or the weather forecast flat out did not show any rain … ugh!

In the case with this session, we happened to just arrive at our location and then the torrential rain started to pour on us. We sadly stood under a covered garage and watched it rain while trying to figure out what to do. We decided to stick it out and hope for the best because rescheduling wasn’t a possibility.

Here are Some Tips For a Rainy Predicament:

• First and foremost, give the client a chance to reschedule for optimal light and sun!

  • make sure they are on-board with going with the flow and make sure they are willing to be ok with the results of potentially rainy photos

• Have patience! The odds are the storm will pass.

  • we waited and it eventually stopped completely

• Be creative! Is there a place for you to still photograph that is under cover?

  • in our case we found a covered parking structure and started our session underneath it, while it rained around us.

• Be prepared! Do you have items that can be helpful for your session in this circumstance? (i.e. rain boots, umbrellas)

  • I was so happy that this client happened to have two adorable umbrellas that we were able to incorporate into the session.

• When you are cool & calm, the clients will be too. So stay calm and carry on! :-)

  • We didn’t stress it, we went with the flow, we captured some amazing shots under the parking structure & guess what? The rain stopped, and we were able to venture around the area.

Check out the results of this situation below <3

What to Expect at Your Newborn Photography Session

At Athena Leila Photography, we strive to capture the precious moments of your newborn's early days in the comfort of your own home and/or on-location.

Here is what you can expect during your in-home newborn photography session:

1. Preparation: Prior to the session, we will communicate with you to discuss the details and answer any questions you may have. We recommend selecting a room with good natural light for the session. We will scout out the rooms with the best light when we arrive.

2. Timing: Newborn sessions typically last between 1 to 2 hours to allow plenty of time for feeding, soothing, and capturing those intimate moments. We will schedule your session in the middle of the morning, around 10a for in-home lifestyle newborn sessions.

3. Comfort: Your baby's comfort and safety are our top priorities. We work at the baby's pace, taking breaks as needed for feeding, changing, or cuddling.

4. Props: We will bring a small selection of props and/or accessories to enhance the photos, but feel free to incorporate any special items you would like to include in the session.

5. Family Involvement: We encourage parents and siblings to participate in the photoshoot to capture the love and connection within the family.

6. Patience: Newborn photography requires patience as babies can be unpredictable. We are experienced in handling newborns and will work calmly to create beautiful images.

7. Artistic Vision: Our photography style is natural and timeless, focusing on the intimate bond between you and your baby. We aim to create portraits that you will cherish for years to come.

8. Post-Processing: After the session, we carefully select and edit the best images to ensure they meet our high standards of quality and aesthetics.

9. Delivery: Within a few weeks of the session, you will receive a gallery of edited images for you to view, download, and share with your loved ones.

We look forward to capturing the joy and tenderness of this special time in your family's life. If you have any further questions or specific requests, feel free to reach out to us.

A Few Things to Keep in Mind:

• Babies are unpredictable, you don’t know if they will be content or fussy

• They will require several feeding breaks, which also includes time for burping

• They will require one or more diaper changes, most likely even a diaper blowout

• There will be clothing changes (whether by choice or if he or she happens to spit up on their clothing or even on you or your husband resulting in your clothing change)

• Even if you opt for no clothing or just a diaper … time is needed for swaddling and re-swaddling

• Now that you’ve fed and changed the baby multiple times guess what … we still need more time to settle them and get them to sleep for those adorable sleepy shots everyone loves … this is usually the easy part but some babies out there decide that they do not want to sleep for the first 2 hours of the session

• Factor in extra time if you are wanting to use props and get them to sleep in cute accessories

• If you have other children (especially toddlers), add-on more time because the odds are they might not cooperate like you thought, especially if they somehow missed a nap that day

• If you’d like more than one look, as in …. not just in the nursery or not just at the park, but maybe you want to capture images indoors and outdoors as well, it will take a bit of time to pack up and maybe even drive to a different location

Check out this newborn session below. I captured a variety of images in the nursery & parent’s room, then we jumped in our cars and headed to the beach, which was 10-minutes away. I captured the family, the baby alone, the siblings, Mom with the baby, Dad with the baby and then did many of those same shots at the beach.

Newborn Photography with Multiple Siblings

Capturing the precious moments shared between a newborn and their older siblings is a heartwarming experience. As they gaze in wonder at the newest addition to the family, there is a bond that begins to form, one that will grow and strengthen over the years.

The innocence of a newborn, cradled in the arms of their protective older sibling, creates a touching tableau of familial love. The gentle touch of tiny fingers atop a soft blanket, the shared look of curiosity and affection – these are the moments that tug at the heartstrings and etch themselves into the family's memories forever.

In these photos, we see the contrast between the wide-eyed wonder of the older child and the serene tranquility of the newborn. The juxtaposition of youth and new life is a testament to the circle of life and the joy that each child brings to the family.

Through the lens of the camera, we freeze these fleeting moments in time, preserving the innocence, love, and connection that bind siblings together. The newborn photography session with older siblings is not just about capturing images; it is about capturing emotions, creating memories, and celebrating the beauty of family.

As the children grow older, these photographs will serve as a cherished reminder of the bonds that were formed in those early days. They will look back on these images and be transported back to a time of innocence, wonder, and unconditional love.

I absolutely love capturing newborn sessions when older siblings are involved! It is so sweet to get to witness their absolute awe and wonder as they see their beautiful new sibling, that’s been living in Mommy’s belly for the past nine months. The focus is still the baby, so we focus on those images that show the other children loving on the baby.

*My Must Have Sibling Shots are:

• Holding & snuggling the baby in various ways (if the older sibling is old enough & trust worthy enough of course!)

• Kissing the baby on the cheek

• Gently touching the baby’s face or tickling their toes

• Spending time with Mama who is holding the baby

Check out this sweet ALL outdoor newborn session that incorporates three older sibling below: