Llittle miss Quinn rocked her session! She was full of sass and smiles! Her favorite thing to do during the session was to stand! She was super proud of herself. Proud to be ONE!
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“Like stars are to the sky, so are the children to our world. They deserve to shine!” — Chinonye J. Chidolue That is just what this little sweetie did! She shined through her whole session! This little star gets to grow up with two sweet older sisters. How sweet are these three?
Newborn photography is my passion! However, as much as I love it and we all absolutely adore the results of a successful newborn photography shoot, there is a lot of work that goes on behind the scenes to ensure it all goes smoothly. It is a team effort with me and the parents for sure. So, here are my top tips for parents to secure a winning team! Book Early When you are expecting a new bundle of joy and you know that you want to capture those precious newborn moments, make sure to book your photo session as soon as you decide. Those first few weeks of life are when your baby is the most posable and sleepy and I want to make sure there is room in my schedule soon after the due date. If you want more playful and awake photos, let me know as that adjusts the timeline a bit. Dare to Dream What would your ideal newborn photos look like? What colors, backdrops, props and outfits do you picture? I love collaborating with parents and making sweet dreams come true. So, don't be afraid to daydream, browse my past sessions and let me know what you are envisioning. But remember that when the day comes, it's all up to what baby wants, which leads me to my next tips. Be Ready to Feed A newborn photo session takes anywhere between 1-3 hours, so it is important that you come to the studio prepared to feed your baby at some point. A full baby is a content baby and those lead to the best shots. Dress for Comfort Babies love to be warm and snuggled, so I'll have the studio space heated. Have the baby dressed in something easy to take off, such as a zipper sleeper, so we can get your little bundle in a sweet swaddle or cute outfit without too much disruption. And you may want to come in layers to ensure your own comfort while enjoying the session. Homeward Bound
Lastly, make sure you have given some time and attention to where in your home you want the end results and what you want to do with your newborn photos. I promise you that the moments captured of your newborn will be ones that you will cherish and want to share with others. So, think ahead and make a plan so your cherished results are valued. And I'll walk you through every step of the way. Before your session you will get a personalized email from me with what to expect, what to bring and tips and tricks of what to do before you get to the studio to help the session go as smooth as possible. I'm your photographer but also your cheerleader and coach too on this team. Looking forward to teaming up with you soon! Ashley HolzapfelAshley is the owner and artist of Do Well Concepts, LLC, a brand bringing metaphysical healing into your everyday lifestyle. Diligently self taught, Ashley considers herself a claircognizant empath and uses her different claire senses & connection with spirit to guide her in creating custom Orgone pyramids and crystal bead bracelets for her clients. Where to Begin? Crystals can be overwhelming when starting out, especially when you realize they have metaphysical & healing properties. Like, whoa! But getting started is as easy as just acquiring what calls to you.. I learned by slowly purchasing about 20 different types and sizes of tumbled healing crystals as I started my orgone pyramid journey. I studied a crystal encyclopedia while holding crystals in my hand to feel their energy and different vibrations. I learned about energetic chakras and how crystals can aid in their realignment. Build Trust Through Intuitive Experience I began meditating and connecting with clients’ spirit guides and would see the exact color of crystal needed to aid in their healing. I would ask my spirit guide for confirmation of what I envisioned and would get chills (my truth meter) when correct. After clients received my pyramids and confirmed these healing crystals and the included detailed analysis of each crystal were needed for their current situation, this slowly built up my certainty in my gift and confidence. Alas, when introducing an audience to a brand new metaphysical item and new age modality of healing, it can take time to trust not only the product, but the artist as well. I have had many clients not know where to begin either for themselves or for a loved one’s gift. They come to me with a specific problem or intention and ask for guidance and a crystal consultation. It is in that moment of intuition that I am able to build their trust. Intuitive Accessories I took another leap and decided to get into jewelry making, specifically crystal bracelets with a clasp fitting, to make it even easier for those curious about healing crystals to slowly dabble and familiarize themselves with crystals’ properties and vibrations. Wearable healing jewelry still upholds the crystals’ metaphysical properties and allows people to incorporate crystals in their everyday style. Simple, but elegantly stated, you can dress these bracelets up or down. They are perfect for everyday wear or a family photo session! Each strung bead is energetically programmed with its specific intention and each bracelet is handcrafted with love. Becoming a photographer is really interwoven with the story of how I became who I am today. Through creating our family I found myself through the art of photography. So, let’s start from the beginning shall we.
From FL to TX I was born in Florida, where my fondest memory was of daily beach visits. In high school I moved to Texas and continued my stay through college in Lubbock. GO RED RAIDERS! There I got a degree to teach science and met my forever best friend and now husband and father to our three children. We moved to my husband’s Texas hometown and there I taught high school science for eight years. I loved it! I am passionate about science, so I felt like I got to teach what I loved. But the best part was the feeling I got from making a difference in the students’ lives every day. And I can’t leave out that I had my dream wedding on a Maui beach with the perfect dress and the perfect man. It was simply amazing! CO Bound We felt Colorado calling us! My husband had lived in CO for a short stay and our vacations kept bringing us back to this colorful state. When we decided that it was time for the next chapter in our lives, Colorado felt like a fresh start. I love getting to live in a state that has all of the seasons. And you can’t beat having the mountains just a short drive from our Northern Colorado home. Shortly after moving to Colorado, I had my first little girl. Like any other new parent, I wanted to experience everything. I had the privilege of staying home with her while my husband worked. I took many photos of her myself, but we decided to invest in professional photos for her first year and that is where I fell in love with newborn photography. Finding My Next Passion During my first born’s newborn photo shoot, I was amazed by the photographer. She made it looks so easy. My little one was overwhelmingly precious all wrapped up and placed in these little sets. I already had a camera that I had been playing with before my daughter was born. I fell in love with the beauty within the newness of babies. Their innocence, how quickly they change. I became passionate about capturing these moments to help them last forever. Getting Started I put a lot of time and energy into learning the art of maternity and newborn photography. Through online courses, hours perfecting the art of shooting and editing, newborn safety courses, and mentoring with an awesome newborn photographer, I am very confident in my craft. However I am continuously learning. The Studio Experience I created my own private studio so I can do what I love most in a place that is 100% a result of my creative nature and inspiration. From having a relaxing and comfortable space for parents, to the backgrounds, lighting, props, sweet outfits for the littles — my creativity and focus on the whole scene really shines. There is so much to learn as a studio photographer. Lighting is everything! Where, how strong, if natural light is also coming in, big set, small set, backlighting, shadow lighting, moody lighting. It’s a lot to learn, but it is also all in my control. I enjoy a lovely outdoor family shoot too, but I really love getting to pull from all my skills to create the studio experience for my clients. So Rewarding I LOVE this job because every day children grow and develop into who they will become in the future. I get capture the before moments and the new moments, tiny features and small details. Getting the perfect shot for my clients fills my cup. I know it means so much to me, but I feel over the moon when my clients tell me how much it means to them. What’s Next? Future plans include a stand-alone studio space with a full-service boutique. I’d love to have a selection of products so my clients can leave my studio with exactly what is going to go straight onto the walls in their homes. I’m also learning how to create more dramatic studio shots for my maternity clients. Amazing dress shots, working with shadows and black and white. It’s such a gift to get to capture the beauty of pregnancy as well. I know these dreams will become realities in my future because I have already made the dream of Amber Sullivan Photography come true. I've told you my story; now let me help you tell yours! Nikola ReinfeldsNikola is a writer, volunteer, mother, partner and friend. You can catch more of her musings at The We Spot here. During the winter of 2019 I shared that we were expecting our third and last baby and I was so excited to book my first ever maternity and newborn photography package. Then it was April 2020. The month that never seemed to end for most of us, but for me it was speeding by. I was getting closer and closer to the baby’s due date and the unknowns of delivering a baby during a pandemic. I had purchased the maternity dress for my photo shoot months ago. As I grew large with child I wondered if that beautiful dress would even still fit. I knew that our early April photo shoot date had to be canceled. There were just so many unknowns back then. Information was still quickly coming and changing. But I couldn’t let go of my wish to have this one last opportunity to document my pregnant body and I shared my feelings publicly with the Northern Colorado Moms Blog. Thanks to the encouragement of the women in my circle and my precious photographer a new date was set for May for an outdoor shoot. I got dressed, did my hair and put on makeup for the first time in months. And then a fierce rainstorm blew in and persisted until the light was almost gone. I could have taken it as a sign that this was not meant to be, but instead I stood in front of our pond in our backyard and had my husband capture a few shoots with wet feet and fading light. Amber graciously offered to edit the photos my husband captured as we organized a new date yet again. When the new date came, I got to dress up, do my hair and makeup again. I felt beautiful. I got in my car to drive to the scenic spot and everything felt new. This was my first ever maternity photo shoot. It was my first time driving in weeks. And it was one of the first times I remembered to take with me my now trusty face mask. New and different. The whole experience was lovely and so memorable. The location Amber picked out was perfect. The light was beautiful. The water glistened. Amber helped to ease all my awkwardness with guidance on how to pose. The conversation was so needed and comforting that even if we were six feet apart, I felt close and seen. When I got back in my car, I didn’t want to go home. I had been home for almost three months at that point outside of a grocery pickup here and there. I looked back at the water where I had been made to feel like a queen and I took three deep breaths. Amber did more than document my third and last pregnancy for me that day. She gave me space to breathe. Tegan KreiderTegan is a certified Sleep Sense™ Consultant in Northern Colorado serving families all over the world the gift of sleep. Learn more about Tegan, aka Your Dream Maven, as well as more great infant and child sleep tips on her website, Facebook or Instagram. Healthy Sleep Habits From the Start If your little one is less than three months old, or if you are expecting a new baby and want to get off to a great sleep start these new born sleep tips will be very valuable. You will be teaching your baby healthy sleep habits right from the very beginning. As a Certified Sleep Sense™ Consultant, I help families safely get their babies, toddler and older children sleeping through the night. Newborn Sleep Goals: Goal #1: Independent Sleep Skills One of the most crucial elements for teaching children to fall asleep and stay asleep is helping them develop independent sleep skills. It is important that you avoid teaching your baby to rely on a sleep prop. (feeding to sleep is the most common). Keep your baby awake during feeding is key. Goal #2: Full Feeds Encouraging full feeds during the day by creating an Eat. Play. Sleep schedule. Newborn babies (up to 3 months) will need to take 4-5 naps a day. These naps should ideally be between 1-3 hours. Most newborns should only be awake for 45-60 minutes before it is time to take another nap. Goal #3: Consistent Bedtime Routine Establishing a consistent bedtime routine from day one is a great way to help your baby organize days and nights, which leads to consolidated nighttime sleep more quickly. One of the best things to signal that bedtime is near is a warm bath. Example Bedtime Routine
Nikola ReinfeldsNikola is a passionate writer and strives daily to be an exceptional mother and partner, respected friend and an engaged community leader. She also contributes to the Northern Colorado Moms Blog and The We Spot Blog. Capturing the Special Moments I try to capture all the smiles and special moments with my children. The camera on my smart phone is pretty darn amazing. But I'll admit that the pictures that I take will never be professional quality. They are cute, candid and special to me, but to get that quality that I want to print and send out to our friends and family near and far, I knew I needed to lean on someone with the right tools and experience. I Hit Book Now! In my five+ years being a parent, I had actually never booked a studio photo session. I saw that Amber was advertising Spring Mini Sessions and the backdrops looked so sweet. So, I took the leap. I hit "Book Now" and I'm so glad I did. You see, this will be the last spring that I will be able to refer to my children as "my girls." Come this summer we are due to have a boy join our crazy town USA. The sweetness, sisterhood and expressions that Amber was able to quickly capture in less than 30 minutes are absolutely priceless! Getting Picture Perfect My five-year-old and two-year-old felt so special getting to pick out an outfit from Amber's studio closet. They were filled with all the twirling magic delight! And I was relieved as a hot-mess mom that I didn't have to rush out to get spring outfits for them before the photo shoot. A combination of the atmosphere and Amber being such an amazing mom herself, my girls, to my surprise, were great listeners and took Amber's direction without question. She kept them engaged and moving so they didn't get bored and Amber was quick to respond when a particular pose just wasn't clicking for my girls. She never pressured them to pose a certain way, just gave friendly suggestions that made the girls want to try. You Never Know Until You Try
So, if you are like I was and not sure what a Spring Mini Session at a photographer's studio is all about and if it is worth it, let me encourage you — it is invaluable! All it took was some clicks to book and 30 minutes of a Saturday morning. And now I have these precious memories to welcome in the spring season. This may become an annual tradition! Although next year it might look very different with a boy in the middle. Ashley KusmierkiewiczAshley calls Windsor, CO home with her husband (Colton), two son's (Wesley & Hayden), and their two orange cats (Bow & Arrow aka The Ginger Boys.) She is the owner and operator for Mother Nurture LLC and is passionate about giving mothers a loving, lifelong keepsake to honor and remember their breastfeeding journey. My Vision Mother Nature is Northern Colorado's original breast milk keepsake artist. I am setting the gold standard in breast milk keepsakes and I aim to capture a mother’s physical representations of their life journey within beautifully handmade keepsakes. My vision grew from an idea and passion behind the significance of a mother's breastfeeding journey. Mother Nature captures the pure essence and feeling behind a physical and emotional aspect of someone's life, by taking their items which represent their journey, and hand crafting them into delicate jewelry and other pieces in which they can hold onto forever. Care, Love and Pride
I am changing the way breast milk is seen by establishing a professional service with heart and soul. I place the utmost care and love into each piece I create, and treat them with respect and care for which they deserve. I take pride in creating these lifelong keepsakes. Hand crafting such a special piece of art isn't just about placing materials together, it's about you and what makes your journey unique. It's about celebrating your goals and capturing the most amazing moments. The moments in which you may have had to overcome fear and struggles with such determination as well as the sweet, nurturing moments you never want to forget. Your story matters and should be captured with love. “Inspired by life, handmade with love.” What would these pearls represent for you in your journey? Let us know in the comments. Connect with Mother Nature on the Web, Facebook and Instagram. Nikola ReinfeldsNikola is a passionate writer and strives daily to be an exceptional mother and partner, respected friend and an engaged community leader. She also contributes to the Northern Colorado Moms Blog and The We Spot Blog. No matter how grateful we may be, new or experienced, strongly supported or strongly solo, pregnancy is hard. Here’s the good news, self-care is trending. It’s no longer shunned to follow the airline rules in everyday life of putting your oxygen mask on first before helping others. But how does that translate when the other is growing inside of your very own body? Learning from past pregnancies I’m currently pregnant with our third child. It was unplanned, but let’s get real, so was our first and we kinda love her to the moon and back. So after the hardest first trimester I’ve ever experienced, I’m ready to show myself and this sweet growing bump some serious loving care. First During my first pregnancy I was so busy with my career in New York; I do remember having fun dressing my growing body, highlighting the miracle that is motherhood, but I also remember being so focused on work that I didn’t really pay much attention to my body until my back pain was so bad it became a challenge to walk. Second I definitely learned from this and during my second pregnancy, now as a stay at home mom, I took my daily exercise time seriously and prioritized it like a champion. Also during that time I was adjusting to moving cross-country, starting an early intervention journey with my first child and buying a home. So, no, no stress at all. I know I could have managed that stress better. Third So, what’s on my wish list this time around? All the self-care and love practices! However, after 36 years I thankful have learned to be a bit more practical and move out of the all-or-nothing mindset. So, here are the top five must-do’s to show myself love during this pregnancy. Because if I can count my must-list items on just one hand, they are more likely to happen. Keep yourself glowing while you’re growing
What are your favorite self-care practices while pregnant? Let us know in the comments. |
AuthorAmber Sullivan- Northern Colorado Photographer This website uses marketing and tracking technologies. Opting out of this will opt you out of all cookies, except for those needed to run the website. Note that some products may not work as well without tracking cookies. Opt Out of CookiesCategories
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