Doing what makes me happy!

Second blog post, wahoo! This year I am learning to celebrate life's little victories, and doing what makes me happy. I have been trying to figure out what to write about and decided on a post about how my journey as a newborn photographer began. I am a mother of three and aunt to MANY nieces and nephews (one arriving any day now!), so newborn photography should come naturally, right? NOPE! Just because I know how to use the fancy camera, doesn't mean I know all of those fancy wrapping techniques, sweet poses, awesome lighting, and what props can fit a newborn, heck, my kids HATED being swaddled so I rarely did it!

We all have to start somewhere, and I was ready to hit the ground running and do whatever was necessary to learn. I enrolled in classes for everything newborn from safety to wrapping and posing. I was eager to practice what I was learning, but who in their right mind starts a full photography business during a pandemic, where we are told to stay isolated at home. How was I going to put my classes to use and wrap babies in the sweetest wraps, if clients couldn't schedule? Cue the stand in baby! Luckily for me, my daughter has the creepiest, I mean, most adorable, life-like dolls. They made great teaching aides and really helped me get my wrapping techniques down before we were actually able to open our studio doors almost a year and a half ago. (I am tempted to show a picture here of those "sweet" baby dolls, but I would hate to scare our new blog readers, lol.)

When the time came, and we could start booking clients, I only opened a few sessions up for newborns. I was nervous my wrapping wasn't good enough or that I wasn't good enough. The night before a newborn session, I felt like a kid on Christmas Eve, I couldn't sleep, I was so anxious. Would everything go smoothly, would I be able to wrap a real life baby as easily as I could a doll? I would run through my wrap techniques and the poses I wanted to do in my head, but I still didn't feel confident. I turned to my trusty paper and pen and wrote out my set list and attached it to a clipboard to hang on my rolling cart. And you know what, I didn't need it. My natural instincts (or was it all the hours I spent practicing?!) would take over and the session would go smoothly. Yes, baby would cry, but snuggles and a little feeding would settle them and back to snapping away those sweet pictures I would go. I was happy and so excited after each newborn session. I couldn't wait for the next! Sure, that feeling of nervousness would come back the night before a session, but it would fade away more quickly. I mean, I still wrote out my set list and had WAY too many wraps and props ready to go (still do!), but I knew I was good enough and enjoyed the night leading up to the session.

Now, a year and a half later into my photography journey, and I am feeling as confident as ever (but still eager to learn and grow much more!). Sure, I still get those jitters the night before a session, but I do with any session because I want them to go perfectly (I tend to be a people pleaser, but that is a post for another time, lol). Thankfully, Eric realized how much I loved newborn photography and supported me through this journey and pushed me every step of the way. We have decided to dedicate a LARGE portion of my schedule to photographing newborns and we opened up special weekday slots for all of those precious babies. I have never been happier in my career choice and look forward to all 2022 has to bring my way. I feel alive and it is great!