Atlanta Family Photographers | Decatur Newborn Photography

I had the opportunity to photograph this family when I flew home to Atlanta last month for a lifestyle newborn session. I enjoyed my time getting to know this family and how we could document their new addition to their now family of four. Newborn sessions are perfect for this type of storytelling!

Lifestyle newborn sessions take place usually right in your home and we use your home elements to tell the story of your new and growing family. During this newborn session we started out by taking lifestyle portraits of this little guy and some with Mom, and then had his big sister join the fun. We were able to get so much variety that incorporated blankets that meant a lot to the family, lots of snuggle time with the baby, their family dog, and of course playful images of big sister on her trampoline and playing “skies” with her Dad in their gorgeous great room with beautiful skylights.

Are you interested in a newborn session in Atlanta or the DC area? Send me a message and let’s see how we can document this new and important time for you and your family.

related:

Victoria’s Lifestyle Newborn Session

Did you know I also offer Fresh 48 Sessions?

Check out the Fresh 48 Newborn Session information here!

Kirkwood Atlanta Family Session | Tabitha Maegan Photography

Thank you for being here! I’m all about color and connection and I love sharing photos from recent family sessions on the blog. I think it’s a great way not only to show off the beautiful families I get to photograph, but to also show what a lifestyle family session gallery looks like. We move around a lot during our sessions and I try to get a variety of images of the children alone and with their parents, as well as a group family photo.

This session was with the Sunshine family in Atlanta, Georgia and I absolutely loved seeing them again. I had photographed their daughter when she was two days old during a fresh 48 birth place session and it was awesome to see how big she’s gotten!

This lifestyle family session began indoors in their home and we transitioned outside. Can we just take a few minutes to admire their front porch? Wow! It’s beautiful! I loved the lights and the swing and they helped tell this family’s story. We ended our session in their backyard and it was fun to see their daughter explore and play with Mommy and Daddy.

I’m currently offering lifestyle family photography in Washington, DC and love how much this city has to offer. If you’re looking for a family photographer in the Washington, DC or Atlanta area please send me a message. I’d love to photograph you!

5 things i learned from my session with allison corinne

I like getting my photo taken I admit it! But I will say there is a difference between quick snapshots on the cell phone and scheduling a portrait session with a photographer. I reached out to Allison Corinne Photography to get a couple’s session on the books for Chris and me and it was such a good decision! I wanted to find a way to share some of the beautiful images she took and share a few things I learned being on the other side of the camera. Allison’s work is beautiful but I do prefer a brighter style so they are edited by me to fit my style (please do not ask your photographer to change their style!).

Keep reading if you want to know …

5 things I learned from my photo session with Allison Corinne photography

1.       We needed to be posed

One thing I learned from the amazing Elena S Blair is that lifestyle family photography is posed! It was something that took me a little while to grasp. How did photographers always take the most amazing images that look so candid and natural? It’s posing! We have to tell our subjects what to do. Even in lifestyle photography. This might mean sitting close together and telling your subject to look at each other. The toddler might be squirmy wormy so we might tell Mom and Dad to sing them a song.

We have to guide our subjects and what is created is unique to the family.

I love seeing images and thinking to myself, “wow I don’t know this would have happened if we didn’t do that”.

We were so comfortable with Allison. I had only met her once prior to our session and Chris hadn’t met her until our session. She posed us and made sure we had the fundamentals to make a lifestyle image. Even though this was the first time she had been to our home, she where to post us for the best light. She also kept saying “I want to see hands” and various ways of telling us that our hands needed to be in the frame.  I want families to keep that in mind when I am photographing them as well -hands create connection!!

2.       It took some practice to be ourselves

I mentioned that this was Chris’ first time meeting Allison and believe it or not he’s not the biggest fan of getting his photo taken. It took us being efficient with our time and making sure he didn’t have to stick around longer than he needed to. I am comfortable behind the camera and it actually does take some strategies for me to relax in front of a camera when a photographer is taking my photo! Since we had this lifestyle couple’s session in our home, it was comforting to have our home elements, which made it easier to be ourselves. Afterall, it is our living space. Chris and I have our own dynamic but a photographer isn’t always around to capture our relationship.

We had ideas of how we wanted our story to be told such as using color in our living room and seeing if our orange fatty cat Simba would participate. That is us.

It can be a little weird at first when someone is taking a photo of you being intimate with your significant other or your family but I promise it’s worth it.

3.       It’s fun to use areas in our home a little differently

When Allison and I were first planning our lifestyle couple’s session we were trying to figure out the best place to take these photos. Did Chris and I want to go to a park or a local area? We really can be ourselves anywhere so a park would have been a fine place to have it but we decided on our home. We have been together for quite a while and made the leap to move from Atlanta to DC and thought it would be the perfect time to get photos taken of us in our home. Sure, it’s not all the way decorated (who am I kidding we haven’t hung our framed photos or set up the guest bedroom) BUT I knew if we waited until all those things happened we would have just put off the session until who knows when.

Don’t worry about cleaning every inch of your home. You can still have a session in your home. Done is better than perfect.

My ideas were to use our kitchen and bay window and Allison piggy backed on that and had us crouched into a little corner with amazing window panes and shadows. We got a variety in our kitchen! We also used areas of our living room because I’m all about whites and colors. I love both! So we wanted a warm, homey feel for some of the photos. We also wanted to spend some time in the bedroom just being ourselves. We have so much natural light in our home that we definitely took advantage of that and we were able to fill our gallery.

4.       I got to view a different perspective

Each photographer has their own style of photography. Some photographers use elements such as leading lines, framing, or negative space. One of the reasons I love Allison’s work is because she tends to fill the frame and photograph close to her subjects. It’s something that I actually want to try more often now.

My photography style tends to be a little more wide so I can capture elements of the space such as a nursery or neat windows, but the image can tell a completely different story just based on how close or far away you are from your subject.

Most of my lenses are wide angle lenses but I feel I can be more creative with my use of lenses and how different an image can turn out with that change. One thing I also wanted to mention is that I had ideas in mind of how I wanted the photo to be taken which Allison completely did, and she also had more ideas of taking them from a different angle and using nontraditional framing that I absolutely loved.

If you’re a photographer I encourage you to be on the other side of the lens so that you’re able to see things from a different perspective and through another person’s lens.

Pun intended 😉

5.       Any time is the right time to be photographed

I scheduled this session with Allison shortly after our move to DC. Allison and I are both lifestyle photographers and I was familiar with her work to know I was interested to book a session with her. Many couples tend to book a couple’s session with a photographer once they’re engaged (don’t get me wrong it’s an amazing reason to take photos!) but to be honest we had so much going on with the move and us starting new jobs that we weren’t really considering waiting until we were engaged to book a couple’s session. We are so happy with our decision to get these photos.

If you’re still reading this,

I wanted to let you know that CHRIS PROPOSED TWO WEEKS AFTER THIS SESSION!!

I had no idea it was coming and I actually have asked him a couple times why we didn’t just push the session back. I mean, he could have made up some excuse because he obviously knew he was going to do it. But he says “yeah right Tabitha, when you’re set on something there’s no changing your mind”.

And that is likely why we still got these photos done. Engaged or not. Ring or not. We are likely going to use some anyway until if and when we get “engagement” photos done.

If you’re thinking about the best time to schedule a photography session just do it. Don’t wait for the perfect time, don’t wait until your house looks like it does from the magazines, don’t wait until you lose a couple pounds. Just do it. Your future self will thank you for it.

Thank you so much Allison for taking these for me and Chris. We had so much fun with you and I can’t wait to photograph your family next month!

Looking to get some photos to tell your story? I am booking lifestyle newborn, lifestyle family, and fresh 48 sessions.

DC Family Photographers | Lifestyle Family Photography

One thing I love about lifestyle family photography is the way moments organically unfold. As your lifestyle family photographer, I do pose and guide you into an area and work on getting your family close together. This is what helps to create beautiful images in your lifestyle gallery. During your lifestyle family session I do have a little bit of structure in terms of guiding, but I am definitely aware that toddlers are busy and they want to play.

The last time I photographed this family was when baby sister was just a two week-old newborn. During her lifestyle newborn session I captured so many adorable moments and got to document their new family of four. I couldn’t help but to include some photos from their newborn session!

Fast forward about 9 months, we scheduled another family session before I made the move from Atlanta, Georgia to Washington, DC. I was so excited to see how big these girls got and it didn’t take them very long to warm up. We sang songs, looked at the pond, and got to play with Mom and Dad.

I want your lifestyle family session to be fun and playful and I want you to love how the images tell your family’s story.

This session was at Winn Park in Atlanta and I absolutely love shooting here. It’s a hidden gem in the middle of Atlanta and there are several areas in the park that are great for variety in the photos. There is a little pond, a waterfall, and beautiful foliage. I photographed this family of four (also with two toddlers) as well as this sweet family and love photos from all of their sessions!

Please send me a message if you think you’d like to schedule a family session either in Atlanta or in the DC area! I love when families book me as they add family members, or just when they need updated photos. I definitely miss my families in Atlanta and I’m happy to say that I am always willing to fly back home to book sessions and see how much my families have grown!

4 Places to Take your Family Photos in Washington, DC

I just moved from Atlanta, Georgia to Washington, DC a little over a month ago and I have spent some time exploring and scouting photo shoot locations in Washington, DC to make sure I can have options for the families I photograph when they contact me for their lifestyle family session. I knew many photo locations in Atlanta, but now that I’m in DC I have to start over to make sure I am comfortable shooting in specific locations!

There are 3 things I am looking for when I am scouting locations for lifestyle family sessions:

1. natural light

I am a natural light photographer and it’s important to find areas for a family photo shoot that have great light. Natural light is our friend!

2. variety in the location

I want to make sure there area different areas at the location that we can have variety in your family gallery

3. parking

Parking can be so hard here in DC so I want to find locations that have easy parking options!

keep reading if you want to find out 4 places you can take family photos in Washington, DC.

Peirce mill - washington, dc

Peirce Mill has great texture with a nice barn door, an open field, and a gorgeous waterfall in Rock Creek Park.

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glenview mansion - rockville, maryland

What I love about Glenview Mansion is the architecture of the house and front porch, the large front lawn, and the small, shaded backyard.

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mccrillis garden house - bethesda, maryland

McCrillis Gardens is a quiet, almost hidden location and I love shooting there. It has colorful foliage and an open backyard that lets in beautiful sunset.

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downtown bethesda - bethesda, maryland

Downtown Bethesda is perfect for an city-feel location for your photo shoot. There is a lot of color, leading lines, not to mention neighborhood eateries and coffee shops that are perfect for lifestyle photography.

There are many other historic, well known areas in Washington DC that I want to use for lifestyle family sessions so I will be writing another blog post with you for Part 2 of Places to Take Family Photos in Washington, DC. Stay tuned!

I can’t wait to photograph you!

Potomac Family Photographers | In Home Milestone Session

One of my close friends moved back to her home state of New York a couple of years ago. We met in Atlanta and I was happy for her move but knew I wouldn’t get to see her as much. We talk often and I was so excited when she became pregnant with her daughter and I was already planning when I would get the chance to meet her!

I had seen photos of her daughter online and knew when I had a trip planned to New York I couldn’t contain my excitement to meet her and schedule a 10 month photo session at home to show how big she’s gotten!

It is so neat to see one of your friends now be a Mom! Her daughter is such a bubbly, fun little baby and I loved spending time with them.

Most of the portraits I take are of newborns and families, but I loved this 10-month milestone session. She was such a wiggle worm and wouldn’t sit still for too long. She kept me moving fast to be able to catch her for a photo and I love the variety we got!

Interested in booking a lifestyle family session?

Head on over to my contact page and send me a message!

4 reasons to include grandparents in your family photos

4 reasons to include grandparents in your family photos

you might not get to see them everyday

Sometimes grandparents have to travel a little ways to be with family and we want to make sure we make the most of their precious time. If the grandparents are coming into town to help once your new baby is born, let’s include them into the family session!

I photographed this family soon after the baby girl was born and I was excited to hear that the grandparents were there. I don’t have a lot of photos of me as a baby or young child with my grandparents so it’s something I always like to include when I am photographing a family for a family session or newborn session.

it brings out their playful side

What are grandparents typically known to do? Spoiling the children and playing with them!

It was so cute to see how playful the grandparents became when playing with this little guy. I think it definitely brings out the child in them and I fall in love seeing photos like this.

opportunity to get solo shots with children

During this lifestyle newborn session I wanted to focus on the entire family to provide a variety of shots, and towards the end of this newborn session we had several opportunities to get photos of the grandparents with just the baby. There was so much connection and love -two things that I focus on during my lifestyle family photography. The hands help to tell the story and I love the perspective holding that fresh new baby!

opportunity to get extended family photos taken

When the grandparents are included into the family session I think it’s important to take an extended family photo. It might have been a long time since the entire family has gotten together and I think it’s a special gift to be able to do this for them. This family had a lovely living room background that I thought was perfect for a backdrop for their family photos.

I can’t wait to photograph your family!

10 Must-Have Photos to take During your Fresh 48 Newborn Session | Silver Spring Newborn Photographers

If you happen to be looking for a newborn photographer in the Washington DC area, I’m happy to say that I not only offer lifestyle newborn sessions, but also birth place sessions - known as Fresh 48 newborn sessions. Fresh 48 sessions take place at your baby’s place of birth within the first 48 hours. Fresh 48 sessions are a little more documentary in nature, and I’m there to document things that are naturally happening.

Fresh 48 Session and Lifestyle Newborn Sessions are both pretty similar, and I have families that tend to choose both. The birth place sessions take place within your baby’s first 48 hours when you all are still in the hospital, and lifestyle newborn sessions can take place any time after you get home, up until your baby is one month old. In this blog post I have focused more on must-have photos from your fresh 48 session that you can cherish from your baby’s first few hours.

1. baby in bassinet

During your fresh 48 newborn session, there will be moments that your baby will lay beautifully in the hospital bassinet. This is the perfect time to take an overhead shot of the baby in the bassinet, wrapped beautifully in the hospital blanket and hospital hat.

2. portrait of baby

while your baby is laying they will either be asleep or awake and it will be a great time to focus on that portrait! This little guy was getting some great sleep being just two days new and I took a few moments to document his first few hours!

3. baby nursing

We know that babies eat. They eat a lot! During your fresh 48 newborn session I can almost guarantee that your baby will get hungry. When baby nurses, I will be there to photograph those intimate moments where Mama and baby are connected.

4. belly button clip/cord

This is a sweet moment to photograph because before you know it, the belly button clip will no longer be there. I think of this as a special reminder of how you brought your sweet child into this world. You provided for him for 9 months and he is now here because of you. Why not photograph and document this memory?

5. baby crying or making faces

Let’s face it - babies cry! Sometimes they really make the cutest faces when they aren’t happy and I tend to click through those moments. These moments of being upset don’t last very long until they’re held or fed so I snap a few of these quickly!

6. baby’s toes/feet

If your baby is laying content I usually spend a few moments documenting those little details. I always always always photograph baby feet during your lifestyle newborn session. The toes. The feet. The rolls. The hospital bracelets and anklets. All of it!

7. action shots

During your fresh 48 newborn session I use a documentary approach to photograph what’s already happening. When your baby needs to be fed or changed, those are great opportunities to get some of those candid moments! When you need to change and dress baby, feel free to take your time and soak in taking the new role of being your baby’s caregiver. I love taking action shots because they help tell the story of your baby’s arrival and can show a perspective of the size of your sweet tiny baby.

8. an interesting perspective

I love taking a pull-back photos of your baby because it helps to tell the perspective of how tiny he was! I take a few of the baby on the bed as long as he or she is comfortable and I love the way it shows their size!

9. hands

One way to describe my lifestyle work is connection. During your newborn or family session I am looking for ways to capture connection. The way I usually capture connection during a fresh 48 newborn session is photographing hands. By including hands, it helps to create that connection as well as the perspective of holding your new tiny baby.

10. family portrait

Yay for being a new family! Whether you are welcoming your first baby or your second, third, or fourth - your family dynamics will change. During your fresh 48 newborn session make sure to get a family portrait that can include all family members!

What do you think? Are you expecting an addition to your family and would like to book a fresh 48 and/or lifestyle newborn session in the DC area? Send me a message!

Candler Park Photography Atlanta | Lifestyle Photographer Atlanta

I think it’s healthy to try new things as an artist. I’m a lifestyle photographer focused on family and newborn photography and I also love love love lifestyle portraits. Lifestyle portraits suit me and my need to be creative and artistic because I am still focused on connection and showing true beauty of a person. I can get that out of my lifestyle family work and I have the same goal during a lifestyle portrait session.

My friend Briana is a fellow artist in Atlanta that I’ve known over 10 years. Every time I shoot with her she pushes me to do something different and I always love the result. It’s not my style to sit in a studio with a stale set up, but rather get out and explore the city! Briana is a fine art photographer and always sees the beauty walking around Atlanta and encouraging me to see things with a different perspective. These photos were taken at Dr. Bombay’s Underwater Tea Party and boy oh boy we were in for a surprise. Dr. Bombay’s is in Candler Park, Atlanta and I am excited to say you totally need to check this place out! Naturally we both ordered tea and they have sooo many flavors!

This session naturally unfolded and it was great to photograph such a beautiful friend in a very unique place. I was actually renting a new lens at the time and knew I wanted to eventually purchase it, and this was actually the session that I knew 100% I NEEDED this lens.

It actually was hilarious that my Briana pulled out probably 10 different props / shirts / scarves / sunglasses that did the trick.

Every. Single. Time.

She seriously ROCKED this session.

We started outside to photograph her surrounded by a cool mural wall in Candler Park. We made our way inside Dr. Bombay’s Underwater Tea Room and started in the beginning of the room. The lighting was beautiful! We got quite a lot of expressions from her, and then moved towards the back room of Dr. Bombay’s. There are umbrellas hanging from the ceiling (not pictured), how cool is that??? We knew we wanted to incorporate the beautiful bookshelf and her several, several props. And seriously it worked every time! I think one of my favorite areas of this lifestyle portrait session at Dr. Bombay’s was actually in the BATHROOM. We were actually glancing around seeing how to use the space and Briana says “come check out this bathroom!” and woah - the way the lights filtered through the shade was amazing!

I hadn’t really pushed myself with light (or bathrooms for that matter) prior to this lifestyle portrait session but I am so thankful for Briana pushing me to do something new and exciting!

5 Reasons to check out Dr. Bombay’s:

1. amazing tea

2. awesome location in Candler Park

3. umbrellas hanging from the ceiling

4. a huge, beautiful bookshelf

5. a very unique bathroom

Think you may be interested in a lifestyle portrait session? I’d love to chat with you!

Love these but rather book a lifestyle family or newborn session? That works too! Send me a message!

Newborn Photography Atlanta | Meet Victoria

I’m a little late posting these images from Victoria’s newborn photo shoot, but hopefully you won’t be disappointed because the images from this lifestyle newborn session will make up for it. We got such a variety of images from his lifestyle newborn session. I posted recently in this blog post 3 steps to a relaxed newborn session because I feel like you should know what to expect when you book an atlanta newborn photographer.

Not sure the best time to schedule for lifestyle family or newborn photo shoot? I’ve got some great news. With lifestyle family photography, any time is the perfect time to get updated family photos. It might seem chaotic with a little one because this might be your first child and you might not have a clue what to do. Maybe it’s child number three and big sister and brother need a lot of attention. That’s okay! Don’t stress about your newborn session.

This newborn photo session was laid back and we went with the baby’s pace. Newborn photo shoots tend to be a little slower than family sessions because the baby is the one calling the shots for what will happen. She gets hungry. She cries. She wants to be held by Mom and Dad. And that’s exactly the photos you will get in your newborn gallery. All of those special moments that tell your story.

Blog post: In Home Newborn Photo Ideas

Lifestyle sessions are laid back. They should feel like you are spending quality time with your family, with the exception that I will be photographing your love and experiences.

There are several locations in Atlanta that you can choose to have your newborn photo shoot and I think my favorite place for lifestyle newborn sessions is right in your home. That’s right, your comfortable space. I come right to you and we use your family items, your decor, and your loving home for the newborn session. I think the best time for a newborn shoot is once you’re comfortable and feel like you can welcome the experience. For some families that can be when your child is about a week old, and if you’d rather wait until the baby is 3-4 weeks, that’s okay too.

Lifestyle newborn photography doesn’t focus on getting your baby super sleepy and posed in that perfect position in the prop basket. Those images are beautiful, but that is not my job as your lifestyle family photographer because

I focus on connection, emotion, and closeness.

I am a lifestyle photographer because you deserve to have photos that tell a story of exactly who you are and what your family looks like. I want you to feel something when you see these photos. Maybe you think to yourself “I can’t believe she was so small!” or “I had no idea she would be so good for her session” or maybe something like “wow-that was so easy and I can’t wait to see how the photos turned out”.

It’s my job to get to know your family, learn names of your family members and children and have your children trust me. I want to play with them. I want to sing with them.

My goal is to get your family to interact naturally and show the true beauty of every family member.

I’d love to hear from you if you are welcoming a new baby and want a way to look back at this special time.

Family Photography Atlanta | Winn Park

When families invest in me for family photos I feel special. I feel that families can trust that I will tell their family’s story in a fun, laid-back and true way.

I’ve been a lifestyle family photographer for a couple of years now and I’ve met several families that want updated family photos and choose me! Tabitha!

I get so excited for every single family photo shoot.

Sometimes there is a new addition to the family and a lifestyle newborn session is perfect for them. Sometimes it’s great to have updated family photos in the fall to send to friends and family, and that’s exactly how I got to meet this family.

This session was actually in my last busy season and somehow it slipped my mind to post this beautiful session on the blog! There are many photo locations in Atlanta, and Winn Park is one of my favorites.

Winn Park is located in Midtown Atlanta off of 15th street and this park is such a gem!

You may have been photos at Winn Park from the blog post what to expect from your lifestyle family session that included a family of four with two little ones. Our maybe you have seen the blog post how to look your best in family photos with two of the most energetic little guys, which made for a very playful family session. There is pretty foilage, big green space, and a cute little lake. There’s also a waterfall! How did I not know about Winn Park for so long?

When choosing a family photographer it’s important that you know what to expect and how your final images will look. At every session I take a group photo including all family members. I also try to get each parent with each child, as well as portraits of each child. I really enjoyed spending time with this family of three and I thought Winn Park was a perfect location that gave us so much variety. I also made sure to get some of just Mom and Dad and loved the playfulness in their photos!

However big your family, I can assure you that we will have fun and you’ll love your lifestyle family session and your photos!

Wanting to get on the calendar? Send me a message and we can schedule your family session!

atlanta newborn photographers | in home newborn photography

Lifestyle newborn photography sessions have my heart! Maybe you became a new parent and you’re still figuring out all the parenting things and trying to get your chaotic schedule in order. Or maybe you are now a family of four and your oldest child is now a big brother. That’s a new role for him and he’s still learning what this is like! Maybe your three year old is still dealing with this change and takes a little while to warm up to new people.

Let me tell you something - I’ve seen it all and don’t worry at all!!

The great thing about having a newborn session at home is we can capitalize on all of these new moments and details!

I can tell you why it would be helpful to have a lifestyle newborn session in my blog post 10 ways to tell a story during your in-home newborn session because there are so many everyday moments that you’ll want to remember from this special time! Things may be a little crazy for a while with your new addition but during your newborn session,

relax and let me do the work of slowing you down a little bit and making sure you have some photos to tell this time of your life.

We took our time during this in home newborn session and I am glad I got to photograph this family of three. I made sure to get some shots of her time with both parents and wanted to include the family’s home environment. I was absolutely drawn to their colorful bookshelf as well as their amazing sunroom. They also had a collection of Dad’s hats in the bedroom and I definitely thought it added to the story of the uniqueness of their family. Baby girl did so well for her session and the times that she was a little fussy and hungry I made sure to photograph this intimate time with Mom.

Be sure to check out the blog post 3 steps to a relaxed newborn session for some helpful ideas of how to relax and remember - you just had a baby.

We don’t need perfection, we just want photos to capture your right now.

Interested to book a lifestyle newborn session?

Send me an e-mail or leave me your info and we can talk about the best time to schedule your session!

lifestyle family session at ponce city market | atlanta family photographers

One thing I love about being a lifestyle family photographer is including elements that are unique to the family. I met this family that had recently moved to Atlanta and wanted a way to incorporate some Atlanta elements into their lifestyle family session! We discussed whether a park or an urban location would be best and we decided to have our family session at Ponce City Market!

What I love about having sessions at Ponce City Market is the fact that there is so much color and texture!

And if you know anything about me, you know I love color! I wrote a blog post all about it and you can find that here! 5 ways to incorporate color into your family session.

Mom, Dad, and their son were the sweetest.

I wanted to focus on their loving and touchy-feely family dynamic so I focused a lot on closeness, connection, and hands!

Mom and Dad didn’t hold back and I think it created a way to show their family uniqueness, even with their son looking over to them! We danced a little and moved around different locations at Ponce City Market to have a variety of images from this fun shoot. As you can see, this guy is loved by his mom and dad so much and seeing them hug and kiss and tickle him really made my heart so happy!

Interested to book a lifestyle family session? Check out session information here as well as the family gallery. I’d love to hear from you so please send me what you are looking for on my contact form!

sneak peek - baby j - lifestyle newborn session

in home newborn session in atlanta, georgia

Check out more lifestyle newborn images in the newborn gallery!

sneak peek - baby g - lifestyle newborn session

in home lifestyle newborn session in atlanta, georgia

Check out more lifestyle newborn images in the newborn gallery!

5 ways to incorporate color into your family session

For anyone that knows me knows I love color! I’m currently wearing a mustard yellow sweater and plum pants so I definitely know a little thing about color and what it means to me. Sure, some things in my apartment and some of my clothes are a little more on the neutral side for sure. But during family shoots, especially for in home lifestyle shoots, I am photographing your family while simultaneously scoping out areas in your home that you might otherwise not thing twice about.

Over the last several sessions I’ve come across some really cool pillows, bedding, walls, and even patios that I totally loved photographing.  

If you are familiar with my work, you’ll see that I try my best to edit my images similar to the way it was photographed and I slightly enhance the vibrance and feel of the photo. If I’m in a neutral colored nursery then I’ll edit the images to represent being simple and classic. If I’m in a home that has a colored wall, it will most likely be photographed during your session!

I’ve searched a few family sessions and came across the following photos that I wanted to share.

Keep reading if you want to learn …

5 ways to incorporate color into your family session

1. Go to an urban location

Atlanta is full of colorful markets, parks, trails, eateries, coffee shops and they all make great areas if your family is looking for an urban location. This session took place at Ponce City Market, which is full of color and art. We spent most of our time outside, but definitely made it a point to head in to check out some of the cool walls and barn doors. There are some neat murals at Ponce City Market so definitely spend some time admiring everything they have to offer. Bonus- you can also find some really neat books, clothing, and children’s stores so bring some extra spending money!

 2. Photograph a fun wall

I’ve definitely talked about this wall in my blog post called 10 must have photos for your in home maternity session because I couldn’t get over it! The Mamas spent so much time decorating this gender neutral nursery and I made it a priority to incorporate as much of the nursery into the maternity session as possible. The nursery had a ton of color, elephants, and that amazing wall. Amiright?

 3. Spend some time in the playroom

If you have small children, let’s take some family photos in the playroom! There is so much innocence in the playroom and it’s easy to capture your child’s genuine expression when they are in their natural environment. This toddler was just given a baby sister, so once we began taking a break of the baby, I spent some time with big sister while she played and read books with Mommy and Daddy. Blocks, toys and books serve a perfect way to add color to your photo!

4. Look for a patterned or textured rug

When I am scoping out your home for color, I’m definitely open to using neat rugs and carpets that would help with my vision. This image was taken at a newborn session and while we had her in a simple onesie I knew I wanted to incorporate that neat orange rug and I love how it came out!

 5. Look for color or patterns on the bed!

I have shared this image many many times, and I am going to share it again. These little girls are my best friend’s nieces and I get to see them a few times a year (definitely not enough!) and when I do, I always bring my camera so I can document them being themselves. They were spending the night with Aunt Deva and I took out my camera for a few shots of them laying upside down. I loved that the bed sheet was this teal/turquoise and really helped the girls to pop in their pajamas!

I hope you enjoyed reading some of the ways I’ve been able to add color into family photos. You may be more of a neutrals person, but I think I can tackle finding something unique or colorful that would look great as a prop or background in your family photo!

Currently looking for a lifestyle family photographer? Send me a message!

sneak peek - baby v - lifestyle newborn session

sneak peek lifestyle newborn session in atlanta, georgia

Check out more lifestyle newborn images in the newborn gallery!

5 inspiring lifestyle family photographers to check out

I have been meaning to write this blog post for quite a while and I’ve gotten a little behind on the blog! Photography is an art, is subjective, and is something that I knew I always had inside of me but never knew how much passion I had. I have the typical story that most photographers do – I fell in love with photography and started to photograph families, and from there my passion grew to where I am today. I have been self-taught and I am really enjoying this thing called life and the creative pieces of me that I’ve found.

My parents were interested in photography before I was born and they would photograph each other and develop their images in a dark room. I have several of these photos to this day, and I believe it helps me learn a little more about my family. The feelings that photography evokes is something unique to each family and even the photographs taken of the family. I’ve written a blog post called 3 reasons why I am a lifestyle photographer so I encourage you to take a read to learn a little more about by background.

In order to become better at anything, you really need to study and learn and observe and network and really find ways to hone in on your craft. And it can be a LOT to navigate and honestly a little overwhelming. What has really helped me is finding photographers that I gravitate towards, and essentially looking up to them as inspiration. I don’t mean copying their work, but simply admiring their art and how it unfolds.

I always knew I loved “candid” photography and I was quite excited to find out this thing called lifestyle photography. It’s actually quite popular. It infuses family dynamics by using light posing and direction and being able to tell a story through the images and the feeling the images create. Lifestyle photography is a little more posed than documentary photography, but the goal is to allow the families to infuse their personal style into the session, resulting in beautiful images.

I’ve put together a list of a few photographers that really inspire me. Be sure to check out their work and you’ll be so happy you did!

This is a part 1 list and there are several more lifestyle family photographers that inspire me and deserve to be recognized for sure!

Keep reading to see which photographers has made my list of…

5 inspiring lifestyle family photographers to check out!

Elena S Blair Photography - Seattle, Washington

https://www.elenasblairphotography.com

I don’t remember to be honest how I came across Elena’s work, but I don’t know where I would be had I not taken the time to invest in her amazing education. She is a lifestyle family photographer and I can’t get enough of her maternity, newborn and family work. She is one of the most humble and transparent photographers I’ve come across, and I have purchased several educational materials from her. She truly loves to help fellow photographers, believes in community over competition, and her work is so inspiring.

She has taught me that photography doesn’t have to be perfect. For so long I would over critique my work because it wasn’t “technically correct” but I learned to dig deep into myself and my passion and learn what art means to me, and I believe through some of her education I was able to reach my “why”. If you are ever in the Seattle area, definitely reach out to her. I hope she comes back to Atlanta soon and hope to meet her in person one day!

Sara Pietras Photography - Oakland, California

https://www.sarapietrasphotography.com

I have been following Sara for quite a while on Instagram and let me tell you - her feed is BEAUTIFUL! She is in the Oakland area and I so badly would definitely reach out to her for a family session! To me, her work is somewhere between documentary and lifestyle and she is so talented with her composition and how she wants to tell the story in the frame. She is so amazing at focusing on those details that you otherwise wouldn’t consider being important - the pigtails, the kisses, the newborn feet, and the way the little guy lines up his trains are all images I think of when I think of her work. I love that her work is also colorful and it’s really inspiring to me because I love color! Check her out!

Xilo Photography - Oakland, California 

https://xilophotography.com/

One thing I love about Kati's work is the way she focuses on connection. Immediately you can see in the image below how she delicately framed this image to tell the story of a mama and her baby, in those moments we knew flee so fast. She specializes in Fresh 48, Newborn, Family and Maternity Sessions so there is definitely something for every family, no matter their stage. Her family work is told in the most unique places, and I am really loving the urban locations! Her newborn work is so amazing, connected, beautiful and helps to focus on the special moments of the family. Check out more of her work here!

Tricia Reed Photography - Cleveland, Ohio

https://www.triciareedphotography.com

Tricia is based in Cleveland, Ohio and you definitely need to check her out! She has a beautiful style and an amazing talent at using light to enhance the image of the family. Her sessions look like a blast and I know the families are definitely happy with their images. I am excited to continue being inspired by her beautiful images of children, families, and newborns. Head on over to see more of her work here!

Kate Lemmon Photography - Boston, Massachusetts

http://www.katelphotography.com 

I actually found Kate in a Facebook group that I belong to and I was absolutely in love with her work! I spent some time on her website and learned she also mentors photographers in several capacities! I had a mentoring Skype session with her last summer and she was amazing to work with! Her work is super colorful, cheery, beautiful, and she finds the best places in Boston for a family session. She is so bubbly and genuine and I love seeing her travels in my Instagram feed!

She truly believes in the power of storytelling and printing your work and I wholeheartedly believe the same! Print your digitals and frame them in your home. Choose an album and show it off to your friends and family!

I hope you enjoyed reading some of the ways I have learned from the photographers I just mentioned. It’s such a good feeling when you can be inspired by other people’s work and it helps get closer to your why. I can’t wait to continue seeing more of their work!

Talk to you soon,
Tabitha

3 reasons to hire a fresh 48 photographer | atlanta family photographers

If you aren’t yet familiar about hiring a Fresh 48 Photographer, I am glad you’re here!

A Fresh 48 Session, also called a birth place session, is an opportunity to have a photographer come to your baby’s place of birth and document the first 48 hours after the baby is born.

A Fresh 48 Session is a little different than a Lifestyle Newborn Session because these freshie sessions typically take place at the hospital, rather than your home. For those of you that have home births, I come to your home! That actually brings me to my first reason why you should hire a fresh 48 photographer:

 3 reasons to hire a fresh 48 photographer

1. there is no need to travel

After having a baby I’m sure the last thing you want to do is get in the car and drive to a session. The great thing about Fresh 48 Sessions is that I come to you! Whether you are in a hospital or at home, there is no need for you to travel! Part of these storytelling sessions is documenting all of the chaos going on once your baby arrives.

If you are in the hospital, I will incorporate all of those hospital bracelets, baby blankets, hats, and even the gown to really tell the story. We will use different areas of the hospital room (yes, that’s possible!) mainly with window light to make sure there is enough available light for you and your family to be photographed. The hospital room, windows, and even the hallways will all be perfect for your Fresh 48 backdrop. There is no need for you to travel and all of these will help to tell the story of your baby’s arrival.

 If you plan on having your baby at home, I would love to incorporate your bedroom and other environmental elements from your very own home.

 2. remembering the details

Your baby is growing so fast! She will look so different in the first few hours and days and you might forget the way she looked laying in her bassinet, or how little those bracelets were that she wore on her wrist and ankles! There will be so much going on, so I want you to relax and be in the moment and I’m there to be a fly on the wall to get those details that will mean a lot to you down the road.

3. take photos as a new family

You and your family will be completely in love with your baby as soon as he or she is born. One thing I love about Fresh 48 Sessions is being able to take a photo and include all of the family members. Many family photos that I take during Fresh 48 sessions are candid and documentary, however, I always aim to get a family portrait with everyone looking at the camera. We do live in the age of cell phones and selfies, which are great for those snapshots but sometimes it can be tricky to get a good family photo when you are taking it yourself! Relax and let me do the work for you. I really want these photos to be special for you to remember your baby’s first few hours.

Convinced that you would love to have these first few moments captured? Please fill out my contact form and send me a message and we will get your family scheduled!

How to Look Your Best in Family Photos | Atlanta Family Photographers

Have you ever wondered what to wear to your family session? You are not the only one!

When you’ve got family pictures scheduled not only are you trying to pick the best time and get all of the family members excited about the family session, but you also want to look great in the photos. There is not much I recommend not wearing to your family shoot so I’ll mainly focus on what you can wear!

How to look your best in family photos

Be comfortable

First and foremost, if you don’t feel comfortable you won’t look comfortable! Try picking out clothing that you would normally wear when you are with your family. I mostly photograph connection and engagement and this includes movement with families. I would encourage you to look in your closet and find something that allows you to move in comfortably. Mom, this can mean that you find an outfit that most flatters you and makes you look beautiful. This can be a cute top and jeans, or it can be a maxi dress that allows you to bend down with the littles and be able to move freely. Once you’ve done that, gather some outfits of the rest of your family that will compliment your outfit. Dad, dress in something you’re comfortable such as a button down or Henley top and jeans. I would recommend avoiding sneakers and flip flips, and rather closed toed shoes that compliment your outfit.

Pick 2-3 Base Colors

There are so many stylish outfits and clothing options these days so it’s helpful that what your family wears allows you to compliment one another and not be too “matchy matchy”. If you normally don’t go out wearing identical outfits let’s not do that for family photos. This isn’t the decade that we all want to wear the exact same white top and khaki pants. Just don’t do it. We want to show uniqueness and personality! Take a look in your home and you may notice that you are a family that gravitates towards neutrals, or you may be a family that likes pops of color. Whatever your style, think about that when you are getting everyone dressed. In the spring feel free to wear lighter colored clothing, with colors that compliment one another and go together. In the fall it could be darker colors such as navy blue, magenta, mustard yellow, and blacks. Still aren’t sure? Feel free to check out my Pinterest Board and look up a color wheel to see which colors can help go together and compliment one another.

Add layers and textures

This can be a necklace or scarf or can be a light sweater. If your family members are wearing mainly solid colors, feel free to put one of your family members in a patterned shirt to mix it up. You can all still match one another even if you are mixing up the colors and textures of your outfits.

Avoid logos, large graphics, neons

We want your family photos to be timeless and sometimes having large logos and graphics on clothing can be distracting. Try to stay away from having large print or dated photos on your clothing. I would also encourage you away from wearing neon colors. There may be a time and place for neon clothing, but typically it isn’t the best for family photos and you will have a hard time making everyone’s outfits go together for family photos. The neons usually don’t photograph as well.

I hope this guide was helpful for planning your next family session.

Please check out more photos from my family portfolio so you can know what to expect during our session.

I also have a link to my contact form where we can chat about booking your next family session. I can’t wait to hear from you!