This session was near and dear to my heart. This little boy’s Mommy, was one of my childhood best friends! What’s even cooler than that, is that my daughters are best friends with her daughters, and I was able to photograph her son’s first birthday Elmo Cake Smash! When she told me that he loved Elmo, I just knew I had to set up the whole Sesame Street Crew! My husband even made the Sesame Street sign with the lamp! And of course, this delicious cake that he is eating is from Lily Gray Sweets, who always comes through with an amazing cake!

First we started off with some handsome birthday portraits.

He had his eyes on my red ottoman from the moment he entered my studio! He was drumming the entire time! Maybe he has some music in his future! To keep him occupied while trying to get some really nice portraits, I showed him one of my childhood toys, my wooden Radio Flyer Row Cart! He even got to ride on the Morgan Ace Flyer, but that’s just a really cool prop I picked up in my many travels of prop hoarding! (haha, seriously, I have way too many props!)

During the Elmo Cake Smash, all he wanted to do was watch and sing along with Elmo!

So we did have some Sesame Street playing on a phone, but shh don’t tell anyone! It’ll be our little secret! Just pretend he is actually smiling at me! He did however, love hanging out with his family. They had matching shirts, done by the lovely Tia of Tia Crafty Creations! They all had matching shirts on and looked fabulous rocking Elmo! I have to say, Elmo is pretty cool!

If your child is turning ONE and you would like to book them a cake smash session, email lauren@bokehlovephotography.net

Want to see other themed cake smashes? Click down below!

Where the Wild Things Are
Daniel Tiger
Vintage Mickey Mouse

 

Covid 19 has impacted our lives in so many different ways. For instance, you may have lost people near and dear to you, had to stay home and quarantine, or have your newborn session at home! However you are coping with this pandemic, please know that small businesses are able to still help you with your needs, however, we are operating a little bit differently as of late.

This beautiful baby girl made her appearance a little bit early, and during this pandemic. Therefore we couldn’t have an in studio session because of social distancing, however – we found a way!

This session was very planned out.

I spoke to Mom about expectations and how the session would go. I dropped off newborn fabric wraps and headbands and directions ahead of time on how to wash and sanitize the items to protect her baby and the fabrics as well. She was able to select which colors she wanted to use, and then when I showed up we were able get to work!

Taking care of baby:

Because of social distancing and the delicate immune system of a newborn baby, I advised Mom that I can not touch her new bundle of joy. The health and safety of newborn babies and their families is always my number one concern. Therefore, Mom had to wrap her little one on her own (Which honestly, made for some beautiful images that she will remember forever!) She wrapped her like a pro! I am so proud of her, and how well she was able to listen to direction and help make this session even more beautiful!

How did I protect the baby? Good question!
1. No contact at all!
2. I stayed 6ft-12ft away at all times
3. I shot with a 70-200mm Lens (I shoot Nikon, you can find the exact lens I shoot with by clicking here, and the exact body I shot with by clicking here).
3. I allowed Mom to pre-wash the materials in her own laundry soap and/or lysol the day before the session. I prefer Dreft for all of my wraps.
4. I wore a mask the entire time. I highly recommend whichever mask you get, you should also purchase filters and cut the back of your mask open and pop in a filter. Not all masks are made to prevent viruses from getting through the fabric. Having a filter helps with that.
5. No hand shaking Mom, Dad or Kids! No contact at all!
6. I also keep hand sanitizer on me as well as disinfectant wipes.

Some extras:

In addition to all of this hard work (Thanks Mom!), I also snuck in some composites too! Composites are digital images that give you that studio look, but are purely digital. That is where my photoshop skills come in handy! (Thank you college education and the Digital Art and Design Program at LIU!)

Anyway, let’s get back to this newborn session at home! It’s not every day that your clients front yard looks like a park! How gorgeous is this! Check out the images and just look at how adorable this little one is, and how perfect their family has become.

If you are planning on having a baby, or if you are approaching your due date and you need a newborn photographer, I would love to photograph your newborn session at home! Once we have the clearance to go back to studio sessions without social distancing, then newborns will be okay to photograph! Until then, we will do our very best to stick to the guidelines set by NJ.

Mom did an AMAZING job at wrapping her own little bundle of joy! I am so proud of her!

Having a baby is hard work! I know, I’ve had 3 babies myself. So having to wrap your own baby, during your little one’s newborn session is HARD! But during the time that we are going through right now, things are so unknown, and scary, that we really need to think about the safety of our children. Newborn babies especially, do not have their immunizations yet, and can’t fight off a virus that lets say you or I could fight off. Therefore, if Mom is able to wrap her own baby, it’s safer all around for everyone. We have to come together as much as we can right now to keep each other safe.

*Some of the links in this post are Amazon affiliate links. This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission at no extra cost to you. All opinions remain my own.

This has been such a fabulous year for me and my business, and Everleigh’s Newborn Session in South Jersey, is one of my favorite!

I have met so many beautiful little babies, and been able to document this special moment in their lives. When a baby is born, it’s a huge milestone, not just for the baby, but for Mom and Dad too! They are now parents, and they want to, and should celebrate.I had the honor of meeting Miss Everleigh for her newborn session in South Jersey for an in home session, and could not believe how amazing of a little dreamer she was! Everleigh slept the entire time, and was such a well behaved little lady. I know what you’re thinking, aren’t ALL newborns well behaved? Babies need a ton of sleep after they make their appearance into our world, but that doesn’t mean they don’t cranky! Just like adults, when we need our sleep, we need our sleep. Before your newborn session, I email you tips and tricks on how to have the very BEST newborn session. Things like, giving baby a bath, keeping baby awake, and playing with toes and making sure baby has a full belly. You’re getting to know your new baby, just as your new baby is getting to know you, so your little one will be interested in whatever you have in store for them! Keeping them awake, will help them get super tired, so once it’s time for their newborn session… they’re going to sleep, well, like a baby!

I can’t wait to document Miss Everleigh’s future milestones! Baby girl, I can’t WAIT for your cake smash! I just KNOW she will be ready for her closeup!

If you are expecting and would like to book your Newborn Session in South Jersey, visit my website for details on a session here, and reach out to me directly to book your session: lauren@bokehlovephotography.net

If you read my blog, you know I was SO excited to photograph my cousin’s maternity session. Well, her sweet baby girl made her appearance shortly after and is absolutely stunning! She looks just like a baby doll! I was so happy she chose me to photograph her little one when there are so many other amazing photographers in NJ. Being a Newborn Photographer near Atlantic County NJ had made my life so much more amazing, because I get to meet happy little babies and take beautiful images of them. Of course I love when they are awake and bright eye’d, it’s so much easier when they are fast asleep in dreamland. Miss Emma was awake for most of the session, but she fell fast asleep toward the end, and I was able to capture beautiful images of her while she was sound asleep. The beautiful headbands you see I made myself, which I am so proud of, except for the jeweled on at the end, that was mine and I thought she needed some princess bling. Emma’s nursery is purples, so I thought this beautiful mauve would be a great addition to her walls. Not too bright, but perfectly neutral to showcase all of her gorgeous features.

Check out my cousin’s beautiful maternity session from a park near her house, in Riverton: Danielle Maternity Session

If you are awaiting the arrival of your new addition are looking for a Newborn Photographer near Atlantic County NJ, I would be honored to photograph your beautiful new bundle of joy! Reach out to me today at lauren@bokehlovephotography.net

Studio sessions offer use of all props, headbands, rugs, etc. I make new headbands all the time, and welcome any theme you have in mind, to make something custom for your session!

Last month, I had the opportunity to document my cousin Danielle’s maternity session at a park near their house, Riverton Yacht Club! When they told me they wanted to have a Riverton Yacht Club Maternity Session, I was so excited, because this is where they had their first look for their wedding. Not only that, but this is the exact location where John had proposed to Danielle! It’s an understatement to say that this park holds great meaning to them. Toward the end of the images, you will see Danielle sitting down and John kissing her belly. That is the exact location where he proposed years ago, only instead of belly kisses, he was holding a ring. They call the tree “their tree”, and I don’t blame them one bit. I see many future picnics here with their soon to be new baby girl, Emma Grace!

*Update: Emma Grace has been born! I am so excited to meet her next week for her newborn session!

I am so excited for them and so honored that I was able to capture these memories for them. I hope they love the images just as much as I do!

The Riverton Yacht Club is gorgeous. We didn’t get to go up to the yacht club, but the grounds around it are so well maintained. John told me that the owners of the houses along this street actually own the lawns, and that the road that runs parallel to the river is a throughway that was put there by the homeowners years ago (I think I got that correct!) It’s such a historic little town and such a beautiful drive after work. The sunset is definitely swoon worthy! Emma Grace is one lucky little girl to be able to grow up in such a history rich down!

If you thought these images from the Riverton Yacht Club Maternity Session were amazing, and you want to have a session here of your own, please reach out to me! Lauren@bokehlovephotography.net I am in love with this location!