This week’s wonderful Wardrobe Wednesday post is jam-packed with great wardrobe ideas AND other thoughts on preparing for a session with your toddler.  It can be one of the most difficult ages to photograph – too old to stay still for long and too young for effective bribing.    A cute wardrobe is only the start, as Erica of Erica May Photography tells us, there are lots of other things you can do to make sure your session goes as smoothly as possible for everyone!  Here’s what she has to say:

“Babies and Toddlers can definitely be the hardest age group to photograph. Between the spitting up, drooling, crying, and running away from the camera it can get pretty difficult. However, when you get that great shot of a challenging toddler all the hard work pays off! But dressing your baby/toddler doesn’t have to be hard! This is the one time in your child’s life that they won’t have a strong opinion about what you dress them in so go for it! I give you permission to go crazy and get your toddler something ridiculously cute to wear to their session! I put together some great outfits below that are full of personality, color, and layers – all things we have been talking about every week in our Wardrobe Wednesday posts. Of course, I would never spend $100 on an outfit for my little boy to wear everyday but I do splurge for his photo shoots. Why? Because it totally makes the pictures come alive! For babies and toddlers make sure to try their outfit on ahead of time to make sure it fits them just right (even if it means buying the size they are about to outgrow!). It is always a good idea for a toddler session to bring a snack and drink for them so they can take breaks during their session (being that cute is hard work!). A really good trick to get portraits of your baby/toddler holding still is to bring something for them to do. We had a fantastic post a few weeks ago about props and toddlers are a great example of how a prop can make a picture. I added a few pictures below of toddlers in action with their props. Often we can save the prop for the end of the session when they are bored with it all and it gives the child an extra boost of energy and smiles! Remember toddler photo shoots don’t always go as planned but just relax and try to have fun!”

Featured Stores:
www.miniboden.com
www.ralphlauren.com
www.littleboychic.com
www.oldnavy.com
www.babygap.com

I had the pleasure of meeting then one-week old Baby Keaton last week just before we went out of town.  He is so tiny and adorable!  I always forget how tiny the brand new little ones are until I see one, and oh my, it just melts your heart.  It’s a good thing I have a bunch of these lined up so I can keep getting my newborn “fix”!   They weren’t sure how Keaton would do without his clothes on, but he fell asleep like a champ.  Dad had to work, but we did get some shots of Keaton and his beauiful momma.  You’ll have to take note of his “positioning” in the one just below on the right, we just about died laughing.  What a little man!   Thanks so much for letting me spend a few hours loving on your little one, and enjoy your sneak peek! 

This was a very exciting session for me for a number of reasons!  First, this session was for my “That’s My Kid” contest winners!  Big Sis Mary graciously donated the bulk of her session to her brand new one week old (at the time) baby brother.   It has been way too long since I’ve gotten to photograph a tiny little newborn, so I was really psyched about that too!  While it took quite a while to get baby Jacob completely asleep (and some sweat and patience on the part of both Mom and Dad), it was well worth the wait.  Once he was out, he was out!  After Jacob’s newborn pictures, we moved the fun to their backyard for some milestone pictures of both big brother Daniel and big sis Mary.  Mom really took to heart our Wardrobe Wednesday post from last week and came prepared with lots of great props and ideas for their images – almost everything you see in the outside images are their’s and we even used Mom and Dad’s old baby blankets for the newborn session.  It really makes it so much more special!  We wrapped up the session with their cute “1-2-3″ outfits, and that was exciting to say the least.    Mary and Daniel are soooo in love with baby Jacob, they could barely keep their eyes and hands (and sometimes entire bodies) off of him.  I had so much fun with you guys, thanks for letting me capture this special time!

This week’s post comes from the very talented Morgan of Morgan Dawson Photography!  She gives us some great tips and a great store to take the stress out of shopping 3 or 4 or 5 (as I did) different stores to put together your portrait wardrobe.  I wish I knew about this then …. thanks Morgan!

“This week we’re all about saving time and adding convenience.
That’s because I had to figure out: What’s a girl to do when her Wardrobe Wednesday post is unexpectedly due a week early? It’s easy! One-stop shop at a place that picks the outfits FOR you.

I’m probably the last one to the Boden party, but better late than never, right? Not only do they have adult clothing, they also have lines for kids (miniBoden) and teens (Johnnie B). So when you’re shopping for a family, this is really a great place to start. It also helps that Boden has a chill, relaxed style (who doesn’t love clothing you can actually live in!) and a tendency to feature bright colors. Always great for a photo shoot!

Often we suggest picking a piece or color and creating an outfit around it. With Boden, once you select an item you’ll see photos and links to other clothing and accessories that will complete the look – from head to toe. It’s that easy!

Are you visual (like me) and need to see a few more outfit combinations? You’re in luck (as long as you’re shopping in the women’s section). Boden provides an outfit creator that allows you to add and subtract items on a virtual mannequin. I’m great at picking out individual pieces, but when I’m buying for myself, I struggle with creating an entire look. This is such a huge help.

Need a few more reasons to check out Boden?

1) Check out their sale or clearance items. While some places wait until the season is over to start pricing things down, Boden isn’t afraid to discount current styles.
2) You can order items for your entire family and only check out once – with a flat shipping rate of $10.
3) If you call Boden you hear the most polite voice recording from owner Johnnie Boden himself – with a charming British accent

Cheers and happy shopping!”

Oh how the time flies, it seems like just yesterday I was shooting Miss Kennedy’s newborn session.  She is just as absolutely adorable today as she was back then!  She couldn’t have been a more perfect subject – all smiles and cute expressions, and not a tear to shed.  I’m forever spoiled.    And didn’t Mom do a great job with her outfit?  The colors looked so great against the background at this park.  I should also give a shout-out to big sister and brother Maci and Tucker who were soooo good during the shoot that they earned a trip to the toy store!  And can I just say that there’s nothing that brightens my day more than a return client!  It’s such an honor to be a part of the process of capturing that growth – whether it be from newborn to one year old, toddler to senior, senior to engagement, and perhaps eventually another newborn ( ) – I cherish the fact that you’ve chosen me to help memorialize that journey.  Okay, okay, on with the pictures!  Enjoy your sneak peek!

This week’s jam-packed (and very entertaining) post comes from the amazing Morgan of Morgan Dawson Photography.  She has pulled together a great variety of fun ideas for our littlest clients.  I love all of the great colors, and the little knit hats she found totally rock!  I also LOVE Babylegs for little ones – definitely check that out!  Here’s what she has to say:

Some of the most popular portrait sessions are with kids in the newborn-to-two-years-old range, which is why I decided to focus on their clothing needs. Unlike other groups, you really need to dress for the age. So here we go…

Newborns: Less is better, but if you want your baby clothed go for a diaper cover rather than a plain disposable one. They come in all sizes – even newborn – and a wide range of fun colors.

Cake Smash: If you’re not familiar with them, the concept is simple: cake + child + camera = hilarious. This is going to get really messy, really fast – so a colorful diaper cover is all you need!

Bigger Babies and Crawlers: Even though you probably have a closet filled with cute outfits, this might not be the time. Layers and ruffles can spell disaster with a constantly scrunched-up baby. The more time spent tucking in a shirt, moving away a collar ruffle, or pulling down a dress means more missed shots and an annoyed baby. Stick with simple pieces like a fun onesie or diaper cover with some BabyLegs. The other nice thing about these outfits is that they make changing diapers during a shoot a snap. (Again, less fussing = happier baby.)

Walkers: Once your child can walk you can start to consider layers. A skirt or dress with a cardigan, t-shirt with a button down on top, etc. Just make sure you still keep it simple (nothing that needs to be tucked in) and comfortable – these kids will be on the move!

And finally, a quick note about accessories. Hats and headbands are definitely cute, but if your child isn’t a hat-person, then don’t force it. The hat-on hat-off scene is a sure way to upset a baby. If you have something picked out, consider practicing wearing it once in a while before the shoot. The more comfortable your child is, the better the photos will be!

I hope you like the examples I’ve picked out. They might not be for everyone, but I hope you’ll consider showing a little personality (yours AND your babies) in the outfits you pick. And with unpredictable newborns and toddlers, it’s always a smart move to bring a second outfit… so make it a fun one!

The pieces above all come from retailers that may be new to you, but I think you’ll enjoy. Please note that these are just examples; you can find similar items at traditional stores like Old Navy, Gap, etc.

Luvaboos: I think it’s important to support small and local businesses whenever possible. Luvaboos is a natural parenting store and baby boutique that specializes in cloth diapers. Even if you’re a 100% disposable person, their covers are too adorable and totally fit over disposables!
Happy Heinys Pocket Trainer (orange) $15.95
Blueberry Cloth Trainers (green) $15.95
FuzziBunz Perfect Size Diaper (white) $17.95
Bummi Super Brite Diaper Cover (mixed) $12.25

Kitsel: This is one of my favorite online retailers for fun children’s clothing. Be sure to take a minute and browse their full line of T’s and onesies – they’re hilarious! The “I’m only doing this till my band gets signed” onesie is a personal favorite.
Shabby Baby Hibiscus Dress $42
Felt Blooming Flowers Onesie $29
Headphones Onesie $23 (also comes as a t-shirt)
Chick Magnet T-shirt $22.95
See You Later, Alligator Onesie $28.00 (also as a short-sleeved onesie and t-shirt)

BabyLegs: I don’t have kids yet, but these just seem like the most brilliant item ever. They can be used as leggings in babies and toddlers, or worn on the arms of children (or their parents). A friend swears her baby’s uniform is onesie + BabyLegs.
Go Fish Leg Warmers (UV 50+) $12
Jelly Bean Stripped Leg Warmers $12
Camo Leg Warmers $8

Threadless Kids: They carry a large line of onesies, hoodsies (!) and t-shirts for kids of all ages. The main site is for adults.
Glou-glou T-shirt $9

Mini Boden: I don’t know where I’ve been, but until recently I was out of the Boden loop. Men, women, teens and babies – they’ve got it all!
Skate Cargos $24

Etsy:
Bright & Birdie Beanie Hat $20
Vibrant Giraffe Beanie $20
Turquoise Flower Hair Clip with Lime Green Headband $7.95
Plaid Baby Newsboy Hat $15.00

If you have a little one, make sure to read up about my Milestone Mini Sessions on my website!  And as an extra incentive, if you book a Milestone Mini Session by Tuesday May 25th, you will get a free 5×7!  Contact me at lindsay@lindsayhorn.com to schedule today!

Last Saturday evening I had the pleasure of shooting my bluebonnet mini sessions with 6 fabulous sets of clients!  After a little anxiety over the late-blooming bluebonnets, Saturday rolled around and they looked great!  Definitely not as good as last year, but that was an exceptional crop (thanks a lot stupid March snow).  Other than being a little on the windy side, the weather was perfect.  And, of course, my clients were perfect too!  I was a little nervous as to how things would play out logistically, but thanks to everyone being a little early, we actually wrapped everything up with time to spare.  Y’all are the best!  Now it’s time to meet the bunch …

Emily & Cason {Cousins}

These two were absolutely adorable!  Emily was one of my first bluebonnet subjects ever last year.   She was not interested in sitting in the bluebonnets at first, so the red chair came to the rescue!  Mom and Dad said she had been practicing her smile, and she nailed it!    Cason was not a big fan of the wind, so he wanted to keep his head down the whole time despite our best efforts.  I knew he would pop up for a few though, and we even managed to crack a smile out of him at the very end.  And oh my, that smile is precious! 

Lily & Wyatt {Cousins}

Next up was another sweet set of cousins.  Lily did great (especially for a two-year old) staying put long enough for me to get a few shots of just her.  She has such a great big smile, and a great sense of humor – whenever I asked her to look up (at me) she would look straight up into the sky and giggle.  Gotta love that toddler humor!    She was also very sweet with her little cousin Wyatt (as you can see below).  Wyatt was missing his nap during this time, but he was a trooper!  I don’t think he knew quite what to think of all of those flowers at first, but all it took was a little sweetness from his cousin (and the collective efforts of 5 adults off camera) and he really loosened up.    You didn’t need to worry, they both did great!

The Bryan Family

This family is totally awesome!  They were so laid-back and absolutely hilarious, I’m pretty sure we were laughing the entire time.  Well, maybe except for Mom and Dad when they ended up on the bottom of the pile.    I certainly giggled my way through editing their pictures!  You may recognize big brother Jonathan from his senior portraits last month.  His other two siblings were just as goofy!   You five were an absolute joy to photograph – that last shot pretty much sums it up!

The Becker Family

I was so excited to get Miss Evelyn in front of my camera again – she was the subject in one of my first newborn sessions (and the winner of my 2009 Photo of the Year Contest)!  Oh, how the time flies.  Even though she had not been feeling well the night before, she still had some smiles for us.  I’m also grateful to Mom and Dad for being up for trying out a few things … that last shot took a few tries to get the positioning right, but I just adore how it came out.  What a beautiful family! 

Maci, Tucker, & Kennedy

How lucky am I - Kennedy is another returning newborn client!  It’s so fun to photograph these kiddos at different ages.  As you can see, she is growing into the spitting image of her big sis, adorable red hair and all!  These three were so well-behaved, and Mom did give up her secret – the ultimate bribery of pizza and ice cream.   It worked!  Well, except for Kennedy.  As she’s not yet consuming pizza and ice cream, she was a little more reserved with her smiles.  I’ve named this last shot (one of the last of the session) “We’re calling in our bribe!”  You three were just wonderful! 

Emily {Senior}

While you will be seeing much more of this gorgeous senior soon from her full session last week, she wanted to get some bluebonnet shots too.  I’m glad she did – her eyes looked just stunning against the bluebonnet backdrop and she definitely got to reap the benefits of the late time slot and beautiful golden light.  She has such a great smile, and I really can’t wait to share more from her soon!  I knew after this session that her full session would be a blast, and it definitely was!   

Phew!  If you made it through this epic post, you deserve a round of applause!  I need to give a big thank you to my mom who came out as my assistant for the evening, and to my husband who gave me an excellent back rub when I got home – my back was killing me!!!    I should have a few more bluebonnet sessions to share in the next week or two, so stay tuned!

I’m so excited to share these with you!  Emory graciously agreed to model for an awesome online seller I’ve teamed up with – Lucy Mae.  She carries the most adorable bows, headbands, and other accessories, and let’s be honest, I’m a sucker for accessories.   As expected Emory is both a total natural and a complete goofball.  Since it was still a little chilly when I worked on these, I also got to utilize my new studio set-up indoors.  Have I told you I LOVE  my new studio?  Anyways, you should go check out the Lucy Mae store and become a fan on Facebook!  She has some neat new products coming soon, and she also posts specials to her page! 

Hannah in Purple

Vivienne in Light Pink

Abigail – Strawberry Pink with Brown band

Abigail – Strawberry Pink with Brown band / Watermelon Pink with Green band

And my favorite shots … Abigail – Pink with Pink band

My favorite, what a ham!!!

Welcome back baby Madeline!  The last time she was in front of my camera she was only around one week old!  My, how the time flies.  Madeline (actually her mother) answered my casting call last week, and we were able to set something up right away.  I’ve recently invested in a large variety of items to add to my home/portable “studio” set-up in preparation for a new type of session I’m offering: Milestone Mini Sessions.  These sessions are meant for those “milestone moments” during your baby’s first year, whether it be six-month portraits or celebrating baby’s ability to sit up on their own.  These are short and sweet (and very affordable), so there’s no excuse not to capture every moment along the way during that ever-changing first year.  You have the option of coming to my home studio using my studio set-up or shooting on location.  Since you’ve seen plenty of my on-location work, I wanted to take the opportunity to preview some of my new and improved studio work.  I’m so excited about the possibilities!  This is just a small part of what I can provide in-studio.  Look for more coming soon when I post Emory’s first modeling shoot!  For more information on the Milestone Mini Sessions, visit my website and go to Sessions under the Pricing tab.  Madeline was such a wonderful model – she was very tolerating of both wardrobe and background changes.  And isn’t that smile to die for?    Thanks for letting me experiment with your daughter, Amy!

I FINALLY have a sneak peek ready for this very patient family!  I’m so very sorry that I got so behind … as I told them, my own little Emory was sick last week with a nasty viral infection, so I was a little behind on my editing.  Thank you for your patience, and I hope it will be worth the wait!    I had such a great time with this family.  Due to the unexpected chill in the air the morning of the shoot, we stayed indoors for the most part.  Little Emma was such a sweetie.  She just stared and stared at me with a very serious look.  We had to work very hard for our smiles, but it was worth it when they came!  It was such a pleasure meeting you and working with you.  Oh, and thanks for the help dislodging my camera strap from my hair … I always like to keep it interesting! :P