Reflections by Luna

Pre-Session Warm Up I just wanted to take a minute to talk about the importance of the pre-session warm up. What is this, you might ask? This is the photographer-child interaction time that occurs before we begin the session. I always suggest that you show up a little bit early, maybe 5-10 minutes, to your session so we have this time to get to know each other. Especially with young children, it’s going to be a little bit scary interacting with someone they’ve never met before. I want to ensure we can really show off your child’s personality, so I want him or her to be comfortable with me and with the environment. Filling out the questionnaire beforehand will also help me know how best to break the ice while getting down on your child’s level. If we were to just throw them into the middle of the session and there’s this stranger with a camera jumping around trying to get them to look and smile, your child is going to tense up and there may even be confusion. We really just wa...

We all know that Mom and her baby are the stars of the show when it comes to a maternity session, but there’s no denying the sweetness of having the entire family in the frame, too. I love capturing the raw, candid moments between parents and siblings, and pressing pause on a moment in time that would otherwise go by so quickly and without preservation! Being able to photograph a mother’s journey through pregnancy is probably one of the greatest gifts I can give to others. Capturing that love for the little one as well as the rest of the family is my goal during every maternity session. Carrying a little one in your belly for nine months is not an easy task. Doing it with 5 other kids can make it even more difficult. But the joy of having that little one in your life will surpass all the pain and hardship you may have dealt with during the pregnancy. Every baby is a blessing to the family it is born to and this one was no different. My shoot with TY and the rest of her fa...

There is a time when sorrow can hit. A time for joy, and a time for pain. It may or may not be expected. The loss of a child is a tragedy that defies all others. It might happen during pregnancy, infancy, childhood or even adulthood. No matter when it happens it leaves a hole in the heart of those left behind. Miscarriage/infant loss is something isn't talked about often because of the different feelings it may come up. The rainbow is a symbol of hope and peace. It’s also a symbol of joy. A rainbow baby is a term used to describe an infant born after the loss of another child. 1 in 4 women experience infant loss during pregnancy or even birth. Any child born after that is considered the "rainbow of hope after the storm." This child may be extra special. Not only do they have a family here but also up in heaving watching over them. Celebrating the creation of life during pregnancy is amazing but it’s even more special when that child holds special meaning and has...

There are special moments and then there are moments that take your breath away. I am sure that is how this couple felt when they met way back in high school when they were 15. They have been together ever sense and as B said "They just don't make men like that anymore." She definitely got a keeper. Their kids were just as cute. They adored each other just as their parents adored each other and their kids. My favorite part of this session was capturing the one picture I wasn't planning on. It was a spur of the moment picture that turned out amazing. While I was taking their couple pictures the little ones were crawling around. I was able to capture the kids playing and being kids as well as the emotions and love the parents have. It was again one of those moments that take your breath away. Did I plan that shoot? No. But it is probably my favorite shot from the entire session. I love how it turned out. Oh and if your wondering... The best way to get an 18 month...

The family dynamic of this family was a little different than those I have photographed before. There was a 7 year age gap between the kids but you could hardly tell. They acted like best friends. When I asked the brother to give his sister a piggy back ride, he only hesitated for a second and her only reaction was "I hope he doesn't drop me. But she loved every second of it and you could tell they had a strong bond. The family picture with them holding hands was a little different for them but when I added in a fun prompt of "look at the funniest person in the family" it started everyone laughing as they looked at the dad and they all seemed to relax. You could tell how close knit they were. No matter how I arranged them, they always had a smile on their face. Probably one of my easiest families to photograph. I really enjoyed capturing these memories for them and hope to continue to do so in the future.

Birthdays are celebrated every year but there is something special about a first birthday. The first birthday marks the transition to toddlerhood, to independence, to being able to talk, walk and do things on their own that they couldn't do the first year of life. It's a special time for the family and for the little one and is usually celebrated with a fun theme. The photoshoot I had this week I got to help do just that. I got to capture little Ava's 1st birthday so that it can be something she remembers forever. She is the youngest of 4 siblings and you can tell by the way she looks at them and her parents that she just loves life. Her sister and mom were right next to her while she tried out the cake and her brothers and dad were watching close by. She even tried to feed them some of the cake from her finger. It was super cute. They did a hot air balloon theme and she was fascinated by the balloons. Capturing moments and memories like this is why I love doing photograp...