Bump to Baby: Natalie

Okay guys, get ready... I have quite a bit to show you with this family!
Another BEAUTIFUL family that allowed me to capture their new addition all the way from the Reveal, the belly, the Hospital, AND the Newborn Session. I've been photographing them since their first Son Noah was just 6 months old. I love being able to watch a family grow. It's was such an honor to be able to photograph this important time in their life as well. Here are a few of my favorites from each of their sessions (although it's always oh so hard to choose):

The Reveal (So creative!):

 Maternity: 

Big Brother Noah couldn't wait to meet his little Sister!

Birth:

Newborn Session:

Welcome to the world Baby Abigail. I cannot wait to photograph more of this family!

Bump to Baby: Melony

It has been such an honor to photograph an important time in this family's life. I had the pleasure of capturing Mr. Jacob while he was still in his mother's belly, when he first met big Sister Sophia in the Hospital, and of course his very own Newborn session! Here are some of my favorite images of this family's special time in their life:

 I get the most gorgeous clients!

Sophia meeting Baby Jacob:

Newborn Session:


Check out his awesome nursery!

I think he wants to be like Dad already ;)


Welcome to the world Baby Jacob!

Sophia turns 2!

Miss Sophia has turned 2! What could be a better way to celebrate than to have your very own Tea Party?  Feels like yesterday I photographed her 1 year Cake Smash session. 

Mom & Sister got invited too!

Happy Birthday Miss Sophia

Happy Easter from Love Photography by Cara :)

HAPPY EASTER

Not only is Easter an important Holiday to most, It is also a very important time of year for Love Photography by Cara... A year ago we did our FIRST ever Mini Session:  Easter.
I was so nervous last year doing it for the first time and not having a clue as to what to do or how to do it. What a difference everything was this year. Photography wasn't the only improvement, seeing how much everyone grew since last year is amazing! To see how far we've come in just a year is incredible.
We ended up with a total of over 20 Easter/Spring sessions this season...You guys are awesome!!

Thought it would be neat to share a couple of these examples:





We had baby Chickens and even my pet Rabbit(viewing purposes only) that joined us this year.
Minis were held Parklands hidden gem: Covered Bridge Park.
I must say, I didn't realize how much work went into raising chickens for a week! Who knew raising baby chickens in my bathroom would be so fun. Chickens require a lot of maintenance but I must say it was totally worth it! I tried my best not to get attached. ;)

Not only was it wonderful seeing all of you throughout the year, we couldn't thank you enough for coming and allowing us to capture those memories for you once again! We love nothing more than photographing you and your children as they grow. We get to know each and every one of them even more every time we see them again.
A huge Thank YOU for being a part of our growth as a business as well. 


Take a look at some great moments we captured this season. It was hard to choose just one but here is a photo from each of our sessions.

I have to admit.. looking through these photos gets me so emotional. I knew most of these beautiful faces before they were even born. You guys are the best part of my job.


Ending this blog with MY Easter Bunny photo. I don't have any children of my own at the moment but I do have a cute puppy to photograph in the meantime. ;)
For those of you who have not seen this on Facebook or Instagram, here it goes: 


                                     


Happy Easter and Thank you for reading!
-Cara 

Out with the old, in with the new!

Out with old and in with the new!

What is the new you're wondering?  Online Galleries! 

A lot of you have asked me about the option to upload your images in an online gallery and I decided it was a great idea. Not only does online picture hosting allow you to view your images faster, it is also a more reliable method of image sharing because it eliminates nearly all technical difficulties that we have been having (not to mention mail delays!). Also, it makes picture sharing just a button click away.

In the past,  every session was accompanied with a CD of your images. Not only was it getting too costly (between burning and mailing), there were endless issues with them getting lost in transit and at home, or the CD simply not working. We have put an end to faulty, disappearing and blank CDs! Together we came up with a solution that is more convenient for all of us!

Going forward, with all new sessions:

I joined with ShootProof.com to provide you with an organized online gallery of your session. It's the easiest and fastest way to get your images and show them off to your loved ones. Not only is your online gallery viewable on ALL devices, you can digitally download any image right to your computer for a delivery made easy. You can also easily view, share, and order prints from their high quality online lab.

 

 

But I liked the CD idea better (some of you may be thinking...)

Good News! For those of you who prefer the old media, you can still get the CD for just $5 giving you the option to get your images the way you want them. (Until they go extinct of course LOL). What can I say, old habits die hard.

It was time to move forward and offer a faster smoother service.  :-)

Thank you for moving with me!
-Cara

 

 

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year everyone! I hope that you all had a delightful holiday season filled with family, friends, and beautiful memories. 

As we embark on a new year I would like to share some of my goals for 2014. My first resolution is to write more blog posts!! 2013 was so amazingly busy that I simply haven't had the time but I plan on changing that. 

As I contemplated the past year I was wondering how many sessions we had and was pleasantly shocked to discover that there were nearly 400 photo shoots for the entire year! How awesome is that?! 
The tally goes as follows:  60 newborns,  70 Family sessions,  50 First Birthday/Cake smashes,  30 Maternity sessions,  15 Weddings, 13 Engagement sessions,  15 Birthday Parties, and over 97 other sessions including Holiday Minis, Senior portraits, head shots, children, and more!

There are many exciting adventures that I anticipate for the coming year- so many  new projects and ideas! There are also many things I'd like to change to make this year even better than the last! I met so many wonderful families  last year and I cannot wait to work with all of you again and see how you've grown. 

Speaking of growth, my main resolution for 2014 is to keep growing but in order for me to do so I need your help! Please continue to provide me with feedback and ideas because I couldn't be where I am today without your support. 

Thanks to all of you for allowing Love Photography by Cara Inc. to capture all of your special moments. What an honor it has been and we look forward to the year ahead. 

Here's to a happy, healthy and photographic New Year! 

Newborn Session

  The Most Magical Sessions of Them All - Newborns! 

If there is one topic that always raises questions and concerns it's newborn sessions so I decided to make my next blog all about the ins and outs of these precious sessions. There is a lot that goes into the planning and execution of these sessions and the small details are what makes a perfect newborn shoot. 

Timing/When to book:

The first question that I often get is when is the ideal time to have the newborn session. When booking a newborn session, it is crucial to do the session within the first 10 days of the baby's life. Some people contact me when the baby is already 3 weeks old or older and I cannot stress how important it is to do the session while the baby is younger than 10 days old. After the first 10 days, the baby becomes more alert and less flexible with allowing us to do those cute fancy poses that we all adore so much. The baby's sleepy first days are perfect for a peaceful, magical shoot. 

The Day Of:

We normally have newborn sessions at the comfort of your home. Not only will this make you and the baby more at ease but it will also allow you to feed, cloth, and take care of the baby as necessary. On the day of the session you should feed the baby as close to the shoot itself as possible. This allow us to capture the baby in that "milk coma" stage. We want to have them asleep and content for the session. In order to ensure maximum comfort for the baby I provide a heater to keep the baby warm during photos. It can also help if you turn your AC off an hour before the session but that is optional. That extra warmth will contribute to the baby's sleepy stage which is well worth the heat! We can do some outdoors and indoors for variety. The session can last as long as 4 hours so be sure to clear your schedule so that we can so we can have adequate time to create a perfect shoot. We can't forget the baby has needs too! We are accommodating of every necessary food, fuss, or diaper break that you and the baby may need! It takes a lot of time, patience and care dealing with a newborns. Remember: A happy baby = A happy photo shoot! 

Props! Props! Props!

I provide all of the props and equipment needed for a successful newborn session. Hats, blankets, lighting, backgrounds, flooring, baskets; you name it, I have it! If you have anything that you want to include in the session we will incorporate it in :). I literally bring my entire studio with me and build one in your home in order to provide you and your baby with the ultimate photo shoot experience. 

The Cool Part (The Editing):

Safety always comes first. A baby is extremely fragile and safety is always the most important part of the session. When you see photos of the baby holding their chin up or hanging in a cocoon in the air don't be alarmed! This is all achieved through the magic of editing. Take a look at a few examples below. 

(Before and After)

And of course: Cost:
Many of you have asked me why newborn sessions are substantially more expensive than a regular family shoot. The information above should explain that to you. Photo shoots are more of an investment. In addition to the extra time that newborn sessions require, we also use more props, extensive editing and plenty of patience. Keep in mind that behind every hour of pictures that I take, there is at least 4 hours of editing! Although newborn sessions are so important and fun to do, there's a lot more time and work involved to make sure we make the baby's first photo session a success :)

This should cover everything you need to know about a Newborn Session! If you think of anything else that I have not included please do not hesitate to contact me. Babies are super fun and I cannot wait to photograph all of your little ones and watch them grow. After all, that is the best part about my job! xo