ellen dykstra photography
I met Henry’s cousin at her newborn photo session a few years ago, and it turn out her new baby cousin lives right next door. Lucky kids! There’s nothing like close cousins, and I’m sure they will be even closer growing up next door to each other. Henry is the cutest little guy!
He started out very alert and awake- love his expressive eyes!
some with mom and dad- I love it when parents choose to be in the pictures.
and some black and white ones- I love the simplicity of these-
Snowy maternity photo sessions are perfect for outdoor pictures of moms-to-be in the winter. Yes, really! You need to be a bit adventurous and it helps if we work quickly, but they have become some of my favorite sessions. In my experience, they result in gorgeous pregnancy pictures- snowy branches and white blankets of snow make a beautiful background.
Snowy maternity photo sessions can have either a casual vibe or can be a bit dressier. If we’re close to a spot that’s good for clothing changes, being photographed in more than one outfit can give you the best of both worlds. In these two recent sessions, we were able to use the family’s back yard- so convenient. As you’ll see, the backgrounds look gorgeous. It doesn’t take much- just snow, some trees and pretty light.
In these maternity pictures, mom wanted some casual and some dressier pictures. She wore her own outfit for the casual ones-
then she popped inside to change for a different look-
The winter sunset light was so pretty!
It can be tricky to schedule snowy maternity photo sessions. This winter snow has been plentiful, but that’s not always the case. Then there’s temperature to consider- with snow comes cold, and sometimes it’s just too cold to be outdoors without coats and hats. We got so lucky with this next couple’s session. Two days earlier it had been below zero. The next day it was supposed to be in the 40s and the snow would be gone. The day of the session, the sunrise was beautiful and it was in the 20s- perfection! Again, we were right out their back door. For the first set, we included Otis, the first baby of the family-
gorgeous morning light!
we moved just a bit in the yard and got a completely different background and look-
A little chilly for a few minutes, but totally worth it!
And by the way, the gowns in these pictures are mine. I have a wardrobe of them in different sizes, and you’re welcome to use them for your session.
So, if the best time in your pregnancy for maternity pictures is winter, consider doing them outdoors. Interested in learning more? Contact me here.
I’d love to use Michigan’s winter wonderland as the background for your pictures, too!
Meet Daniel, adorable little guy with big dark eyes and lots of dark hair. He arrived right before Christmas, so one of our goals was to get some Christmas pictures for their holiday cards. We wanted his toddler sister to be part of the pictures, too, but she was hard to convince. With mom, dad and grandma’s help, we finally got her close enough to her baby brother to get them both in the same picture. Sometimes it takes a village!
A few of Daniel on his own-
So glad we were able to take the time to work together, and I love the Christmas pictures we were able to get for this family!
If you’re welcoming a new baby to your family and would like information on newborn pictures, contact me. I’d love to work with your family to get you pictures you love, too!
From now on, they’ll be known as the ‘first annual fall family mini photo sessions’, because they will definitely be back! Notes from families telling me how much fun they had and how much they love their pictures have convinced me that this has to be done again- and I loved doing it, too. Seeing babies growing up and catching up with families was wonderful!
Before the fall family mini photo sessions, each family got an email with suggestions on what to wear and how to dress a family to coordinate. And wow, did everyone do a great job! I was so impressed with how well put together every group was. Here are a few of the families that were a part of the family minis:
We first met for Lennon’s newborn pictures, and she came back for the mom & me mini sessions. Lennon seems to be always in a good mood, and it makes me smile just to be with her!
This family braved cool early morning temperatures, but it was worth it for the beautiful light and colors in the field that morning. Eli was part of his mom’s maternity pictures, and his smile and adorable expressions make him a joy to photograph-
Another early morning fall family mini photo session (and another guy I first met as a newborn)- love the light we had!
I met this family for Anna’s newborn photos and then again for Emilia’s. It was such fun to see how the girls have grown. They are both such delightful and sweet girls-
Scarlett & Sebastian are long time clients. I’ve taken Scarlett’s pictures since she was a baby and continued right on with Sebastian’s newborn pictures. As you can see, they’re not babies any more- they’re looking so grown up!
Can’t find a blog post for Uli & Gunnar’s pictures, but they’ve really grown up too. Can’t get over Uli’s amazing hair! And Gunnar is Mr. GQ, complete with an outfit change-
I remember clearly how wide-eyed Max was for his newborn photos, and he’s still full of energy! Sam is quieter and more contemplative, and loves snuggling with his parents-
Adorable Julia kept us on her toes- she just wanted to run! I’m not sure I even saw her eyes during her newborn session, so I remembered her as a very quiet little girl. Love seeing all that personality now!
And one more little guy I met for newborn pictures. Kamden’s not walking yet, but loved experiencing the outdoors at Asylum Preserve–
That’s just a few of the wonderful families who were part of this year’s fall family mini photo sessions. Watch for them to be back in the fall of 2019.
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I first met this beautiful family at their flowering tree maternity session and had been looking forward to meeting their little girl ever since. Her grandparents had been looking forward to her birth even more, and were able to be here from their native India for it. They planned to visit for several months, and I was thrilled to have them be part of Ira’s newborn pictures. Her grandma’s traditional Indian clothing was gorgeous! I always encourage parents to be in at least a few of the pictures, and it will be even more special for Ira to have pictures with her grandparents when she was a baby, too.
So fun to see the family resemblances! Ira’s dark hair and dark eyes are just stunning, as you’ll see in the ones of her on her own:
Thank you, P. family, for the privilege of photographing your family!
If your family is expecting a new baby and you have questions about newborn photo sessions, contact me here
I’d love to create memories for your family, too!
