Jacob's Styled 6 Month Shoot

I had seen Jacob 6 months earlier for his newborn session and I couldn't get over how much he had grown! One of my favorite things is getting to follow babies from newborn through 6 month and 1 year shoots. Jacob was full of smiles and giggles for his session which was an extra treat!

I love playing with 'styled' shots like the bear shot below...they require a little brain storming and pre-planning but I figure if you're going to invest in portraits you may as well go all in and make sure every element is awesome. Have fun with it, try something different, hash out some ideas about wardrobe, location and make it your own! Have the classic shots ready to go but don't be afraid to try something new. I love it when clients come to me with an idea they want to flush out or are interested in brainstorming locations, wardrobe or how to incorporate a personal touch. Collaborative shoots where you can see something personal, a well loved stuffed bear, a baseball hat, a favorite location are always favorites. I always have tips about texture and colour pallets for wardrobe's handy and have plenty of props and wardrobe pieces that I know photograph well but mixing it up with some client collaboration and personal pieces I find is always the most fun and ends in great results. Like the below 'bum and bear' shots. Jacob's mom and I had chatted about the idea and both brought bears to get the right mix with a 'let's try and see' attitude and it turned out even better than I anticipated! These are two of my favorite shots to date. In no small part due to the super cuteness and happy-go-lucky attitude of our little model!