Baby Q | Pittsburgh Lifestyle Newborn Session

Newborn sessions have long held a special place in my heart. Babies! Who doesn’t adore their tiny noses and perfect piggies and sweet milky sighs?

But I must admit, things have changed since I became a mother myself. 

Some of the best wedding photographers I know are not married. Some of the best family photographers do not have children. It is not a requirement of the job that you have to personally identify with your subject matter. 

And yet...

And yet, for me, this job is beyond personal. And since becoming a mother myself, newborn photography has touched my heart in ways I never could have expected. Maybe it is still the postpartum hormones. Maybe it is because the milk-drenched, sleep-deprived memories are still so fresh. But as soon as I look through my lens at this new mama, new baby, and new family dynamic, I realize that my focus has shifted. 

My focus has shifted away from the way things look to focusing on the way things feel. I focus on the warmth in the room. On the love between mom and dad, and this new little blessing wrapped up in their arms. I focus on the tiny, tender moments that otherwise would blur together and melt away in those first few crazy, hazy weeks. Because now I know, personally, how quickly the time flies by. 

If you know Lauren and Bill, you know that they have built their home on a foundation of love. It was such an honor to be invited into that home to celebrate the arrival of sweet baby Q. And when you look at these photos, I hope you can feel the focus on:

How protective and gentle Bill is as he wraps up his baby daughter. 

How proud he is of his wife, and how they've never been more in love.

How curious and wide-eyed Baby Q is as she takes on the world.

How hungrily she drinks up snuggles with her mama.

How gorgeous Lauren is as mother, both confident and nurturing.

How warm and enveloping her arms are as she embraces her child.

When you look at these photos, I hope you can focus on, beyond all else, how much this family loves each other. Because that’s what matters most.