These are from last year, but I was busy and never had a chance to post them here. This a friend of mine; an awesome children’s photographer from Alabama. She is such a classic beauty, isn’t she? I just had to photograph her!

So what’s my style? I do like to create artistic images. But when photographing people, I find the best way to do that is to keep my main focus on the people themselves. I like to photograph these precious babies in a way that captures their new lives…all their little details, the way they still like to curl up, their sleepiness, the joy on the parents’ faces, and the love evident in the way they’re held. I love knowing the babies will look back when they’re older and know how much they were loved from the very start.

It does seem, at times, like treating babies as still life is all the rage, and photographers scramble to re-create the latest crazy pose of the moment. Then next week, it’s another more challenging pose, and even babies hanging from trees. Do newborns hang from trees in their real lives? Do they rest on their elbows and hold their head up with their hands? It reminds me of the old-time “thinking man” baby pose done by studios that stamped their logo on the portraits in gold foil. Cute, but not me…and not really a photograph of your baby either…much of the time, it’s merely a photograph of a pose, using your baby. 

I like to create images that at least resemble reality. I do sometimes photograph babies in laundry baskets, bassinets, and vintage prams, to add a few special images that feature just the baby alone. This image below is one inspired by baby doves born next to my front door. When I do images of this type, I like to place the baby in the basket, and let their heads lay down however is natural for them: 

But personally, I don’t get any requests for the babies being used merely to capture a certain pose, and never has someone asked me to hang their baby from a tree. I think the reason they don’t ask me (aside from their child’s safety and well-being) is that they know my main style takes more of a lifestyle approach. The focus of my newborn sessions, even when in a basket, are the newborns themselves and the place they take in their families’ hearts.

If you’re pregnant, and interested in a newborn session, let me know and we can talk about what kind of portraits you want. In the meantime, here are a couple recent images of newborns with mom:

Anything that captures is a “real” camera, and might be the “right” camera for certain situations. Like when sitting in the window seat, and my big humongo cameras and their even bigger lenses are packed between layers of thick foam in my ThinkTank case… which is safely stowed in the overhead compartment I secured by getting an early boarding number. I haven’t yet purchased a good purse camera. I used to take one of my big cameras out of its protection and stuff it inside my purse so I could keep it with me, but then the big heavy bag has to come back down out of the overhead, and with the camera unprotected, that’s a recipe for disaster. One I’ve experienced.

So what I meant to say was …my iPhone photos could be really cool if the images were somehow optimized to be the best they could be. Ah, but the iPhone can do almost anything as long as there’s an app for it. And there’s always an app for it (unless you want to view flash websites.) But the photo manipulation apps are incredible, and turn the iPhone camera into something that rivals other alternative cameras out there, like the Holga and the Lomo. This opens it up to a world of possibilities without being limited by perfection expectations:

First, the 2010 price list will be published in the next couple of days. It’s loaded with value! To serve you better, it includes new collections and new display ideas. Plus a discount for prints added to collections. To simplify purchases and to make your choices more about what’s right on your walls, and less about every little size increase, we’ve gone to size categories…gift, desk, small, medium, and large. Each includes choices. Best of all, sessions earlier in the year are now rewarded with lower session fees and a discount on Christmas cards.

So now for the special…

to download iLauri for your iphone, here’s a direct link to it in the app store.

We have loads of other ideas to help you display your portraits, so please don’t hesitate to ask during your ordering appointment.

Until 12/1/09, FEB/MAR SESSION FEES ARE HALF PRICE. PLUS… with the purchase of a large canvas (24×36 or bigger) from that session, your entire print order is 25% off. The entire order.

For my clients, this is the most anticipated event of the year, since they like to order at least one showpiece and then lots of smaller prints for desks, ledges, wall groupings, or gifts.

To get the special pricing, go to my website here, and click on the front storyboard. Navigate to the contact section, and use the contact form to let me know what type of session you’re looking for. Be sure to include the code NOV25% in your email.

This offer is good for February or March 2010 sessions only, and is subject to availability. Not valid with any other offers. Sessions cannot be rescheduled to later dates, and session fees are non-refundable. Lauri Baker Photography does not sell gift certificates. This offer is not transferable and has no cash value. Print order must be placed at the ordering appointment, approximately 2-3 weeks following the session. Offer is not valid for customers with sessions already booked.