Blog: Newborn, Maternity, & Milestone Photographer in Okotoks AB

I feel like the babies who are coming in to see me lately have been dream babies! After a string of wide awake babies these last few have been the sleepiest and dreamiest little ones.

For Emelia’s session, we started with simple table poses that are a classic look which focuses on your baby and less about props. These are some of my favorites pictures to take. They really highlight your cute baby!

When you schedule a newborn session we’ll talk about what is most important to you. If you wish to focus mostly on family pictures, or want to schedule a baby-only session. We also go over what products you’re most interested in!

I get a lot of last minute newborn bookings and I’m totally fine with that! I always make room in my calendar for those Moms who had no idea they were supposed to book their session “weeks” in advance!

Scheduling your babies newborn pictures isn’t exactly covered in your birthing classes, is it?

So when Madeline’s Mom reached out about a newborn session I know she was worried about availability. She was worried she was missing out on the “prime” newborn age. I was able to reassure her that I take newborn up till 3 weeks so she was just in time!

Mom requested mostly swaddled and prop pictures but also wanted to include a couple of the classic poses. Before her session I sent over a short questionnaire for her to fill out. The questionnaire helps me prepare colors and props for the session and I just love what this Mom chose!

A couple weeks ago I had Briars Momma in the studio for her Maternity Session and at the time her little one was bottom down and we were crossing our fingers that she would eventually turn around and get ready to make her grand entrance!

Thankfully she did turn and was head down just in time for her arrival!

As you can imagine, being a new mom is rough and the lack of sleep is a real thing! One thing I love about my studio is how comfortable it is and it really gives you a sense of relaxation and most of my parents end up taking a nap while I’m taking pictures of their little baby!

I know it’s because they’re exhausted, but I also want to believe it’s because they’re comfortable with me and trust me to work with their baby while they catch up on some sleep!

If you’re ready to book your session or have more questions, please contact me!

I’ve had so many ‘older’ babies lately! Mom had booked her session well before her little boy was born but because of complications during his delivery we didn’t get him into the studio until he was 4 weeks old!

Little Parker didn’t want to miss a moment during his newborn session and was awake most of the time! Mom really prefered the unswaddled pictures so we just went with it and did a more natural posing session and she had a couple requests!

With older babies you really have to just go with the flow. Sometimes they are zonked out and sometimes they’re wide awake the whole time. Parker was awake most of the time, and was pretty touchy so it was difficult to really perfect each pose but I absolutely love how these came out!

Dad was a commercial pilot so I added in a little bonus when I delivered their final gallery.

Do you guys remember this gorgeous couple?

Well, turns out when you’re both gorgeous you make a gorgeous baby!

I knew she was going to be cute, but jeez! This was cuteness overload!

Georgina and Philip schedule both a Maternity and Newborn Session with me. I love when clients schedule both sessions as it gets us to know each other before their newborn session. It’s like seeing friends again and everyone is more relaxed during the session.

Anyways, little baby C slept her entire session. We started her session with her totally swaddled and moved on from swaddled to the classic posed part of the session (the part when babies usually wake up!) but she slept! She was such an amazing sleeper I could have kept her!

Her session turned out beautifully and I had a hard time narrowing down my favorites and as it turns out, so did her parents. They purchased every images from her Newborn Session!

You guys. I did a thing.

This has never happened to me in all my years photographing newborns!

Before every session I like to plan ahead and get all my sets together and laid out so I can see what I’m working with and plan for my session flow. I think about what props I’m planning on using and what style of wrap I’m going to do with the baby. This helps with how my session will go! I know what set to do next, how to pose the baby, etc.

Well! Everything was laid out and Mom walks in and says “Hi! We kept him awake the best we could, but he’s sleeping right now. I hope that’s ok?”.

And I froze! HE? HIM? Wait – I set everything up for a GIRL!

Yep – first time I’ve ever done that. I always check and double check my sessions and this one time… I set up for a girl!

Needless to say I apologized and had to redesign my props that I had set up and replace everything that was pink and purple, with blues and greens!

Big oops on my end!

Thankfully he was a great little sleeper, even at 3 weeks, and his session turned out to be one of my absolute favorites. You can bet I won’t let that happen again though!

A couple weeks ago I actually photographed this little guys “Big” cousin! And by “Big” cousin I’m talking 3 weeks older! Yep – their Moms are sisters and were due within a couple weeks of each other. I love when I book newborn sessions for the same family because I get to be a large part of that whole families memories!

So here’s little Emir and his Big Sister! We did a swaddle session and she opted to add-on sibling pictures which is one of my favorite things to do and she loved being in front of the camera and felt like such a big girl, holding her new baby brother.

One thing I love about being a newborn photographer is seeing family’s grow!

The first time I photographed this family was 5 years ago and I was working out of a tiny little room in my home. All 4 of us crammed in there for family pictures and newborn pictures and to say it was hot, cramped and long is an understatement.

So you can imagine my excitement when they reached out to me for baby number 2 and I was able to have them to my brand new studio!

They loved the space and were so happy to see the progress I had made from shooting in that tiny little bedroom to a studio space of my own.

During the session, Mom wanted to re-create some of the pictures I had taken of their first baby and I was happy to do so!

Little sister was so good! She slept her whole session and we got through 12 different set ups – that’s a lot! So I wasn’t really surprised when I sent their proofing gallery and Mom opted to purchase every image!

Little Milas gallery is in my top 5 of all time favorites!

About Dana Menendez Photography

Dana Menendez Photography offers custom, personalized, and fine art photography sessions for newborns and babies and is a full-service boutique photography business.  I treat each client with the greatest care and professionalism. Your memories and milestones will be professionally documented and carefully edited to offer one-of-a-kind, unique portraits. My clients enjoy a variety of finished photography products, such as canvas gallery wraps and albums, large prints, and digital images. 

Please be sure to consider me for your newborn and baby photography needs throughout Calgary, AB, including High River, Okotoks, Black Diamond, and Cochrane. I’d love to chat with you!

Little Zoey was one of my favorite newborn sessions! I absolutely love this little girl. She had the most amazing little features.

Her parents brought her in for an all swaddle session and add-on parent poses so her session lasted about 1.5 hours and she slept the entire time.

During a newborn swaddle session I keep your baby completely swaddled. We move through 3-4 different set ups and also family pictures, if you choose to add them on.

I love when babies sleep for their newborn session! Makes my job so much easier!

I received a lot of last minute bookings back in June! These were babies that were born either during the pandemic, or right before. These families really wanted newborn pictures but had to wait until it was safe for studios to open up again.

When this Mom contacted me about newborn pictures, she had 2 concerns. One – that I was already booked up and Two – that her baby was too old for those cute, sleepy pictures.

I assured her that I would definitely be able to take her baby girls pictures and that her baby was definitely not too old! I like schedule newborn sessions for anywhere between 6 days and 21 days! The whole “under 2 weeks” is a load of bologna!

Boy, was I thrilled when she walked in and her baby girl had a head full of hair! It was sooo thick AND not only was she absolutely perfect, but her big brother and big sister were also perfect!

I love when I get to photograph older siblings who are head over heels in love with their little sister! I know Mom & Dad are so proud of all their children and I’m excited to watch this family grow.

And then there were two! I remember the first time I photographed this sweet family. They came with their first little one – a boy – and we call crammed into my home studio. While it wasn’t ideal, it was certainly exciting to have them come to my new studio and sit back and relax with SO MUCH MORE ROOM!

Little Elisa looks just like her big brother. Those big brown eyes and lovely long eye lashes, she was just perfect for her newborn session! Her pictures are some of my favorites and I can’t wait to share them with you!

I’d like you to meet little Isla! When your parents brought her into the studio they told me she had just had a bath that morning and her hair was now untamable but I think it’s amazing! I love fuzzy little newborn hair dos! They either have a faux hawk or come in with the softest and curliest head full of newborn hair. She did not disappoint! Not only did she have amazing hair but she was also a sleepy little girl!

Little Isaias was full of personality during his newborn session! He was the sweetest little guy and had some amazing little expressions.

We started out his session with him wide awake but wrapped so he could get comfortable. Eventually he drifted off into a nice deep sleep. His mom chose a mini swaddle session which is perfect for older newborns.

It allows me to go through a 1 hour session, where your little baby is wrapped the entire time, but I’m still getting those cute pictures showing your newborn swaddled and asleep!

Sometimes though, they don’t want to sleep and we get the best faces!

Dana Menendez Photography offers custom, personalized and fine art photography sessions for newborns and babies and is a full service boutique photography business. 

She treats each client with the greatest care and professionalism. Your memories and milestones will be professionally documented and carefully edited to offer one of a kind unique portraits.

Clients enjoy a variety of finished photography products such as canvas gallery wraps and albums, large prints and digital images. 

This baby you guys! She’s such a pretty little baby and every color we set her up in looked amazing with her beautiful skin tones. Her newborn pictures are some of my all time favorites!

I feel so blessed that I get to photograph these little newborns within their first couple weeks.

Lately I’ve been one of the first to hold their little babies after coming home from the hospital and I love that my clients trust me to keep them safe and healthy so I can capture their first moments.

Newborns grow so fast and these moments can never be recreated so if you’re on the fence about booking a newborn session, let’s chat! Let’s talk about what you expect for your session and what you hope to get out of it.

I’m a little bit in love with this guys silly faces! He had a whole gallery of the cutest little smiles and funny looks and I can just imagine how hard it was for his parents to narrow down their favorites at their ordering appointment.

His parents chose a mini swaddle session and he was a total angel the entire time. He slept and gave us cute little grins in his sleep! I love all these babies and am so glad my studio has opened back up!

It’s not too late to book your newborn session. I have limited availability each month, but that doesn’t mean we can’t make something work.

Dana Menendez Photography offers custom, personalized and fine art photography sessions for newborns and babies and is a full service boutique photography business.  She treats each client with the greatest care and professionalism. Your memories and mile stones will be professionally documented and carefully edited to offer one of a kind unique portraits. Clients enjoy a variety of finished photography products such as canvas gallery wraps and albums, large prints and digital images.  Please be sure to consider us for your newborn and baby photography needs throughout Calgary, AB including: Okotoks, High River, Diamond Valley and Turner Valley