Family Session at Home | Orlando Family Photographer

I love sessions at home! The vibe is always so chill and the images are always unique. I love when personalities can shine and when the photographs are full of real emotion. I’m down to capture traditional family photos but my most favorite images to leave a family with are the ones that show them just as they are. When they look back at their photos I want them to remember not only what their family looked like but what their family felt like too!

I had such a wonderful time with this beautiful and sweet family. They sang, they danced, they laughed, they played and they loved.

If you’re interested in having your family captured in a way that you will cherish forever, get in touch! I’d love to chat with you about a session in and around your home :)

Orlando Documentary Session | Orlando Newborn Photographer

I photographed this family at their Orlando home while Mom was still pregnant with baby #2. Their documentary style session captured their life at home just before they became a family of 4. You can check out some highlights from that session here.

It’s always exciting (and an honor) to photograph a newborn but it’s especially exciting when you’ve already met and fallen in love with the family. Seriously, I loved photographing these guys. They are the sweetest.

We got to catching up and we had a wonderful laidback and casual documentary style session together. It’s freeing going into a session without any expectations.

I truly believe that these real life sessions at home are extra special. This family ended up relocating to Ohio and I am so glad that they captured sweet memories together in their Florida home. They will always have these photos of this special time to cherish and look back on. Real life, real smiles, real love.

Documentary Family Photographer | Orlando, FL

Right before the New Year I photographed the most amazing family at their home in Orlando. I have been dying to share their Documentary Family Session ever since! It’s always an honor being invited into someone’s home to photograph their family and there is something really special about capturing a family’s day without any posing or direction.

When Mom saw their family’s gallery she wrote: “Nicole, I am in tears!!! (The good kind) these pictures are BEAUTIFUL!! Oh my goodness, I can’t put into words how precious these pics are of our little family and home in this season! You captured our girl and our family so magically, so accurately! I cannot quit staring at them! These will absolutely be treasured, and I feel like you have managed to freeze time for us. Thank you, thank you, thank you! What a beautiful gift you have!” 

Since having a family of my own, I realized that a family’s truth is more meaningful for me to capture than anything that I could style or orchestrate. I love when families trust in the process to just be themselves because it allows me to capture ordinary moments. If you’re anything like me, it’s the ordinary that holds so much significance. Like this Mom said, it’s like freezing time.

If you’re interested in a session like this for your own family click here to get in touch!

Orlando Newborn Photographer | Documentary Style Newborn Session

My heart aches because I wish I had storytelling photographs like these when my babies were small. Raw, simple and honest. I love being able to deliver a session like this to a client because I know how much they'll treasure each and every photograph. 

Shooting these first time parents was extra special. I could feel their love and amazement over their sweet little boy. I can still remember that feeling from when my kids were born. It's that feeling you get when you look at your baby and you just can't believe how perfect they are. I love capturing that for families.

This shot right here is life with a newborn...how many of you can remember your countertop looking like this? 

I seriously love shooting Documentary Style Newborn Sessions. They're the easiest way to capture life at home with your newborn. Believe it or not, there's a way to have a stress free photo session with your baby...and this is it :)

During Documentary Style Sessions I photograph everything. Whether it's the bottles in the sink...

diaper changes...

or tummy time...

I document it all. 

Dad = such a natural…

Before heading out I grabbed some sweet details while Mom was holding her little man. I can't express how amazing this family was to be around. Their baby boy is so lucky. He hit the jackpot. 

There you have it, one of my favorite ways to capture life at home with a newborn. No stressing for Mom and Dad and a gallery full of the real life moments they shared with their baby. No silly props or Pinterest poses. Just real life and love. 

Want to see another Documentary Style Newborn Session? Click here to see another awesome and real session with newborn twins :)

Pillow Play | 5 on 5

This month I joined the ladies of the 5 on 5 Documentary Blog Circle to share a set of photos from a regular day at home. Normally I discourage the kind of crazy that leads to couch cushions on the floor followed by leaps and jumps but every once in awhile I'll grab my camera instead of being the "fun police" ;) 

These shots were taken and culled with my son in mind. He’s at this in-between stage in his life where he’s big enough to play rough but still very much a baby. I wanted to capture that along with the joy he experiences while playing with his favorite pal, his big sister. 

I ran for my camera the moment I saw him tearing the couch cushions apart…

Then I waited for a moment where I could get in close enough to feel like I was a part of the action too.

Being sure to capture him among the pillows. 

Rough landings and all!

When I realized that I was able to truly capture my children without posing or directing them it changed the entire way I approached photography. 

Nothing extraordinary is happening in this set but it doesn't mean these moments aren't worth documenting. I've captured my son's authentic joy as he bonds with his big sister.

When I look back at the photos I've taken over the last two years I don't just see cheesing faces. I'm reminded of the toys that were loved, the games that were played, the clothes that were worn and the way life felt during that particular time. In the background I can see the slow transformation of our home as we continue to tackle projects big and small. For me, it's all about being able to look back and remember things just as they were. I'm so glad to have these photos for my kids and they already enjoy looking through the photos that I’ve taken of them. 

Sharing next in this month's blog circle is Melissa Kayser, a St. Charles, MO documentary family photographer Head over and show her some love! 

Thanks for stopping by!

Newborn Twins | Orlando Florida Newborn Photographer

My heart skipped a beat when this Mama told me what she wants to remember when she looks back at this time in her life. She told me that it's, "the chaotic, fun times, the hard but rewarding moments, all of our efforts that show the huge love we have for our kids, our little apartment that we can call home, humble but full of memories, the beginning of this journey with kids." 

Her words spoke to my heart on so many levels. Documentary Style Sessions are all about letting go of expectations and capturing reality. It's about embracing and loving the life that you live - even when the words you use to describe it are hard, chaotic and humble. There's beauty to be found all around us. It's found in the spaces that we live and in the moments between us and our children. 

These sessions are meant to be a peek into our lives. They'll serve as a reminder of the things we did, what we were like and how our lives felt. It's not only a gift for us but for the generations to follow. 

These parents made having a toddler and newborn twins looks easy. Okay, maybe easy isn't exactly the right word...but their teamwork persevered and their loving personalities and patience shined through the entire session. 

At times, things did get a little chaotic: imagine a hungry baby x2 but shooting with a documentary approach helped keep the vibe relaxed for everyone. Mom was busy nursing like a champ for a lot of our time together and Dad stepped in to help with bottles and diaper changes. Big Sister stayed close to her new siblings and loved on them along with Mom and Dad. 

It was an absolute pleasure hanging out with this family. Once again I photographed a family brave enough to embrace the Documentary Style and it allowed me to capture their "right now", their "ordinary" and their "love".

The family ended up moving out of this apartment a few months after their session and I know they are so glad that they had this special time documented. Like Mom had said, it was the beginning of their journey with kids.

For me, the very best part, aside from the photos, is that we ended this session as friends :)

Ready to document this special time when your baby is still new and small? Send me a message, I'd love to chat!

Documentary Family Session | Orlando Family Photographer

This family totally embraced the documentary style session. They did their thing and I photographed them. It was a documentary photographer's dream :) 

I photograph my documentary families the same exact way I photograph my own. My approach includes crouching, crawling, climbing and a lot of other awkward and strange positions that usually puts the people I'm photographing at ease. 

Anyway, I love that these sessions are as honest as they are unique. I get to capture families living. For real. I'm capturing a story. Their story. I'm freezing a moment in time for these families and to me, that's really, really special.

I'm a big believer in photographing the everyday things. I know that one day artwork will stop covering their walls...

...and epic water balloon fights won't break out in the middle of the afternoon. 

Think about your day. What was different 6 months ago? What will change 6 months from now? Our lives and routines are always changing. 

It's why we should always remember to embrace the place where we live, the people we love and the things that we do  <3

Ready to give a documentary style session a try? Click here! I'd love to crouch/crawl/climb around and photograph your family ;)

In Home Family Session | Central Florida Documentary Photographer

Sessions in and around a client's home are my absolute favorite. Why? Because there's no place like home. Because my favorite childhood photos are the ones that were taken at home. Because to me, real life is way more interesting and beautiful than anything you'll ever find on Pinterest.

I spent a Saturday morning with this family a few weeks before their second baby's due date. I can still remember how special those last few days were with my daughter, those very last days when we were still just a family of 3.

Very soon this family's Saturday mornings will change but when they look back at these they'll be able remember what a Saturday morning was before they were 4. 

Want to have your family's story told in pictures? Let's do it! Send me a message here.