8-Days New:Beautiful In-home Lifestyle Newborn Session | Jody Mack Photography | Charleston's Lifestyle Newborn & Child Photographer

Decisions, decisions. It was so hard to choose my favorite image from this gorgeous little newborn girl's session at home. Babies change SO FAST at this age. That is why it is so important to capture their "newborn-ness" during the first two weeks after their birthday.

She was just perfect at 8 Days New. And, as you can see... beauty runs in the family!

Mount Pleasant Lifestyle Newborn Session

I really enjoyed photographing this lifestyle newborn session in this family's beautiful Mount Pleasant home. Their sweet baby girl, only 9 days new, was a dream to work with - from her beautiful blue eyes to her gorgeous, full head of hair.  Her big brothers are really enjoying their new role and showed so much enthusiasm... especially when jumping on their sister's bed.

Special things happen when heirlooms are captured in photographs, like her tiny pearl bracelet and this beautiful "big girl" bed in her nursery (it used to belong to her mother).

We ended the session with just mom, dad and their newborn baby girl and captured some sweet, quiet moments of the three of them when she is this tiny and this new. Before long, she'll be jumping on the bed with her big brothers!

Lifestyle Newborn Session - Charleston, SC

Lifestyle images tell the unique and beautiful story of your newborn, your family and the place you call home.

I love what I do.

This baby girl was WIDE awake and adorably alert for most of the time, but I was able to catch her during a couple of winks.
Congratulations, {W} family! Here are some of my favorites from their session:

Welcome home, little sister!

My girls are over the moon for their little sister. They literally cannot stop kissing her
(and we can't either... we are absolutely smitten!)

What kind of legacy will you leave?

During my pregnancy, I would lie awake at night (when the baby was most active or hiccuping), mulling over ideas for my baby's newborn photos. What memories do I want to have captured? What kind of legacy do I want to leave? 

Years from now, what images do I want her to look back on as an adult? What photographs do I want her to show her grandchildren? I knew I wanted photos with my husband and myself, but I also wanted her in the frame with my parents. It's not often enough that the youngest and the oldest members of the family are captured together. It gives me chills thinking about the time that spans their respective lives - all the things that have been, and all the things that remain to be seen.

I also thought of this sweater.

My grandmother had knitted it especially for my dad for his birthday, many, many moons ago, with a pattern that was specific to her family's home in Ireland.  Legend has it that it helped bring home those who met their fate at sea and washed ashore wearing their "identity" in the sweater's pattern.

I asked my dad to bring the sweater along to her photo session with my photography friends (and mentors) Tamara & Danielle (Bump Meet Baby Studios). Patiently, these master baby "ninjas" posed her and soothed her back to sleep, and I was able to snap these images before she woke up. (As an aside, I felt a bit guilty for asking my dad to wear this thick sweater in a sweltering newborn studio... but, I think he would agree that it was worth it.)

This is our family heritage:  Her great-grandmother who painstakingly crafted this sweater (and many others like it), her great-grandfather who gave the world's best hugs, her namesake (grandmother), her look-alike (grandfather) and all her guardian angels. All people she will sadly never meet on this Earth - but we have the stories (oh... the stories!) and the old photographs to look back on. 

And today, she has her grandparents and so many family members who love her and hold her dear. 

Only now can she be this tiny and can take a nap in the crook of your elbow or the nook of your neck.  

The winner of the New Year, New Website Giveaway is...

The results are in!
The winner of the FREE mini session and 8 x 10 canvas is...
Stacey Godwin Gamble
Contact me to schedule your session!

Lifestyle Newborn Photography

I gravitate toward what is real and genuine about each person I photograph. Lifestyle photography helps capture the essence of each person or family in their own unique way. Using the available light, furniture and items in the clients' own home helps me create one-of-a kind sessions.

Here are two recent lifestyle newborn sessions, one sweet little girl and one adorable boy.

I can (and do) stare at sleeping newborns for hours at a time. There is so much peace in their little faces.

Welcome to the world, little one!

A brand new, sweet, cuddly and downright adorable baby girl was born this week.  She reminds me so much of her big sister (who I also have had the privilege of photographing since her birth).  She definitely has her own unique personality and was a dream to work with!

Congratulations {D} family!

In-home, Lifestyle Newborn Photography, Charleston, South Carolina

Oh, Baby!

This week, I finally had a chance to catch up on editing from this summer's Bump Meet Baby newborn workshops. Now that I've seen so many newborns from interning with Tamara Hart, it's amazing to step back and watch her teach other photographers the craft of newborn photography. There are lots of photography workshops out there, but the quality, the small class size and the hands on experience that Tamara's bring to the table is unmatched.  Each student gets to pose and photograph her own newborn "model."

Here are some shots I was able to grab from this July's workshop:

Working with my new 100mm Macro lens (okay, new to me... thanks to Clay Austin of Clay Austin Photography for parting with it... I will take good care of it!)

I love this little guy's expressions! Priceless....

And a "behind the scenes" view. Tamara with workshop attendees, Janice Jones (of Janice Jones Photography and fellow Carolina Gamecock fan) and Suri Moonsinghe (of Honeydew Photography). 

More newborn photos from August's workshop coming soon!

Little boy blue

There is something about the sweet newness of a newborn baby.  Sometimes they even fall asleep and let you take photographs like these...

Brand-New Arrival

It's an amazing (and nerve-wracking) feeling to photograph another photographer. But, Kate and Adam, extraordinary photographers of the Pizzlets in Beaufort, SC, were so sweet, genuine and fun-loving  (despite their lack of sleep) that I was quickly put at ease. That, and I was accompanied by a mutual friend and fabulous photographer, Tamara Hart of Bump Meet Baby. 

Photographed here are some first family moments for the second daughter, Little Miss {C}, born to the wonderful photographers, Kate & Adam, of the Pizzlets in Beaufort, SC.  

Before she met her new baby sister, Little Miss {A} had a few quiet moments to reconnect with mum (not a typo, Kate is English) and open her present: a "Big Sis" tee-shirt.

Then, the big moment... Baby {C} was rolled into the room by the nurse, and Big Sister {A} could not contain her joy!

Kate's parents were also there to meet and snuggle with their new granddaughter. I absolutely love to photograph newborns, but especially across the generations. 

Sweet moments to remember for a lifetime. Never again will she be this small, this new. I am honored to have helped capture it.

Congratulations to the whole family on your brand-new arrival! Little Miss {C} is a lucky little girl to have such a wonderful family! 

An afternoon with the baby whisperer, Tamara Hart

Last weekend, I had a wonderful opportunity to be mentored by one of my new photography friends, who happens to be one of the finest birth, newborn and maternity photographers in the southeast: Tamara Hart of Bump Meet Baby Photography.  Tamara has been photographing newborns for several years and has mastered the art of posing these sweet bundles into the most beautiful human sculptures.

The photos below were captured by me, but the set, natural lighting design and posing were done by Tamara.  The shoot was complemented by Tamara's assistant photographer, Theresa and good friend, Michelle of Michelle Ann Photography. I loved their enthusiasm and joy in what they do! Awesome people. Great mentoring. Stunning photography. Many thanks, Tamara!

 

Why I love to photograph newborns

No matter what is going on in our crazy world,  
No matter the circumstance,  no matter the illness,
No matter the trouble that lies ahead,
Life persists.
A new beginning is happening somewhere every day.