Here's to a new year and getting back to blogging my sessions again!

To kick things off, I thought I'd share my last newborn photography session of 2021 with you all. I photographed mom's maternity session at the Alabama Gulf State Park in Gulf Shores in early November. 

I was tickled when mom called me to let me know that their baby boy had made his arrival. Due to the upcoming holidays, we originally scheduled baby's session for 5-days old, but ended up deciding to push the session back to give baby boy time to get on a happier feeding schedule and let mama get a bit of rest.

I ended up heading to Gulf Shores, Alabama for this little one's in-home newborn portrait session the day after Christmas.  

As usual, I did several set-ups on my bean bag as well as a basket/prop set. Mom is a woman after my own heart and wanted the white drop only for all of the bean bag pictures. I always bring a good selection of wraps and outfits in different colors and textures with me. Even though my sessions take place in my client's homes, I want them to still feel like they get to pick and choose what I use. ​

I'd also brought one of my two favorite props - my hand carved, wooden heart bowl by Chicaboo and this sweet boy looked so perfect snuggled up in it.

After a second feeding, this little one took a nice hard nap allowing me to get these sweet pictures that daddy requested. After this, I wrapped baby up and we finished the session by capturing portraits of them as a new family of three.

​1. Pick out everyone's outfits sooner rather than later.
    a. Wear something you're comfortable in, and make sure that your little(s) are comfortable in their outfit as well.
         b. Think coordinating/ complimentary not matching.
         c. Avoid busy patterns.
        d. If you're concerned about your little ones getting messy or rumpled in the car on the way to your on-location session, just wait and dress them after you arrive. I always build a little cushion of time each session.

​2. Make sure everyone is fed and rested (that includes you too).

3. Consider bringing the following with you:
         a. non-messy, quick snacks (goldfish crackers, Puffs, apple slices), water, a bobby pin or barrette if you're worried about the wind, lipstick or gloss for touchups, and a hair brush
         b. for beach sessions - a towel. It's FUN to finish your session splashing in the water!
         c. PJs for your littles - If it's a mid-summer session, we won't be finishing up until close to 8pm. If there's a possibility your little one(s) might fall asleep in the car, bring their PJs with you so you can go ahead and change them before strapping them in for the ride home.

Well-rested and fed children are cooperative children! 
happy children photographed in Orange Beach, AL,  Perdido Key, FL, and Gulf Shores, AL

​4. Prepare your children (and anyone else who may be a bit on the fence about the session).  Talk up the session, let the kids pick a must-have shot, and feel free to pick a good bribe (ice cream and suckers are the most popular).
         a. If you're concerned your child might be nervous, consider bringing a favorite book, small toy, bubbles, or something else that they enjoy or brings them comfort.

5. Ladies - Even if you don't usually wear much (or any) makeup, wearing a little for your session will do you nothing but favors! Even just a little foundation/powder, mascara, and a swipe of lipstick will look amazing!

6. Once the session has started, relax, play, smile, kiss, and hug. I'll get "the shot!" I don't expect anyone's kids to be angels. I'm a new person, my camera can be intimidating, and your children are probably wearing new clothes. I promise that I'll work with them and get some great photos, and your kids will be relaxed if YOU are.
         a. Also, don't forget that you don't have to look at the camera for all of the pictures! I will still get a few more traditional, family portrait-type pictures, but I bet your favorites will end up being the ones where you're interacting as a family!

7. Let me take individual pictures of each child. Every person, every child has their own personality. Let's give them their minute in spotlight to shine!

8. And let me take a picture of just you and your partner! We need more than just a selfie with our significant other! I'm actually a master at holding an infant on my hip while grabbing a quick photo of the two who started it all!

​And finally for the in-home family photography sessions...
9. Take a couple of minutes and de-clutter the space where I'll be photographing your family. I'm not saying your house needs to be magazine ready, just consider stuffing those magazines in a drawer, throwing the alarm clock under your bed, and putting a few toys away.

It's that time of year again...time to start planning for your Pensacola and Perdido Key Christmas Photography pictures!
This year's Christmas Mini Sessions will take place on 4 dates with your choice of 2 locations and morning and afternoon session times. Beach sessions will be the afternoons of November 16th, 23rd, and 24th and Woodsy sessions are available the afternoon of November 17th and the morning of November 23rd. Specific location addresses and times will be given after booking.

2019 Christmas Mini Sessions - $100
Each session is 10-15 minutes
Unlimited family members
Your choice of 3 high-resolution images via digital download with print release

NOTE: Date and time slots are notated Beach or Woods and have the time frame listed. Make sure you choose the location and time of day you want.

Custom designed holiday cards, prints, and additional digital image downloads will be available for purchase when you receive your viewing gallery. Viewing galleries will be up within 7 days of your session to ensure plenty of time for selection and any additional products you may decide to purchase.

I've said it before, and I'll say it again - it's so important to take yearly family photos! Babies grow into toddlers in the blink of an eye. In the next blink, that toddler is a sassy 5-year-old. Faster than you can even imagine, that sassy 5-year-old is telling you that a boy (with a car) asked her to the Homecoming dance!

The triptychs of the girls only cover a 3.5 year span.
Harrison's (at the top) covers a 4.5 year span.
Each of them, though, has changed in only a few short years!

I try to take pictures of the kids each spring, family pictures each fall, and a Christmas pajama photo each holiday season. I'll admit that I've missed a couple of springs over the years, and my husband and I don't always make it into the fall family photos. But I make sure to update the kid's portraits at least once a year, and we never miss the annual Christmas pj portrait.

These photos were taken in the springs of 2015, 2016, and 2018 respectively.
I try to vary our locations, and now that the kids are getting older, I let them have a say as well. On the left, the kids were 11-months, 8, and almost 10. On the right, they were 5, 11, and 13!

As I said, we don't miss our annual fall family photos! The top photo was taken in 2015 and the bottom is from last fall, 2018. We haven't taken this year's photos yet, but a color palette was picked, outfits are being chosen, and the girls have decided on this year's location. As soon as my husband is home for a couple of days, we'll go take them.
Now that the kids are older, between marching band, chorus, and soccer finding time to have our photos made as a family requires more planning to schedule but is just as important. Last year's photos were spontaneous - we were all home at the same time, the sun was getting lower in the sky, and everyone was in a good mood - so I threw outfits at everyone and off we went to Tarklin Bayou State Park.
If you decide to roll with spontaneity like we do, having a handful of good Pensacola area photography locations in mind helps a lot! We've had sessions at Tarklin Bayou, Johnsons Beach and Naval Live Oaks (both part of the Gulf Islands National Seashore), The photo in front of the gorgeous azalea bushes was taken at the home of Leila's violin instructor. We've also utilized pretty green spaces in our neighborhood as well as local parks.

An annual Christmas pajama photo is also a requirement around here! I prefer to have them just include the kids (and the dog when he's willing), but last year the girls really wanted my husband and myself in the picture too. 
If you can't tell, I have one kid who marches to the beat of her own drum and prefers to "coordinate but not match." 

Looking back over these photos also reminds me of the drama, threats, and bribes that often occurred to get some of those smiles. (I'm looking at you Christmas 2016 and spring 2016.) But that's the other thing, allowing the kids to have input into outfits and locations nowadays has helped with the attitudes as well. If you take nothing else away from my trip down memory lane, I hope you remember that - let the kids help plan something (even something as small as what necklace or hair bow they wear - if they have a stake in the game, they're much more likely to be willingly cooperative!

Finding Beauty in the Ordinary Photography offers Family Photography in northwest Florida that captures your family’s connections, emotions, and moments in a fun, natural way. Located in Pensacola and also offering maternity, newborn, and birth photography, service areas include but are not limited to Perdido Key, Gulf Breeze, Pensacola Beach, Navarre, Pace, Milton, and Cantonment in Florida and Orange Beach, Gulf Shores, Foley, Fairhope, and Daphne in south Alabama. Family portrait sessions tend to book up to one month in advance, while maternity, birth, and newborn sessions should be booked early in the second trimester to ensure availability at the time of delivery. Amanda offers a full service experience including a pre-session consultation, exclusive access to her Maternity and Newborn wardrobe, an online proofing gallery to share and download your included high-resolution digital images, and an array of professional print, canvas, and album options. I can’t wait to hear from you and help create your own beautiful heirloom memories!
 
Pensacola Photographer | Pensacola Family Photographer | Northwest Florida Photographer | Pensacola Newborn Photographer| Gulf Shores Newborn Photographer |Pensacola Maternity Photographer | Pensacola Newborn Photography | Gulf Shores Maternity Photographer| Pensacola Birth Photographer | Pensacola Birth Photography| Orange Beach Family Photographer 

This is my fourth year photographing this sweet family!
When we started, little man was not yet even 2. Now he's a big boy in kindergarten and big sister is in middle school!

For this year's family portraits, we decided to walk around downtown Pensacola. Downtown is full of beautiful buildings, grassy spaces, public parks, and art installations - all perfect for a nice range of photography backdrops.

Stumbling upon this awesome Pensacola sign behind the TT Wentworth Museum was extra cool.

 ​Finding Beauty in the Ordinary Photography offers Family Photography in northwest Florida that captures your family’s connections, emotions, and moments in a fun, natural way. Located in Pensacola and also offering maternity, newborn, and birth photography, service areas include but are not limited to Perdido Key, Gulf Breeze, Pensacola Beach, Navarre, Pace, Milton, and Cantonment in Florida and Orange Beach, Gulf Shores, Foley, Fairhope, and Daphne in south Alabama. Family portrait sessions tend to book up to one month in advance, while maternity, birth, and newborn sessions should be booked early in the second trimester to ensure availability at the time of delivery. Amanda offers a full service experience including a pre-session consultation, exclusive access to her Maternity and Newborn wardrobe, an online proofing gallery to share and download your included high-resolution digital images, and an array of professional print, canvas, and album options. I can’t wait to hear from you and help create your own beautiful heirloom memories!
 
Pensacola Photographer | Pensacola Family Photographer | Northwest Florida Photographer | Pensacola Newborn Photographer | Gulf Shores Newborn Photographer | Pensacola Maternity Photographer | Pensacola Newborn Photography | Gulf Shores Maternity Photographer | Pensacola Birth Photographer | Pensacola Birth Photography | Orange Beach Family Photographer 

The F family enjoyed a slightly stormy week on the shores of Orange Beach, AL this past June. But, as a mother of 3 myself, I know that overcast skies are great for helping to keep little ones from burning as easily.

On the evening of their Gulf Shores Family portrait session, there were multiple storms off the coast as well as storms north of us, but we lucked out with just cloudy skies!

The Navarro family and I spent a lovely evening at the Gulf Islands National Seashore capturing some updated family portraits! Ben wasn't sure about me in the very beginning but he quickly warmed up to me once we let him splash in the water a bit.

I love when clients can just do their thing while I capture the moments!
This is what it's all about.

For the past year, I've been adding maternity gowns in a variety of colors and styles to my Client Closet. I want to provide Pensacola, Orange Beach, and surrounding areas the opportunity to have the perfect dress to show off the beauty of their pregnancy! 

Not only do these beautiful gowns fit a wide variety of body sizes and shapes ( I have dresses that fit sizes 4 - 24), they're just plain comfortable to wear!
I've received SUCH positive reviews that I'm looking to add more dresses in more sizes, styles, and colors so that every mom has the opportunity to be photographed in the dress that perfectly suits her.

This is an amazing new program that benefits both the client and the photographer!

I have a Wish List of fabulous, affordable Maternity Gowns that I would love to add to my collection.  How does that benefit you? I'm glad you asked!

​Click here to see the dresses on my Wish List.
Order the gown from my list that perfectly suits you.
Wear that gown during your Pensacola, Orange Beach, Perdido Key, etc Maternity Photography session with me, and afterwards, turn it and the receipt in to me for credit towards your session fee!
Any questions?

Another amazing thing about many of these dresses (especially the 3 pictured below - available mid-July) is that they also make a stunning addition to your Newborn Photography, Family Photography, or Breastfeeding photography session!

"As for my girls, I'll raise them to think they breathe fire." ~ Jessica Kirkland

These sweet girls braved a chilly afternoon at the beach with me to get their mama some much anticipated, updated pictures! Our children grow up so fast that we have to grab a few minutes whenever we can to capture this moment in time.

By the way, I've gotta take a minute to say that I LOVED big sister's combat boots in these pictures! The little girls wanted bare feet, but big sis wanted to keep her super cool shoes on (who could blame her) and and LOVE that mom agreed! I'm all about letting your kids express a bit of their individuality in pictures - these girls even got to pick out their own necklaces to wear.

​Finding Beauty in the Ordinary Photography offers Family Photography in northwest Florida that captures your family’s connections, emotions, and moments in a fun, natural way. Located in Pensacola and also offering maternity, newborn, and birth photography, service areas include but are not limited to Perdido Key, Gulf Breeze, Pensacola Beach, Navarre, Pace, Milton, and Cantonment in Florida and Orange Beach, Gulf Shores, Foley, Fairhope, and Daphne in south Alabama. Family portrait sessions tend to book up to one month in advance, while maternity, birth, and newborn sessions should be booked early in the second trimester to ensure availability at the time of delivery. Amanda offers a full service experience including a pre-session consultation, exclusive access to her Maternity and Newborn wardrobe, an online proofing gallery to share and download your included high-resolution digital images, and an array of professional print, canvas, and album options. I can’t wait to hear from you and help create your own beautiful heirloom memories!
 
Pensacola Photographer | Pensacola Family Photographer | Northwest Florida Photographer | Pensacola Newborn Photographer| Gulf Shores Newborn Photographer |Pensacola Maternity Photographer | Pensacola Newborn Photography | Gulf Shores Maternity Photographer| Pensacola Birth Photographer | Pensacola Birth Photography| Orange Beach Family Photographer 

The majority of my Pensacola and Orange Beach clients know exactly where they want their family pictures taken - the beach, a park, or downtown Pensacola. But there are some who want something a little out of the ordinary, a little off the beaten path. Whether you are looking for a classic location for your Pensacola family photography or if you'd like something a bit more unique, I guarantee I can find the perfect spot for your session. 

This family wasn't interested in the more typical family beach photos. This family wanted something a little special.
This past summer, mom, Jessica and I had taken our kiddos to see Bamahenge and the Dinosaurs in the Woods about 25 minutes west of Pensacola. While we were brainstorming out-of-the-box ideas for their family portrait session, Jessica asked if I'd ever done a session at Bamahenge and if it would work. Until then, I hadn't even considered doing a family session there, but I LOVED it! And so our plan began.

Bamahenge was such a unique location for this fun family's portrait session!

The late afternoon sun gave us the most lovely light and the woods surrounding us were absolutely beautiful.

So never fear, whether you're looking for a more classic location or something off-the-beaten-path, I've got you!