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.

These amazing mamas were strangers when they arrived for our photography session that evening in Perdido Key, FL. 
Each of the pregnant mamas are due within a month of each other, and by the end of our sunset session, they were all friends. In fact, they're still in touch with on another on their journey!

Have you or someone you know suffered a loss?
Whether you realize it or not, the answer is yes.
Here's a link to a great website with information on how you can support a friend or family member who's going through or has gone through a loss.
​https://starlegacyfoundation.org/how-family-and-friends-can-help/

A rainbow is a promise of sunshine after rain, of calm after storms, of joy after sadness, of peace after pain, and of love after loss.

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 | Pensacola Maternity Photographer | Gulf Shores Maternity Photographer | Pensacola Birth Photographer | Pensacola Birth Photography

When someone you've known for over 20 years asks you to take her maternity portraits, the stakes are pretty high.
Back before husbands and responsibilities, heck back before we even had drivers licenses, Jessica and I used to take weekly horseback riding lessons together. We were "those girls." The girls who pretty much ate, slept, and breathed horses. (Oh the pictures I could share. But I won't.) What I will share is just a few Jessica's stunning maternity photographs from her Pensacola Beach Maternity session.

With storms immediately to the north, south, and west of us, we lucked out with a light breeze, lower humidity, and just the right number of clouds to give us a perfect, soft light. And (as you can see in a few of the pictures below), the clouds provided a beautiful landscape for our background as well.

Thanks to my handy-dandy pop-up changing-tent, clients can have as many outfit changes as they'd like during their session no matter the location. Jessica had requested 2 of my Chicaboo maternity gowns, and I brought along a 3rd "just in case." She ended up wearing, and loving all 3 gowns!

This lovely couple drove over from southern Mississippi for their Perdido Key Florida Maternity photography session! The empty Pensacola white sandy beaches and beautiful gulf coast sunset did not disappoint.

I love when clients want to wear multiple gowns or outfits in their sessions - it makes for such a nice, diverse gallery for them! To aid clients in quick, on-location, outfit changes, I recently invested in a pop-up changing tent. So, don't hesitate to pick an additional outfit.

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!

We could not have asked for a more perfect northwest Florida fall day for this client's Tarklin Bayou State Park Maternity portrait session! The fading sunlight filtering through the trees only enhanced this mama's own goddess-like glow.

Daddy was a bit nervous in front of the camera, but mama rocked that beautiful baby belly.

If you're looking for a Maternity photographer who captures not only the beauty of your pregnant body but also the connect between you and your significant other, Finding Beauty in the Ordinary Photography is your northwest Florida or south Alabama photographer! I capture your growing family’s connections, emotions, and moments in a fun, natural way. Located in Pensacola and also offering family, 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.
Amanda offers a full service experience including 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!
 
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Baby Plans and Birth Photography are my two favorite things to photograph. 
With Birth Photography I get to share a tiny part of the most important day of someone's life. And with Baby Plans I get to follow my clients from mom's Maternity Photography session, to baby's Premium Newborn Photography session, through a couple of milestone sessions, and wrap up the year documenting a Cake Smash and 12-month photography session!

Ben's Watch Me Grow Baby Plan started when his mommy's Maternity Session at 26 weeks and continued with his Premium Newborn Portrait session about 3 months later.
I photographed their Maternity session one late December evening on the dock in their neighborhood with a beautiful Pensacola sunset behind them. Ben's Newborn session took place in their home. I love being able to photograph in my client's homes. Everyone is more comfortable as no one has to pack up a 10-day-old baby and travel! Plus, I'm able to take pictures in the rooms they'll soon be hanging!

Ben's 4-month Milestone Photography session took place on the little bay-side beach in their lovely neighborhood. We were pushing bedtime that July evening and when he just couldn't hang anymore, I kept shooting and these are some of my favorite photographs out of all of their sessions!

Mom and dad requested Johnson's Beach (a part of the National Seashore) for Ben's 7-month Milestone Portrait session. Since this session took place in October, mom provided some super cute pumpkins for a few of the pictures.

We wrapped up Ben's first year where it all began - on the neighborhood bay-side beach.

Finally, we headed back inside for Ben's Mickey Mouse themed Cake Smash!

As far as I'm concerned, EVERY cake smash session should wrap up with a couple of photographs of baby in a tub getting cleaned up! And these clients have the most gorgeous bathtub I've ever seen! This is like bathtub goals for me. :)

If you're expecting, call me and let's pick the best Watch Me Grow Baby Plan for you!

I've been wanting to revamp my current Portrait Referral Program for quite some time, but I wasn't sure exactly what to offer. I wanted a new program that really reflects what my clients are looking for and would appreciate. Let's be honest, if the referral credit isn't worth it, you're not going to remember to make sure your friend lets me know YOU sent them my way.

The two most important things I want the updated referral program to do are
1.  benefit clients no matter what type of session they booked including birth photography and Watch Me Grow Baby Plans 
2. benefit my local Pensacola, Orange Beach, etc clients as well as my awesome vacation booking clients
I think this system will benefit everyone!

So, without further ado, my new and improved Client Referral Program:​

3 credits = 1 free 30 minute Mini Session with your choice of 5 digital images and print release (session must take place in Perdido Key or Southwest Pensacola)
5 credits = 1 free full Family, Newborn, or Maternity session of your choice (all normal session perks included)

The fine print:
*Your referral must be a new client of Finding Beauty in the Ordinary Photography and they must let me know that YOU referred them.
**Credits can accumulate over multiple years.
***You can choose to turn in your 5 credits into a gift card that you can give to someone. (Not available for 3 credit mini sessions.)

There's something extraordinarily special about documenting a family's first journey to parenthood. This is exactly why I offer "Watch Me Grow" baby plans - to offer an affordable option for my clients to have professional portraits taken during their pregnancy, when their little one is a newborn, and on through baby's first year.

Their son, Thales, was born at 40 weeks and 1 day, and from what I hear, Ana rocked that 14 hour labor. I had the absolute pleasure of taking his newborn portraits at their home in north Pensacola when he was 6 days old.

He was, and is, an absolute doll baby and completely rocked his session! 

These mamas were absolutely smitten with their new addition.

I'll leave you with what I think is the BEST thing about "Watch Me Grow" baby plans - continuity. If you look back, you'll see that the some quilt Ana is laying on in her maternity session was used as a basket stuffer for Thales' newborn session.

​I was also able to take a stylized approach at duplicating Ana's favorite picture from her maternity session during their newborn session. What a difference 4 weeks makes. The picture on the right was taken exactly 28 days after the one on the left.

A new year is upon us and I am so excited about what is to come with my little photography business! Everyday I hear parents (first time parents especially) wanting to make sure they're documenting baby's first year - capturing those precious milestones. And that's exactly what my "Watch Me Grow" baby plans were created to do! In order to provide Pensacola area parents affordable options to have baby's first year professional photographed, I've created 3 separate baby plans ranging from mommy's Maternity Portrait session through baby's 1 year/ cake smash pictures.
Oh, and did I mention that these sessions take place in your home or location of your choosing? No packing up baby and gear!
​I bring everything to you!

Watch Me Grow - Ultimate - Bump to Cake
Includes 6 sessions covering baby's 1st year plus $100 print credit for $1250 ($1500 value)

• Maternity Portraits - 1 hour
• Premium Newborn Portraits - 3 hours
• 3 Month Portraits - 1 hour
• 6 Month Portraits - 1 hour
• 9 Month Portraits - 1 hour
• 1 Year/ Cake Smash Portraits - 1 hour

Each individual session includes your choice of 10 edited, high-resolution images via digital download from that session as well as a print release and online image hosting. Additional images, prints, and canvases may be purchased from your full gallery.

Watch Me Grow - Milestones - Pick 4
Includes your choice of 4 sessions during baby's 1st year plus $50 print credit for $900 ($1075 value)

• Maternity Portraits - 1 hour
• Premium Newborn Portraits - 3 hours
• Head Up (~4-5 months) - 1 hour
• Sitting Pretty (~6-9 months) - 1 hour
• Standing/1 Year/ Cake Smash Portraits - 1 hour

Each individual session includes your choice of 10 edited, high-resolution images via digital download from that session as well as a print release and online image hosting. Additional images, prints, and canvases may be purchased from your full gallery.

Pensacola area baby plans can be booked as early as you’d like. All that’s required is a signed contract and paid retainer fee (30% of the package price). Your due date goes on my calendar and that’s it! Maternity sessions are scheduled when mom is between 26 and 34 weeks (depending on how much you’re showing), and Milestone sessions (3, 6, and 9 months) are scheduled as we go along.
I also offer payment plans to help make capturing these fleeing moments of baby’s first year as do-able as possible. No one should miss out on having professional photography!

As a little added bonus, all Gulf Coast clients who book one of my "Watch Me Grow" baby plans before March 1st will receive 3 custom 3x3 mini accordion albums as a special gift!