Sara, Joe, little E, and baby A’s newborn session full of giggles & delight

Sara, Joe, and their daughter E have a new addition to the family: baby A. Welcome to the world baby A! Sara and Joe are a super sweet couple I’ve been working with for several years now. This past spring, I photographed Sara, Joe, and little E for a maternity session in my studio while Sara was pregnant with baby A. This summer, they met me in my studio again, and this time I got to greet and photograph their whole family of four. It always feels like such an honor to photograph a family’s growth and transformation over time. 

Sara and Joe wanted this session to document the unique relationships they have with each of their daughters as well as the dynamic of their full family in this chapter of life with a newborn. Their daughter E joined for the first half of the session then got picked up by her grandma so Sara and Joe could take some portraits alone with baby A. I find a lot of the families I work with for a newborn session appreciate having older siblings present for just a portion, as newborn sessions can stretch out while we pause for feedings, diaper changes, etc. 

We began the day taking portraits of just baby A all snuggled up on the bed, but this didn’t last long as little E was so eager to snuggle and be photographed with her sister. These portraits where E grins, giggles, hugs, holds, kisses, and plays with baby A are some of my favorite portraits of the day. They feel so precious and storytelling as they document the authentic enthusiasm little E has for being a big sister and how much she delights in baby A. 

Next we took family portraits with all four of them near the bed and on the couch in my studio. These portraits also feel so storytelling, capturing Sara and Joe’s loving connectedness to each of their girls and their happiness to be all cuddled up as a family. 

After E left, we transitioned to taking portraits of Sara and Joe alone with baby A and of baby A all swaddled up by herself. These portraits are full of gentleness and joy. Something I love to think about with newborn sessions is how, years from now when these little babies are all grown up, they will reflect back on these photographs. I imagine baby A will look back and see how absolutely adored she was by her big sister E and how lovingly her parents held, snuggled, and smiled at her.