Olivia [Newborn]

Little Miss Olivia! I have a questionnaire I send out to all my moms when they book to get an idea of colors they want, if there are any specific props or poses they want me to try and accomplish or anything they want to bring to their session. Mom said that she loved the naked poses but she wasnt a huge fan of baby being naked and also really liked outfits. Little miss was pretty content when they arrived so I knocked out a couple naked images before putting her in an outfit, then added an outfit, did wrapped/props and then did their family images in an outfit. Mama is also wearing a dress from my client closet and is always an option for your session!

Check out more from Little Miss Olivia’s session.

Interested in booking a newborn session? Please fill out the contact form and I can’t wait to talk to you about your session. Mama also upgrade to a BeanSprout Package during their ordering so I will get to see little miss for her sitter and smash cake sessions as well this year!

xoxox,
Nina

Charlotte [Newborn]

Mom + Dad had booked a full newborn session which includes my naked (beanbag), wrapped/prop, and family/sibling poses. I send out a questionnaire for all my parents to fill out to give me an idea of their overall vision for their session. Mom requested my macrame swing prop and sometimes, baby takes a while to settle. SO! I asked her when she arrived if she would be okay with a mostly wrapped session, then family with an outfit and end with the swing so we can take as much time as possible to get the swing prop. Not only did the outfit with family end up AMAZING, the she did so good in the swing too!

Check out some of my favorites from the session!

Want more information about a full newborn session or a petite wrapped for yourself? Jump over to my contact form and I will set up a phone call with you!

xoxox

Nina

Tiana [Maternity]

When mama first reached out, she originally was looking at just booking a newborn session. However, after we went over all the bundles, we were able to squeeze them in for a maternity + newbie bundle. Which I am sooo glad we were able to make it work. They absolutely killed it and mama to be is absolutely stunning.

Buuuut lets touch base on the maternity + newbie bundle for a minute. This is probably one of my most sold bundles BECAUSE you get to capture your maternity session as an add on to your newborn session and it includes 8 digital images! This allows you to capture and forever remember the short period of time of you growing a human, but save most of your budget for your newborn session.

Also, can we talk about this SUNRISE sunshine! Ugh! Im obsessed. More sunrise sessions please.

BUT enjoy some of their favorite images from their gallery!

xoxo,

Nina

Invest In Your Child's Moments: Why A Bean Sprout Package?

Photography sessions for some people can be stressful to think about because they are an investment. As a society, we spend so much time and money planning our weddings, but do we realize that that one day actually is the start to the rest of our lives as adults? Do we actually care about the marriage or do we just want to have the best wedding ever? You spend thousands of dollars on a photographer for your wedding, for one day, to capture every single moment and milestone, why do not we not value that same mind set as a society and as parents for our children too? Kids are expensive, sure, I know this, I have two littles of my own. But I also know that they grow up so stinkin’ fast and seriously, I am so happy I have all their milestones documented and hung around my house. So, lets start with the newborn session.

First things first, I only take a handful of newborn sessions each month, booked around your due date to allow for the flexibility in my schedule to accommodate the unpredictability of when baby will arrive. I also have to schedule around sitter sessions (a milestone you should capture) and cake smashes (a mile stone you should capture) as well as family sessions, freshies and births. That being said, reach out to me around the end of your second trimester, or beginning of the third, so you can make sure you have a spot saved in my calendar. Do I have some last minute spots sometimes? Sure, of course, but my newborn sessions are special and I love being able to style them to your wants and needs and I ALWAYS try to get something personalized for your little one, and this cant always be done with a last minute session, and I don’t always have availability.

Secondly, I style everything. I give you some say in a color palette of your choosing, but you do not have to bring anything (this is for all my sessions, minus family but I will help style you). I have wraps, blankets, bonnets, outfits, headbands, pants, sleepy caps, props, EVERYTHING. I have everything I need for your session. You show up, hang out, and just relax during your session. My goal, is to make sure you have some me time during your session. We just finished my client area, I am working on getting a streaming device in there also, so you can just veg out on the couch while I photograph your babe.

Thirdly, I love products. I absolutely love love love wood prints and canvases. I adore custom made frames without glass in them. Albums of your session just make me smile and seeing your proofs in a physical print make my heart oh so happy. I love everything about having physical products of your images, and I hope you do too. Digitals are great to share on social media, but physical prints and wall art are to die for.

Okay, I am actually legit rambling via text form here but booking a newborn or a Bean Sprout Package is so important in starting the procession of capturing all your baby’s milestones in their first year. Check out my Bean Sprout Package to not miss a single moment in their first year. Invest in your baby. Invest in your memories and their moments, because you cannot get them back. I cannot turn back time to get your 3 month old back to a newborn session, and I cannot change your 11 month old walker into a sitter. Capture those moments, you will not regret it or be disappointed.

xoxo

Nina - Your Metro Detroit Newborn & Family Photographer

What To Wear For A Family Session.

You finally decided to book your family session! Yay! We’re all so excited and then the stress of trying to figure out what to wear sets in and you start to panic. What do I wear? What do I put on my kids? What does my husband wear? Are we suppose to match? What colors do we use? What patterns are okay? RELAX! I am here to help! And I also know the stress of getting two toddlers plus a husband ready for pictures.

First things first, find one outfit you really want in your pictures and start there. I personally start with the baby or my toddler and find an outfit I LOVE, and coordinate the rest after. Whether it’s a solid dress that’s flowy to fit your little one’s style or it’s the perfect floral skirt you scored on clearance, start with one piece you know you want and filter everyone else from there.

Please do not show up with everyone wearing jeans and white t-shirts or khaki pants and navy tops, you will end up clashing. Also, avoid too many plaids and/or patterns. My moto is, coordinate but don’t match. OKAY NINA! BUT HOW!? It’s actually quite simple. Let me use my family session wardrobe as an example. I bought a black short romper with a train for my toddler and I KNEW I wanted to use it for our pictures. It had a floral pattern of yellows and greens. So, I found solid yellow romper for the baby to match, a solid green flowy dress for me and threw my husband in dark jeans and a solid beige sweater. We all had coordinating colors with one outfit as the “center piece”.

In addition, I would not put your toddler or baby in a really expensive dress or be too formal. If that’s you, and the look you’re going for, then awesome! but I also want you to be comfortable. Now, that also doesn’t mean to dress down. You want to be comfortable/casual but also cute. Mom, even if you don’t wear dresses or skirts often, I highly recommend a flowy dress or skirt. They’re cute and flow nicely while playing with the kiddos and you can still move around better than you can in jeans. Again, if jeans or leggings are your thing, awesome, but keep in mind what your end goal is for the outcome of your session. What you wear can make or break the style and overall look of your session.

Finally, if you have any questions or concerns, you can always send me your picks and I can help you coordinate. I love styling your sessions if I can, and I have some cute childrens outfits in my client closet we can use too if needed. DO NOT be afraid to send me a message or call me in a panic about your outfits because I WANT TO HELP! If I can make it happen and we need to go on a shopping date, I’m here for you. Your session is just as important to me, as it is for you!

Here’s a short list of some shops/stores I recommend to get your outfits from:

Shein, Lulus, Amazon, Old Nay, ZARA, H&M, Forever 21, Bailey’s Blossom

XOXO

Nina - Your Metro Detroit Family & Newborn Photographer

Your Birth. Your Home. Your Choices.

When you find out you’re pregnant the first thing we do is call our OBGYN and they make a first prenatal appointment with you and then, you deliver out of the hospital they are associated with. Did you know that home births can be an option? I photographed my first in home birth in 2020 during the highest point of the pandemic, and honestly, the experience was so surreal and life changing for me, I needed to write about it, again.

Having a baby in a hospital is so common now, we just assume it’s the only way. Your OBGYN never even asks you if you want to have a home birth and even if there is a midwife in the office, chances are she isn’t going to ask you if you want a home birth. But they totally are an option for you. Hospitals are stiff and in turn, can actually prolong your labor and how you birth. Did you know that the most common way and most natural way to birth a baby is on all 4s, hands and knees? and that laying on your back actually is the worst position for you to birth in, yet almost every single person that births in a hospital births on their back? Its true. But that’s not even the best part about what I witnessed during this home birth. This mama was STRONG. This mama listened to her body. This mama was prepared. This mama made choices for her birth. This mama has a great birth story to tell her daughter. Oh! and her midwives and doula were AMAZING and so so supportive. I want you to have a great birth story too.

Melissa, a midwife, from Melissa Michelle Birth Services explains midwifery so simply. She says, “midwives are essential in the care needed for family focused birth. From hearing the heartbeat to the first time to “graduating” your last postpartum appointment, a midwife is there. Care can begin as early as 10 weeks, goes through 6 weeks postpartum and takes place in your home, which allows us to build a strong relationship and really get to know you. A strong relationship and team is important to birth, it allows the mother to feel safe and secure and home is her safe place.” — I witnessed how important a midwife is during labor. Melissa was so supportive, knew when to step in a help to relieve some pressure and also helped the husband learn some techniques to be included in the laboring process. She stepped back when needed so dad was involved but also stepped in when she knew mom was having a hard time/contraction.

Lauren, a doula, from Root to Rise Birth LLC says, “through birth doula services, prenatal yoga, and childbirth education, my mission is to impact birth experiences and increase confidence through pregnancy, birth and postpartum. I will guide you to uncovering and discovering those instinctual capabilities rooted so deep within, for you to have a peaceful birth while providing non-bias support, love and compassion.” And seriously, the amount of love and compassion Lauren has during a birth is absolutely amazing to watch unfold. She even helps guide the entire family through the birthing process so even dad knows what is happening and what s going to happen next.

I cannot sing their praises enough and if I could go back, I would totally hire both of them and take some hypnobirthing classes, which this mama actually teaches/owns at Metro Detroit Hypnobirthing. She offers classes all around the Metro Detroit Area. For those of you who do not know, hypnobirthing is a childbirth education course designed to teach you how to work WITH your body rather than RESIST it and bring your baby into the world in the calm and gentle way that nature intended. These classes aren’t just learning how to breathe, they help you learn your body and what your body goes through in order to help aid yourself in the birthing and laboring processes.

All of this information to say this, contact these women or other women in these fields in your area and inquire about a home birth. Most births do not need medical intervention and with the help of midwives, doulas and hypnobirthing classes, you can have the birth and birth story you dream of, not one your doctor wants you to have.

xoxo

Nina - Your Metro Detroit Birth Photographer

Casey [Full Newborn]

Sweet baby Casey did so well for her session. These 2021 and 2022 babies have been HARD to say the least but little Casey was a dream, literally. Mom and dad were so chill and easy to work with and allowed me to just do my thing and gave them time to relax.

I always try and give mom and dad some time to recharge and work with an assistant most of the time because having three tiny humans myself, it is so nice to just allow parents to have some time to not worry about caring for a tiny human for a couple hours. A time for them to just hang out and reconnect a little bit. Have conversations about things they need to discuss that doesn’t involve who’s turn it is to change the diaper or make a bottle.

When I tell you Casey was a DREAM to work with, I think we had her entire session knocked out in about 2 hours. I always prepare my parents to stay at least 2-3 hours in the event we have a lot of feeding breaks and settling with baby, but Casey was sooo good. We got through 2 blanket colors (4 poses), 4 wraps/props, parent poses AND an outfit at the end.

Newborn sessions are where my heart lies and even some of the fussiest babies make me love my job, but every once in a while when I get a really good dreamy, sleepy baby, it just makes this job even more enjoyable.

Your Favorite Detroit Newborn Photographer ;)

xoxox, Nina

How To Choose A Session Location

You're planning on booking a family session, which is, in most cases, stressful as it is. You already know you need clothes for your whole family, but I ask you what your vision is and if you have a location in mind, and you have no idea. Let me break down some of the spots we can do any session in and how to determine what location would work best for your family and your wall art.

First, what kind of people are you? Are you a Starbucks family that enjoys the city and drinking coffee together? Are you more causal and laid back and homebodies? Or are you adventurous and like to go hiking and be outdoors? All of these questions are very important in choosing a location that is right for YOUR family.

If you are a more urban family that enjoys going downtown and spending time window shopping, I would recommend a downtown/urban area for your session. Downtown Detroit has so many cute little gems of areas to have your session in, and we can explore with your family. Family sessions are not stiff and overly posed with me, I want you to be you and I want to capture who all of you are and your personalities and if we need to take it downtown and get coffee or ice cream, lets go!

Next, if you are homebodies and love staying in and making pancakes on Saturday mornings, followed by board games or bike rides, I want to capture that. If you have pizza night every Friday followed by popcorn and Disney+ on the couch, lets capture that. These moments are a season in your life, and I want you to be you, captured in your truest form. If you don’t wear dresses or want to frolic in a field chasing your kids, then don’t do it. Make your session about you and your family and what you enjoy doing together in the right now.

Most commonly we picture family sessions outdoors and in a field with mama wearing a beautiful flowy dress and all the kids are matching or coordinating perfectly. If this is you… fantastic. Let’s go play in a field, which is my personal favorite spot to be. There are so many varieties of things we can do when we are outside and in a field, which is why I most commonly recommend this. Playing outside and letting kids be kids, is the best. Also, it allows for bubbles, and honestly, who doesn’t love bubbles? In addition to a field, a beach or a creek are also a great way to add some variety to your session. If you have a session booked in the middle of the summer, lets head to the creek and splash!

If you need help choosing a location, do not feel like you cannot ask for recommendations and don’t feel like you need to be in a field or in the woods if that is not somewhere you are comfortable. I want to capture your family just the way it is and where you like to go. And, regardless of location, we are going to have fun and you’re going to have beautiful images/products to hang on your walls to enjoy for years to come.

Your Metro Detroit Family & Newborn Photographer,

xoxo Nina

Angelina [Full Newborn]

Baby Angelina was such a beautiful baby to have in the studio but I want to note a couple things that happened during her session that happen A LOT but it’s not talked about much. Baby girl was SOO gassy and uncomfortable for about the first hour of her session. Every time I tried to pose her with any sort of pressure on her belly she would just scream. I tried ALL the tricks in the book to help her gas move down and out, leg kicks, belly rubs, even knee to chest rolls to try and push it out, but nothing worked.

So, what do you do in this situation? Well, she was comfortable just laying on her back, so I grabbed an outfit and just let her be. Sometimes, with even the best prep and following my prep guide to get baby ready for their staring role, they just do not cooperate and/or are gassy, cluster feeding etc. It happens.. and it happens a lot. BUT I have been trained by the best and started teaching newborn posing and wrapping as well and have the experience necessary to still get you a full gallery of timeless images for you.

What happens if she wouldn’t settle? In my experience baby’s will almost always settle. And 9/10 times they always settled while wrapped because they are so used to being swaddled at home and inside mom for 40+ weeks. Newborn wrapping is an art all it’s own and its such a great tool to help soothe and calm babies down.

As you can see, even though we started off a little crazy and uncomfortable, we were able to still capturing timeless, amazing images for mom and dad as well as an awesome bucket shot as a bonus at the end.

Newborn photography takes a lot of patience, especially with a fussy, gassy or awake baby but truthfully, I would not want to be specialized in anything else. I LOVE all the babies that come into the studio and I am still in awe that I get to capture these moments and memories for you to cherish for years to come. :)

xoxoxox,

Nina

Your Metro Detroit Baby Whisperer

Smash & Splash: How To Prepare Your Child

Smash & splashes can be a lot of fun for both baby and mom/dad, but sometimes they can be a disaster. We all want that kid that loves their cake and smiles and laughs the whole time, but sometimes, that doesn’t always happen. There are a couple tricks to help get your child prepared that I am going to share with you but I also want to share with you some of my tricks in case we have a meltdown!

First and foremost, do not let the cake smash session be the first time your child tastes frosting or feels the texture of cake. Sometimes the sugar and sweetness from the frosting will put them off right away, and the texture of the frosting can be sticky and also start a meltdown. About 2 weeks prior to your session, make some cupcakes and let baby have some sensory time with it. They will be able to feel the different textures of both the frosting and cake as well as taste it, because we all know babies put everything in their mouths. If they are totally cool with it, awesome, don’t worry about the cake being an issue, if they do have a meltdown or don’t seem to like it, try again the next day or a couple days later, so they know that it’s okay and also can adjust to the feeling and taste.

Secondly, let me know ahead of time if baby has stranger danger and takes a while to warm up to new people. I always try to spend a few minutes, or more, when you arrive to get baby used to me. 8-12 months is prime age for your child to start developing a sense of anxiety around new people, especially if they do not attend a daycare or aren’t around many other people in general. Just let me know ahead of time so I can spend extra time getting your babe to warm up to me.

Third, send me their favorite song(s) or show so I can try and have something ready to go in case of a meltdown. Sometimes just singing “Baby Shark” or “ABCs” will do the trick and sometimes they need to see something on a screen or a favorite toy over my camera.

Forth, bring their favorite snack or puffs to hide in the back of the cake. Sometimes even with all prep work, they will not touch the cake and that’s totally okay. Hiding puffs or Cheerios in the back of the cake will allow me to capture your baby “grabbing” their cake, when really they’re just reaching for their snacks. I always have Cheerios readily available when needed but if your child prefers something else, bring it. No harm in trying all the tricks.

Also, start giving your child snacks while they are seated on the floor. Why is this important? When a baby is constantly put into a chair for snack or meal times, sitting on the floor in the studio with a cake in front of them can be another whole obstacle to tackle. I am not saying to give your child ALL the snacks on the floor because mess, BUT a few snacks here and there leading up to the cake smash is a good idea to make sure the smash cake session is not the first time they are eating while sitting on the floor.

Lastly, don’t stress, I got you mama. I handle everything from the cake to the outfit and set up. You express your theme, I will do the rest. I am more minimalistic when it comes to cake smashes because I want your baby as the front and center of the session, not the dramatic set up. Sure those set ups are cute, but I’m always drawn to how extravagant they are, and not the baby. I want you to see your sweet little babe.

Overall, cake smashes can be an amazing additional to your child’s first year milestone sessions but sometimes we have to do some work to get the amazing out of it, and that’s okay. And please remember, not crying is a WIN! Not all babies come in and are happy and excited and smile the entire time. But if your child looks at me, even with a straight face, and does not cry, MAMA that is a huge win for this age.

xoxoxox

Nina - Your Metro Detroit Newborn & Family Photographer

Books & Shows During Social Distancing.

Alright, the truth is, no one knows what’s going on in the world out there. We are told to stay home and out of crowds but for those of you who are not accustomed to staying home, I have some good news for you! I have been a Stay At Home Mom (SAHM) for 3.5 years now, and some days are obviously harder than others but the good news is, you can get through this!

Don’t have kids? Perfect, I am actually writing this more towards you! I have a list of shows and books for you to binge during social distancing!

Books:

1. The Bible - Read it, you need it right now. It doesn’t matter what version, amplified, King James, New Living Translation - Get one and spend some time in His word.

2. Harry Potter Series - 7 book series about a wizard, Harry Potter, who attends a wizarding school called Howgarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. The series follows him through his school years while he struggles against a dark wizard, Lord Voltemort.

3. The 5 Love Languages - This book is AMAZING to help you understand yourself and your partner and how each of you feels love. Just because you feel love one way does not mean your partner feels love the same way. Especially with social distancing and being around your partner more, this book may help get through these “isolation” days.

4. The Maze Runner - 5 book series about a group of teenagers that get sent to a strange land and do not remember how they got there or anything about their lives except their name. One part of the land changes everyday, the maze, which they think is how they get out of “The Glade”.

TV Shows:

1. Grey’s Anatomy - Medical drama about Meredith Grey from her intern year into her years as an attending. It shadows her life and her friends, and there are about 16 seasons now. I got sucked in a few years ago, binge watched Netflix and now watching in real time (DVR).

2. Fuller House - Sitcom spin off of Full House with all the same characters except now DJ is raising three boys by herself in her dads house and Kimmie and Stephanie move in to help her raise them.

3. Last Man Standing - Sitcom where the main character, Mike Baxter, has three daughters. He tries to stay manly with his job at Outdoor Man but doesn’t always stay away from all the drama. This show is hilarious!

4. Manifest - American drama where flight 828 from Jamaica goes missing for 5.5 years and finally returns. The passengers have not aged and do not feel like they were gone any longer than their normal flight. The start having these visions they call “callings” that help and hurt them while trying to help other passengers and those around them.

I hope this helps some of you get through this social distancing. It doesn’t have to be boring and you don’t need to be stuck in the house. Head out to a local state park and go for a hike or a run. Go play outside with your kids.

See y’all soon! Good luck out there!

xoxo

Nina - Your Metro Detroit Newborn & Family Photographer

Hey again, it's me!

Hey Friends! I do have an about me page, but I still think a general introduction every once in a while is a good thing, at least to keep my face around so you feel comfortable with me holding, snuggling, settling and capturing your sweet babe’s newborn session, or their entrance into the world, or their whole first year. Basically, if we’re going to work together, lets be semi-friends. So, lets do 15 fun things about me!

1) My name is Nina and no it’s not short for anything. Just Nina. My mom’s name is Tina and she wanted to name my sister Gina, but my dad said absolutely not. haha.

2) I’m the oldest of three. I have a younger sister and brother. We are all 2 years apart. My best friend thought they were twins for the longest time, but they’re not.

3) I am a girl mom. I have two sour patch kids [seriously]. They’re sweet most of the time but having two toddlers, the sour really comes out during tantrums, A LOT.

4) I’m married to my favorite person. We are going on 7 years of being together and 4 years of marriage. I would not want to spend this crazy life with anyone else.

5) My favorite show is 24. I fell in love with it in 8th grade and have loved it ever since. I started watching it while it aired in the middle of the 3rd season, and never missed a live episode. (I also have a small crush on Kiefer Sutherland).

6) My favorite color is pink. Sometimes I like baby pink, sometimes mauve, but overall pinks are my fave.

7) I’ve lived in Michigan my entire life and have never been to the U.P. It’s on my list of things to do but still haven’t made it up quite that far.

8) I went to school for criminal justice and worked as a police officer for a hot second. As much as I thought I was going to love it, the job just wasn’t for me.

9) Newborn sessions are where my heart lives. I absolutely love setting up and designing your session, the clean up, the baby snuggles and settling. It seriously makes my heart so happy when I know I have a newborn session coming up on my schedule. So bring me all the newborns ;)

10) I don’t drink enough water, ever. I tell myself every morning I need to drink water, and I still don’t. I forget, but I solidly make time for coffee (haha).

11) I am afraid of fire and finally lit a match to light a candle for the FIRST time this past fall. This is not a joke, and my husband thought I was insane for never lighting a match before, but I was so proud of myself and I still think he’s in a state of shock about it.

12) I’m an enneagram 6w5, type A personality and faithful to a fault. I am also a perfectionist and have a hard time just “taking the shot” without the shot being perfect, which actually makes me anxious.

13) I watch way too much TV, but I prefer binge watching 20 seasons of a show over watching 20 different movies. I also prefer reading book series with three or more books, so I don’t have to find a new book. So if you have any TV or book recommendations, send them my way!

14) We do not have any pets. Although I would love to have a dog one day, our scehdule’s do not allow for all the training and responsibility that comes with owning an animal.

15) And finally, my favorite animal is a penguin. I don’t know why, but I have always been obsessed. I think they’re cute and funny.

Well, if you’ve made it this far, thanks! and that’s me in a nutshell. I am always down to answer questions and I want to learn about you too. I post a lot of questions to learn about you on my Instagram page, so go check that out if you haven’t yet. Until next time.

xoxo

Nina

Your Metro Detroit Newborn Photographer