Hey! It's Me! -Nina

Hi! Im Nina! The owner and photographer here at Blue Stone Photography! I am so happy that you’re here! If you missed my about me page or you havent came across my social media pages WELCOME!

I have been in business for about 8 years now and have made the switch from posed studio sessions to more slow living and capturing your moments. I have been photographing my own family like this for years but I also went from being a sales photographer (products) to an all inclusive photographer (digital images are included in session fees). This switch was really hard to make but I also wanted to be authentic to myself and the way we live our lives.

We live a slower lifestyle - both my husband and I work for ourselves and we have 3 tiny humans that we homeschool. We spend most of our days at home or at the gym (socializing) and 3ish nights a week at our church. With having a slower lifestyle and a heart to slowly homestead, it just made sense to switch over my business to match me, because lets be honest here, I am my brand.

We want chickens but it hasnt happened yet but we do have a decent size garden in the backyard. Again, we homeschool and we make our bread as well as a lot of other basic necessities like granola bars, bagels and dinner rolls.

Making a switch to a slow living photography style just made sense so I can show up on social media and other platforms as myself without feeling like I couldnt share our sourdough journey, homeschooling life and everything else.

So this year, I really wanted to make sure I was real and authentic and raw when I booked our family session and a backyard session with smores the way to go. I am so happy with how these turned out and while we dont dress in nice clothes in the backyard, this is us. This is our real. This is how we spend a lot of summer nights - together, in the backyard with a fire and smores.

Want to capture your REAL and authentic family as you are? LETS GO! I am so ready! These are the moments your kids will remember and these are the moments you should remember too.

xox,

Nina

Luca [Newborn]

Mr. Luca - I have known his mama since we were kids! Our moms were very close friends and her and her twin brother were in the same grade as my little brother! When Gabbie reached out to me about capturing her newborn session I was sooo excited and honored… and when he came in, he did soooo good! And how adorable are his parents!?

Interested in booking a newborn session with me? Head over to my contact page and fill out the contact form! I cannot wait to talk to you about your session!

xoxo,

nina

Spooky Season [Witches]

Halloween has been one of my favorite holidays for as long as I can remember! I love everything about it. Spooky season, pumpkin flavored things, apple cider, pumpkin patches and apple picking!

Since becoming a photographer, I have been wanting to plan some sort of spooky season styled shoot for people and I had a vision for a little play on witches and with the launch of Hocus Pocus 2 last year, this was the perfect time!

Nichole, Nicole and Lynn did such a good job at listening to direction and making my vision come to life! Breanna, my make up artist, was amazing and killed their make up also!

Check out more and stay tuned for my styled shoot from this year - Alice in Wonderland theme!

Oh! We also did a skeleton family sesh last year, so set your alarms to see that next week Friday!

xoxo,

Nina

Lucas [Smash Cake]

Lucas! The first image shows his personality in a nutshell. Some babies come into a smash cake session and they are PERFECT. They smile, they come right to me, they eat their cake, put their face in it and just LOVE the bathtub at the end. That was Lucas. But some babies need some more time to adjust to me and being in a new space. Some babies don’t like touching the cake, don’t like the taste of frosting or don’t like the fact that the bath is splashy. Babies are weird sometimes, and thats OKAY! BUT! If your child doesn’t cry, that is a WIN in my book! Why? Because we can try all the tricks in the book but babies will be babies. And while they may be super smiley and happy with you, that is not always the case during any of their sessions. So I try all the things and if your child doesn't cry, thats a win! They may not smash their face into their cake or smile for any of their images, but not crying and participating IS a win.

But that is not the case with Lucas, he was what every parent wants from their child during a cake smash session! Enjoy some of my favorite images from his session.

I am currently booking smash cake sessions into June of 2024 and FULLY booked for May 2024 already. Do not wait to book your session if you are interested in getting on my schedule for a smash cake session.

xoxo,

Nina

Alexis [Maternity]

When I first met Alexis I knew that I was going to like her. She just has this personality that draws you in and makes you feel safe. She was one of the first people I connected with when my husband and I went back to the church we are currently attending (we took a short detour to another church but thats a story for another time). She LIVES her life for Jesus and honestly, she is inspiring. Her story about her husband and how the Lord hand picked him for her is incredible and a testimony you want to hear. But for now, they are expecting their first biological child together and to say I bawled when I found out she was expecting would be an understatement. I am SOOOO incredibly excited for Alexis and Isiah and big brother Bryson.

When I talked to her on the phone about her maternity session we planned an outdoor session but then switched to a studio session, and honestly, it turned out so good. Check out the highlights below!

Want to schedule your own studio maternity session? Fill out the contact form on my website and lets chat about your vision for your session!

xoxox,

Nina

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

Eleanor [Newborn]

Little Miss Eleanor was such a good session and her Big Sister Charlie did soo good as well. Big sis is not even 2 yet and sometimes that age can be really hard to photograph with a newborn but she did amazing.

Eleanor allowed me to get through my entire beanbag workflow in less than an hour (I have a reel posted of my “in a perfect world workflow” on IG!) and then we did all my wrapped/props, sibling and family poses in less than 3 hours! I always allot for 3 hours for my newborn session JUST IN CASE baby is having a hard time, needs a little more snuggles or food or just isn’t having it that day. But Eleanor rocked it!

Check out some more from her session!

I am currently booking newborn sessions into 2024 already! The best time to book your session is during your second trimester to ensure a spot on my calendar! This also gives you prime dates for your maternity session if you want to book a newborn + maternity bundle! Fill out the contact form and we can chat about your session(s).

xoxox,

Nina

Jackson [Smash Cake]

Mr. Jackson is the second baby in this family I was able to capture a smash cake session for. For big sis we went all out and did a super cute purple space theme for First Trip Around The Sun but for Jackson mama wanted to keep it a little more neutral but wanted a small pop of baseball, so thats exactly what we did!

I love this balloon garland and how it adds so much variety and texture to the set without being overbearing and how the small baseballs on the balloons just add a little baseball feel. Then I chose a stiped outfit instead of a jersey to coordinate the baseball theme without it being the first thing you notice, but more subtle.

Enjoy some more images from Mr. Jacksons smash and splash session!

Interested in booking a smash cake session? Fill out the contact form on my website and I would love to chat with you!

xoxox,

Nina

Damon [Newborn]

Growing families and seeing the oldest sibling step into the role of the big sibling is honestly one of my favorite things to witness and watch. Little miss was sooo skeptical about her little brother BUT she still adored him and wanted to poke and kiss him. We (as parents, moms especially) always feel guilty about bringing in another baby to disrupt their lives, but kids are so much more accepting and resilient than we give them credit for.

Also, I am LOVING using this lifestyle area in my studio for my family portion of my sessions instead of the static feel of the backdrop paper! What’s your favorite?

I also used more wraps in this session than I anticipated because Mr. Damon was not having it. He was super touchy, which happens sometimes, but knowing how to utilize wrapping techniques with a touchy baby allows me to keep baby content, and deliver a beautiful gallery with variety.

Interested in learning more about my newborn sessions and the experience? Fill out the contact form and I will be in touch to set up a phone call with you.

xoxox

Nina

Erin [Mommy & Me]

I had a vision for this session and I knew Erin and Iris were the best fit for this. Mama rocked this tulle dress that is in my client closet and little Iris also wore a romper that is in my client closet. We got to the studio and did a more formal mommy & me than I would normally do, but truthfully, I love the elegance of it and everything about how this session turned out! I even snagged some personality images at the end of Iris. :)

Check out more below!

Interested in booking an elegant mommy and me? Fill out the contact form and let me know you’re interested in a an elegant mommy and me.

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

Matilda [Family]

This family has been with me since their youngest was a newborn. It has honestly been so much fun watching their boys grow over the past 4 years. One of my favorite things is you allowing me the chance to continue to capture memories and moments for you and welcoming me into your lives to showcase your love and connections with each other. For this one, we did an outfit change, which I don’t do very often BUT we wanted to head to the beach at the end of their session and the outfit change was definitely a game changer in the final outcome of their gallery.

This session also gives such a good idea of what it looks like in all sun conditions. In the garden it was overcast. At the beach, it was raining at first and then the sun came out a little bit and then fully came out at the end. I adjusted my editing to accommodate a lot, but theres just something about that natural glow of sunset, especially at the beach.

Want to book a family session? Head over to the contact form and lets chat!

xoxox,

Nina

Chelsae [Maternity]

When mama said she wanted to add a more casual look at the end of her session in addition to the two gowns from my client closet, I was actually pumped and they ended up being some of both of our favorite images! Your maternity session is YOURS! If you want it to be casual, cool. If you want to wear a gown, awesome. If you want to do a self love session at the studio, amazing. Whatever YOUR vision is for your session, I am just here to capture it and bring it to life!

Ready to book a maternity session or a bundle? Fill out the contact form on my contact page to inquiry and set up a phone call with me!

xoxo,

Nina

Lily [Smash Cake]

When mama reached out about doing Lily’s smash cake session, she wanted something neutral, simple and maybe with florals. I had her go through my Instagram and send me a couple different sessions I have done so I could get an idea of what to throw together for her, and we landed on florals, with a honeycomb theme. I generally provide the outfits and the cake as well as create the set based on your choice of theme or inspo BUT mama brought this little dress and it was absolutely perfect for the theme.

Check out some more of her session!

Interested in booking a smash cake session for your baby? Fill out the contact form and I will be in touch to set up a phone consult with you!

xoxo,

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

Confetti Minis!

Confetti minis are honestly so much! I generally say to make sure your child is at least 3 but these two did soo good for being barely 1 and 3. Some was eaten, some was thrown but there were a lot of laughs, a lot of dad wrangling tiny humans and overall, so much fun!

Pro Tip! Use big pieces of confetti or glitter for easier clean up, because you will be cleaning up for years! Also, little kids do soo good so it’s totally okay to have mom or dad throw glitter/confetti into the air over them so that they laugh and see it!

xoxox,

Nina

Teddy [BeanSprout]

What is a Bean Sprout Package? The BeanSprout Package is what I call my one year package! It is a full newborn session, sitter and smash cake bundle. The newborn session generally takes place within the first 21 days after baby makes their way earthside. You choose 2-3 colors to incorporate into your session and I plan and style everything. For Teddy, mama wanted blues and green with a slight American Flag mixed in for grandpa! So we incorporated the American Flag scarf throughout all three of Teddy’s sessions!

The full newborn session includes my entire newborn workflow; naked, wrapped, family.

The sitter session takes place once baby is fully sitting unassisted without help. This session usually takes place between 7-8 months. A lot of parents want this session right at 6 months however, most babies are not sitting fully unassisted until closer to 7-8 months. We want baby to be stable in their sitting and not wobbly so they dont get too tired throughout the session but also so you can relax a little bit without worrying about trying to catch your baby the entire session. This session also includes 3 sets; wood drop in a prop, plain/fabric backdrop in an outfit, and nakie on the bed.

And finally to round out the year, we do a smash cake session. This session takes place around 11M to make sure we have your ordering appointment in time for baby’s birthday. If you want to wait until closer to baby’s birthday, that is cool too! I am here for you and whatever you want from the session. For the smash cake, you choose the theme and I plan and style everything. Mama wanted to keep it simple with a hint of Teddy Bears and neutral balloons! The smash and splash also comes with three “parts”; baby with the set, smash and the splash (because who wants to take home a sticky kid?).

Interested in a Bean Sprout Package for your babe? Fill out the contact form on my website to inquire! The optimal time to book is during your second trimester or early third to snag a spot in my calendar for baby’s entire first year!

xox,

Nina

Courtney [Senior]

I have so many things to say about senior sessions but we are going to keep it to a minimum with some FAQs!

1. Do you do senior sessions? I DO! And truthfully I love them as a break from families and babies. They are seasonal which is why you do not see them all the time as newborns are my main focus BUT senior season is upon us.

2. When do you book? I HIGHLY recommend booking the spring of your child’s junior year for the summer going into their senior year. Their senior year is soo busy! Getting it done in the summer allows the best break in activities for your to squeeze it into your busy schedules!

3. Can we incorporate my child’s extra-curricular activities? OF COURSE! Band, sports, drama, whatever your child is into and participates in, I will try to incorporate to the best of my ability and yours or your childs vision.

4. How many outfit changes are included? Up to 2 if you want/need them! Something “formal”, casual and/or sports/activity related.

5. How does the process work? Once you fill out the contact form I will schedule a phone call with you. We will go over all the things senior related and then once you are ready to move forward, we start planning. A week or so after your session I will have you come to the studio for your gallery reveal/ordering appointment to pick your favorite images and purchase your products. Turnaround time from your ordering to delivery is based on your products ordered.

Ready to find out more? Head on over to my contact form and let’s set up a phone call! I can’t wait to hear all about your almost senior and what your vision is for your session!

xoxox

Nina

Chelsea [Family - Studio]

Mama reached out and wanted to originally just schedule a milestone session for her twins who were turning two. She was a little worried about their ages and their little personalities and me handling it. They are 2 weeks apart from my youngest, so toddlers and I, are best friends. Dad ended up being able to get off work to attend the session sooo we threw mama in a dress in my client closet and dad was already dressed and ready to go, so we snapped some family images while they were all together!

And then we turned and focused on the babies and their little personalities :)

Studio sessions are always an option!

Want to know more? Fill out the contact form on my contact page and we can chat about your family session!

xoxox,

Nina

Brittany + Chris [Engagement]

I do not get a lot of requests for engagements or couples because it is not my “niche”. BUT I abolsutely love when y’all trust me with your vision and that I can do couples, engagements and weddings .. I just dont have a giant portfolio to back me up on that!

Brittany and Chris go to church with me and when they reached out about me capturing their engagement session I was not only so excited that they chose me, but that they trusted me and their vision explained to me enough that they trusted me with these memories and moments.

We had SOO much fun! We prayed before our session started and I almost fell moving what I thought was a couch but was actually a sectional .. and there is video evidence to prove it! (haha)!

All this to say, just because my niche is newborns through the first year and families, does NOT mean that I don’t want to be considered for your engagement, couple or wedding session! If you like me and my personality and think we would be a good fit, reach out! Worst case scenario I am not available. :)

Interested in hearing more about an engagement session or wedding? Fill out the contact form and I would love to set up a phone call with you!

xoxox,

Nina