The Magic of Now – Milli Stephania Photo

“I’m Not a Camera Person”

Now let’s talk about mom for a second.

Eliana told me from the beginning:
“I just want photos of the baby. I’m not a camera person.”

She even shared that when she got engaged, her fiancé hired a photographer, and she was quickly over posing.

And I told her, very gently…

“I’m going to peer pressure you in the nicest way possible.”

Because here’s the truth:

The fresh baby smell fades.
The tiny toes turn into little feet that one day smell like cheese.
The newborn scrunch disappears.
The way they fit perfectly on your chest changes almost overnight.

This is their first baby. It only happens once.

the magic of now new born photo session in queens new york, close up of mom holding baby while she breast feeds, holds her babby's hand and you see a close up of baby's baby rolls

And I always tell my moms who don’t want to get in front of the camera:
If you never want to look at the photos again, you don’t have to.
But at least they’ll exist.

She trusted me, and it was worth it.
By the end of the session, Eliana was relaxed. She laughed, she held her baby without worrying about angles. And when she saw the images, she thanked me over and over. She even left the sweetest review, the kind that makes you want to hug your laptop.

I will always encourage moms to get in the frame. Because one day, your baby will look for you in the photos. And they should find you, holding them, loving them, existing in their story.

Let’s be honest, life moves fast.
One moment, you’re rocking a newborn in your arms, and the next, you’re trying to keep up with their never-ending questions about everything. The toys scattered around your living room, the little hand that reaches for yours without thinking, the giggles from a joke that made absolutely no sense… these are the moments that slip through our fingers without warning.

And yet, these are also the moments that tell your story.

I know, it sounds dramatic. But trust me, when your toddler’s tiny hand no longer fits perfectly in yours, or the “mama look at me!” phase turns into a teenager who barely looks up from their phone, you’ll wish you had more than just a phone full of blurry selfies and a few school portraits.

Family photos aren’t just about perfectly posed portraits where everyone is (miraculously) looking at the camera. They’re about the real, messy, in-between moments you don’t even realize you’ll miss until they’re gone.
Photos are tiny time machines, proof that life was once this loud, messy, and beautiful.

The Little Things You’ll Want to Remember

It’s not the “cheese” smiles that get you years later, it’s the way your toddler’s curls bounced when they ran across the backyard.
It’s the chubby little fingers gripping their favorite stuffed animal like it’s their most prized possession.
It’s the quiet glance between you and your partner when the kids are wild, but you wouldn’t trade the chaos for the world.

It’s your child resting their head on your shoulder after a long day, or their little feet swinging off the chair that’s just a little too big for them.

These fleeting moments happen daily, but because they’re so “ordinary,” we don’t always notice them slipping away, until they’ve already become a memory.

Why Candid Photos Hit Different

Candid photos are magic because they freeze those real moments. The ones that aren’t planned, but are so full of life you can practically hear the laughter when you look back at them.

It’s their wild bedhead in the mornings, the way they play with your hair when they’re sleepy, or the sibling giggles that fill the house after bedtime when they should be sleeping. A candid shot of your child mid-laugh, mouth wide open, with messy hair and sticky fingers—that’s the kind of photo that brings you right back to that season of life. Not just how it looked, but how it felt.

Posed portraits are lovely, but life isn’t lived in perfect poses. It’s lived in the way your kids cling to your leg, the way grandma brushes the hair out of your face when she thinks no one’s watching, and the way you look at your people when your heart is full. These are the little things—the in-between moments that feel so small right now, but in a few years, they’ll be the moments that tug at your heart the most.

mother and teenage daughter laughing together

Mom holding her baby close with a warm smile while sitting on the living room floor while her toddler dances circles around her.

Let’s Document Your Story, As It Is

So when you think about booking a photo session, I want you to think bigger than “I need updated pictures.”
Think of it as a gift to your future self. To have a visual time capsule of how your life felt in this exact season—the beautiful, chaotic, heart-melting mess of it all.

Because one day, you’ll scroll through your gallery and find a candid shot that stops you in your tracks. And you’ll realize, those weren’t just pictures. They were your life.

Your Story Deserves to Be Remembered

Family photos are not just for frames on the wall. They’re for remembering what life felt like, right now.

Because one day, the toys will be packed away. The messy fingerprints will be wiped off for the last time. And all that will be left are the stories we saved.

That’s why I do what I do. To give you more than just a gallery, I give you back a piece of time you’ll never get back. If you’re ready to freeze those fleeting moments, I’d love to help you document them, those candid, real, and full of heart.
Let’s create photos that tell the story you’ll want to remember.