There’s something sacred about those first few days after a baby is born.
The wrinkly toes.
The flaky skin.
The way their entire body fits into the crook of your arm.
This session was originally meant to be a Fresh 48, the kind where I meet you at the hospital and document your baby within the first 48 hours of life.
But instead?
We waited.
And it was absolutely the right decision.
Eliana initially reached out wanting to document her baby girl as soon as she arrived. But as the days unfolded, they decided to give themselves more time.
Sometimes waiting gives you more time settle into a new rhythm, physically recover, and just get more sleep! lol
When I arrived at their home in Queens, NY, baby Emilia was bright-eyed, alert, and still tiny, so perfect.
“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.
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.
The best part?
Hearing how she felt after seeing the images.
