I thought I'd share a few tips and tricks I've learned along the way to help you or someone you may know plan their Fresh 48 session.

​Having a child in the NICU can be a scary and stressful experience for parents as their newborn undergoes tests, treatments and often several surgeries. Generally, most children in the NICU are premature, which means that many developmental milestones now must occur outside the womb.
 
What’s important to understand is that NICU babies overcome incredible odds. NICU babies are tiny (some weighing less than 2 pounds) and they are truly mighty. They accomplish exciting things while in the NICU, such as wearing clothes for the first time, taking their first bath, skin to skin contact with their parents (known as kangaroo care), moving from an incubator to a crib, and even eating from a bottle the first time.
 
“I’m honored to be able to provide my photography service to families,” said Deanna. “I see day in and day out the struggle these babies endure and the stress it puts on the parents. I feel that these photos provide a sense of hope and document the journey of life for their newborn.”
 
With Deanna’s extensive knowledge and work with NICU babies, she intimately understands how vital these milestones are to the development of the child and can capture these moments in the most beautiful way possible. Additionally, Deanna’s training and skillset allows her to understand proper positioning techniques that won’t cause harm or additional stress to the fragile infant.
 
“I trusted Deanna entirely and I was so glad she was our photographer,” said Suzanne, mother of one-week old Matthew, who was born 13 weeks premature and weighed only 1lb 10 ounces. “I knew that she had my baby’s best interest in mind the entire time and she knew exactly how to position my son in ways that captured his personality. The hospital lighting was harsh, and there were tons of cords and monitors, but Deanna was able to focus on my son and capture his humanity against all of that chaos.”
 
No matter how small or fragile the baby is, their new life should be celebrated. This free newborn NICU session provides parents with 10-15 fully edited photos made available through digital download. Contact us today for more information and please share this incredible service with others.

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Does anyone remember their first birthday? I certainly don't, but then again, I sometimes have trouble remembering what I did last week. At any rate, I was recently asked by a coworker if I'd be interested in taking pictures at her granddaughter's 1st birthday party.

Of course! I originally thought she was interested in getting family photos done, such as baby with grandparents; baby with aunt and uncle; baby with mom and dad, etc... Well, it turned out to be that AND so much more!

In many ways, I feel like I fell into something remarkable. How awesome is it if you are having a party (birthday, baby shower, bridal shower, etc...) to NOT have to be running around worrying about taking pictures? My coworker was able to relax, socialize and spend quality time with her granddaughter and family and not have to experience the party through a lens. I was able to float around unobtrusively and capture candid moments between family, friends and the birthday girl. These memories will certainly last a lifetime!

This was such an exciting opportunity - I hope you enjoy a few of these candid shots!

Since this is my first blog post, I thought I'd share a little more about myself. Originally from Florida, I arrived in San Antonio nearly 6 years ago. (Boy, has time flown by). I met my soul mate in Orlando, and only after a month or so of dating, I knew we were meant to be.

I know that sounds super cheesy, but the old saying is true: When you know, you know. 

For the past 3 years, I've been working on my Master's Degree in Occupational Therapy. No, I do not help people find jobs. (Common misconception when hearing the word "occupational")

What is Occupational Therapy you ask? The literal definition is as follows: 

Occupational therapy is the only profession that helps people across the lifespan to do the things they want and need to do through the therapeutic use of daily activities (occupations).

It's a very vast field and I am extremely fortunate to work in the NICU at a local hospital as a certified Occupational Therapist Assistant - treating extremely tiny and fragile babies. 

Now that the end of my educational path is approaching, I decided to start thinking about other activities, hobbies and interests that I enjoy. One such hobby has always been photography. About a year ago I decided to take the plunge and purchase my first "nice" camera. And it's been glorious. Taking pictures of people, places, and things literally lights my soul on fire. I love every minute of it. 

After showing friends, colleagues and family some of my initial work and hearing their feedback, I realized I might be on to something. I have an absolute passion for taking pictures and I love being able to capture incredibly unique moments that could never be recreated again. A picture can elicit so many emotions, thoughts, conversations and memories...and it's important to hold on to those moments.

I've learned a lot over the years and one constant theme remains: Do more of what you love. I've found that in doing so, you appreciate and cherish life in a whole new way.

While you're unpacking that gem of wisdom, I hope you take a moment to browse through my recent work and sign up to be on my email list. Even if you're not in the market for pictures today, there may be an occasion worth celebrating and remembering in your future. And if so, I hope you'll circle back and allow me to capture that special moment just for you.

​Until next time...