My daughter, Sophie, has become pretty fond of looking at her own baby album recently. We go through it every couple of days and she pats her little baby pictures and kisses family members. It's quite sweet. These little strolls down memory lane made me realize that I only have about five pictures of myself and my husband from when I was pregnant with Sophie. What's worse is that they were all taken during the same weekend -- one week before Sophie was born. So needless to say, I pretty much looked like the Goodyear blimp.
I don't like having my picture taken -- it makes me extremely uncomfortable and I have trouble acting normal when I'm nervous (thanks Counting Crows). The other night in an attempt to get at least a few pictures of my husband and I dressed up and me preggers, I had my friend Kim take no less than 7 pictures of us at our friend's wedding. I think maybe two look decent (not her fault, mine). They tried to get me to pose Demi Moore style--it just didn't work. But I am definitely trying to capture the pregnancy a bit more this time around.
I also regret not having Sophie's pictures taken when she was 1. My husband and I did a great job of chronicling her life until then. Since she started running we've had a more difficult time getting good pictures (or getting her to stay still for that matter). So it's taken 20 months, but I am finally having her pictures done this week. Now, watch it rain!
So in the midst of all the other things you have to think about during your pregnancy, consider having your pictures done professionally. It's something you'll always have to look back on and show your children. And if you are not photographically inclined get your little ones pictures done. My mother is still mad at me for waiting this long-but I was sure I could do it myself just as well. I couldn't. I'm artistically challenged and had to give in.
Here are a few well rated photographers/photojournalists in the area that specialize in Maternity and Newborn/Children's Photography. There are probably hundreds of photographers in the area to choose from, but I chose these five based on their ratings, offerings, location, and price. While they will all travel locally, they are based in Manassas, Arlington, DC, Bethesda and Gaithersburg and all are reasonably priced for this area.
If you have a photographer in the area that you love and think I should add - please let me know!
Kelly Smith Photography $$$
Kelly Smith
E-mail: Kelly@kellysmithphotography.net
(979) 574-0303
*Not available in July
Arlington Photography $$
Magin Urdanick
E-mail: Magin.Urdanick@mac.com
(703) 585-2256
*Booked through September
Cleverly Candid Photography $$
Stephanie Ascari
E-mail: Stephanie@cleverlycandid.com
(703) 855-9565
Susan Braswell Photography $$$
Susan Braswell
E-mail: susanbraswellphotography@verizon.net
(571) 243-6700
Sweet Bee Photography $$
Brittany DeFrehn
Website: http://www.sweetbeephotography.com/
E-mail: sweetbeephotography@gmail.com
(301) 514-4747
Sweet Bee photography is amazing! Not only is Brittany professional and fun at the same time, but her pictures are awesome! I plan to continue using her to chronicle my family's life!
ReplyDeleteI have used Sweet Bee Photography to capture photos of my family and I and we loved it! She is fabulous to work with, great with the kids and a all around sweet person. Her pictures are truly a treasure to us and she is wonderfully priced. For the moments that she captured of my little bubblebee I think she should have charged much more for! Sweet Bee Photography gets 2 thumbs up from my family.
ReplyDeleteI used Kelly Smith for my son's newborn photos and they were percious. He looked like a Gerber baby for sure!! She was wonderful to work with and it was a great experience for a new mom. I am going to use her again to take his 1 year photos in November.
ReplyDeleteI used Magin Urdanik for my wedding photos and really was expecting more from them. I think she missed some special moments from our day that only a photographer could capture.
Hi everyone! Magin Urdanik was our wedding photographer, and she is fabulous! Professional, thoughtful, and a wonderful photographer. My husband and I were beyond pleased with her pictures and will treasure them forever. If I ever have little ones, I'd be sure to ask Magin to take some pictures :)
ReplyDelete- Jackie M. (Arlington, VA)
Babie toes and crooked smiles! These are the things that are forever with me thanks to Steph at CLEVERLY CANDID. As I look at my almost five-year old and his two-year old brother, I can't believe they are mine. Steph captured some of the first shots of my oldest. As I look back on them, I can still feel the curl of his baby toes. She froze for me, that very special feeling. Her work is truly personal and heartfelt.
ReplyDeleteMy only regrets are that I did not have her chronicle more of my life's favorite moments (she was there for my wedding too).
She's the best!
Stephanie at Cleverly Candid took both our maternity and new born photos of our third child...our only regret is not having her photograph the first two! She made my husband and I VERY comfortable, my boys smile (even the shy one) and really captured the personality of our family. I love having photos of 'the four of us' before our third child arrived. When she came for the newborn photos she was great at getting several types of shots to get exactly the look we hoped to get (even though one is crying you can't tell). We have already booked her to do our boys' yearly portraits and will continue to use her as long as she is willing.
ReplyDeleteStephanie Ascari at Cleverly Candid is amazing! She just did a maternity shoot of me at 34 weeks with my husband and 2 1/2 year old daughter. They are gorgeous. Not only did she manage to make me look great with a basketball out front but she captured some amazing shots of my daughter. I can't stop looking at them. She has also photographed my entire family at the beach, as well as many other friends of mine. It helps that she's really fun to be around too!
ReplyDeleteKelly Smith Photography is great. I would highly recomend taking professional maternity photos, and newborn photos with her. I love looking back at my maternity photos before my son was born, and then seeing his newborn pictures! Kelly is super easy to work with and makes you feel very comfortable - I now refer to her as my photographer friend who lives on Capitol Hill! We plan on having her come back to do 6 month and one year photos as well. We had albums made with her, and she did our birth announcements which were fantastic. Her rates are very reasonable too.
ReplyDeleteStephanie with Cleverly Candid has done a great job with our photos. I have used her three different times - once at a photo party where she captured different families all day (and her patience never wavered), once with my entire family (of 17, with 8 under 11) for our Christmas photo (she took photos of the large family AND all of the individual families represented), and most recently, for my family of 3. I am now pregnant with my 2nd, and hope to have maternity photos taken as well. She has a great eye for a good photo, and doesn't need to take a lot shots to get the perfect picture. i definitely recommend her.
ReplyDeleteKelly Smith is AMAZING!! She captured my son just as beautifully as I see him...something all my picture-taking efforts had failed to do. She works with natural light rather than trying to create it or use anything less. Our shoot was scheduled at the right time of day during peak cherry blossom season and used as the perfect backdrop. She's easy to work with, both during the shoot and afterwards during the ordering process, and fast. No kidding! In less than 20 minutes, we had no less than 24 fabulous shots, and I had the CD within 24 hours!!! My only regret is that I never had "real" newborn photos of him, and we're stuck with my poor shots. Not making that mistake again; we are definitely going back to her.
ReplyDeleteIn October Steph Ascari, Cleverly Candid, did a 45 minute photo session with my husband, 3 year old daughter and myself. I was amazed at how sweetly she captured my daughter's personality! She had her jump and play in the leaves and she still remembers how much fun she had each time we visit Bull Run Park. Steph lets her clients be themselves and makes it look good!
ReplyDeleteKelly Smith (Kelly Smith Photography, LLC) did some gorgeous shots for us at the Tidal Basin while the cherry blossoms were in bloom - something I had always wanted to do. It took an hour and Kelly got very creative and provided us with some stunning portraits of our daughter (and Mom and Dad!). She was a professional from the start- confirming with an email, giving me a specific location to meet, and following up with me the same day we took the pictures with PROOFS! I got the pictures about 3 days after I ordered and they even came in gorgeous wrapping. I HIGHLY recommend Kelly- she's talented, organized and dedicated to her craft. As a Mom herself, she knows what a day with a baby is like and that capturing the perfect shot may require lying on the sidewalk, which she's not afraid to do. Kelly rocks!
ReplyDeleteWe LOVE Kelly Smith Photography. We are so thankful to have a photographer who is passionate about taking pictures, but also loves our children. The fun we had during our shoot, her patience and the quality of her final products are incredible! We get compliments on the pictures she took all the time, and we would wallpaper our house in them if we could! We are so grateful she is helping us preserve the precious memories that pass so quickly. She is simply the best!
ReplyDeleteWe had Magin (Arlington Photography) shoot our family and she did an amazing job--I'd highly recommend her to anyone. She was very patient with our kids and spent a great deal of time making sure we got everything you wanted. Our DC photos are amazing--something we will cherish forever.
ReplyDeleteKelly at Kelly Smith Photography did a great job taking our 15-month-old's pictures among the cherry blossoms. The location was amazing, she was great with our daughter, and the pictures are beautiful! Not only has she captured the personality and spirit of our daughter during such a short and precious time in her life, we also have a great reminder of our time living in DC.
ReplyDelete-Jessica G
Sweet Bee Photography is amazing. Brittany photographed my daughter's baptism and also photographed us at home having a relaxing morning a few months later. Both sessions resulted in beautiful photos and wonderful memories. As a mom who takes A LOT of pictures myself, it is especially nice to have gotten some great pictures of my little one with me in them as well. Brittany will definitely be photographing our family for many years to come and I look forward to all the wonderful memories she will capture!
ReplyDelete