Newborn Archives | Laura Mares Photography | Award winning Pittsburgh Family + Newborn Photographer

Essential Newborn Photos to Take at the Hospital

Post author:Laura
Post published:January 13, 2021
Post category:Newborn

Looking back, I wish I had created a list of photographs for my husband to capture during our hospital stay with each of our newborns. With so much to think about while preparing for each of our baby's arrivals, I never managed to capture it fully. Through photographing other families and their precious newborns, I've created a list of all the must-have newborn shots. I hope that these ideas benefit you in documenting your newborn's arrival. I'm sharing photographs I captured during a Fresh 48 session early last year for one of my closest friends. I loved photographing this time with Lenna, her newborn daughter and her whole family. Fresh 48s are a great way to capture the real and raw moments during your newborn's first few days. Newborn lifestyle sessions are another great option for capturing newborns. Lifestyle sessions focus on capturing your newborn during his/her the first few weeks…

Maternity + Newborn Lifestyle Interview

Post author:Laura
Post published:November 6, 2020
Post category:Maternity Newborn

Everyday seems to be a holiday when you are a photographer! One perk of the job is celebrating milestones with families. I met this kind, friendly, and creative family a couple of years ago. Every session feels like I'm invited to a play date in their beautiful home. It's possible that I tell them every time I'm in their home that they have the best windows! I love being there to watch this family celebrate a first birthday, bake and decorate cookies, trim their Christmas tree, read books, make music and play in the back yard. Most recently I was there to document the arrival of their second daughter. How did you and your spouse meet? My husband and I met at Carnegie Mellon when I was an editor for the newspaper as an undergrad and he was a master's student working on layout design. Describe how your life changed once…

What to Expect at Your Lifestyle Studio Newborn Session!

Post author:Laura
Post published:August 14, 2020
Post category:Newborn Portrait Studio

What to Expect at Your Lifestyle Studio Newborn Session! Mi casa es su casa takes on a new meeting during lifestyle studio sessions! I love styling my studio to emulate homey vibes and with a detail oriented one-hour cleaning session before and after the shoot, there is no reason not to book soon! As we transition into a time of photoshoots in this new season, I wanted to take the time to give you an in-depth explanation on what to expect during a Lifestyle Newborn Session in the studio in order to alleviate as much stress as possible and to maintain an overly cautious atmosphere! We can start off covering my routine for cleaning the studio before, during and after the shoot. Next, I’d love to walk you through the most popular props I use during a shoot and the overall flow of the session. First, you enter the studio and…

Newborn Session Interview – Pittsburgh Photographer

Post author:Laura
Post published:August 6, 2020
Post category:Newborn Portrait Studio

During quarantine I had the opportunity to revamp the studio with a fresh coat of paint on the walls, update the floor, and new props. It was finished just days before I received an email requesting a newborn lifestyle shoot in the studio from a super sweet new mom. It was a wonderful experience photographing a newborn again, even if I needed to wear a mask and stay at a distance! How did you and your spouse meet? Bryon and I met at the gym while attending the University of Pittsburgh. What was your baby's height and weight at birth? Our newborn is 20 inches and 6lbs 15oz. Describe how your life has changed once you brought home your newborn baby. Our life has completely changed for the better! Bryon and I had been anxiously waiting 9 months to bring our little miracle into the world. While we are no longer…

10 ways to “Self Care” after having a Newborn

Post author:Laura
Post published:June 26, 2020
Post category:Newborn

10 Ways to “Self Care” after having a Newborn As a mom of three I’ve had my fair share of stressful experiences as a mother of a newborn! So, I’ve decided to make a list of my favorite tips that I wish someone would have shared with me during the first months, and even years, after having a newborn. I have to say that as a newborn photographer it’s more than just the pictures... I love having meaningful conversations with my clients and getting to know them as people. That’s why I wanted to open up to new moms and share some advice I’ve gathered over the years. 1. Go Outside! When you are starting to become overwhelmed by everything in the home, try a change of scenery, go outside and breathe. I loved taking walks with my newborns in their stroller. A calm nature walk or intense run was always…

Newborn Lifestyle Session Interview – Pittsburgh Photographer

Post author:Laura
Post published:May 8, 2020
Post category:Lifestyle Photography Newborn

Just like plants require sunlight and water, dreams take some TLC, too! (Fun fact: while I may not have a green thumb, that doesn’t stop me from filling our home with plants!) I have learned what it takes to keep my dreams alive from this little beauty’s mom! After years of praying and waiting, her wildest dream came true this year when she became a mother! What about you? How long have you been waiting on your dream? How did you and your spouse meet? Aaron and I lived in the same apartment building and met when I had accidentally made a huge pot of green curry and invited all the neighbors to help me eat it! Describe how your life changed once you brought home your newborn baby. Everything changed instantly. You can't really describe something so all encompassing. But for every negative there are a thousand positives. Embrace the…

5 Tips from a Pittsburgh Newborn Lifestyle Photographer

Post author:Laura
Post published:May 1, 2020
Post category:Lifestyle Photography Newborn Session Tips

5 Tips from a Pittsburgh Newborn Lifestyle Photographer It truly is a blessing to be able to document the early, precious first days of a newborn's life as home. Today I'd like to share some of my tried-and-true strategies for a successful newborn lifestyle session. 1. Play Relaxed Music I was raised by two musicians and my brother is a musician too! When I was growing up our family life revolved around music performances. To this day I appreciate music. I believe it’s always helpful to play calming music to set the atmosphere and make my clients feel comfortable. A couple of my favorite Amazon Prime playlists are coffee shop jazz, acoustic chill and relaxing classical cello. Some of my favorite artists to listen to during family photo shoots are Jason Mraz, Lemmon & Maisy, Simon and Garfunkel, Lucio Battisti and classical music and folk pop in general. It’s interesting to…

Laura Mares Photography Awarded Best Newborn Photographer in Pittsburgh

Post author:Laura
Post published:March 27, 2020
Post category:Awarded | Published | Featured Newborn

It's an honor to share that Expertise has included me on the 2020 list of the best 21 newborn photographers in Pittsburgh, PA. Many thanks to Expertise for including Laura Mares Photography on their list in an artistic city with so such talent! Photographing newborns is one of my favorite types of sessions because capturing the first few moments in the early weeks of a newborn’s life is incredibly emotional and rewarding. I am excited to meet many more new bundles of joy this year! I have been offering my services as a photographer in the Pittsburgh area since 2001 and specializing in newborns since 2015 after having my third child. You can chose between two types of newborn sessions: a posed newborn session occurs in my relaxing Mt. Lebanon home studio or we can meet in the comfort of your own home for an in-home lifestyle session. I am committed to making…

5 Tips for an Amazing Newborn Lifestyle Photo Shoot

Post author:Laura
Post published:March 24, 2020
Post category:Lifestyle Photography Newborn Session Tips

5 Tips for an Amazing Newborn Lifestyle Photo Shoot If I’m being honest, one of my favorite moments to capture as a photographer is those first few weeks of a newborn’s life spent with their new families. There is something so emotional, pure and new that I can’t help reminiscing of my own little ones when they were that age. I am always thankful for the opportunity to document the first little precious moments of your family and home. 1. Search for a Space with Light in Your Home This could be any room with access to natural light in your home. This can be the master bedroom, nursery, living room, etc. Typically the best time of day to photograph in one's home is at 10:00 a.m. We'll turn off the lights and use only the natural sunlight to fill your room. Additionally, don’t stress about cleaning up the entire house... well…

Newborn Lifestyle Session Spotlight – Pittsburgh Photographer

Post author:Laura
Post published:February 7, 2020
Post category:Lifestyle Photography Newborn

How did you and your spouse meet? We met in Philadelphia during the last year of both our graduate trainings. We met at a dinner for a mutual friend. Describe how your life changed once you brought home your newborn baby. Our baby was in the NICU for 21 days so when we brought him home we were nervous and excited at the same time. We had been through a lot of stressors prior to his birth and we were so thrilled to have him home. In the beginning we just wanted to make sure that he was safe, healthy and growing. Describe your newborn baby. Siddharth was calm, peaceful and would barely cry when he was newborn. Describe a typical day in your life as a new mother with a newborn baby. Diaper change, feed, sleep repeat... that was our life when he was a newborn. We had a lot…