Jane Photo: Vancouver's Newborn Photographer

I have been hammering and dry-walling and nailing my new website, logo, and blog into being...but they're still not ready! I have moved this week's sessions in the hopes that this group of "buildings" that will hold my biz will be done this week. (I may be shooting some newborns. They come on their own schedules.) I realize that in my distraction I have also neglected this poor blog again, so I'm making a post from the mountains of unposted 2008 sessions.

I have several loves in photography, and after newborns (my favourites of all) one of them is definitely photographing 6-9 month olds. This is such a splendid baby age, when the little girl or boy can't crawl away (a plus for we photographers!) but is solidly sitting. They are so jolly at this age, so full of the possibilities of their lives. I just love them to pieces.

Here is baby M from the fall. Isn't she too adorable?

And just as an aside: we finally dug our second vehicle out of the snow today, but now we are in the midst of our 8000th blizzard so far this winter, and the car is buried anew. Good gravy. I am getting seriously sick of snow.

Little Ms S was such a delight to have in the Jane Photo studio! She had such a wonderful look with her springy curls of dark hair--and her funny faces. She had me cracking up from beginning to end, that's for certain. I haven't met a single soul who can do a fishy face quite as well as the divine Ms S, and I'll just bet she's been endless entertainment for her loving parents, T and M. Here are a few to enjoy!

As always, feel free to leave blog comments below.

Take it away, mom:

S is the cutest patootie wootie in the western world. Do you just look at her and melt?
Ummm, yes. I can barely get anything done in the house, I am so busy trying to take in her every moment. I dont want to miss a single expression (except maybe the screaming ones). I think as every mom knows, you could never imagine before baby how obsessed you will become with them.
S is the only baby who has ever made me laugh out loud when I was editing her images.

I have a whole series of S making faces that just crack me up. I know you said she is known for making faces. Why do you think she does that?

Thats the big mystery of Sophie. Since the very day she was born, people have commented on the strange and funny faces she made, especially the things she does with her mouth. She has a whole range of looks, from Zoolander, to fish face, to kissy mouth and beyond. The more annoyed she gets, the weirder the faces she makes. Half of all the pictures I take of her are variations of her "funny faces"....maybe she likes the feeling of her mouth making interesting shapes, or maybe thats her nonverbal communication....if she still does it when she's older I'll be sure to ask!

How has it been for you and M moving from being just a couple to being parents? How has your relationship changed?
Well honestly, it was certainly a shock in the beginning. Sophie took up all of my attention of course and I dont know that Martin was prepared for that, but as the weeks past, he readjusted his expectations of me and of our relationship. Now he is completely in love with Sophie and our relationship is more layered and meaningful than ever before, but it took a few months to get there.

What is the best thing about being a mom? When is S at her most adorable?
Sophie is at her most adorable when she wants us to make her laugh and when she is first waking up in the morning. When she wants us to make her laugh, her eyes light up and start sparkling and she starts screeching and kicking her little legs and arms to attract our attention. I know right away that shes in the mood to laugh her little head of, so we entertain her until we are all laughing together. Also, first thing in the morning, her hair is standing in every direction and she smiles the sweetest, most contented smile when she sees my face looking over her crib. Her cheeks are all rosy from sleep and she lifts her little arms out to me to be picked up. I live for those moments.

How has it been getting up nights to feed little Ms S? Do you enjoy your quiet late night moments together, or are you mostly nodding off and hoping to get back to bed?
Luckily for us, Sophie has slept 12 hours straight pretty much every night since she was 3 months old. So the odd night she wakes me up, when shes teething or not feeling well, I try to enjoy the peaceful sounds of her breastfeeding, the quiet in the house, and her warm little half asleep body instead of rushing back to bed.

What are you looking forward to doing with Ms S as she grows up?
Everything! Listening to her talk about what she is learning, thinking and feeling. Watching her experience the world and trying to see it through her eyes. Sharing in her interests and trying to forge a bond that will keep us close for the rest of my life. Bringing her joy and helping her become who she wants to be. Well, and because shes a girl, perhaps a bit of mommy daughter shopping and spa adventures.

Any thoughts/suggestions etc for other new moms?
Every day, every passing month, It just gets better and better. Try to enjoy every moment, takes loads of pictures and videos, because they change so quickly and your memory for details you thought you'd never forget is remarkably poor.

And speaking of niblets...I shot this family with its big papa cob, its mama cob and the delightful niblet cob, F-J, on a recent drenched day in North Vancouver. Such an expressive family, and this kind of horsing around (cobbing around?) leads to fab photos. 'A' family, you are always welcome back in Jane Photo-land, because it was such a thorough pleasure making your photos. Here are a few beyond your order to remind you of how special your family is.

As always, please leave comments for the families and me below...

This baby had the most luscious skin...and look at those lips and eyelashes!

Jane Photo had the extreme pleasure to photograph a second baby K recently. This little one is the pudgiest six-month-old baby boy with the sweetest loving mama any kid could hope for. Little K came into the studio, which can be somewhat of a challenge for little ones with all the new sights and sounds and funny feeling props. Dad didn't attend, as some of these photos--in particular the protective gargoyle ones--are meant to be surprises for him at Christmas. Mom didn't want any pix with her in them, though right at the end I cajoled her into being a prop for one of my famous shoulder shots. (I love these shots...they are always unique, and always somehow manage to show the love between the parent and child.) Little K was fine on his own--just the happiest, gurgling little dude whom nothing could faze.

Here are mom C's answers to my questions about her new son:


What was the most exciting thing about having a baby?
A~ looking in his eyes for the very first time and telling him i love him


Now that your little guy is 6 months old, what do you love best about him?
A~ how curious and social he is, talking and singing. and the topper? his laugh


This will be the first holiday season that K remembers. Do you have special plans?
A~ Nothing "special," just the start of OUR family traditions that will be special every year


What is K’s very favourite thing to do?
A~ he loves to watch birds


Is being a mother like you expected it would be?
A~ Being a mother everything is multiplied by a million--even how tired you are. But it is an internal feeling of ...... i can't even put it into words to do the feeling justice.

Wonderful maternity

I just love my job. I love it so much sometimes I want to pop. Do these images rawk, or what? Jane Photo was soooo lucky to be hired to photograph Becky and her upcoming bundle of joy. Becky's babe is due in another month. She doesn't know yet if she's expecting a boy or girl. That's so cool, I think, to have the anticipation. As Becky put it, there aren't many happy surprises left in the world these days, and this is definitely one.

Can't wait to photo your little arrival, Becky, and it was so much fun today.

Absolutely Arthur

This second one is a photograph of little Arthur done as a pencil sketch. I just love it, don't you?



Sweet Arthur stole my heart when he came to see me in the studio. He was at a great age--7 months and a bit--where, from my grown-up perspective, being alive is delicious. Seven monthers are full of joie de vivre. They can sit up by themselves and tummy time is a lot of fun.

I just roll on the floor laughing when I see these little tykes catch their reflections. They are captivated. It is like watching a spark put to their hearts. Who is that gorgeous guy? Arthur seems to be saying. I remember my littlest daughter when she was somewhat older--about seven years--standing in front of a mirror repeating, "I'm so beautiful, I'm so beautiful," in an awed voice. Little Arthur reminded me of that sweet moment.

Look at this little sweetie pie

Little E was in the studio a couple of weeks ago. Isn't she adorable? She was really shy at first, but really warmed up over time. I love her transparent joy most of all. Radiant, incandescent. When she's comfortable and happy, she fills with 100% pleasure.

It was my great pleasure to meet her.

E's grandmom made the awesome outfit she's wearing here. It is sooo beautiful, and you can tell from about a mile away that a master seamstress was at work. Reminds me of my childhood, actually, when my mom sewed clothes like this--and wore clothes like these.

Well, it was a tie!

Talulah



Oliver


If you keep up with things on this blog you'll know we held a contest for the youngest newborn photographed in February. Was I surprised when our wee-est ones turned out to have been born on the very same day, February 9.

First up, there's a little girl who was absolutely inconsolable when she had to be out of her loving mama's arms but who is as sweet as the day is long. Her name is Talulah. As soon as she was back in her mama's wrap, she was happy as a clam.

Second up, there's a little boy who wasn't much keener than Talulah at being parted from his parents' tender touch. Named Oliver, he too is absolutely darling, and he did manage, finally, to fall a little bit asleep.

I always wonder how often I can lose my heart to these little sweetie pies I photograph, and I know that the answer is endlessly.

The prize was meant to be a 20 page book of the winning baby's images, and I have mulled over how to approach this rather charming dilemma. I thought about checking on what time the babies arrived, and awarding the prize to whomever popped out first on February 9, but that seemed somehow mean-spirited to me. So I'm pleased to announce that both of these lucky babies will be gifted with a Jane Photo 20-page Asukabook!

Little sweetie-pie

We were so pleased to photograph our first winter fairy this week. She looks so wonderfully mischievious that you can just imagine that with a wave of her wand, Vancouver will be covered completely in snow.

Ahhhh, so that's what's up tonight as the white flakes fall outside our window...

These photographs display a few wonderful digital matts used in our wall art, along with a couple more definitions:

"play: frolic, imagine, a child's pasttime

delightful: causing great pleasure, charming, wrapped around one's finger"

I've died and gone to heaven

Oh my goodness, the pleasure of all these babies!

Here are some recent captures...cutiepies every one.

Meet Kate, a true cutie patootie!

Everyone knows by now that I had a bad break-in last week, which, among other things, bumped a few sessions. I apologize for my tardiness in updating my blog. I can't seem to get the hang of putting up sneak peeks of my sessions, but I'm vowing to be better next year!

Instead of photographing Kate and her family in the sumptuous weather of last weekend, all warmth and sunshine, we had to sneak out to Spanish Banks in the rain and hope for the break in the deluge. I was using a 5D instead of my trusty ID, and it was a bit challening, but I'm surely glad we went ahead because of the awesome shots we got. Kate and her family are charms--just when we were out cavorting, the sky stopped all its broken-hearted weeping and dried its eyes. As soon as we were finished, ugh. It started weeping and wailing all over again.

Here is the winsome and captivating Kate and her Mom and Mommy.