Hey-ya!! Having been a small part of the rescue world for many years, I've met some pretty amazing people. So, when I found out that this mama was pregnant I thought about how lucky that new human will be. This mama, along her side kick husband, have given so much to the rescue world. While helping with so many fosters, they continue to do so even though they have a new little one. When I was contacted to capture maternity and newborn, I pretty much did a happy dance. I love working with good people!!

Into the woods we went for their maternity session. Mind you, this is one of my favorite forests and will always be in my top 3 although I've moved a few hours away. With the gorgeous naked pine tress, a quick walk away to an oak forest, and then an open field are just part of the charm. This pregnant couple ventured there with me because of its beauty. It was so nice and their love shows in every photo.

Once Teddy was born, they came to the studio for their session. Not only did they bring their human baby, they also brought their fur babies too! Teddy was a dream baby. He slept well and was a natural through all of the sets. Tiny toes, fingers, and nose. I love it all! I can't wait to see this little one grow up.

Book your session as soon as you can because I book up fast. Reminder, as I've written about this before, that while although you don't know exactly when you will give birth you can get on the books to ensure a spot once you do.

Hugs and love,

Michelle

Hooray!! You booked your newborn session so now what?

Well, soon enough you’ll be holding that baby in your arms and you won’t have as much time as you would like. Thinking about colors, props, style, etc, might get a little overwhelming. It might be a good idea to plan out what you’re wanting now, or at least narrow down some thing. With that said, you could just throw the neutral flag out there and play it safe. Cream all around! Haha, just kidding unless that sounds amazing to you! For some people, a better option is to ask your photographer to choose the colors and props for you. That is mostly what is requested, and while I love it be sure you do too! If you’re worried that you might not like the selections, you could ask to get a sneak peek in order to say yay or nay. If you’re my client, I invite you to visit the studio and make selections for your session if you’d like. Or we could even do a virtual visit and I can walk you through everything via a video chat. You tell me! :)

Now that I have you super excited about your session, think about your house, the nursery, the way in which you live your life. The following, plus more, can help you know what you want or don’t want at your newborn session. Think decorating!

•          What colors do you have on your walls and as accents?
•          What colors or theme is the nursery?
•          What color(s) is your living room?
•          What colors don’t you like?
•          What colors do you like?
•          What wall art can you envision on your walls? Wrapped canvas or a framed print. Or both?
•          Where are you going to hang your wall art? Nursery, living room, office, etc.
•          How many albums do you need? Don’t forget about the grandparents!
•          How many folios do you want? You can display them on the wall, in a glass case, or on their own.
•          Is your house modern, contemporary, traditional, eclectic, BOHO, ect? This will help in selecting props, and colors/patterns for that matter.
•          Do you have any inspiration of newborn photos? Send that inspiration to your photographer to help when narrowing down what to use at your session.

Thinking about everything above, what colors are you wanting for your newborn session? White, cream, brown, yellow, orange, red, pink, purple, blue, green, etc. Floral, stars, butterflies, or solids? Food for thought: If you’re hanging a canvas in the nursery and the nursery is blue, do you want the backdrop your baby is on to be blue - because it will likely be the wrong blue? Or white? Or Cream? I suggest working around the main color of the room and using a color that works well with it, such as an accent color. Blue walls and a cream canvas is a beautiful match to me! Or cream walls and blue canvas! Either way, I hope you get what I’m trying to convey.

What about the props? I typically have 1 or 2 props at each newborn session, sometimes more. Check the list out and see what your photographer has. I have way too many but it’s because I love them all!

•          Wooden bed (dark and light)
•          Metal bucket (with different overlays)
•          Wire baskets
•          Woven baskets
•          Drawers
•          Bins
•          Crates
•          Macramé swing
•          And I'm sure I'm forgetting some but hopefully you get it.

I hope the above information above helps you get ready for your newborn session. If you have a question, please shoot me an email – michelle@michellekrohnphotography.com.

Remember to enjoy life, the dishes and cleaning can wait. The littles are only little once so hug them often!

Hugs and love, Michelle

Hey there! When I found out this mama was pregnant I was ecstatic for her! You see, she is a dog rescue super star. From fostering, to training, to running a rescue haven, and now becoming a mom to a human baby. She is amazing!

For maternity photos we went to a beautiful nature park during golden hour. Although she was glowing on her own with her beautiful bump, that hour before sunset made for a gorgeous backdrop. The weather was perfect and the bees were buzzing all around us. It was lovely.

For newborn photos the little family came to the studio. From the questionnaire and conversations, I had everything set up when they arrived. I met that little babe for the first time and fell in love! He was so small and adorable. I couldn't get over his sweet baby hands and feet. He rocked his session. Mom wasn't feeling the best so we skipped the parent photos, but hopefully we can get those at the next session.

Time and time again I get asked how to plan for these sessions. My answer is let me do most of the planning so that you can enjoy becoming a new parent, or if this isn't your first babe then just enjoy the newness of your new human. I'm excited to see where life takes this little family. This little guy will have the best of friends with all of the dogs that his mama brings home, and that makes my heart happy.

Hugs and love,

Michelle

Studio sessions in Blooming Prairie 

Outdoor sessions throughout southern MN

Hey-ya southern MN! Yeah, you down here in Rochester, Albert Lea, Austin, Hayfield, Owatonna, Northfield, Faribault, Mankato, and more! Now that my Blooming Prairie studio is 98% ready, I'm excited to get more clients in the door! It's been a big couple of months for me with selling a house, moving hours away to another house, moving studios, continuing sessions at the old studio while having the new studio, etc, but I'm finally settled. Tell your friends and family all about me because I want to take photos of every baby out there!

Now, let me dive right in to selecting the perfect for you newborn photographer. Here's a list that might help you out.

• Style - When searching for that perfect baby photographer, look for someone that fits the style that you like. Look through all of their photos on their website and social media accounts. If you fall in love, great! If not, time to move on and keep looking. Helpful hint, if you don't like their style but you want to book them based on something else you love about them be careful. Meaning, don't expect that photographer to have a light and airy look at your request when their entire portfolio is moody.
• Safety - This is huge! Don't over look it. Everyone was new at one point or another, right? Whether you're a new or seasoned photographer, safety should be your top priority. I personally think newborn photographers should be BLS (basic life support) certified for that just in case moment. Going through the course to become certified helps you become aware of what to watch for should an emergency arise. Being a nurse, I know more than the average person but even if I wasn't a nurse I would require myself to be certified. I also think it's important to know how to pose a baby safely. Moving their little parts around is no easy task because they are so delicate and must be handled safely. I encourage you to contact me if you have any questions about this. I have taken various classes on newborn safety. Also, I have years of experience in handling everything from a newborn baby to an adult. haha!
• Prop & table posing - When you're looking at newborn photography photos, are you drawn to prop poses? Or possibly table poses? Props are things such as a basket, bowl, bucket, or a little bed. I love props and table posing so I do both for every session. Getting down to what type of prop is used comes later once you've booked with me, as I ask you in a newborn questionnaire what you would like. A bonus for anyone that books with me is that I'm a prop hoarder so I have lots to select from.
• Colors - Although this could be up there with style, I wanted to toss it in the ring. Color could be simple, right? Well, not so much. There are so many different colors and patterns that I feel as if I'm constantly buying more items to keep up. Rest assured if you're my client, I have several different whites, creams, greens, reds, blues, pinks, etc. Some people just say what the main color they want and then I go from there. Not only do I have an amazing amount of posing fabric with matching wraps, I have coordinating headbands, bonnets, layers, etc. I also have a bunch of little stuffed toys for tiny baby hands.
• Final products (digital image files and prints) - What do you want to do with your photos from your session? Is the nursery begging for a large canvas over the crib or do you want an album for everyone to enjoy the highlights of the newborn session? Either way, find out what you're getting with the photographer you select. With me, you get to select from a variety of products or you can select digital image files alone.

There ya have it, some of the main things to look for when finding the perfect for you newborn photographer. Good luck on your search and congrats on your baby!!

Hugs and love, Michelle

Heyya Minnesota mama! You're pregnant, yay!! Congratulations to you and your family! If you didn't know this already, you're amazing! Having that growing baby inside of you is a huge milestone in your life. Your body is changing every day, your belly is growing as much as that baby is, and before you know it baby will be here. Mama, you should embrace your baby bump and have a professional photography session. Celebrate this beautiful thing your body can do and document it professionally.

Since some mamas don't know when to schedule their maternity session, I thought I would try to help by writing this blog post. In my experience, it's best to have your session between 30-32 weeks. Now, with that said, every mama is different. This time frame is the sweet spot for a few different reasons; you still feel good, your bump is obvious, and you're not at the "I'm over it, I can't wait to have this baby" stage. Don't let me scare you by that last statement, it's literally what I've heard many moms say because they are ready to pop, so to speak.

The session itself can be outdoor or at the studio. We're lucking that Minnesota is a state with distinct seasons; 4 different backdrops throughout the year. One of the best things with having your session with me is that I will freeze or sweat outside with you, because you pick where your session will be. I've had some brave mamas embrace the cold winter with a session outdoors, and I love how beautiful snow is in photos. If you decide to have your session at the studio, I have many beautiful items to use; backdrops, faux flowers, chairs, couches, a bed, dresses, gowns, body suits, boy shorts, crowns, etc. Some of these items can tag along for an outdoor session if you'd like. Oh, almost forgot to mention that I have a pop up tent for changing outside.

Before you contact me to schedule your session, think about having your newborn session with me too! Booking a maternity and newborn session with me ensures you are on my calendar. I only take on so many mamas so that I can ensure I have spots on my calendar. Babies have a way of coming early or late. Plus, bonus is that I gift you a mini album when you book both with me.

Now that you've read about scheduling your maternity session, contact me before I don't have spots left. I book fast so don't wait.

Hugs and Love!

Michelle