Raleigh One Year Photography Roses – The Rose Garden

What a beautiful morning this was in the Rose Garden. These two little ones were full of smiles and loved being snuggled, held, chased, and just giggled with their Mommy & Daddy. I first met this sweet family when their first little one turned one, and it has been so much fun photographing their maternity session, baby sister’s newborn and one year portraits. We had beautiful weather, and the roses were just gorgeous!

According to Mom…

What was the weather/location like for your session? Our one-year-old photo session location was at the Raleigh Rose Garden. Our daughter’s middle name is Rose; therefore, the Raleigh Rose Garden in June full bloom was the perfect location. The weather was sunny, but the early morning session provided plenty of indirect sunlight and shade so that we kept cool.

What were your favorite parts of the session? We enjoy all of our sessions because Becky never makes us feel rushed. We have worked with Becky for newborn and toddler sessions and she is so patient with the children (and us adults too!). Becky captures little unexpected moments during the session while also getting the shots that we have requested. She makes it all so relaxed and natural, all the while I know she must be thinking about lighting, setting, getting the right shot, etc. I am always amazed with the results after a photo session!

Tell me about the outfits you wore at the session. We choose two sets of outfits for the girls, one fancy (satin/tulle) and one flowery (cotton/more relaxed). We choose to use the same dress for our second daughter as for our first’s one year old session, and a second different dress. I love the pink dress; I like to see the girls at the same age in the same outfit – it’s fun to see similarities and differences. I like classic, simple clothes, which matches our style.

What props did you bring and why? Our home has a Southern front porch with four large rocking chairs. Each time I was pregnant, we put out a small toddler rocking chair to let everyone in our neighborhood know we were expecting. We also spend time on the front porch with the girls on weekend mornings or weekday evenings. So the white rocking chairs in the photo session have special meaning. The formal Queen Anne chair is an antique that I picked up during my first pregnancy. I love the look of the formal chair with the fancy dress in the rose garden. We also brought several favorite toys and books to remember our one-year-old’s favorite things.

What are some words of advice you have for other families preparing for their photo session? My best advice is to be as prepared as possible before the photo session. Becky has a helpful set of questions to plan for the session and she uses that to make sure we accomplish the goals of the session. Becky also brings her own unique ideas that make the session special. Things to plan for before the session: the focus of the session (family vs. one particular child’s milestone), setting (be specific – trees/flowers/water/walls/bridges/rooms), special props, outfits & accessories, and photos (which combinations of people in an image). I always remember that the best smiles tend to be at the beginning of the session, so I plan to have my favorite outfits, setting, and shots ready to go first. I bring non-messy snacks and water, and extra socks, shoes, bows, accessories, etc.

Were you worried about any parts of the session beforehand? We were not worried at all. Our family has worked with Becky several times over the past couple of years. Everyone feels very comfortable with Becky. When I tell my oldest daughter that we are going to have our pictures taken, she excitedly asks ” With Ms. Becky?!”.

What’s your favorite family activity? Our favorite family activities include playing and reading together in our family room, and hiking and camping outdoors. We have lots of books, puzzles, and games in our family room. Each night we read together and play a fun game/puzzle. We also live near the American Tobacco Trail, so we enjoy running and long walks together as a family. Becky captured our love for the outdoors and our family quality time really well in our photo session.

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Raleigh One Year Photography Roses | Rebecca Keller Photography

Rebecca Keller is a Raleigh Newborn Photographer featured in People Magazine, Denim + Grace Magazine and on several blogs include Let the Kids Dress Themselves and Lemonade and Lenses. Contact Rebecca Keller Photography for more information about Family Portraits and travel sessions.