A Little Bit Magical

Raleigh Dreamy Maternity Photos

This little spot was just perfect for the look we wanted for this session – dreamy + magical. This family is always so much fun to photograph. They come prepared, complete with Megan’s mom to help, which is always awesome. I really love family maternity sessions..it is so sweet to capture the special days waiting for your next baby. And they are having a girl, so fun! This little guy is going to be an awesome big brother, and I can’t wait to photograph him with his baby sister soon!

According to Mom..

What kind of feel were you thinking for your session? There were two ideas I had for this session – I wanted something dreamy and romantic for half of the photos, to capture the beauty and essence of carrying a little girl inside me who I am so excited to meet. The rose garden seemed like the perfect setting to match with the ethereal theme I had pictured in my mind, and with the flowy and elegant maternity dress that I ordered for the shoot. For the other half, I wanted to capture the fun-loving nature of my small-but-growing family. My husband and son are big goofballs and always smiling and laughing, which is what I love most about them. I wanted to capture the happiness that I feel when I’m with them, and I think Becky did just that!

Who are the members of your family and a quick fact about each one.

Josh – my partner in crime and best friend. He’s the most supportive husband and best dad – I’m seriously so lucky.
Jameson – our 2 and a half year old. The things he says make me laugh so hard that I cry – he’s got his dad’s sense of humor:)

What was the weather like the day of your session? We couldn’t have asked for better weather, especially at the end of February! It was 70 degrees and just the right amount of sun was peeking through the trees during the shoot. It was truly magical and exactly what I had pictured.

What was the best part of your session or why you enjoyed the session? The best part of any photography session is that you get to take some much-needed time out of your busy life to spend with your loved ones. And with Becky, she makes the sessions so fun and light that you feel comfortable just being yourself and having a good time. It’s also always fun to get dressed up, and to see your vision come to fruition when you get the photos back!

Tell me about the outfits you wore to the shoot. For the romantic side of the shoot, I decided to wear a long off-the-shoulder maternity dress and a flower headband. I wanted the feeling to be dreamy and ethereal, to capture how I feel about having a daughter. I also wore a long turquoise dress for my son’s maternity shoot, so I think the two dresses mirrored each other nicely. I got this dress on Etsy!

For the fun and energetic part of the shoot, I decided to keep things simple and light with a white long-sleeved lace shirt and dark jeans, and my husband and son wore complementary outfits that were springy and crisp. I think they all worked out well, and we didn’t have to buy anything new, which is always nice:)

What props did you bring to the session and why? I brought a pair of newborn pink sneakers that I bought for our daughter. When we did the maternity shoot for Jameson, we brought a little pair of his newborn shoes and took this great picture of my feet and Josh’s feet with Jameson’s shoes next to us. I love this picture and I wanted to recreate it for baby girl – so Josh, Jameson and I lined up next to the pink sneakers for a picture. It came out so cute – exactly what I had pictured! I love how closely it mirrors the pictures from Jameson’s maternity shoot, and shows how our family is growing and changing.

What are some words of wisdom you have for other families preparing for a session? Plan what you’re going to wear (clothes, shoes, hair/makeup) for the whole family well in advance! You don’t want to be scrambling a few days before the shoot and then end up not liking your outfit choices or the way you did your hair. Also bring extra clothes and shoes in case the ones you’re wearing get dirty (especially for the little ones, and especially if your shoot is outside!). And if you can, bring a helper with you. My mom has been with us to the last few shoots and having her there to help with changes, watching my son, etc. has been such a huge help!

What are your favorite family weekend activities? We love being outside, so anytime the weather is nice, we go to the playground or park, walk around Lake Lynn or just walk around our neighborhood or play in our backyard with our son and dog. That’s why spring and fall are my favorite seasons – we love being able to enjoy the outdoors as much as possible on the weekends.

Were you worried about any parts of the session beforehand? I always worry about the weather, since it’s the one thing I can’t control. I know how important lighting is to a successful photo shoot, and rain is never your friend when you’re outside, so I worry about everything going as planned and about Becky being able to make it work even if the weather isn’t perfect. We’ve been pretty lucky for all our shoots with Becky, though. Except Jameson’s two-year portraits in July were a little on the hot side:)

Styled by Little Apple Styles

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As Seen in People Magazine + The Bump. Maternity and Newborn Photographer in Raleigh, NC

So this room has been a project for months..I feel like I have been working on it and working on it and working on it…but, it has also been fun to have a project. I never really redecorate anything, and Harrison’s nursery looked exactly like it did when it was Owen’s. The boys sure have enjoyed it! I have a big brother so we grew up alternating watching Anne of Green Gables or Star Wars. So naturally, after seeing every movie a million times, I’m totally a Star Wars fan. (I was just really nosy and read The Princess Diarist, too) It took me a loooonnnnng time to finish this room, and I’m sure I’ll still change things around a little, but I’m glad it’s finally done!

 

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We decided to get two twin beds in Harrison’s room so that when we have cousins staying, etc, we have more room in the house. Owen’s room still looks the same, although I’m sure he’d love an update, and every once in a while he sleeps in there, but he mostly loves that he can be in the same room as his brother.Their beds can be found here from American Furniture Warehouse in Greensboro. I love that there are drawers. Any extra storage helps!

Their quilts, sheets, shams + droid pillows are from Pottery Barn Kids.  (Thank you Mimi!) Chewbacca is from Build a Bear. (Harrison loooooves that place) He smells like Chocolate and of course, has all kinds of Chewy sounds. Owen did not want a new bear but requested that we get his all time favorite Duffy bear a darth vader outfit from Build a Bear. I love that little lightsaber – it totally lights up.

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raleigh child photography NC 343_3862P I N this to pinterestI think Michael was the most excited about bringing this  home. I saw the stormtrooper at Target before Christmas and of course wanted to buy one every time I was in there, but I just couldn’t spend the 100.00. We ended up with scoring it on clearance after Christmas for 25.00. Woo-hoo. Harrison loves that he makes the noise, “pew, pew” and Owen is exactly the same height as the storm trooper.

The letters on the wall are from Hobby Lobby. And the cashier wanted to wrap each letter individually, and I got all kinds of stares like, what is she doing with all those letters + we got places to go. It was not easy to find every letter, and my sister-in-law may have been awesome and picked up a Y at the Hobby Lobby in Greensboro for me. We are both Hobby Lobby addicts, so of course, she spent like 60.00 while she was there. And here’s the thing about Hobby Lobby. Almost the entire store, is always on sale. If what you want isn’t on sale, it will be next week, OR, download the app so you always have a 40% off coupon. Dangerous, I know.

Curtains are from when Pottery Barn kids was leaving Triangle Town Center…about seven years ago. They just happened to fit the nursery perfectly!

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Some Jedi books the boys are reading…

Star Wars

Darth Vader and Son

Star Wars a New Hope

Star Wars: Jedi Academy

Return of the Jedi

And on our wish list..
Star Wars ABC-3PO: Alphabet Book (I know Harrison would love this one)

 

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Ok, then there’s the millenium falcon alarm clock. I think I was a little bit more excited about this than the boys. I was so so excited that I think they think the clock is magical or something. It is so fun for them to wake up to the theme song and all kinds of other space noises.

Pajamas from Hanna Andersson.

The hyper drive  and Star Wars marquee light are also from Pottery barn kids. This was like a must for the star wars room. I was pleasantly surprised to figure out I had a credit card with rewards I hadn’t cashed in for over a year, so I was able to get pottery barn gifts cards for these – year made.

Below that are the Cameron two shelf bookcase +metal bins, and mercer rug. I was super excited to get these over President’s Day Weekend, because all of this was crazy on sale. Like, if you are going to shop at Pottery Barn Kids, that weekend is the stuff. I knew we needed a low bookshelf for the signs overhead and that one was perfect. The bins include labels, too, which Owen loves organizing and came up with categories right away.

The Parker Chair is from West Elm. I went in there trying to figure out how to spend a gift card and that chair matched the Star Wars theme perfectly!

Let’s talk about the remote control R2D2. I was just as crazy about this toy as the boys. I mean, it projects Leia. Whaaaaaaa? They did not have toys this cool when I was a kid. We were able to score it for 20% off, too.raleigh child photography NC 343_3858P I N this to pinterest

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Owen has been into legos since he was 2 years old. Duplo was his BFF and at 3 1/2 he moved up to the big legos. He has loooooved putting them together, and they have been a great challenge for him. I think he got the Millennium Falcon for Christmas one year, so that was sitting around the house already waiting for their new room, and Darth Vader was in his Easter basket one year.

I love having plants in their room..especially snake plants to help clean the air. (Totally still waiting on a darth vader pot to come in the mail for my snake plant:)So, when I found this death star air plant...LOVE.

There is a big, let’s make a fairy garden terrarium craze for girls, right, and then one day on Pinterest, because what else do you do with all your free time but look up star wars ideas on pinterest, I found the Star Wars Terrariums. Amazzzzing! We went to Homewood Nursery and the boys got to sit at a table and we got one on one help with ours, which was just awesome. I feel like I would have been so in the dark trying to follow the instructions. Homewood is one of my favorite places, and a great spot to make a fairy garden or a Star Wars terrarium. They also have classes on Saturdays.

Our light up Death Star canvas is from Hobby Lobby. If you haven’t been there, make sure you block off an entire day. Ok, maybe a couple of hours. Bring snacks because you will just get lost in there, and you’ll need substanance. It is similar to one from Pottery Barn Kids. It’s not super bright so fun for them to have on at night when they go to sleep.

 

We ended up leaving the wall bookshelf by Harrison’s bed. He loves being able to reach the books and I try to rotate and put the seasonal books there, but he always ends up adding his favories.raleigh child photography NC 343_3860P I N this to pinterest

As Seen in People Magazine + On The Bump. Raleigh Commercial and Styled Family Photographer.Rebecca Keller is a family photographer featured in People Magazine who spends her time sipping iced coffee, chasing after her two little ones, reading, running, and editing. Because we chat a lot about our personal lives on the blog, we may receive commissions on affiliate links in articles. Contact Rebecca Keller Photography for more information about Spring Mommy and Me Mini Sessions Raleigh and Raleigh family photography.

 

Baby Lamb Minis

Raleigh Spring Lamb Mini Sessions

    Day two and three of Baby Lamb Minis just went so well! We managed to squeeze everything in before the “snow storm” which ended up being a non event, right? So many sweet little ones came to cuddle and love on baby Benjamin the lamb. Ericka definitely got a workout these two days because Benjamin learned how to run. We were laughing so hard we were crying. It was kind of hysterical. Sometimes we have too much fun at the minis. So much laughter, so many giggles, and so many memories made this past weekend. A huge thank you to everyone who came!

We do have a few more minis coming up – contact us for more info. Our Mommy + Me Minis are sold out, but we having a waiting list in case we can open up more days. We have one spot left for our Coastal minis and two spots left for our family minis.

A huge thanks to Winterpast Farm and Suzanna’s Antiques

Styled by Little Apple Styles

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As Seen in People Magazine + The Bump. Raleigh Maternity + Newborn Photographer

The Swings

Fall Raleigh Sunset Baby Photography

I really try to stay on top of blogging but when the fall gets busy and crazy, and we have minis galore (so many fun minis in the fall!) blogging kind of gets pushed to the back so that editing and orders can be done! I just had to share this session, though. I couldn’t wait any longer. The cuteness is overwhelming, and this little one just loovvvvved the swings. Oh my, I love it. And the light here, is just overwhelming. You know I am a sucker for good light. I will follow it anywhere. And sometimes people look at me (even Ericka, the RKP stylist who owns her own business, Little Apple Styles) and second guesses my location choices. Like, Becky, there is no way this is going to look good. And I have to promise her and show her back of camera sneeks, and now she has drank the good light kool-aid. It is all about the light..So when you want to book a session with me and you second guess my time choices, just know it is in your own best interest. I want you to have the dreamiest pictures possible, and I just love that light…BFF.  If I could have best friend necklaces with good light, I would. ha! And that doesn’t mean I’m sad on cloudy days. Cloudy just opens up so many more possibilities for me…spots that wouldn’t have existed on a sunny day. Ok, so now that you have read enough about my love affair with good light, on to the photos + the amazing light I speak of.

Oh, and one more thing, and I promise I’ll stop chatting…(what my boys would say here) This little one wasn’t feeling quite well our first try, so we ended up meeting again. So these were taken over two different days.

A few portraits from day one before she just wasn’t feeling well and we all decided to call it a day..

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And day two…

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As Seen in People Magazine + The Bump | Fall Raleigh Sunset Baby Photographer

 

Raleigh One Year Baby Photographer

Spring in February

It’s hard to believe the trees have been blooming so early this year….and this session, well, it was definitely an adventure! It was windy, especially for February. We ended up getting kicked out of one park (a park that previously didn’t have gates and a closing time all of a sudden did!) so we headed to another, found a spring tree and a bench, and everything ended up being so much fun. I first met this family at Sophie’s newborn portraits + have loved photographing them ever since. I can’t believe their little man is already one, (see his newborn portraits here) and such a cutie!

According to Mom..

What kind of feel were you thinking of for your session? Natural. We wanted to take advantage of the early spring and the fresh air. We always like a bit of rustic/vintage feel.

Who are the members of your family and a quick fact about each one?

Mommy – Tracy – I’m an equine veterinarian and an exhausted working mom. I wouldn’t have it any other way:)
Daddy – John – Said he would never have kids and now is a devoted father whose kids have him wrapped around their little finger.
Sophie – Is hilarious. She loves to make people laugh and does so every day.
Jake – Always has a smile. His favorites are balls, climbing anything he can and eating EVERYTHING in site!

What was your favorite part of our session? Watching the kids laugh and giggle is always one my favorite part. Who doesn’t love seeing their kids smile?!? This was our 4th family session with Rebecca not including all the mini sessions we’ve done. I found her by luck shortly before my oldest daughter was born to do our newborn pictures. I feel like she’s been there for all our big family milestones and therefore a part of the family. We always feel relaxed and comfortable with her and nothing is forced. The pictures reflect everyone’s personality and our family dynamic perfectly. They are always amazing but also make me remember the fun we had taking them.

What’s your favorite family activity? Playing outside – doesn’t really matter where.

What was the weather like the day of your session? Eeeeek! That day was sunny and absolutely beautiful right up until 1 hour before our session when it got cloudy and super windy!!!

Tell me about the outfits you wore to the session. This session was to mark Jake’s first birthday so I first picked his shirt. The rest of the clothes were selected to compliment that.

What props did you bring and why? I brought a toy truck that belonged to my late uncle. Its a fun family heirloom
I also brought a balloon for Jake to hold but his older sister wouldn’t let him hold it…

What are some words of wisdom you have for other families preparing for family portraits? Wear clothes your comfortable in! Enjoy yourself and have fun. Don’t stress if the kids aren’t cooperating. Be flexible. Rebecca is amazing at capturing the happy moments.

Were you worried about any parts of the session beforehand? I was definitely worried a bit about the windy weather and my hair, lol. We also found out 30 min before our session that the park we were going to closed at 5 which was the middle of our session. In the end none of it mattered. We just rolled with it and we got some beautiful photographs and some good memories.

 

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As Seen in People Magazine + The Bump | Raleigh Newborn and Family Photographer