New to the World: 2nd portfolio building newborn session baby Gabriel

Hello folks. I'm back. I can't believe it but tonight is the last night on my midnight shift. I'm actually switching next week to regular business hours at work and thus the concept of ....SLEEPING AT NIGHT. Whoa...shocking. I'm super excited and super nervous because I have a big wedding in less than two days. So I took some time to finish up the session for baby Gabriel's newborn session.

Who: John Victor Gabriel
Proud parents: John and Whitni
Birth Stats: 6.13 oz and 18 inches long on a blistery Hawaiian Thursday (maybe not blistery) in April
Lifetime Achievements: MORE hair than most grown men
Session Age: (7 days old)

I recruited friend, Abby, to take me to photograph Gabriel's newborn session on-location at his home on Kaneohe Marine Corps Base. We were greeted by sweet smiling, but slightly tired mommy "Whitni." It seems that little Gabriel loves eating and did so for hours and hours the night before. She said he just fell asleep an hour or so earlier. She fed him a little more and than brought him down. I hadn't had a chance to see him (only through cell phone pictures) because of my persistent cold, but he was even cuter than the pictures. Thick silky dark hair and his mom's nose. He seemed to be awake but didn't want to open his eyes, instead he just yawned and smiled as if he was telling himself non-stop knock-knock jokes.

We were joined by our other friend (man this house is social and busy for 8 in the morning), Stacy, who lived nearby and just walked over. She's majoring in photography so she brought her film SLR. We only managed to get through half the poses because when we started to reposition him, little Gabriel decided he was ready for meal number 7 of the day. He started knawing on the blanket and chewing away with his little adorable gums. "Um...Whitni...I think he might be hungry again."

Behind the scenes: Now this is the second newborn session I've tried to practice with. And they are tough!!! I so need more practice. Hmmm, who else is giving birth soon that would trust their 8 day old baby with me. Kacie is the next on but her baby girl isn't coming until the end of summer. There is a variety of poses that are like this one

http://www.flickr.com/photos/kelleyryden/3488001710/

So unreal. Newborn photographers do it all the time. Apparently you have to have a newborn under the age of 10 days because they sleep really deeply and can fall asleep in these poses. I read to use a beanbag and I bought one (hard to find)...but the first newborn kept sinking. I found a tip to use a rubber band to make the beanbag more firm. All set to try it again. Except, Gabriel was hungry so as soon as I tried to flip on his stomach, he started chewing the blanket. Session over. I don't know if I'll ever be able to master this area of photography. Kelley Ryden is amazing though.

Here's my faves from the day. I hope they captured how sweet and easy-going he is. He already shows such a sunny disposition and smiles away the day. (BTW, check out the new logo)












*(the second is one of my favorites. Look at him chomping on his fingers!!!)

(this one was all John and Whitni's idea...pretty creative on such little sleep)