Suburban and Chicago Infant and Baby Photographer

Creating Imagery As A Suburban and Chicago Infant and Baby Photographer

As a suburban and Chicago infant and baby photographer Marmalade Photography specializes in relationship-focused imagery. We heavily focus on images that include baby AND those surrounding baby. Many photographers do a beautiful job posing newborns, and while it’s something Marmalade Photography does, we have committed ourselves to storytelling – honoring the connection to those in baby’s life. The images on our site do double duty – cute baby images – but also connection and love, our main focus.

When a newborn baby comes into a home everything changes. It is worth remembering the beautiful, emotional connections, in between 2 and 4 a.m. feedings and the hustle and bustle of pediatrician appointments stacked atop one another. Too often photos of baby happen but photos of connections sometimes not-so-much. Or at least not in a way that makes everyone in the photo feel their best (those sleep deprived amongst us understand!)

Since day one Marmalade Photography has committed to focus on mom-child/mom-baby relationships as mom is often the one behind the camera (we know from personal life experience) – this while almost everyone agrees that mom is often the most important person in a baby’s life. Our focus on mom-baby photography comes naturally – it is the expression of all that is valuable to a young life.

A personal anecdote – and likely why mom-baby photography matters so much to me – I nearly died soon after giving birth to my second daughter…and it’s lucky that I’ve been here to watch her and my oldest grow into the dynamic young adults that they are. Images of mothers-to-be and moms mean so much to me because YOU matter as a mother (literally the word comes from the word for matter) and it is an honor to create them for you.

My approach as a suburban and Chicago infant and baby photographer is based in belief that relationship-style imagery stands the test of time. Babies as humans in human relationships matter. They’re adorably cute when a skilled photographer takes time to pose them – absolutely, and we’ll do a fair amount of that – but soulful and fun expressions surrounded by love? To me, that’s family life.

Location Based Suburban and Chicago Infant and Baby Photographer

Those early days of parenthood, be it your first or last baby are dizzying! Our clients appreciate us, as a suburban and Chicago infant and baby photographer, to come to their home for these carefully relationshipcentric images.

The pros of having imagery created in your space? You get to showcase parts of your home that have meaning. Your personal spaces…baby’s nursery…special corners of the family room where you read books to your Littles – where you spend your time is where we will craft your images.

A session at home can put these spaces front and center, as a location based suburban and Chicago infant and baby photographer I am careful to include various details of your spaces into your family’s images as a placeholder for time, place and space!

Soon enough a nursery becomes a toddlers room then a preschoolers room and then before you know it – a teens room. But with so much time and energy dedicated to decor of this space as well as the fast paced (but all-too-slow) nature of baby’s earliest days with so much time centered in this area of your home – it only makes logical sense we make a lot of use of your quiet spaces during your photo session at home.

I like to call some of what I create “posed reality” – we also like to call it lifestyle photography. I take a decidedly relationship oriented stance on this work which, you can likely see, very much differs from a lot of the photographers in the area.

My guidance on session length is what your family’s tolerance (and exhaustion level) is that day. Sometimes we get through beautiful images in 45 minutes (because baby is spending so much time cuddled up next to warm bodies!) and sometimes it takes a few hours. It all works to create unique imagery highlighting not just your baby but your relationships with one another and the spaces that you are most comfortable in.

I hope that my approach resonates because my main goal is to honor the humanity and the art in these early days of a baby’s life. As a location based suburban and Chicago infant and baby photographer my goal – ultimately – is to create images you will cherish long after baby is grown – so one day when they are not feeling their best during their adolescence they can look back at their images with knowledge: I WAS LOVED. I BELONGED. THESE PEOPLE KNOW ME. It’s something I discuss in my article How Photography Fosters a Sense of Belonging.