Sometimes the session you originally plan is not the session you end up having, and the Donovan family is a perfect example of why that is not always a bad thing.
When the Donovan family first reached out to me, they were hoping to schedule a lifestyle newborn photography session. Their little guy, Hunter, was still brand new, somewhere around a week old when I photographed him. Unfortunately, with our schedules and Dad’s work schedule, we just could not find a time for me to come out for their newborn session while everyone was available.
As luck would have it, I still had a few openings for my sunflower mini sessions at Centerfield Sunflowers in Tontitown, Arkansas.
So I threw out another idea.
Why not bring their brand-new baby out to the sunflower field and turn their mini session into a tiny outdoor newborn family session?
And goodness, I am so glad we did.
A Brand-New Baby in the Sunflowers
Hunter slept through almost the entire session, which honestly could not have worked out any better.
There is something ridiculously sweet about a teeny newborn completely snoozing away while surrounded by huge sunflowers. At one point, we placed him next to one of the blooms, and he started waking up just enough to give us the sweetest little moment beside it.
When babies are this new, I always want to make sure we photograph more than just everyone looking at the camera.
Those tiny details change SO quickly.
His little fingers.
Those newborn toes.
The way his entire hand still fits inside his parents’ hands.
The way Mom and Dad naturally hold him close without even thinking about it.
Those are the photographs that eventually become the ones that stop you in your tracks.
For the Donovan family, I photographed Mom kissing Hunter’s tiny hand, their hands gently cupping his feet, close-up images of those little newborn toes, and plenty of photographs of both parents simply loving on their baby.
Because sometimes the photographs that mean the most are not the perfectly posed ones.
They are the ones that remind you exactly how small your baby once was.
Dad Was Already a Newborn-Handling Pro
Dad also had me laughing throughout their session.
One thing I notice pretty often when photographing first-time parents is how carefully dads sometimes handle their newborns in those first few weeks. There is usually a lot of very cautious repositioning and a little bit of that, “Am I holding him correctly?” energy.
Not this dad.
He was handling Hunter like he had been doing it forever. 😂
There was no nervousness. No hesitation. He was completely comfortable moving him, holding him, adjusting him, and loving on him.
It made their session feel incredibly natural because instead of worrying about where everyone’s hands needed to go every second, I could focus on what was already happening between them.
And those genuine interactions are exactly what I want during family photographs.
And Can We Talk About Mom?
Also, Mom had literally JUST had a baby and showed up to a sunflower field looking absolutely amazing.
Meanwhile, most of us are impressed if we remember where we left our phone eight days after giving birth.
She looked beautiful, and I loved being able to photograph her during such a new season of motherhood.
I think moms especially tend to hesitate about photographs immediately after having a baby. Your body feels different, you are exhausted, your entire routine has changed, and getting dressed for pictures might be somewhere around number 847 on your priority list.
But this stage deserves to exist in photographs too.
You do not have to wait until you feel completely put together.
You do not have to wait until the baby is sleeping through the night.
You do not have to wait until you feel like yourself again.
Because while you are waiting, your baby is changing.
And changing FAST.
Eight Images From One Little Sunflower Mini Session
This was a mini session, but the Donovan family still walked away with eight beautiful images documenting this chapter.
We were able to photograph the three of them together, Mom and Hunter, Dad and Hunter, the newborn details, snuggles, kisses, and those little in-between moments that make a gallery feel like your family instead of a collection of stiff poses.
That is one of my favorite things about mini sessions.
They may be short, but short does not mean meaningless.
Especially with little ones, we really do not need an hour of constant smiling at the camera to create something beautiful.
Sometimes we just need a few minutes.
A beautiful location.
A sleepy newborn.
And parents who are completely obsessed with their new little person.
Photograph the Season You Are Actually In
Your family photographs do not always have to happen according to some perfect plan.
Maybe the lifestyle newborn session does not work with Dad’s schedule.
Maybe your baby is already a few weeks older than you originally planned.
Maybe you missed the traditional newborn photography window.
Maybe you suddenly realized your baby is growing way faster than you expected.
Photograph them anyway.
One day, the tiny feet you can cup in your hands will be running through your house.
Those sleepy newborn stretches disappear.
Their fingers get bigger.
Their faces change.
And somehow, you blink and the baby you were just holding against your chest is sitting up, crawling, walking, and developing an entire personality of their own.
Photographs give you something tangible from a season that otherwise keeps moving.
I am so thankful the Donovan family trusted me when their original newborn session did not work out and decided to meet me in the sunflowers instead. Their session turned into something completely different than what we initially discussed, but I think that is part of what made it so special.
And hopefully, this was only the first time I get to photograph little Hunter as he grows.
Looking for a Family or Newborn Photographer in Northwest Arkansas?
If you have been waiting for the “perfect” time to schedule family photographs, newborn portraits, or updated photographs of your children, this is your reminder that the season you are in right now is already worth documenting.
I photograph families, maternity, newborns, babies, and children throughout Northwest Arkansas, including Tontitown, Cave Springs, Rogers, Bentonville, Springdale, Fayetteville, and the surrounding areas.
Whether we are planning a full newborn experience, a relaxed family session, or squeezing a whole lot of sweetness into a 15-minute mini session, my goal is always the same: photographs that actually feel like your family and preserve the little details you never want to forget.
Ready to get your family in front of my camera?
Reach out and let’s get something on the calendar before those tiny hands and feet are not quite so tiny anymore.
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