Baby B | At Home Newborn Session | St. John's | Portland Oregon

It’s not very common for me to have a baby that sleeps super soundly through his whole session! Typically babies fuss a little, get hungry, need a diaper change, etc. But this little guy was the sleepiest baby I think I’ve ever had in the last 6 years! He even slept through diaper and clothes changes! I like to get at least a few pictures of newborns while they are awake too, so even using cold baby wipes only worked for a few minutes and then he was back out again. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not complaining, this is every newborn baby photographer’s dream client! Just not something I’m used to :)

It was also great to be able to capture extended family members as well. It’s such a special time and generational images are truly a blessing this day in age with people more spread out across the country.

This whole family was the absolute sweetest (I see where baby boy gets it) and such an honor to photograph. Enjoy some of my favorite images from our session together!

Based in Portland Oregon, Danielle of Four Jays Photography is an in hospital/birth place fresh 48 and in home newborn photographer serving the greater Portland area including Beaverton, Hillsboro, Tigard, Lake Oswego, Happy Valley, Oregon City, and other local cities.

Top Newborn Baby Photographer 2021 Recap | Portland Oregon

2021 was another different year on so many levels as covid continued to impact the world around us. But thankfully, as a newborn photographer my work focuses on all the joy, love, and connection as families welcomed their newest and sweetest family members. This made it easier for me to keep a positive view and spread happiness as I captured the best memories for families over the last year.

Below is a quick overview of what 2021 looked like for my clients <3 All of these images were captured in their homes in Portland, Beaverton, Hillsboro, Tigard, Tualatin, Lake Oswego, West Linn, Milwaukie, and Oregon City!

I was also super excited to be ranked as one of Portland’s best Newborn Baby Photographers!

Baby B | In Home Newborn Session | SW Portland Oregon

Capturing the arrival of a new family member is so incredibly special. Each family is different, and each baby is different, but the love that surrounds them is always familiar. I’ve had the pleasure of knowing this family before they were a family, and I’ve watched them grow both in numbers and in heart. They are a family that is always fun to be around and who can be counted on if you ever need anything. Seeing them complete their family with the arrival of their son was truly a blessing.

Baby B was welcomed home not only by his loving parents, but also by 2 adoring big sisters. While I’m sure they’ll have normal sibling scuffles later, no one could get enough of baby B and I can totally see why. Right from the start he was happy and content, and rocked his newborn session. He adores mom snuggles and no doubt has dad’s talent for music. I’m so excited that I’ll get to be a part of this little guys life and watch him as he passes every wonderful milestone <3

L Family Outdoor Maternity Session | Portland Oregon

Now that it seems like the rain will never end, it’s time to go back in time and blog about a beautiful maternity session late last summer. Now, I may be a little bit biased, since this is my gorgeous sister in law, but I absolutely adore their session images!! Having met in Denver in college, the outdoors is a big part of both of their lives. They are both extremely active from snowboarding, to running, and everything in between. When we first started talking about their vision, I listed off some of the more popular outdoor spots around Portland, but they already knew that they wanted maternity session in a forest setting.

Their session was full of laughs, love, and warmth from the setting sun. Here are just a few of my favorites I’ve been so excited to share!

Baby E | Lake Oswego Newborn Photography Session

I can’t tell you how excited I was when I was contacted about Baby E’s upcoming arrival!! I photographed his now big brother, as a newborn, almost exactly 2 years earlier. This family is just so sweet, and I couldn’t be happier to document these very special moments for them a second time! I remember big brother was an alert baby, but this little one may be the most alert newborn I have ever photographed! Most of his “sleepy” images are mostly blinks :)

It’s always a little bittersweet for me when I deliver their final artwork, but luckily I’ll be seeing them again for a one year family session!

Based in Portland Oregon, Danielle of Four Jays Photography is an in home newborn photographer serving the greater Portland area including Beaverton, Hillsboro, Tigard, Lake Oswego, Happy Valley, Oregon City, and other local cities. 

Baby G | In Home Newborn Session | Oregon City

This family was another wonderful referral from a May newborn session client!! I knew right from the start we would be fast friends as we spent over an hour on the phone creating a vision for her daughter’s newborn session and lots of other little “mom” topics that came up! When I arrived for the session, their 3 year old son automatically became my assistant and was a helpful hand the entire time!! I wish I had a behind the scenes image of him getting his stool out of the bathroom and setting up right next to me!

Here are just a few of my favorite images we captured together!

And a couple cell phone images of the gallery wall we designed (can’t wait to see the delivered prints framed and all the wall!!) and brother playing with his new picture puzzle!

Based in Portland Oregon, Danielle of Four Jays Photography is an in home newborn photographer serving the greater Portland area including Beaverton, Hillsboro, Tigard, Lake Oswego, Happy Valley, Oregon City, and other local towns. 

Baby E | Newborn Session | Oregon City, Oregon

I always love it when I connect with a wonderful new family through past client referrals.  It seems like I say that all the time, but it's so true!!  And this darling family was no exception!  I feel so fortunate to have been able to document the arrival of their second son in their home late last month.  These brothers are just shy of 3 years apart and beyond sweet and adorable!  With a beautiful mix of lifestyle and posed newborn images, I know this family will cherish these memories for generations.

And last but not least, cutie big brother posing with the beautiful wooden wall art I delivered today <3

Baby R | Newborn Session | Hillsboro Oregon

It was such a pleasure documenting the arrival of this little guy.  At 6 days new he was absolutely perfect and slept like a dream the entire session!!  Everyone was so excited for his birth, especially big brother!  At 11 years old, baby R fit all curled up in his hands <3 There is no doubt he'll be a great role model and they'll always share a very special bond.

The benefits of an in home newborn session

As I talk with new clients frequently about the extra services I provide as an in home newborn photographer, I thought it would be helpful to share some thoughts here as well for others who are looking into what would work best for their family when welcoming a new baby (or 2, or more!).  Of course, this is not to say there are not benefits for a studio session, it's very much a personal choice for every family, and the most important thing is that you have decided to capture these fleeting newborn moments.

1) Convenience!
Right after the birth of a baby, it can be a lot of work and honestly just overwhelming trying to get everyone ready and out the door...never mind packing up all that baby gear!  Instead, with an in home session you can wake up, get yourself ready at your own pace while I work on capturing the baby alone or with siblings.  Speaking of siblings, it's nice to have them in their own environment too, playing with their own toys, watching a movie, enjoying their favorite snack, all the while I'm photographing around their schedule and comfort level.

2) Variety of Images
I literally fill my van to the brim to become a traveling studio!  It adds hours to prep, pack, and unpack but it's worth it!  Depending on each clients vision I spend the appropriate amount of time doing in home posed studio work.  When baby gets hungry or needs changed, we break from the posed shots and I work on capturing the in between lifestyle moments.   These are the moments that can be lost in the blur of a bringing a new baby home, but are full of beautiful and natural connection - mom nursing/feeding baby, dad changing diapers, snuggles on the couch, rocking baby, a sibling/furbaby observing this new tiny person in their home, the list goes on and on.  What makes these memories even sweeter is that they are set against the background of your home, where baby was brought first after birth.  

3) Wardrobe options and accidents
Being in your own home allows you the option to change clothes as you wish.  Perhaps you'd like something super casual but also a images that are more formal.  Or maybe you have a special outfit that you'd like all the children to wear for Grandma.  Enter clothes change :)  It's also nice to have the option just in case the baby spits up, big brother spills juice, or a nude pose gets messy.  We have the time and ability to accommodate all of these circumstances during an in home newborn session.

4) Complimentary Wall Gallery Design
By the time I arrive for your newborn session, we've had the opportunity to discuss what you'd like to do with your images.  These memories are such a gift to have and it's sad to think they could be hidden away on a computer hard drive never to be seen again (or pop up every couple of years as a "on this day" reminder).  There are many ways to display and enjoy your portraits.  Some families prefer an album to snuggle up with their children and look through, being able to relive the whole story within it's pages.  While not necessarily a benefit to an in home session, I do provide album design as a complimentary service as well :) Other families enjoy their images as wall art to view each day as they move around their home.  Both are wonderful options!!  If you are interested in wall art, during your session we can discuss different areas of interest, I'll take some pictures of the potential walls, and then create custom wall gallery options with your images.  This way you'll know the exact sizes and image combinations that work best for your home and style.
 

Please contact danielle@fourjaysphotography.com for more information on in home newborn sessions in Portland Oregon and surrounding areas!