Laura Babywearing | Mikaela Joy: El Paso Portrait Photographer

It's been a long, stressful couple months.  Since I last posted we packed up all our stuff, sold our house, and moved to El Paso Texas.  As you can imagine,  that was a lot to happen in a very short period of time and I got a bit behind on blogging. 

So it's time to catch up!  Over the next span of weeks, I will be sharing lots of older sessions, mixed in with the newer ones.  This one is from 2016, but its one that I'm still very excited about!  We had so much fun!

At the start of this session I had a very specific vision.  I had recently received a woven wrap (Pavo etini magnolia, in case anyone is interested) that I thought would go perfectly with my newest tulle skirt creation.  I had the image shown above in my head and sought out to create it.  But with such a beautiful family in my studio, I obviously couldn't stop there.  We had a lot of fun with some family shots and individual portraits as well.

Aren't these girls just wonderful?!

If you are interested in your own babywearing or family session, please contact me to set up your complimentary consultation today.

Julie Babywearing Session | Mikaela Joy: Savannah Portrait Photographer

You all know I love babywearing sessions.  There is nothing more beautiful than a bond between mom and baby and there's something really special about the way that babywearing helps strengthen that bond. So of course I was excited to work with these two for a studio babywearing session. 

This little guy, on the other hand, wasn't all that excited.  Luckily he had his mom close for lots of cuddling and tickling to keep his mood in check.  Aren't they cute?!

If you'd like to book your own portrait session please contact me to set up your complimentary consultation.

A Day in the Life of Riley: November 2016 | Mikaela Joy: Savannah Portrait Photographer

I may be a portrait photographer, but I have a serious love of lifestyle photography as well.  One of my favorite projects are "day in the life" photo stories.  Well little man just turned two and I was feeling a bit nostalgic so the only logical thing to do was to break out my camera. 
o without further ado, here it is- a day in the life of Riley.

Alexis Glamour | Mikaela Joy: Savannah Portrait Photographer

I've got a fun one to share!  This was a really awesome session for me because it was a chance to let loose and be creative.  I love doing client work, but every once in a while I just need to shoot something that's 100% for me.  This was it. 

worked with Alexis a while back (see Alexis at the Beach) and I knew I needed to have her in my studio.  I told her that I was going to wrap her in tulle and do a glamour session, no extra details.  She was a total champ and went right for it!  I think she may have doubted me for just a second as I was wrapping a bolt of tulle around her like a mummy- "Have you done this before," she asked.  I hadn't, but I think the results speak for themselves!

Another awesome thing about this shoot is that for the tulle photos, everything was created by me.  I hand painted the backdrop (see DIY Painted Canvas Backdrop), made the floral crown, and made the dress on the spot in the studio. 

We had so much fun with this session, and I think we made some truly gorgeous photos.  See them for yourself!

If you'd like to book your own glamour session, please contact me to schedule your complimentary consultation today!

Happy Thanksgiving and Happy Birthday Riley!

Happy thanksgiving everyone!

We are in double duty here baking both pies and birthday cakes, because as we celebrate thanksgiving, we will be celebrating little man turning two as well! 

That's a little hard to wrap my mind around- two.  It seems like he was just a tiny little thing that couldn't do anything but eat and poop.  Now he's a full blown toddler with the attitude to go with it.

Since his birthday fell on Thanksgiving this year, it seemed only fitting to do his 2 year photos as a pumpkin pie smash.  In doing this, I learned that my kiddo absolutely does NOT like pumpkin pie.  Which doesn't seem right, considering it's both my and Robert's favorite part of thanksgiving.  Oh well.

We are off to celebrate so I better wrap this up with this message-  Happy thanksgiving! I hope you all have a wonderful day of food, family, and friends.  That's what we'll be doing!

Riley 18 Months | Mikaela Joy: Savannah Portrait Photographer

My little man is 18 months old (well, he was a month ago.  I'm a little slow to share).  I can't believe how fast it's all gone by.

As of right now, Riley is obsessed with wearing other people's shoes, so this photo session seemed like the perfect way to remember this stage in his life.  He's got some big boots to fill!

Alexis at the Beach | Mikaela Joy: Savannah Portrait Photographer

Ahh summer. There is something so comforting about the salty air and feeling of sand between my toes.  Nothing says summer quite like an early morning walk along the beach.  But I can one up that- what about a photo shoot with this beauty?

 Alexis and I were up bright and early to catch the Tybee Island sunrise for this shoot.  She's an aspiring model who is building her portfolio, and a total natural.  She rocked this shoot!  But don't take my word for it: See for yourself!

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If you are interested in your own portrait session, please contact me to schedule your complimentary consultation.

Ruiz Family Maternity | Mikaela Joy: Savannah Portrait Photographer

I really love maternity sessions.  It is so amazing what a woman's body can accomplish in just 9 short months.  The changes a woman goes through, both physically and mentally are astounding.  There isn't much more beautiful than the curve of a pregnant belly, the strength in a new-mom-to-be's gaze as she thinks about her future child.

Like I said, I really love shooting maternity.

So I was obviously thrilled when the Ruiz family wanted to do a studio maternity session.  We had a good time from the moment we started shooting.  Both of these beautiful women have the type of personality that puts you at ease instantly, like we were already long time friends. Because of this we were able to jump right in and get some really great shots!

These two have the most handsome baby boy now.  I'm so happy for them, and excited to see their little one grow up.  And someday in the future I hope they can look back on these photos and remember this wonderful, fleeting time.  It goes by so quickly.

Congratulations Ruiz family!

Gwen | Mikaela Joy: Savannah Portrait Photographer

When I first met Gwen at a birthday part, I knew I had to get her into my studio.  She is two, and already a perfect model.  She's got bright blue eyes, an adorable smile, and she LOVES being in front of the camera.  As soon as I held up the camera her eyes would light up and she'd strike a pose.  Immediately afterwards she would run over to see the back of my camera.  I don't normally show sneak peeks, but when someone this little and charming asks, I can't say no.  

It turns out Gwen loves being behind the camera, too.  She spent almost as much of the shoot playing with my backup camera as she did modeling.  Time to train up a new assistant?  I think so!

One of the photos from this session actually ended up being the star of a display I put up at Tater Bugs in the Tanger Outlets in Pooler.  Here's a shot of the whole display:

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If you'd like to set up your own portrait session, please contact me to schedule your free consultation.  I can't wait to here from you!

Eryn Glamour | Mikaela Joy: Savannah Portrait Photographer

It's been a while since I've done a glamour shoot.  It's been even longer since I worked with Eryn (remember our pinup shoot?)
Eryn has been working on some lifestyle changes and getting into shape (which she is doing a killer job of) and wanted to commemorate that by doing a session in her newly-fitting prom dress.  Of course I was all over that- a studio session with a pretty dress and a model that can do her own makeup?  Yes please!

Eryn looked gorgeous as usual, and was a blast to work with.  I love how confident this girl is. She's got it and she knows it, and she killed that prom dress!

Reina's Family Photos | Mikaela Joy: Savannah Lifestyle Photographer

This was another one of those sessions that consisted of just about everything I love.  Reina is a friend of mine and I photographed her little guy (who is not little anymore) as a newborn. She is a breastfeeding, babywearing, super-mom with a big family to care for and I was thrilled when she asked for updated photos of her youngest, as well as some family portraits.  

This session was great- I got to use the perfect location (which happens to be their backyard-jealous), a gorgeous high-end baby wrap, and to work with this beautiful, amazing family.  We had a great time, and I'm excited to do it again when they are ready for another update.  It's so much fun watching these kids grow up!

Selan Family Session | Mikaela Joy: Savannah Lifestyle Photographer

One thing that I find to be the most fun about working with children is watching them grow up.  I worked with this little girl last at Halloween when she came into my studio for a mini session.  She was in that perfect "sitter" stage for photography where she couldn't really do much but pose.  Not so much this time!  She is all grown up and running all over the place.

With this family it seemed fitting to make this a fun, laid back session.  We ran around Forsyth Park, picking flowers, watching the fountain, playing at the playground, and chasing the beautiful morning light. We had a blast and got some pictures that I feel really capture each of their unique personalities.  Watch the video to see for yourself!

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If you are interested in your own family portrait session, please contact me to schedule your complimentary consultation today!

Kristin Motherhood Session | Mikaela Joy: Savannah Portrait Photographer

Breastfeeding photo sessions always end up being my favorites, and this one was no exception.  Kristin and her little boy are coming to the end of their breastfeeding journey, and wanted to commemorate the bond they shared with some photos.  It's a bond like none other and deserves to be remembered. 

Breastfeeding is a lot of things.  It's full of drool, and spit up, leaky boobs, and getting kicked in the face.  It can be frustrating, painful, and monotonous, whether it's the hours spent on the pump or when baby wants fed for the third time in an hour. But it's so much more than all of that.  There's something so amazing about being able to provide everything a little person needs from one's own body.  It's about those late nights when the baby falls asleep on your chest and sweetly suckles in his sleep, or those moments when you make eye contact and he smiles up at you.  Breastfeeding is a crazy, frustrating, never-gonna-end/is-it-over-already roller coaster.  And it's damn beautiful, too.

I'm so happy that Kristin trusted me with these memories.  It was so wonderful to meet these two strong, beautiful people and share this time with them, because moments like this shouldn't be forgotten.

Jami Glamour | Mikaela Joy: Savannah Portrait Photographer

When I think of Jami, I think of someone with everyday glamour.  No matter where I see her, it's always with high heels and makeup. When the rest of us show up to a party in yoga pants and messy buns, Jami is still looking her best.  
So setting up a glamour shoot for her was no stretch of the imagination.  She showed up to her session with freshly dyed hair, makeup on point, and a collection of outfits to chose from, all of which were perfect for her session.
With all of that out of the way, our session was a breeze.  We played with different backdrops and outfits, and just had fun. 
She looked amazing, of course. But there was never any doubt in my mind that that would be the case.

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If you are interested in your own portrait session, please contact me to schedule your complimentary consultation today!

Riley in the Studio | Mikaela Joy: Savannah Portrait Photographer

Have you been following my 365 Days of Riley project?

I can't hardly believe we are already 6 months in.  This kid is growing up WAY too fast. 
And I'm happy to report that over 175 images later, I'm still not tired of taking his picture.  He's my favorite model!

Meg Glamour | Mikaela Joy: Savannah Portrait Photographer

It's been a few years, but I finally got Meg in front of my camera again.  When I was just starting out as a photographer I shot a photo of her with the sunlight through her hair (above) and it's still one of my favorite shots.  I've tried to re-create it several times, but nobody does it like Meg does, I guess.

I've been wanting to get Meg into my studio for glamour portraits for a couple of reasons.  For one thing, she is not a girly girl.  I see her in her police uniform all the time, but never in a dress.  In fact, you should have seen her face when I showed her the outfits I had in mind for her.  "You want me to wear a dress?!" And makeup? Forgettaboutit. So it was fun to transform her from a southern girl in her flannel (nevermind that she's not actually from the south), to all dressed up with curls and pearls.

The other reason I've been wanting to photograph Meg is because she just does so well in front of the camera!  She think she's awkward, but there's something model-esque about it.  Maybe it's because she's built like a model: tall and lean.

I had a really great time working with this gorgeous girl!  Check out the video below for a look behind the scenes at how it all went down!

Uploaded by Mikaela Joy Photography on 2016-02-04.

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To book your own portrait session, please contact me today!

Renata Glamour | Mikaela Joy: Savannah Portrait Photographer

Look who's in front of my camera again, it's Renata!  This girl should be a model because she photographs like a dream.  Seriously, she's gorgeous.

This shoot was an absolute blast. She let me dress her up, and was totally open to all my crazy ideas ("Oh, you want me to spin in circles in a makeshift dress while you point a blow dryer at me?  Sure!")

These studio sessions have been such a departure from my normal work, and I'm really excited about them!  There is just something so special about the experience of it- you dress up and I do everything I can to make you feel like a superstar, and in the end we are left with gorgeous pictures to commemorate an amazing day.  You really can't beat that!

Check out the great shots we got from this session! (Like I said, she's gorgeous!)

Uploaded by Mikaela Joy Photography on 2016-02-08.

Angel Glamour | Mikaela Joy: Savannah Glamour Portrait Photographer

Earlier this week I showed you my retouching process for the above image, now it's time to show you the rest of the shoot!

As usual, Angel and I had a blast during this session.  We did up her makeup, raided the studio closet for clothes, jammed out to some good music and had ourselves a photoshoot!

Here are some of the final shots!

She makes it so easy for me.  Seriously, she's gorgeous.

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If you are interested in your own glamour portrait session, please contact me to schedule your complimentary consultation. I can't wait to hear from you!