One of the biggest concerns the families I work with have when it comes to planning a photo shoot is whether or not their children, especially their toddlers, will “behave”.

I totally understand this concern!

When you book a family portrait session you are investing both time and money and you want it to be as perfect as can be!

There is no perfect

But after 24 years working as a professional photographer, this is what I’ve learned!

There is no perfect!

And being “perfect” is over rated anyway!

What I love about photographing toddlers

As a portrait photographer, my goal is to create images that capture the person I’m photographing as they truly are in this moment in life.

I work really hard to see the “real” because I find that beautiful.

As a mother, I want to look back at photos of my children and remember them as they’re authentic little selves.

The gift of toddlers is that they ONLY exist in “the real”. They haven’t learned to pose yet. They don’t have a rehearsed “picture face”. You will never get a fake smile from a two or three year old!

And that is why I LOVE working with them so much!

So what do I do is your child doesn’t want their photo taken?

When you and your child come into the studio, the first thing I do is make sure your toddler feels comfortable. Young children are often a little bit shy at first, so I give them time to warm up.

We talk and play for a few minutes, then we move into pictures.

If they are still feeling unsure, I’ll start with mom or dad sitting with them.

We play and sing songs!

I make it fun.

And I always bet something beautiful!

Don’t worry. You’re in good hands.

I’ve been photographing newborns, toddlers and children since 1999! Before that I was a kindergarten teacher. I’m also the mother of twins.

I know and understand children.

I truly enjoy them.

So when you come in for your family photos, don’t worry.

You are in good hands!

And if you even have any question or concerns before you session, do not hesitate to ask! You can always reach me at sandra@sandracoan.com

I was really hoping that as more and more people in our community got vaccinated and boosted, risk of Covid-19 infections would go down! But sadly, here we are in the middle of another scary surge thanks to Omicron!

I take safety VERY seriously. And am doing everything I can to keep myself, my family and my clients (especially those who are too young to be vaccinated) safe. Let me tell you how.

I AM FULLY VACCINATED AND BOOSTED

For starters, I am fully vaccinated (and boosted) and I require all adults who visit my studio be as well.

Getting vaccinated does not guarantee that you will not get the virus, but studies show that it DOES significantly reduce your risk of serious infection and will most likely keep you out of the hospital if you do get sick. Why does that matter? Because we need to keep valuable ICU beds free for people who need them!

I tragically lost my father over the summer to a gall blockage that led to Sepsis due to lack of immediate care. You see, he was told at the ER he needed emergency surgery but there were no ICU beds available. So he waited. And developed a deadly infection in the process. Myself and my entire family are devastated, and this is one of the reasons why I take vaccination as seriously as I do.

Also, I work with newborns, babies and small children who are too young to be vaccinated. Providing a safe environment for them to be in is paramount! So please bring proof of vaccination to your sitting.

I AM LISTENING TO THE EXPERTS

I’m not a healthcare provider and I’m not a scientist so I’m listening to the experts and following the guidelines put out by the CDC.

They recommend maintaining a safe social distance, and so I do, as often as possible.

When working with older kids and adults, I give direction and guidance on posing while keeping a safe 6 foot separation.

With babies and newborns, I ask the parents to assist as much as possible and only place babies in natural positions that do not require excessive posing or props.

Fun fact… this has always been how I photograph babies. Another reason to love my minimal approach to posing, it’s Covid-19 friendly!

I WEAR A MASK

The CDC also recommends wearing a mask (it’s also currently a State mandate), so I wear a mask at all times and ask that my adult clients do the same until it’s their turn for pictures.

I keep a box of disposable masks at the studio for clients who forget theirs (nobody has so far… but they are still nice to have on hand, just in case.).

I KEEP THE STUDIO CLEAN

Cleanliness has always been a high priority for me, but now I’m EXTRA cautious about keeping the studio in tip-top shape.

My routine includes, disinfecting ALL surfaces (doorknobs, cameras, sinks, toys, pens…. anything a client may touch).

The entire space gets a good wipe down (with Clorox wipes) before and after every session.

I also wash all fabric items on the warmest setting (blankets, pillows, teddy bears.etc) between each and every session.

I wash my hands frequently and keep hand sanitizer next to where I’m working for both me and my clients to use.

WE’RE LIVING THROUGH HISTORY. DON’T BE AFRAID TO CAPTURE IT!

As crazy as all of this is, we ARE living through history. Think of the stories you’ll be able to tell your kids and grandkids when you share the photos we create today with them some day!

Here we have an 8x12 album with a tundra linen cover, a 6x9 album with a blush leather cover and an accordion book album.

It’s Important to Hold Your Photos

I am a BIG believer in being able to hold your photos. Call me old fashioned, but I think there’s something so special about being able to hold moments and memories in the palm of your hand. Plus, film just looks so beautiful on paper. That’s the main reason why ever single maternity, newborn and family session comes with a complementary set of 4x6 prints.

Another great way to create a tangible keepsake from your session is with custom photo albums! The cover of these albums are made of the highest quality fabrics, and the pages are thick and seamlessly printed on paper that’s meant to last several generations.

Products to Choose from

If you’re interested in ordering an album keepsake from your session, we have a few different options for you!

• 6x9 hardcover custom photo album with linen or leather cover $750

• 8x10 softcover custom photo album with photo cover $850

• 8x12 hardcover custom photo album with linen or leather cover $950

• Set of 3 accordion albums with black fabric covers $95

The custom photo albums also include a complete set of digital files! Please note, accordion albums do not.

How to Order

For ordering a hardcover album, we recommend favoriting up to 10 images from your gallery to be in your album (usually three horizontal and four to six vertical images work well). For a softcover album (the ones with the photo covers), we recommend favoriting up to 20 images from your gallery, or across multiple galleries if you did a session bundle. From there we will create custom album spreads for you to preview and approve. Please note, we allow up to two design tweaks per album.

For ordering an accordion album, we ask that you favorite 10-12 photos from your gallery.

Cover colors, materials and further customization

Once you’ve decided on the photos you want in your album, now it’s time to choose the cover! We offer several colors in two different materials, linen and leather. Our favorites at the studio are linen in tundra and leather in blush, as you can see below!

If you’re interested in further customization (such as adding text or debossing), we are happy to accommodate for a small fee.

Here are all the colors and materials we offer:

Simple, Beautiful and Fast

Once your album is ordered, it usually takes 1-2 weeks to arrive to your door for you and your family to enjoy for years to come.

I often get emails from clients concerned about the fact that I shoot in the studio. Their worry is that if they come in to the same location year after year, their photos will all look the same. Wouldn’t it be better to visit a new location each year for variety?

Now, I know that I’m a little biased. I LOVE studio photography! But I also think there are real benefits to having studio portraits done every year.

For one, it’s a great way to see and compare the changes in your children.

In a studio, there are no distractions. The focus is just on your kids and your family and the simple backdrop I use in the studio allows them to be the focus, not the location.

I also love the consistency! My goal is to always produce one or two images at each session that will be printed and hung on a wall. A wall display of studio images throughout the years is beautiful to me. Clean and timeless!

And as for the concern that your photos will all look the same, remember that your kids are constantly growing. Each time you come into the studio they will be in a differently place in their lives. So while you will have consistency in the style of your images, your photos will never look the same because your family won’t look the same. Each year there is something new to capture.

So don’t worry. If you, like me, love the timeless look of studio photography, just go with it! And image what a great collection of family photos you will have to share with your kids when they grow up! I personally can’t think of anything better!

2016 family session:

2017 family session:

2018 family session:

2018 was a big year for me!

I traveled around the country teaching other professionals about business, film and light. I worked along side of a handful of other amazing photographers to Beta test Kodak’s new Ektachrome 100. And, most importantly, I photographed hundreds of families, babies and individuals!

I’ve said it over and over again… I truly have the best clients! And 2018 was no exception.

To all the families who entrusted me with their photos, I want to say thank you! It is always such an honor to work with you! And I look forward to seeing you again in 2019!

xoxo,
Sandra

About a year ago I wrote a post about what toys and props to bring to your newborn photo session and I featured images from a  shoot where the mom had brought some truly unique and beautiful things to be included in the photos.  (You can see that post as well as my list of suggestions by following this link)

Well, it has been a year since then, and the same family came back for their baby's first year photos with the same toys from their newborn session!

How fun is that?

So once again I'm featuring this adorable family along with some ideas for what to bring to your baby's first year photo session!

Party Hats

A party hat is always a fun prop to bring along to a one year photo shoot.  I can’t promise that your baby will wear it for long, but I can promise that the shots will do get will be adorable!

Letter Blocks

I'm obsessed with letter blocks.  I love the colors and fun patterns!  These gorgeous blocks by Uncle Goose come in a variety of colors, patters AND languages!!  I mean, how cool are these Japanese blocks that spell out this little guys name?!  LOVE!

Special Family Items and Calendars!

This guys mom has been documenting his first year using a Fujifilm Instax camera, so we thought it would be fun to get some photo of him holding the camera!  She also brought a calendar like the one we used in his newborn session to show off his Birth Day!

Favorite Toys

We also did a few shots with his favorite toys.  I did this with my own sons when they were this age, and it's so fun to look back at those photos and remember how important those toys were to them and to our family

Book you session!

Do you have a baby in your life who you need photos of!  Send me an email and I'll get you on the books!  After all, they're only little once! 

Do you know what I love about six month old babies? 

Just about everything! 

For real, this is one of my favorite ages to work with.  They are so engaged, so curious about their surroundings, and almost always ready to great me with a big ol' baby smile!

So today, I want to take a minute to talk about the awesomeness of this age as well as answer some of the most common questions I get about how to prepare and when to book.

How to Dress The Baby

When it comes to dressing your baby for their session I believe less is more.  A diaper (so we can see all that glorious baby skin!) or plain white onsie are my favorites.  Hats are also really cute!  If you have a favorite outfit, bring that as well.  There are no rules!  What ever you love seeing your baby in is the perfect outfit!

When To Book

I call the mid-way through the first year the "Six Month Photo Session" but please know your baby doesn't have to be exactly six months old.  I tell my clients to book when your baby can sit on his/her own but is not yet crawling.  For most babies this is between 5 and 8 months.  

What To Expect

Out of all my photo sessions, the six month session tend to be the quickest.  Babies this age are so fun and engaged.  They come in all smiles!  They clap along when I sing.  They laugh and giggle.  We have a blast!  But they also get tired pretty fast!  I keep this in mind when working with them and do my best to be efficient with our time!  My goal is to keep your baby (and you) happy and engaged for the entire shoot!

I remember visiting my older brother in Seattle in January of 1995.  What I remember when I think of that visit was how sunny it was.  I was visiting from Pullman, WA (Go Cougs!) where we were still in the throws of a long hard winter.  That was the year I thought it would never stop snowing.

And then I came to Seattle... and it was sunny!!!  

That was when I decided to move.  I came to Seattle in July of 1995 and haven't looked back!

So, here's the thing about January in Seattle.  It seems like it's always sunny!  November and December are DARK.  But then, just when I think I can take it any more, January comes along, and the sun comes out.

This January was no exception.  Yes, it was COLD!!!  But the sun was out.  It warmed me through the window and filled my studio beautiful natural light to work with.

Thanks January!  See you next year!

Photographing friends is always such an honor.  Especially when they are amazingly smart and talented women, like my friend, Elena Blair.

Elena is a family photographer and photography educator, based here in Seattle, WA. When she asked me to take her portrait I was thrilled, but also a little nervous.  I wanted to give her something that really showed her personality and was just as creative and artistic as she is.  

To achieve this, I used my 1950's Rolleiflex camera, studio strobes and Iflord Delta 3200 film.  

I just love how they turned out!

Luckily, so did Elena!