Melody’s Newborn Photo Shoot | Melissa Donaldson Photography

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They say you take the most pictures of your first baby, and that’s probably true. But what about your last baby? Melody joined our family on September 9th (birth story coming soon!), and we are just in love with her! I know I’m taking fewer pictures, because I’m so busy with four kids now, so I was super excited when I was offered a chance to have a professional newborn photo shoot with Melissa Donaldson Photography.

Not just photos… super adorable, professional photos!

Melissa photographs newborns when they are 5-12 days old, just the right age for them to (hopefully) be sleepy and squishy and poseable! We’ll always be able to remember when our little girl was brand-new to the world.

Melody was mostly sleepy for us, though sometimes she had to be coaxed back to sleep by nursing or a pacifier. Luckily Melissa’s home studio (in Gilbert, AZ) is very warm and cozy, with a comfy couch, changing table, and everything you need to keep baby (and Mom!) happy during the shoot.

You can read Melissa’s full bio on her website, but I love what she told me about how she feels about photographing newborns:

I feel like photographing newborns is my calling. It’s not just my passion, I feel like it’s my purpose. I love watching parents cry when they see their photographs because they are overwhelmed with emotion. It then makes me feel as if I did my job. I made them feel through my photography.

And she definitely “did her job” with Melody. My own mom informed me (before seeing the photos) that she didn’t like photos of babies holding their heads up (By the way, they don’t! It’s a trick of the trade.). But of course as soon as she saw the photo of Melody, she was gushing about how adorable it was!

Melissa took her time and really paid attention to detail when photographing Melody. At times my brain was saying, “Just take the picture before she starts crying!” But Melissa knew what she had to do, so the pictures would come out just right, down to the littlest finger position! Her patience is no doubt part of why she’s won awards for her photography and had her photos published.

Melissa also does maternity photography and family portrait photography. You can see examples of her work on her website, Facebook page, and Instagram feed. I love her family photos and hope to schedule a session of our own sometime!

If you happen to be local (or willing to travel!), and want to schedule a newborn photography session, just mention the code “MDP50” and Melissa will give you a free 16×20 print from your session.

If you love these photos, please give Melissa a “like” on Facebook or follow her on Instagram. Then just wait for your mood to improve when those sweet baby shots show up in your feeds!

I couldn’t be happier with my experience with Melissa Donaldson Photography! From baby #1 to baby #final, it’s important to capture the sweetness of those early days!