It has been awhile since I have had the opportunity to photograph a newborn for the wonderful organization I volunteer my photography services to, Solve Homes, which is near and dear to my heart. Solve is a faith-based nonprofit organization that provides cost-free maternity housing and support for at-risk women during and after pregnancy.

Last month, I had the pleasure of photographing a new mom and her baby boy. Yes! Mom should always be in some of the pictures.

​This little guy was 3 weeks new when I photographed him.  What a handsome little man. Don't you think so, too?

​Patti specializes in capturing memories with lifestyle Maternity, Newborn and Family photography. If you are ready to book or chat about your photo session with Patti at DreamWorld Photography, click the "Book A Call" box below or call Patti directly at 941.405.3309. Patti only takes a limited number of clients each month. Will you be one of them?  She hopes so.  Patti looks forward to hearing from you soon.

Catching up here.  In the last month, I had nine sessions within three weeks of each other.  With preparing for Thanksgiving and Christmas during that same time, I'm a little behind in posting my sessions, so be prepared to be inundated here on the blog with highlights from those sessions over the next several weeks and beyond.

First up is this beautiful family that lives in my own neighborhood and contacted me to take their family photos.  After having to cancel two times because of weather, third time was the charm.

We took these photos right in our neighborhood on a beautiful morning.  The grandparents joined in for some shots as well.  Wearing color-coordinating clothing really makes the images pop and not distracting to the eye.

It has been awhile since I have taken photos because of the Covid-19 situation, so I was very happy to get back behind the camera again.

I had the pleasure of documenting this little guy's 9th birthday by capturing this special day for him in photos.

I was excited to do these photos at the Celery Fields in Sarasota. As the name implies, this was a former celery field consisting of 360+ acres.  It is a wetlands site on the Great Florida Birding Trail.  It is dog-friendly. You can fish, have a picnic, walk various trails and view plenty of wildlife. It is also a popular site for photographers. I had never been there before and had been wanting to visit and shoot there for quite awhile.  It did not disappoint.  We didn't even get to cover half the area.  I definitely want to go back and explore it more.  It was the perfect place to take these photos.

I'm ready to take your photos here or any local outdoor area to capture you and your family enjoying the beauty of Florida's natural environments.

​Patti specializes in lifestyle Maternity, Fresh 48, Newborn and family photography. If you are ready to book or chat about your photo session with Patti at DreamWorld Photography, click the "Inquire Now" button below or call Patti directly at 941.405.3309. We only take a limited number of clients each month. Will you be one of them?  We hope so.  We look forward to hearing from you soon.

Concerned about your photo session with your toddler(s)?  You might be thinking:

• I know my toddler will not sit still during the photo session
• I know my toddler acts a little crazy - constantly on the go and probably won't smile
• I know my toddler will want to hide behind me and will be hard to warm up to the camera

As a Sarasota family photographer, I can understand your concerns with having family photos taken with toddlers. As a young grandmother of six grandchildren (with the seventh on the way), four of them being 3 years old and younger, I know exactly how you feel.  You might be stressing that we won't get any great images with your toddler staying still or smiling at all. If this will be your first time working with me, you may be wondering exactly what to expect.  

Since I am a lifestyle photographer, it won't bother me one bit if your toddler just wants to be a toddler. Whether that's running around, digging in the dirt, or playing in the water.  They are being who they are at that moment, and that is what is important to capture and you will treasure forever.  It does not make sense to me to EVER try and make a child be anything other than themselves, except how they are feeling at the moment I am capturing them. I don't photograph with everyone stiffly posed, forcing smiles looking at the camera. I may get one or two of those shots, but it will mostly be capturing emotions, connection and true life.  I love candid moments.  By hiring me as your photographer, this is what you want captured for you and your family.  Capturing those genuine, raw, authentic emotions are what you are after.  This may mean running around with your children, playing games or snuggling up on a blanket.  I always strive to keep your toddler interacting and happy.  This will, of course, mean you'll be happy which, in turn, will result in incredible images and a memorable photo session.

I will let the toddler sort of and/or let them think they are in charge of the session.  If they want to sit down and play, we'll do that.  If they want to run, we'll run.  If they want to be all lovey and snuggly, we'll do that.  May I suggest you not say, "no" or offer bribes?  This may actually spoil the session.  If you truly want authentic emotion and connection, this probably won't be the best way.  I just try to keep it fun and laid back.  I just want you to be with your children as if you are on an outing and I'm not even there, at least, for the most part. :-)  I absolutely want to finish the session seeing how much you and your children had fun.

Excited to experience a relaxed, fun lifestyle photography session?  Contact me.  I'm ready to have fun.  Are you?

Many Bradenton/Sarasota, Florida families wonder when is the most opportune time to take family photos outdoors.

We are so fortunate to live on the West Coast of Florida where there are beaches, parks, trails, you name it, in which to choose the best location for an outdoor family photoshoot.  All these places and more are so photogenic.  However, since this is Florida, the time of day does matter when you want to capture the best and the most flattering natural light, as well as not get too roasted in the heat.

Golden Hour is Our Friend for Being the Best Time of Day

When is golden hour?  It is the time of day about an hour before sunset where the light is absolutely gorgeous and "golden."  This type of light ensures everyone will look fantastic!  I LOVE scheduling outdoor family sessions during the golden hour.  If your family session will include little ones (two months and older), I highly recommend they take a late afternoon nap, if at all possible, and feed them snacks or dinner prior to the session.  This will help them be in their best mood possible.

However, you may ask, "What if I can't be out that late with my little ones?"  No problem.  I will be happy to accommodate you in whatever way is necessary.

If We Can't Do Golden Hour, Morning Time Comes in Second for the Best Time

I can certainly serve your family and still capture beautiful images no matter the time of day.  So, if golden hour won't work for you, we can schedule your session during the morning hours, usually around 10 a.m. when the sun isn't up too high yet and the light isn't too harsh.  The morning hours actually work best for newborns and toddlers.


Let me know when you are ready to capture your lifestyle outdoor family session.  I would love to see you at the golden hour.

​

​Next week, I’ll be able to photograph again.  Yay!  Outdoors only for now. So, you may be wondering what you should wear to your outdoor photoshoot.
 
There is no absolute right or wrong answer to what to wear.  However, there are certain choices that will allow your images to look fabulous!
 
Read on for my suggestions:

​Lifestyle is truth.  It is reality.  It can be a mess sometimes.  It can be beautiful sometimes.
 
Photography has changed so much over the past several years from having to be that perfectly posed, forced “fake” smiles to reality – real connection, raw emotion, natural and authentic smiles.  Those “perfect” portraits were probably very stressful for you, especially if you had little ones trying to get them to sit still, smile when asked or keep their “Sunday Best” clothes clean and wrinkle-free before the photo session.
 
In today’s world, more and more photographers are getting away from those “perfectly posed” photos to real life photos.  Mostly, photographed in your own home – where you and your little ones are most comfortable. Those are moments you want to remember.  What your house looked like at that time.  How your nursery was set up.  What your older children’s rooms looked like – messy or clean.  Families want to remember what they were doing together as a family – playing, cooking, whatever.  Why have another portrait of everyone standing stiff and smiling at the camera.  Why not showcase your real life and invite others in to see your family, just the way you are.  Everyday life.  Those kind of photographs will capture real moments you had interacting with your family as you spent time together.  Those kind of photographs will mean the most to you, your extended family and friends for years to come.  
 
That’s why I have begun to move away from very structured and posed photography to a more real portrayal of family reality.  With just a little guidance and some prompts, I can capture your real and true lifestyle. 
 
You may think your home is too small or isn’t in showcase condition.  Doesn’t matter.  It’s your home.  Your comfort zone.  Your happy place.  You don’t need to have everything necessarily in its place, such as, pillows perfectly straight, the bed “hotel” made.  Your home is reality and there is beauty in reality – capturing your family as you honestly are.
 
These lifestyle photoshoots are very relaxed.  You can be in your jeans, a dress, barefoot – whatever makes you and your family comfortable.  Laugh, play – feel completely at ease, and definitely no forced smiles.  The day of the photoshoot may be capturing the good, the bad and the ugly.  But, that’s okay.  Those fleeting moments were real - ones you won’t get back from that particular time in your life.  Get away from that “picture perfect” Christmas card photo.  Show your family and friends you are human – showing the natural, the connection, the emotion – doing the things you love to do together.  
 
We are not perfect, so why should your photographs try to show you are?  I used to think that way, too, but now I love showing reality in photographs, reminding everyone that life is beautiful, just the way it is.

Are you ready to capture your newborn and/or family showcasing your real life?  Click "Let's Start a Conversation" button below and let's make this happen!

I was able to capture this lovely family while on vacation. They are extra special to me because this is my son and his beautiful family.  Always love photographing them whenever I'm in town.

It's amazing how fast little ones grow.  That's why whenever I visit my family, I always make sure I capture images, especially since we don't live in the same state.  It's so important to keep them "little" in photographs - frozen in time.  These are treasured and cherished memories that will last a lifetime.

I would love to capture your family's memories and freeze them in time.  If you are ready to book or chat about your photo session at DreamWorld Photography, click the "Book A Call" box below or call Patti directly at 941.405.3309. We only take a limited number of clients each month. Will you be one of them?  We hope so.  We look forward to hearing from you soon.

I do photography because I absolutely love to capture babies and families in the moment.  For as long as I can remember, I have always loved taking photos.  I always wanted to have photos to look back on, to remember what I was doing at the time, how I looked (which sometimes I may not want to remember what I looked like) LOL, where I traveled, etc.  I especially love to take photos of my family.  I love looking back and recreating the memories we made, what we looked like, what we were doing, where we were.  Having photos of my own family is so very important to me.  I think that's why I started making photography my profession, albeit later in life, but it's never too late to do what you love, right?

Now, I want to create memories frozen in time for other families.  From maternity, Fresh 48, newborn to families.  Priceless!  I want to create and show the connection and emotion of what's happening at that time.  So, when they look back through their album or enjoy viewing their wall art, they will be taken back to that moment in time and feel the same love, emotion, comfort and contentment.  Or, they may feel sadness or grief because the photo includes parents that may have since passed, but they are so glad they had photos with them so they could remember and show future generations.  

I especially make sure that mom and dad are in the photos.  It is so special to be in the photos with your children.  Think how as they get older, how much they will love seeing you with them years from now - remembering the emotion, the laughter, the silliness, the comfort and, most importantly, the love you shared.

This is why I do photography.  

Let's start creating those memories for you and your family.

​Patti specializes in lifestyle Maternity, Fresh 48, Newborn and family photography. If you are ready to book or chat about your photo session with Patti at DreamWorld Photography, click the "Book A Call" box below or call Patti directly at 941.405.3309. We only take a limited number of clients each month. Will you be one of them?  We hope so.  We look forward to hearing from you soon.