Spring is coming soon! I’m booking my Cherry Blossoms for March 2024! These sell out very quickly. The weather in Richmond can be unpredictable so the dates are roughly the middle to end of March. The blooms only last about 2wks so keep an eye out.
It is that time of year again!! Sunflower mini sessions are NOW booking!! The Sunflower is one of my favorite flowers and a beautiful backdrop to get updated family portraits, baby photos and maternity photos. They bloom for a brief period anytime from July into early September. But, if you miss out on these massive blooms, you can still get beautiful pictures with the many pockets of wild sunflowers around the areas. I will also be having a Studio sunflower backdrop for those who would rather have their baby photographed indoors. This backdrop is ONLY for children.
Here are some of the challenges with photo sessions at those large sunflower fields.
During the late Summer, the sun rises early and sets late. There is harsh, direct sunlight from about 8am to around 6:30-7pm. I usually find myself crossing my fingers and toes, hoping for overcast skies. Direct sunlight means dark, unflattering shadows and squinty eyes for your pictures. . Since it’s better to put the sun at your subject’s back, a photographer only has until the sun clears the horizon to enjoy soft morning light.
What are the best solutions to these lighting issues? Stick to those limited times of soft light, bring lighting equipment out to the fields, or choose locations with better shade. Everyone loves that amazing golden light mixed with happy sunflowers. But, I encourage you to pray for some clouds!
I have very limited time slots!
I will have several different days to choose from. There are three different Sunflower patches I use. A sunflower patch in Hopewell, A smaller sunflower patch in Mechanicsville and a Large sunflower patch in Goochland. There maybe a fee to enter the farm so be prepared. The mini session is 15 min and you get 5 digital downloads for $225 plus tax.
The third challenge is heat and bugs. In August and September, the evenings in Richmond, VA tend to be hot and muggy. You won’t want to forget your bug repellant.
Enjoy these images from previous years photographing families in several different sunflower fields. If you would like to book a session please email me jacki@jackigphotography.com
Spring mini studio sessions were a hit! The weather this early spring has been unpredictable so i chose to add some in studio session dates for the little ones! I have a few backdrops to choose from as well as two Easter bunny outfits for babies between 6 months to 9 months old. The backdrops I have can hold up to two to three children and so much fun. The mini session is located in my short pump, VA home studio. The mini is 15 min and you get 5 digital downloads, each additional download is an additional cost. Take a look at a few of my favorites from my studio sessions.
I'm so excited to show my Cherry Blossom minis from the past few weeks. The Cherry Blossoms bloomed a little early this year but we made it happen. The weather was perfect and I’m so grateful for all the families that came out. ! Until next year! These sessions are the most popular spring minis i offer. The cherry blossoms bloom for about two weeks. The minis are 15 min and you get 5 digital.
I got to photograph sweet L. She just turned 3 months old on Dec. 22nd. She was such a cutie. She gave me a few smiles and since it was the holidays we tried to incorporate a few holiday items. Her Mama is big into horses and loves the western style so we tried to incorporate that as well.
By the third month of life, your baby will be smiling! New parents routinely tell us that their baby’s smile is one of their favorite parts of this time in their child’s life. And we couldn’t agree more!
That is why during this session we will bring out and capture the joy and smiles of your little one. You don’t need to schedule this session at exactly 3 months of age though, as smiling tends to develop around the 2-3-month mark. So as soon as your baby is smiling with regularity, that’s the time to schedule your session! Babies this age also can’t really hold their head up for long periods of time but Miss L. sure did a great job
SAVE THE DATES!! LOTS OF MINI SESSIONS COMING SOON!!
MINI SESSIONS ARE 15 MIN AND YOU GET 5 DIGITAL DOWNLOADS FOR $206. EMAIL ME IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO BOOK. THERE IS A DEPOSIT TO HOLD YOUR SPOT!!
FALL MINI SESSIONS WILL BE HELD THE END OF OCT EARLY NOV.
RED TRUCK MINIS WILL BE HELD ON DEC. 3, 2022 IN THE AFTERNOON/EVENING
SANTA MINIS ARE VERY POPULAR!! SANTA ARRIVES ON DEC. 3, 2022 IN THE MORNING
CHRISTMAS TREE MINIS WILL BE HELD ON DEC. 2, 2022 IN THE LATE AFTERNOON. POSSILBy opening up Nov 26th.
Back to school mini sessions are now booking. I tried a Toy Story theme back to school mini which was a HUGE hit. This session is intended for younger children in Pre-school or Elementary school. These session can take place in the comfort of your front or back yard with social distancing and if you like your own props. Here is a sneak peek from the Toy Story Back to school session i just completed.
It’s true. There is a preferred age when photographing a newborn. And there are some photographers that will only photograph a baby during those few weeks. But guess what? I know life can get in the way. And while pictures of your baby are certainly a priority for many, I completely understand why they get delayed … or forgotten. I am more than happy to photograph your new baby at any age. Older newborn photos can be just as beautiful as pictures you might have taken right after your new bundle arrived. I will tell any potential client that I prefer the baby to be under 3 weeks of age. And I do tend to find that these younger babies do best at their portrait sessions. However, there are always exceptions to the rule so if you’re questioning anything, please feel free to reach out and we can discuss your specific situation. As long as everyone has the right expectations, then photographing your baby at any age can result in photos you will cherish forever.
The perfect example of an older newborn is sweet C. below. Mom really wanted images of her sweet little one but due to covid she had to wait a few weeks. Baby C. was 8 weeks of age. Not an age I shoot a lot of since it’s right in between my two standard milestone sessions (newborn and 4 months). He was, for the most part, out of that curly, sleepy newborn stage. But wouldn’t you know it, he gave us that perfect mix of wrapped shots and wide-eyed awake shots. There are so many portraits that I love from his session! His mom loved the toilet paper image the best. How cute is it that she has his initial put on the toilet paper to remember the time when he was born during a pandemic.
So don’t hesitate to contact me if you’re considering older newborn photos of your baby … not matter the age. We can chat about your wishes and your baby’s current stage and figure out what would work best for you. I’d love to be a little part of this amazing adventure you’re on!
I get a ton of questions from parents leading up to their baby’s milestone session. What should they wear? When should I schedule? What if they can’t sit up yet? The list goes on. So I thought I would take a few minutes to go over the most commonly asked questions in hopes of putting your mind at ease. Below are my best tips for milestone sessions. Now these are mainly for babies around 3 months to one year of age, but many of them you can also follow for slightly older children as well.
I’ll start off by saying, you know your child best. While I may have some suggestions, you know what will work best for your family. So take my thoughts with a grain of salt.
How old should my baby be for a milestone session?
I offer all sorts of milestone sessions — any age really. Your baby will change so much in the first year and there are so many milestones to capture. My favorite is a sitter session, which can be anywhere from 6-9 months of age typically. Some parents also love to capture the tummy stage, around 3-4 months. And then there’s the obvious first birthday. In fact, Jacki G. Photography offers a Grow with me package — 3 portrait sessions through baby’s first year to document all those precious milestones. Contact me if you’d like more information.
I recommend scheduling your session 3-6 weeks before you’d like to have it. That way I can ensure a spot in my schedule. If you need a weekend spot, then definitely give me extra notice as those spots fill up quickly.
What time of day should I schedule my session?
Naps come first! They were a necessity in my household and we planned everything around them. I realize not every baby sticks to a schedule, but do keep in mind when baby typically rests and when baby is typically happy. Some babies love mornings, some love mid afternoons, etc. Take a minute to think about when your baby is happiest and let’s try to schedule your session at that time of day.
Should we do an outdoor session or studio session?
I tend to think little babies do best in the studio … so younger than one year is probably best inside. However, that’s not set in stone. If your baby is sitting well on his/her own, crawling and doesn’t mind grass (that’s definitely been an issue in the past!), then we can certainly do some photos outdoors.
Babies one year and older do great in both options. Being outdoors exploring is a great way to keep their interest peaked. But a studio session can offer a variety of backgrounds and setups. Obviously weather comes into play as well … I typically only shoot outdoors from May through October.
What if my baby isn’t sitting up yet? Or standing … or walking … you get the point.
Every baby progresses at a different pace. I have poses we can do at any age and will absolutely take baby’s age and abilities into account when setting up for your session. Some parents like to wait until baby hits a specific milestone, such as sitting on his/her own. This can happen anywhere between 6-9 months, or even after. So it’s up to you whether we wait until baby has hit that milestone or if you really want photos done at a specific age.
My baby has stranger anxiety – what should I do?
I’ve found that most baby’s around 10-12+ months have a bit of stranger anxiety. And even those who don’t … bring them into a new place (my studio) with a new face (me!) and they aren’t quite sure how to react. I am more than happy to take some time and let baby acclimate. Some just need a few minutes to check out their surroundings. Others need 15-20 minutes where we sit on the floor and play before they relax. And others are on the go from the moment they arrive, so we work fast! Whatever your baby needs, I am happy to oblige.
What should my baby wear?
This is one I hear a lot. And there are so many answers, that it might be easier to just list out some basic suggestions…
Avoid neon/bright colors near the face (ie. bright orange shirt, neon stripes, etc) as colors tend to reflect onto the face
Make sure baby’s clothes fit snug/well — clothes that are too big will look sloppy and will ride up over their face
Layers can be really cute, but can also overwhelm a small child (before they’re able to sit up/stand) so keep that in mind when adding thick sweaters or a puffy vest. Try everything on your child first before bringing them in for your session.
Feel free to show their (and your) style. Patterns and colors are great if you like them. If not, feel free to keep it simple. Baby’s under one year are also super cute naked or partially naked if you like showing off their skin.
My baby is turning one — should I bring a smash cake?
Cakes are usually a fun addition to a first birthday session. But sometimes they do not go as planned. Most of the babies I have in my studio do not “dive into” their cake as it might appear. Many are helped along by the parents. If your child HATES getting messy, a cake might not be the best option for their session. And I strongly suggest, if they’ve never had sweets before, to give them a practice round before coming in for their session (a few bites of ice cream or a cupcake). See how they react and that might help you decide if you want to bring one to their session. Some other alternative options I’ve seen are: spaghetti, pancake or watermelon smashes if you’d prefer to avoid cake/sweets.
I hope some of these tips for milestone sessions helped you! Don’t hesitate to ask if you have any other questions.
The sunflowers will be in bloom sometime in July. Location: Lickinghole Creek Craft Brewery. 4100 Knolls Point Dr. Richmond, VA and Alvis Farm, Location directions sent via email. Come join me for a mini session (family/toddlers, high school seniors, or maternity.
I have a several dates open. listed with time slots (if you can't make any of the time slots, get in touch with me). Please let me know the date/time you are interested in. Sessions are 15 minutes. Mini sessions will be offered at a rate of $147 for 5 digital downloads.
Please arrive 5 minutes early since the sessions are back to back. I want my clients to be able to choose their favorite digital photographs. You will get a proof gallery in 2 weeks (with my watermark) up to 15 photographs to choose from. If you would like to purchase the whole gallery, you just favorite all your photographs and each additional image after the 5th one is $10 each.
Saturday, July 11th - 5:30PM-7:45PM ** Alvis Farm***
Thursday July 16th 5:30PM-7:45PM ** Alvis Farm**
Important: Last year there were a lot of bees at the sunflower field, so please be cautious of this if bringing small children or have any allergies!
Hope to see you there! Email me at jacki@jackigphotography.com to schedule a mini session
Email me to grab a spot.
Loved working with this little cutie for her one year session. Her mamma wanted an ice cream backdrop so we got one and it matched her cake. So adorable. She wan’t too happy that day but we did get a few smiles. I love when families come back for their milestone sessions. We usually take family portraits first then we move to the cake smash as the end. Your baby can switch outfits and set up the decorations if you would like a different backdrop.
I’m so excited to introduce little Colby. I photographed him a few weeks ago before all of this corona stuff . I photographed big sisters newborn session a couple of years ago and I was having flashbacks.. they are complete cuties They both are so adorable and had such a great photoshoot. Below are some favorites from Colbys at-home newborn family photos in Richmond, VA . I bring the studio to the comfort of your home. I sanitize the equipment and use a mask and gloves to make sure everyone is safe and healthy.
There are a couple questions I have been getting asked a lot by clients. When should I book my newborn session? Why should I book with a specialty Newborn Photographer? These are great questions to be asking. Your newborn baby deserves the very best & so do you. You are trusting your baby's safety with your photographer and want the very best outcome from the session.
When should you book your newborn session?
I say as soon as possible! Don't wait too long! I know I personally have had to turn away clients who inquired about a newborn session but had waited to long to book and I was already fully booked. Newborn Photographers usually only take a limited number of Newborn Sessions a month to ensure their complete focus and to make sure they will have a session spot for you. Booking early can help in a lot of ways. First, this will ensure you have a session spot. Second, most photographers’ schedules fill up bookings very fast. Third, this ensures that your photographer can personalize/customize the session to your Nursery theme or color scheme that you may want. Most photographers start planning your session soon after your booking, they want to make sure that your portraits are to your liking but also reflect the photographer’s artistic side/style. Also we may even need to buy a prop to coordinate with your session so we will need time to make that happen.
Why to hire a specialty newborn photography versus a regular photographer?
Newborn babies are very precious. You want your newborn to be photographed but your other main concern is their safety. Most photographers care about your newborns safety but may not know the safe way to pose your newborn properly. By hiring a specialty newborn photographer, this ensures they know what they are doing. They can pose your newborn in multiple poses while making sure your newborn is completely safe. They also know how to pose a newborn in one pose but at the same time, making sure to capture the best angles resulting in multiple images versus just one image from the pose. Also, your session time will be reasonable. Regular photographers take longer in posing as they are not fully trained in Newborn Photography. A non-specialist photographer can take up to 4 hours or more to photography a newborn session, as to where specialty newborn photographers can photograph a newborn session in 2 hours or less.
Since the start of the Coronavirus going around I wanted to explain the safety steps Jacki G. Photography is taking to ensure your safety.
I have been a newborn photographer for 9 years. I always practice special precautions to make sure the studio is cleaned and sanitized properly before, during, and after each session. I regularly clean the studio. but especially during this pandemic , with the Coronavirus going around I am taking extra precautions.
Since I am also a traveling newborn photographer, I make sure that all of my equipment is cleaned and sanitized before each session. If you or your child is sick please contact me to reschedule your session. I do not mind rescheduling. it is better to be safe. If you do bring a sick child in my studio or I arrive at your home and their is a sick child, I will cancel the session without refund. Please don’t spread any kind of sickness. We want to keep everyone healthy.
I keep/bring hand sanitizer in the studio and to your home session. I wash my hands before the session and will use hand sanitizer during the session. I wash my backdrops/blankets before and after each session. I wipe down hard surfaces with Lysol cleaning wipes. I also wipe down and clean the bathroom including door handles, light switches and so on. I have hand sanitizer in the bathroom too. Please feel free to use the hand sanitizer. I ask that you do the same in the area I will be working in. I also bring a mask and gloves when working with newborns to make sure everyone is safe.
For cake smashes I use seamless paper. After each cake smash session I cut off the part we used and throw those away. buy the seamless paper new in packaging for each session. I wipe down any props what we use with Lysol wipes too. I pride myself in making your child’s safety my first priority.
Its my birthday and I can cry if I want to….
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to ask. I would be happy to answer them. As always thank you so much for choosing Jacki G. Photography.
There is no doubt that we are ALL affected by COVID-19. This is incredibly hard for those of us who are self employed. Starting last week i have started social distancing myself and my family. I will take great care to stay healthy and to keep my family healthy. We CAN get through this together. I know what everyone is thinking about right now. and it’s probably not photography. But i’m going to keep posing pictures of cute babies, beautiful families and whatever else makes you smile. It helps to brighten your day. Don’t let his virus take your memories away. Book a session! This isn’t going to beat me… Don’t let it beat you. BE BOLD!
All outdoor sessions are still a go just as long as everyone is healthy. These sessions will take place at a non crowded locations.
Book a Newborn session! Book a Maternity session! A Mini Session.
Newborn sessions will take place at your home or my home studio which will be completely sanitized before/after.
All fabric/props used will be washed/ sanitized before/ after.
Diligent hand-washing and hand sanitizing will be done.
These are a few of the Newborns i photographed this week.
Studio spring Minis are NOW Booking! This session will take place at my home studio. The session price is $140 plus tax for 15 min and you get 5 digital downloads.
The session dates are flexible. The times however are from 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. Please let me know which two dates work for you and i will be happy to accommodate either of those dates if possible.
This session is for Children and babies ONLY!!!
Introducing this little peanut as this week’s cutie! Check out some favorites from her in-home newborn photography photoshoot! I She slept like a dream and had the best hair for a newborn baby girl.
I am a baby and newborn photographer in the Richmond, VA area. I am happy to provide boutique photography services to the Richmond, Midlothian, Short Pump, The fan, Mosley, Chesterfield, and surrounding counties. All sessions take place in the comfort of your own home or favorite location. This in-home photo session took place in Richmond, VA Interested in a newborn baby session? Please feel free to contact me @ Jacki@jackigphotography.com
Look who turned ONE! Little Miss was a little under the weather for her milestone session but she still had a great time with her cake. I love when I get to photograph babies their first year of life. They grow so much and to capture these moments for families is so special. The session took place at her home and we try to take some portraits first with the family then move on to the cake smash portion of the session. Most babies are not a big fan of cake so I suggest giving them a little before the actual session so they know what cake taste like. You will provide the decorations such as balloons or banners. I have the letters ONE & #1. You will also supply the cake due to allergy concerns. If you would like for me to supply the entire session the price can be adjusted to make that part of your session less stressful.
The cake smash session can take place in studio or outside at a location of your choice.
Here are a few from the cake smash that I thought were cute.
Sweet baby girl, Ella , has made her arrival and I was so happy and excited to meet her! She looked so cute in every color we put her in and her sweet little face just lights up the camera. I just know that both her parents and her older siblings are SO in love with her!
If you are expecting a new little bundle of joy, be sure to reach out so we can get your due date on my calendar. Newborn photos are ones that you will treasure for a lifetime! So if you like looking for a newborn photographer in Richmond, VA be sure to let me know. I would love to chat.
It was such a pleasure photographing this beautiful family. I had the pleasure of photographing their little one as well and one of the awesome things we get to incorporate a special blanket we used during her maternity session with his newborn session.
A maternity session is booked with a newborn session as an add on. There are several newborn packages to choose from. There is a deposit to hold your spot and the balance is due at the time of your session.
One of the benefits of working with me as your photographer - I have gorgeous maternity dresses in my collection. If you choose to wear your own dresses and clothes that also works as well.
We photograph baby before 10 days so that the baby is still nice and sleepy and likes to be placed in squishy positions.
