There's something about being in nature with your baby.  They are free, we are free.  Unburdened by fluorescent lights and painted walls.  Outside we're subject to the fluctuations of temperature and color, we see new and beautiful things with sincerity and surprise -- two deer skittering by, a white butterfly hovering in the warm spring air.  The ground is pricklier than we expected, and also softer underfoot. 

We slip down dry hills into a creekbed, and here we're kind of hidden from the rest of the world.  We are explorers here.  Just wandering in the morning light.

Mama began by nursing with her top on, but then discarded it as we walked.  It was covered in her baby's pee, she said, so what's the use?  I am a naked mom, she told me, smiling sweetly.  These are precious days, and we're allowed to be so free with our babies.  So connected, and so close.  Just nursing and bonding.  Just finding out about each other without asking any questions.

These are the moments I live to photograph.  That I gasp as I capture them.  I am in awe of this mother, just a few months into her new role, and wearing it with such divine simplicity.  Such ease.  This is where she wants to be -- with her sweetie.  Gently touching leaves and watching bugs.  Holding tightly to each other and holding loosely too.  These are the moments I want too.  They are timeless and perfect and filled with the kind of love you can't describe.

But I'm here to tell you to not worry about that one bit.  When I'm photographing toddlers and energetic kids, it's the energy those children bring everywhere with them that brings so much joy and life to the photographs.  Sometimes it seems impossible that we could capture anything at all during the high-impact, high-energy play, but in fact, these photographs are often my favorites.

My goal isn't to get your kids to calm down, but rather it's to capture a bit of that beautiful energy.  It's to show you, even through this high-energy play, that there are undeniably beautiful moments of connection and love through it all.  My job isn't to slow your kids down -- it's to meet them, and you, where you all are, and try to give you an accurate reflection of your experience.

I'm actually really big on getting kids to tap into their energy for a session.  Play games, dance, spin, run around if they need to.  This isn't about sitting still, it isn't about looking a certain way.  It's just about you and your little ones being together heartfully.  Whatever that looks like for you.

There's nothing like having an energetic kid.  You are really experiencing life at full volume.  So let me help you see how beautiful that looks to me.  Let me reflect back to you that you are, in fact, keeping up with your amazing kids.  You're the person they most want to share their energy with, and play with.  What a joy that is.  And how fantastic for me that I get to try to capture it.

I'm a huge fan of skin to skin.  It's deeply important in bonding with your baby early on, and I think it's incredibly powerful with older babies too.  And I'm also a huge fan of skin in bonding photographs.  It's just so stunning to see your skin next to your baby's. 

But I'm not suggesting you take your top off if you're not into that.  I really think any amount of your skin is deeply beautiful.  I typically recommend that mamas wear a tank top and leggings or bike shorts, to have enough skin showing that it really feels like you're in it with your baby.  And I recommend that you have your baby nude, if you're comfortable with it, and your toddlers and older kids wearing diaper covers, onesies, or black tees and black shorts.

You're also welcome to play around with it.  Start with one clothing item, take it off, try another.

There are mamas who choose to be photographed in a sports bra, or totally topless.  This mama, above, did a variety of levels of clothing.  She had a tank top on for some of her session, and for some of it, went without most clothing.

In the frame above, the mama is wearing a tank top.  This is the most common choice, and I absolutely love it.  It shows plenty of your skin, and is really beautiful with baby's skin.
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​But, if you're wanting a more skin to skin look, but without showing your breasts, you can hold your sweetie in front of you like this mama, below.

You're of course welcome to cover your baby up, as well.  In this session, below, the mama chose to put her babe in a black diaper cover.

You can also wear longer sleeves and still get beautiful images.  This mama, below, chose to wear three-quarter-length sleeves, and I think the images are still stunning.

And, of course, you can cover your baby more, too!  This mama, below, started with her baby totally covered in a little black dress, but then took off her baby's clothes -- and her bra -- to get a more intimate skin to skin look.

I really believe that if you're confident, your photographs will be stunning.  So, if dressing yourself and your baby up or down helps you feel more confident, go with that.  The photographs will be beautiful no matter what.

I absolutely loved photographing this mama, below, and her two boys.  The boys loved to play around, tumbling and chasing, but they also were just so incredibly sweet and calm together.  I always melt when I look at these nursing images.  What love.  What deep affection.

I'm also really moved by older siblings.  This beautiful family, below, came in for photographs when the kids were 3 and 5.

And this session, below, is one of my all-time favorite siblings session.  This mama brought her four children in, and they truly just played the whole time.  It was kinetic, vibrant, and so full of love.

Are you wondering if you should bring your twins into the studio for mama and babe bonding photographs?  Are you wondering if it will be chaotic?  Are you wondering how you'll contain them in your arms, how it will feel?  Are you wondering if it will be worth it?  I'm here to tell you to do it.  Just bring them.  Bring them to play, bring them to snuggle, bring them to wrestle, bring them to love each other, and you, up.  

During twin toddler studio sessions, I make sure to get each twin with mama alone, and the twins together alone, and all three of you together.  It will be playful, it will be vibrant, it will be a little bit chaotic.

These girls, below, were three when they came in with their mama.  They were incredibly active through the whole session, but the action, as well as the in-between moments, were absolutely stunning.  ​

I love the dynamism of this session.  Their interactions are almost like a dance.  Rough and rowdy sometimes, and delicate and ornate others.

These sweeties, in the photos below, were two during this session, and they were so adorable, energetic, and playful.  This mama was also pregnant, so the session had a lot of amazing dimensions to it. 

The mama below brought her beautiful two year old twins, along with her seven year old for a proper snuggle fest.  

Bring your twin toddlers in to get photographs made!  This time is fleeting.  This time is beautiful.  This love is absolutely sensational.