A True Story of a Boy and his Lantern||Boston Family Photography

For a variety of reasons, this session was taken in two parts. And then for another variety of reasons (mostly lots of ill-timed rain and some baby earaches!) it became the most rescheduled session I've ever had.

But we all persevered, and that proved to be a very good thing indeed. Because, well....

Here's Kavi.

And his stunningly delightful parents.

(His favorite little puppy also joined us. This made Kavi very happy. Another thing that made him amazingly happy? The valley girl accent. Needless to say, this was not just a fun session visually with all the pretty lanterns in the garden, but also quite an auditory experience.... His parents have now had a *lot* of practice with said accent).

The best treat for Kavi though? Getting free reign to explore a highly desired object: The Mysterious Lantern... featuring a little door, and a battery powered tea-light. And to add to the intrigue, this lantern was off-limits until the power of photo-session magic (yes, we adults will pull accents and previously forbidden toys in the name of a happy-faced babe for long-awaited photos!)And when it was all too much, and Kavi was feeling ready for his snacks and nap? First was family story time, with his current favorite book, The Pout-Pout Fish.And that, my friends, is how Kavi rocks his photo session: with a touch of valley girl inspired laughter, puppy goofiness, plenty of snackie breaks with his momma, and a little snuggly story time.

To my new friends: your family is so very lovely, and I'm so grateful to have had the honor of being your first family photographer!

Love,

Ceilidh

Postscript for you all:

Have you had a photo session for your family yet? Little Kavi's session at 9 months was his family's first.  Any age and any occasion (bath time! pajama time!)  is a great reason to have me on hand :-) And if you want a certain time of year for your session, I encourage you to book early - I often schedule a few months out – 617-480-0387 or cwy@willowbabystudios.com

Also, for more cuteness, please jump on over to Instagramand follow me there for new adorable-ness every day!  #willowbabydaily

Willow Baby Studios specializes in newborn and baby photography for Boston area families.

I’d be honored to capture lovely photos of your favorite people soon. 

Emmie||Boston Newborn Photography

Look! It's baby girl Emmie, just nine days old. Her full name, Emilie Katherine, is in honor of two of her great grandmothers.I'd like to declare her amazingly perfect. (I have a feeling her family will agree :-) )

Here's Emmie wrapped in a blanket knitted for her by one of her grandmothers. She's wearing a ribbon headband that I actually discovered recently in a box of doll clothes from when I was a little girl.If baby Emmie looks a touch familiar, it may be because of her family resemblance to big sister Claire. Claire was part of my first year package, where I get the joy of photographing a little cutie three times during their first year! Now, as a bonus to getting to watch Emmie get bigger, I also get to see Claire as she adjusts into her new role as big sister.

Despite their parents saying that at times Claire would proclaim, "My mommy, my daddy," Claire was so sweet and gentle with Emmie. To get a pretty background for their family photos, we ventured to a nearby community garden. And although Claire wasn't so interested in continuing the photo session by this point, a dandelion revived her a bit. As well as snuggles and tickles from daddy of course. On the way back to their home, I asked Claire if she was excited about summer treats. She declared, quite simply, "Ice cream. Happy."

Baby Emmie is going to have a fantastic sister to teach her all the joys of summer.

Congrats to you four - so excited to be on hand for Emmie's first year!

With love,

Ceilidh

Postscript for you all:

Do you have a little person arriving soon? I suggest booking ahead of your due date to ensure session availability. It’s never too early to contact me about a future session – I often schedule a few months out – 617-480-0387 or cwy@willowbabystudios.com

Also, for more cuteness, please jump on over to Instagramand follow me there for new adorable-ness every day!  #willowbabydaily

Willow Baby Studios specializes in newborn and baby photography for Boston area families.

I’d be honored to capture lovely photos of your favorite people soon. 

Amira, Darling||Boston Newborn Photography

Oh, this darling girl! Just five days old, and snoozy as can be. Her name Amira has a few different meanings in Arabic - cultivated, noble, and, though her parents are hoping she won't find out too soon,  princess.Her smushy lips! Her perfect toes! That gorgeous hair! What an amazing little person she is!

Her beauty isn't surprising.....  though both her parents were born and raised on Roosevelt Island, NY, her momma is Indonesian and her daddy, Colombian.  Ready for their story? It's quite remarkable....They have known each other since second grade, though their love story started much later, of course. There is even a photo of them in grade school, the first photo of them together, that some friends found for them when they began Amira's baby book. And now, they have their own little sweetie, who will someday be in second grade herself. How special to have known your partner as a child, and now be raising your own together....As if all that isn't enough special, one grandma was also on hand for the photo session, so I can now present a photo of three generations of beautiful, kind females. The look of adoration on grandma's face as she snuggles with her daughter and grand baby makes me feel also sorts of sappy-mushy.

Welcome to this world, little one.  It is even now that much better because you are here.

-Leigh Standley

With love,

Ceilidh

Postscript for you all:

Do you have a little person arriving soon? I suggest booking ahead of your due date to ensure session availability. It’s never too early to contact me about a future session – I often schedule a few months out – 617-480-0387 or cwy@willowbabystudios.com

Also, for more cuteness, please jump on over to Instagramand follow me there for new adorable-ness every day!  #willowbabydaily

Willow Baby Studios specializes in newborn and baby photography for Boston area families.

I’d be honored to capture lovely photos of your favorite people soon.

Baby Rafael||Arlington, MA newborn photography

They waited. He grew. And now their darling tiny has arrived! Meet Rafael, only 7 days old....Here, this sweet boy rocks his first chullo, a traditional Peruvian hat. He really couldn't look happier or more cozy in it....I'm not sure if the amazing poet Mary Oliver was referring to a grown-up love, but I'm going to use her words with this next image because.... well...

He is exactly the poem I wanted to write – Mary Oliver

Each moment is sheer perfection: that yawn! those chins! the tiny fingers and delicate lashes.. and, of course, let's not neglect his uncanny ability to invoke Zoolander's blue steel.And now, here are his amazed, doting, and tired parents... maybe a bit sleepier than the last timeI saw them, but looking like quite the perfect trio now. There's really not much that is sweeter than new parents gazing at their teeny-tiny.Snuggly moments with momma....protesting the kisses a bit with some leg kicks.... Being adored by daddy, and confusing his nose as a place to look for snacks.... No silly boy! You've gotta hang out with momma to get the goods!Thank you, you three. It's been such a joy spending time with your adorable family, and capturing little Raffa's early days at home! Congratulations :-)

Love,

Ceilidh

Postscript for you all:

Do you have a little person arriving soon? I suggest booking ahead of your due date to ensure session availability. It’s never too early to contact me about a future session – I often schedule a few months out – 617-480-0387 or cwy@willowbabystudios.com

Also, for more cuteness, please jump on over to Instagram and follow me there for new adorable-ness every day!  #willowbabydaily

Willow Baby Studios specializes in newborn and baby photography for Boston area families.

I'd be honored to capture lovely photos of your favorite people soon. 

Mini-Minis||Boston Child and Family Photography Mini-Sessions

Okay!  I can't really say enough happy things about last Saturday's mini sessions. The fabulous Erica, owner of the kid's boutique Wild Child in Arlington Center, kindly agreed to host me, my big ol' lighting kit, and a whole bunch of adorable kiddos and families.

Fair warning: I use accolades such as "cute"and "adorable" a lot. You're welcome to imagine me clapping or squealing as I introduce each kiddo. It would be pretty accurate ;-)

I had such a fun day, catching up with some lovely families I've previously photographed, and meeting some new cutie-patooties. One sweetpea that I first met as a super sleepy newborn is now almost 2 years old, and.... well... take a peek below.... See the dashing fellow below in the suspenders? I was called to take photos for the first time when he was just a teeny little newborn. Four sessions later, and this trio continues to blow my mind with how much they rock each shoot!The next silly kiddo is six, and she is so much fun. It wasn't hard to figure out where she gets in from - her parents kept being so goofy - especially dad - while she was having her picture taken, and cracking her up.I met the duo below when little dude wasn't even sitting up yet. And now? Look at those goofy siblings with their darling curls.....The handsome pants below? That smiley guy was just crawling when I last saw him, and now he is a proud big brother of little sister that wins a baby-hair award.These goofballs were so giggly and fun, as are their parents, who snuck into a couple photos too, in all their grinning glory. (Seriously, the whole family has such amazing smiles!)Ackkkk! This duo! I met these identical boys as tiny newborns, and now they are sitting, standing and generally not staying still or in the same place as one another for longer than a few seconds! At nine months, photographing them proved much mor challenging... luckily their clever momma brought some backup/wrangling assistance in the form of their doting grandpa. First time I had the pleasure of meeting this cutie below. She was...skeptical... about being in photos alone, but between her momma's soothing and her daddy singing sweet and silly songs, we managed to convince her to share some smiles. Another big brother below, whom I saw last as a barely walking little dude years ago! He is now quite the stylish five year old, having picked out his awesome blue frames himself. His 2 year old sister has an awesome toothy little grin, and also expertly rocked the flower crown.  Goodness! Then there's these two! Again, I met big sister many minis ago, and now she is big sistering like a champ. It's so much fun for me to see these kiddos get bigger! Oh goodness. Are you ready for this little lady? Her smirk is out of this world, and looking at the photo of her sitting on the wood box with her little legs swinging down just about blows the cuteness meter for me.

Are you uncertain if custom photography is the right investment for your family? I have minis 2-3x per year, and they are a fabulous way to try out professional photography. They tend to fill quickly, and my newsletter subscribers get first dibs sooooo... jump on over to my website and sign up for my monthly missives. Then you, too, can be first in the know!Want more than a 15 minute session? My full sessions are super fun and summer is booking fast. Only 5 sessions left for June & July, so you should definitely call soon for us to get you a great spot on my calendar! 617-480-0387 or cwy@willowbabystudios.com   

Also, for more cuteness, please jump on over to Instagram and follow me there for new adorable-ness every day!  #willowbabydaily

Frolicking with Isla||Boston Children's Photographer

May your mind forever sparkle like a star, your heart remain pure as new fallen snow. And your spirit forever sense the wonderment of a child.   -Mary Summer Rain

Oh, goodness! Spending a gorgeous spring evening with this darling and her amazing mom? Pretty ideal.

My son and I met Isla and her mom last fall, and I've been - kindly nudging (or perhaps sweetly harassing? ;-) ) - them to do a session ever since. Lucky for me, after a month or two of rescheduling because the weather was refusing not to rain - or snow! - on our chosen session days, we got a beautiful gift from mother nature last week - I couldn't have asked for a more perfect evening for outdoor silliness with this cutie.

Sweetpea made a small bouquet, and after playing with it for a bit, presented it to me as a gift. I swear, Isla's mom picked her dress out to intentionally match the tiny flowers surrounding us. Although, it's a little hard to focus on that perfect coincidence with those gorgeous blue eyes distracting me.....Isla's mom is so sweet with her daughter - playful and silly, and completely enraptured with her. And clearly, Isla adores her mom so much - I captured so many amazingly cute interactions between the two of them, it was really hard to choose which to share!The one below won me over because of the way Isla's hand holds her mom's head in place as she smooches her. Kind of hard to take the sweetness over here.....My takeaway? The rescheduling couldn't have worked out better - what a wonderful evening with a fabulous duo. I'm so happy I had the chance to capture all these moments of you two!

Love,

Ceilidh

Postscript for you all:

Are you a single momma? I can't encourage you strongly enough to grab a photo session - I know there's all sorts of extra scheduling considerations, but having the very special one-on-one relationship between one parent and one kid captured is truly energizing, and, dare I say, downright magical. I often schedule a few months out, so please call me soon and I'll take good care of you, single mommas!

617-480-0387 or cwy@willowbabystudios.com   

Also, for more cuteness, please jump on over to Instagram and follow me there for new adorable-ness every day!  #willowbabydaily

Mini-Minis!||Arlington Family Photography

Ohhh! What are you up to this coming Saturday? Wishing you were capturing the current cuteness that is your kiddo? Well, then, I've got you covered!The first ever Willow Baby Studios Mini-Minis! Wee sessions of 15 minutes, in a studio style set up at the fabulous kid's shop Wild Child in Arlington. A wonderful way to get a professional shot of your little(s) or get a Mommy-and-me photo that doesn't involve contorting your arm to get an awkwardly snapped selfie.Within two weeks you'll be emailed your digital file and a print release allowing you to make as many prints as you'd like. You'll also receive a watermarked version so you can share the cuteness with family and friends on social media. If it's too hard to choose your favorite shot, there will also be additional digital packages available at this time, all at special mini-minis prices!Ready for more good news? The mini-minis are valued at $250, and only cost $49..... But the bad news? They're almost gone! Only 3 sessions left, so grab one quick-quick by going here.

Hope to meet you soon!

Love,

Ceilidh

P.S. Monday confession: Self-promoting is *hard* for me! But I LOVE hanging out with your kiddos and being silly and goofy all the while taking photos of them. And I do realize that the only way for you to know that I could be the perfect photographer for your family is by doing the self-promoting thing. So, yeah. That was.... awkward. I'll keep practicing ;-)

Want more than a 15 minute session? My full sessions are super fun and summer is booking fast. Only 5 sessions left for June & July, so you should definitely call soon for us to get you a great spot on my calendar! 617-480-0387 or cwy@willowbabystudios.com   

Also, for more cuteness, please jump on over to Instagram and follow me there for new adorable-ness every day!  #willowbabydaily

Happy Momma's Day!!!||Family Photography Boston MA

Hi there, dearest Mommas, I almost didn't get this blog post done in time because I kept nit-picking the size and order of the photos in the grids, and fretting about a momma having only one of her kids represented and one dad sneaking in because there were none with just the momma alone.In other words, I was obsessing over perfection and neatness. And if there's ANYTHING I've learned as a momma myself, it's that life - especially parenting- is so very far from either of those things. Like, miles and continents away.

So. I'm here, embracing imperfection in my work life in order to share with you something very important to me:

THANK YOU.

I am so amazingly grateful to all of you mommas who invited me in and showed up. You are all superstars and I wouldn't be in business without you ladies. I love that I arrive at your homes for newborn photos, and you are often looking stunning and fresh and made up, but you're worrying that you look too tired, or too big or your home is too messy for the photos. And then, I feel it's an honor to show you that everything - in all it's imperfect glory - is absolutely beautiful. Not one newborn session passes where I don't feel an immense awe at what you've just accomplished.....

YOU GREW A PERSON!

Over and over again, it blows my mind and brings me such joy.And you, mommas with multiple kiddos or bigger kids: wow! Are you in the midst of doing some amazingly hard work! Babies are hard. Toddlers are hard. Bigger kids are hard. And oh, man! Do siblings look amazingly hard....  It's all so hard, and yet you come before me with your adorable and wild bunch, and you laugh during the session. There is so much joy when you snuggle your kiddos. So thank you again. Thank you for choosing me as your photographer and letting me document your miracles. It is an amazing honor.Happiest Mother's Day to all the beautiful mommas that I've photographed in the past year and a half or so. You are very celebrated.

Love,

Ceilidh

Postscript for any mommas reading this that haven't yet had a photo session...

Babies and kiddos are always at a wonderful age for family photos - and I bet there are many of you that haven't seen just how beautiful you are when you gaze at your littles. So please give me a call soon - I often schedule a few months out – 617-480-0387 or cwy@willowbabystudios.com   

Also, for more cuteness, please jump on over to Instagram and follow me there for new adorable-ness every day!  #willowbabydaily

Here Comes the Cute!||Charlestown, MA family photography

The cute is headed your way, at top speed!

Max & Harper are fast. Really fast. And it's no easy feat to slow them down. However, when necessary, here is one equation that renders them "still-ish". Have them run laps no less than four times. Then, get equal parts parents to children, throw in the incentive of small treats, and request their silliest faces. You'll end up with something that looks like this....

In other words, pretty frickin' adorable! I'm a huge fan of candid and giggles, but we also managed to get something less silly too.... although Harper's leg is still at the ready, just in case she needs to dash off somewhere....

Making this photo shoot happen was no easy feat. Max & Harper's mom transported a whole bag of outfit options and snacks, while chaperoning two scootering kiddos on a windy & chilly spring afternoon to the chosen session location. Upon arrival she promptly went into pig-tail making mode (not a hairstyle that could have fit under Harper's scooter helmet) all while maintaining an impressive amount of calm. Their dad conquered Boston (Friday!) rush hour traffic and the insanity that is city parking to make this all come together before the sun went down. I'm so happy they did!(It's possible one sibling was slightly easier to capture and keep still).Luckily, we were able to enlist less-squirmy sibling's help in "convincing" (eh-hem, squeezing her till she couldn't move) Miss Harper to sit still for a moment. A big thank you to the four of you for overcoming all the obstacles city living threw at us! I'm so happy to have had the honor of being your family's first official photographer!

Love,

Ceilidh

Postscript for you all:

Do you need some beautiful family photos? I would love to take them!  It's never too early to contact me about a future session - I often schedule a few months out - 617-480-0387 or cwy@willowbabystudios.com   

Also, for more cuteness, please jump on over to Instagram and follow me there for new adorable-ness every day!  #willowbabydaily