When I found out Erica’s second baby — a boy! — was on its way, I was so excited to help her family document the beauty of those early days, which can sometimes feel anything but. That’s one of the best things I can offer the families I photograph — the opportunity to show them the unmatched beauty of their lives. The soft touches. The way your kids look at you. The quiet moments when you’re doing nothing but being together.

When I saw the stairwell in this home, I knew this was the place for their newborn photos. Sure, we could've taken photos in the living room, bedroom, or nursery, but the result would've been completely different!

Like most sessions with a first baby, this one felt so peaceful — more like a hangout where I just so happen to be taking photos while chatting with mom and dad. I think you can feel that sense of peace in their images, as well as the pure joy that can only come from soaking in a baby you've waited so long to meet.

For this session — my third Fresh 48 newborn session with the H family — I knew that we would be mainly photographing by the big window in their family room. Again, the surrounding toys didn't matter. Neither did the still-up birthday decorations. To prepare for their session, all Mom and Dad needed to do was focus on their new family of five and trust me.

You might think that inviting a photographer into your home just a week postpartum sounds ... stressful. Crazy, even. Let this session be proof that just the opposite is true.

As a mom, I know firsthand how magical (and blurry) the arrival of a newborn is. Those first days deserve to be documented, because one...