Life changes drastically when a newborn enters the picture. The once-familiar routines and plans become haphazard, and time seems to slip through your fingers. Let me tell you, being type A is not conducive to having a newborn, Nonetheless, Michael and I embarked on a family photoshoot adventure with our six-week-old bundle of joy, River. 

For some people, photos aren’t a big deal. I am not those people. I wanted to take family photos that would serve as a tangible reminder of our love.  Photos preserve fleeting moments in time that can never be replicated. They freeze the joy, love, and connection shared by our loved ones, becoming timeless treasures that we can revisit throughout our lives. Seeing the images hanging on our walls, flipping through old photo albums, or scrolling through digital galleries allows us to relive those cherished memories and reflect on the journey we've undertaken. 

As a former pageant queen and media personality, I’m no stranger to photoshoots. I have my routine down to a science. I create a vision board, choose a venue, solidify my outfits in the weeks following the shoot, pack everything up the night before, and get my makeup done the morning of. Trying to coordinate a photoshoot for three people proved to be a lot more difficult - and expensive - than I expected. 

Expenses can quickly add up, from booking the photographer and securing a studio to purchasing outfits and considering additional prints or digital copies. 

The venue I wanted to use canceled my reservation the day before the shoot. Classic. I found a last-minute venue for $120.00. 

Then there were the outfits. All the baby clothes I loved were way more expensive than I anticipated. My first choice was a cream cotton bodysuit from a European baby boutique. I almost laughed when she told me it cost $100. How could such a small piece of cloth cost so much money? Less than 24 hours before the shoot, I finally settled on a white collared shirt, creme-stripped pants, and matching sweater from Janie and Jack for a total of $90.

Michael and I booth scooped up our outfits from Zara for a total of about $200. It was more than I wanted to spend, but we both picked outfits we knew we’d wear again. 

On the day of the shoot, time was not on our side. With our schedules now turned upside down by sleepless nights, we found ourselves running late for the photoshoot… a whole hour late. If there’s anything I hate more than being late, it’s rushing. By the time we arrived, we only had a mere 25 minutes left to shoot. but we were determined to make the most of every second. Talk about anxiety. I had to self-talk myself out of having an attitude.

The unpredictability of an infant's mood added an extra layer of complexity to the shoot. There were a few moments of peace, a lot of restless squirming, and a mid-shoot feeding session. And then of course, River spit up all over his outfit. I was convinced the shoot was going to be a total fail but made the decision before we even began shooting to be as present and pleasant as possible. I kept trying to remind myself that what really matters - love - was all around me. As cliche as it sounds, it worked. 

I was shocked when we got our pictures back. I loved them all! We didn’t get as many solo shots of baby River as I wanted, but considering we shot everything in 25 minutes, I’ll take it.

The total cost of the photoshoot? About $700. I feel like the investment was worth every penny - especially since these photos will be hanging on my wall for the next several decades. Would I do it again? Absolutely, 

Our family photo shoot with River was a whirlwind of emotions, time constraints, and unexpected challenges. It was a master class in the art of embracing chaos, appreciating the unpredictable moments and finding beauty in imperfection. 20 years from now, I’m sure my future self will thank me.

Special shout out to Michael for being such a trooper, and committing to my vision. Only 18 more years of this :)

Also  - what do you all think about neutral colors on babies? Yay or nay? I’m a huge fan of “sad beige” as the haters like to call it. With chaos all around me, the neutral colors bring a sense of serenity to my day. As soon as River is old enough to have his own color preferences, though, I’ll respect them.

Photos By: Brian Oliva of Big Fish Photography