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I think mostly everyone knows by now that my wife Rebecca and I are happily expecting our first child this Fall. We’ve begun the preparations, from boxes of diapers already being delivered to a nursery remodeling project in our home. We’re excited to embark on the parenthood journey, so newborn and family sessions resonate with me just a little stronger these days. Rebecca and I had the opportunity to capture some of the earliest images of Kat, Matt, and their new baby girl in their Media, PA newborn and family session. As seasoned photographers, the shoot was creative and fun. As newbie parents, it was also good training!
Kat and Matt live on a gorgeous wooded property lush with greenery. Kat and Rebecca are friends and work together as English professors at Eastern University. Matt is a talented carpenter, but I kind of think he was a falcon in another life. When we arrived, we put our heads together and thought it would be awesome to build a nest as a photo prop. Matt took the reins, and within no time, he had built an intricate and impressive rendition for his new daughter. I love that the images contain such a personal element, something hand-crafted by Dad that his daughter will always be able to look back on. The natural light was soft on the day of our session, which is ideal for newborn portraiture. Anyone who knows my work and style can vouch for my love of creatively using off camera flash, but I also recognize when to turn the transmitter off and let mother nature rock the shot. That’s exactly what made this gallery work so well. We utilized other natural elements as well:a Bonsai tree, leaves, and window light in the nursery. The final gallery has a fresh, organic, and vibrant feel that we love.
I’ll confess that as the weeks go by, I’ve been quietly nervous. I’m well aware that there is a universe of knowledge and experience I have yet to gain. That said,  Kat and Matt’s new arrival was a fantastic model and so easy to work with. For hands which have never held a child of their own, I’m happy to say that they were able to get the job done with results I’m proud of. For the first time, I left Kat and Matt’s house with the feeling of, “This fatherhood thing? Yeah, you got this.”
Congratulations to Kat and Matt, and thank you so much for trusting JPG Photography with such a precious session!
Best, Joe