A new toy and a promise

Since I started this blog, I've been sharing some of my favorite photos with you and I've been proud to know they were taken on a point and shoot camera. Granted, it is a fancy point and shoot, but a simple fixed-lens camera nonetheless. The photography tips and tricks I've shared have purposely been geared towards the type of things that can help anyone with a camera, not just fancy SLR camera owners. 

Then along came Handyman Tim.

We celebrated our 9th anniversary at the end of July. My sweet, supportive, and very surprising husband celebrated this milestone by taking me to a camera shop and purchasing a Canon SLR camera as my gift. To say I nearly swooned would not be an understatement. I can't remember the last time I was so overwhelmed and excited by a gift. 

I've been joyously playing with my new toy for the last few weeks and realizing just how much more I have to learn. I plan to continue discussing photography here on the blog but my goal is to continue my tradition of keeping the tips useful for anyone with any camera. I really believe that taking pictures of our families is a hugely important task and I want to help anyone stopping by to find something to take away that is practical with the equipment they already own.

So with that announcement out of the way, today I'm continuing my discussion of taking portraits at home. Along with the investment in my new camera came the promise that I would not take the girls (Little Pea especially) into a "professional" portrait studio for their milestone portraits. I spent far too much money capturing the Peanut's 3, 6, 9, and 12 month portraits because I got completely suckered in by the horrible thought that they were going to delete my precious baby's pictures from their database. 

I'm taking Little Pea's portraits myself (or trying to) and will sleep a little better at night knowing that no one will delete the photos but me! Her 3 month portrait came and went a few weeks ago and I'm finally sharing it here:

 

I scoured the web looking for inspiration on posing a 3 month old baby for a more formal portrait. Since they can't sit up at this age, it is trickier than you might think. I knew I hit a winner when I found a professional photographer who willingly shared that she bought this "background" at HomeGoods--it is actually a small floor rug! 

I was ecstatic to find it in blue at our local store and new it would bring out Little Pea's eyes and match her "coming home from the hospital" hat. It's a good thing I used that hat, I had to squeeze her little noggin into it and this is the last time she'll wear it. <sniff sniff>

Armed with my rug and hat, I just waited for the nice afternoon lighting that our living room gets each day and snapped a series of these shots in 15 minutes when she was well rested, well fed, and happy. SO much nicer than making an appointment at the mall!

I love how the rug texture came out in the photo so much it has me looking at housewares in a whole new light!