Taking portraits for dear friends is always a special honor! I was so excited when Mia reached out for maternity portraits and family photos as they will be expecting a baby GIRL in December! We had a sweet and fun family session at the West Point on Eno River, and my favorite part was when their son Elliot was tossing leaves in the air! The joy that is captured on their faces is priceless :)

Also, I absolutely LOVED their blue and yellow clothing coordination! It totally fit their happy personalities and added a nice warm touch to their photos! Did you know yellow is my favorite color, too? I love it because it's such a happy and cheerful color.

Enjoy getting to know the Zhu family with the photos below, and get ready to celebrate their growing family!

Location: West Point on Eno River

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Nothing is more awkward than figuring out what to do with your hands in photos! Do you put your hands on your hips? Knees? Face? Hair? If you're lost, here are some easy tips on where to place your hands when you're being photographed.

Tip #1: Give a hug! 

When you give someone a hug, your hands will naturally go around another person AND it doesn't look stiff or awkward. It's a win-win every time! When you hug someone, you are communicating affection and connection in your photo (and I'm ALL about that!).

A sweet photo of a mother and daughter hugging. Photo taken at the American Tobacco Campus in Durham, NC.

Tip #2: Hand in pockets

Get a more casual and relaxed look by putting your hands in your pockets! Personally I think putting your hands in your pockets is such a fun way to give your photo a lifestyle feel to it. It adds personality and you'll look chic and modern!

Bonus Tip: I would also angle the body a bit so you're not facing straight-on at the camera. Unless you're a professional model, it's hard to get a flattering photo when you're facing straight-on! Angles create dimension, which adds depth and shape to your photo.

Extra Bonus Tip: Depending on how big your pockets are, you might find your pockets are too small to fit your whole hand. If that's the case, don't worry! Simply leave your thumbs on the outside and relax...and don't forget to rock it with confidence!

A portrait of a man before his deployment. I asked him to put his hands in his pockets for a casual, relaxed, and modern look. Photo was also taken at the American Tobacco Campus in Durham, NC.

Tip #3: Hands OFF the belly...unless it's a maternity shoot.

This is another personal opinion of mine, but there's no reason to draw your eye to the belly unless you want to emphasize that you have a (real) baby bump! If you are pregnant, then having your hands on and around the belly is beautiful and meaningful. There is a tender and intimate feel to a photo when a mother and father puts their hands on the mother's belly. If you're not pregnant, however, please save the hands-on-belly photos for the real thing!

A portrait of a mom with her hands on the belly, displaying affection and intimacy for their little one. Their baby boy soon came a few weeks later! Photo was taken at their home in Durham, NC.

Tip #4: Hold hands

This is probably my favorite tip. I LOVE it when my clients are holding hands! Just like hugs, holding hands is symbolic and communicates connection for your visual narrative. I especially love using this tip with children because they are so active, and holding hands will help glue the family together (at least for a few seconds!). It is also an easy direction for kids to follow. I try and avoid complex instructions and try to keep things simple.

A father and his five sons! We had the little ones hold hands to help them stay together for a few seconds. Photo was taken in Seattle, WA.

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If you're looking to book a Raleigh family photographer, please contact me here! I also serve the surrounding areas in the Triangle including Durham, Cary, Chapel Hill, and Apex, and often travel to Seattle, WA.

Whenever I pause to reflect back on past events, I'm always in awe of God's perfect timing. I booked tickets to Seattle (my hometown) months earlier, and I later learned that my dear friends, Alison and Mark, were going to have a baby around the same time I'd be in Seattle! Who knew that baby Zachariah was going to make his debut on July 6th (a day after his expected due date) AND while I'd be in town?

We started out by photographing some beautiful portraits of Alison holding baby Zachariah. I had Alison stand next to the window (I'm a huge fan of natural, window light!) because I wanted to use the soft light that was organically coming from the window. I thought it would be meaningful to capture the tenderness and intimate connection between mother and child during the first few weeks of a baby's life. We captured a few portraits of Mark and Zachariah later in the shoot, too, to also illustrate the connection between father and son. I want parents to be able to remember the joy of holding their babies because they're only little for so long!

We also captured candids of the two older brothers and the interaction they were having with Mark, their dad. They were eating popcorn, and Mark was balancing Ty beanie babies on their heads! It was so funny, and their giggles and smiles were priceless. We captured additional portraits of the whole family inside and outside their home, and it was perfect in every way! Baby Zachariah, you are so loved by your mommy, daddy, and older brothers :)

To capture the wonderful gift of family is one of the greatest honors and joys I have, and I'm truly blessed to do what I love to do! Enjoy the photos.

-Genevieve

If you're looking to book a Durham family photographer or Raleigh family photographer, please contact me here!

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