Penelope | 26 Week Preemie | NICU Portraits | Charlotte, North Carolina | Krista Gantt Photography

Penelope

26 weeks

1 pound 0.09 ounces

Penelope’s parents are not strangers to parenting, but they knew even before her birth that Penelope would need some extra special care upon her arrival. Her mom and dad are currently balancing care for their other children with time with Penelope in the NICU. Between daily life at home and commuting to and from the hospital, life can really fly by. Being a photographer herself, Penelope’s mother wanted to capture her daughter’s feisty personality during her NICU stay, so she welcomed a NICU session for her sweet little lady. Bundled up next to her very first octopus, here is a glimpse into the NICU journey of this little fighter and her loving parents as well as a note from her mother about Penelope’s diagnoses and how she made her grand entrance into her family of five.

We found out we were expecting and were going to do a water birth until all these unexpected things kept coming up. [There were] multiple doctor appointments with fetal medicine and cardiology. We first found out our little girl would be born with cleft—once we got settled in knowing that, we had a cardiologist appointment and we found out she had hole in [her] heart in two different spots. So being scared we put it in God's hands. We knew He could work miracles. Pregnancy was going pretty smooth other than that until 25 weeks my water ruptured and I had to rush to ER and they had to stop labor. They were able to keep baby in another week but then a turn for the worst her heart started to decel. We had to deliver 12/19/19 and she came out crying and doing great on just CPAP.  Two kids at home…and traveling everyday to Charlotte to make sure I'm with my sweet Penelope too it's crazy and a roller coaster, but God is amazing and He works miracles.

James | In-home Lifestyle Newborn Session | Charlotte, North Carolina | Krista Gantt Photography

You all might remember Erika from her stunning indoor maternity photos. She and her husband are now parents to baby boy James! Upon arriving at her home for the session I was awestruck by the decor—Erika knows a thing or two about design. This made my job so easy! Lifestyle photographs can be much more diverse when every room in the house is styled and clutter-free. With that being said, please don’t feel any pressure to make your home just so before I come—the transition to motherhood can be trying! This mama just has a special gift, and I was able to capture that in these photos. All I really need is a space with one good window for lighting to get the best photographs of your and your new addition!

More beautiful than their stunning home is this family, just full of joy. Even baby James gave me some sweet smiles to capture. With mom and dad in neutrals and denim and James swaddled in neutral, textured blankets, I was able to really capture some of their first, special family moments without any distractions.

There is something so special about the home to which you bring your brand new little baby, and as much as I enjoy studio sessions, I really love capturing families in their element. What do you prefer—studio or lifestyle session?

Ketcher | 34 Week Preemie | NICU Portraits | Charlotte, North Carolina | Krista Gantt Photography

Ketcher

34 weeks

Recently I was able to capture a big day for Ketcher, a 34-week preemie—his graduation day! During our scheduled session, Ketcher was being discharged home with his family. While his parents were thrilled to get home, they were also familiar with the ins and outs of the NICU because Ketcher’s big sis, Avayah spent some time in the NICU not too long ago. Discharge can bring feelings of overwhelm, excitement, and even fear, but this family was just bursting with joy! Just look at those radiant smiles!

After his big sister Avayah graduated from her time in the NICU, mom and dad signed her up for a baby plan, and it has been so much fun to watch her grow! I look forward to doing the same with Ketcher as we move beyond his NICU days and into his baby plan.

While I love photographing these cute little babes, it has been an absolute treat to be able to photograph their entire family. I even had the privilege of taking maternity boudoir photos for Ketcher’s mama before her little man was born. Talk about stunning!

As a NICU nurse I love capturing NICU moments, but as a photographer I adore getting to know and to photograph families through each of their adventures. Life is full of seasons, each one unique and each one fleeting. In these images, time stands still.

Three Reasons to Book a Mini Session | Charlotte, North Carolina | Krista Gantt Photography

There are so many options when it comes to booking a photography session. Some things that factor into your choices are timing, finances, weather, utilization of the images. The list goes on. One great opportunity for both photographers and families is booking mini sessions. There are a number of reasons to choose to book a mini session, but below are three main reasons many families choose to book this particular type of session.

Mini sessions can be a great opportunity to try on your photographer for fit without a huge commitment. You want to ensure you and the photographer are comfortable with one another—if not, the discomfort can lead to images that aren’t of great quality photos that simply don’t feel genuine.

Once you’ve determined the relationship between yourself and your photographer, you will want to examine your budget. If finances are a little tight but you really want to prioritize photos, you can book a mini session, which is typically a less expensive option. Photographers tend to book back-to-back sessions in order to accomodate more families on a particular day. The session will be shorter (around 15 to 30 minutes) and usually does not allow for outfit changes. So they are quick and painless!

Finally, sometimes you’re just not looking for an abundance of images. You may even have a very specific image (e.g., special announcement, Christmas card, pregnancy announcement) that you are looking to capture and you don’t need a gallery of 100+ images. These special situations lend themselves perfectly to mini sessions because they usually yield fewer images in the final gallery.

This sweet girl definitely made the most of her mini session! What kinds of mini sessions would you like to see from me this year?! I have a few ideas in mind but I want to hear from you!