“Advice to moms and dads: Cry whenever you want to cry....Feel whatever emotions you want to feel...Take every day one at a time...Your baby is stronger than you can imagine!”
The Carolinas are notorious for feeling like summer when the calendar says it’s fall. The good news is it doesn’t have to feel like fall to look like fall. Just grab a pumpkin spice latte, put on some deep jewel tones like this family, and think cool thoughts! I have found some beautiful little spots to photograph families with hints of Fall foliage and pine. Take a look at this sweet family and their little ones on the move!
What do you love most about a Carolina Fall?
Every year, I struggle with finding the most perfect, well thought-out gifts for my loved ones. That’s why I’m going to make it easy for you! You can literally shop for everyone right from this post. It’s a one-stop shop!
You can find all of these gifts at PinholePress.com. I reached out to them and they sent me a code for you all! You can save 15% with code KRISTAG15
*As an affiliate, I make a small commission off of your purchases at no extra cost to you.
My favorites for the whole family! I’ve been doing puzzles for YEARS and I couldn’t wait to introduce Evan to the pastime. It’s a great way to get the family together and away from screens. This gift is a gift that keeps on giving, since you can use it for many years.
These come in 12, 60, or 252 pieces and of course you can customize them with your own images. So you choose the theme and you get to see it come to life when the family joins in on the fun!
These are a definite winner in my book! They’re small enough to keep in a purse but the quality is good enough to highlight professional images you want to cherish forever.
Pinhole Press offers a huge array of photo books and some are even themed. I gifted Michael with one of the “10 Reasons” themed books for Father’s Day from Evan. You customize the wording and colors in each album, and of course include all of your favorite photos.
The most durable gift on my list!
These are great for kids and will stand the test of time for certain! These small kids books are made of thick durable pages, spiral bound, and built for little hands!
There are endless options when it comes to customizing these too! If you’re at a loss for words or you’re lacking in the creativity department, there are plenty of templates with themes and you can just insert your own photos. Pinhole Press knows how to take the guesswork out of the album design process!
These magnets are great if you like displaying photos on your refrigerator. Evan loves looking at these and I like to use these for images that I love, but wouldn’t necessarily frame on my wall.
You can choose from a set of 6 or a set of 12 and customize each magnet with your own wording. I went with black text, but Pinhole Press has 20 different text color options to choose from.
My all-time favorite gift for the little ones! Evan was able to start playing with these cards as young as 15 months. I taught him how to play with the cards facing up, but now that he’s a little older, I need to teach him how you’re really supposed to play!
These cards can be customized with a matte or glossy finish and are SUPER thick, just like the pages of the spiral bound books. They are sure to hold up to those little hands! They’re an easy gift to wrap, since they come in a box too! You just choose your favorite 12 images and your gift is in production and ready to gift your special someone.
This one’s for you, Mom!
If you’re like me, you may not need something as elaborate as the fancy planners out there. I have a Google calendar that I share with Michael, so most of my monthly events are coordinated there.
What I love about this Pinhole Press planner is that it’s perfect for daily planning and looking at your week at a glance. I’m not much of a long-term planner, but I definitely like to plan my week out and make a list of priorities and short-term goals.
Each month features a photo, and you can also customize your cover with the perfect image for your annual planner. In fact, it’s about time for me to order my 2021 planner! I just tried to flip to January of next year and realized I’m ready to design my next one.
While you’re shopping for personalized Christmas gifts for your family, go ahead and grab your holiday cards too! Pinhole Press has a huge collection of carefully curated cards. You’re sure to find on to fit your aesthetics! You can choose from a variety of layouts and designs, and they even offer foil stamping!
You can find all of these gifts at PinholePress.com. You can save 15% with code KRISTAG15
I’d love to see what you gift your loved ones! Tag me on Instagram with my handle @kristaganttphotography
This post may contain affiliate links, meaning I get a small commission (at no cost to you) if you decide to purchase from these links.
Evan doesn’t like to touch the pumpkin guts but he doesn’t mind getting a little paint on his hands! So we got to do all of the dirty work this year and he just threw a candle inside at the end (literally!). I ended up just drawing a simple face myself instead of something more elaborate with a pattern to trace. Scroll down and let me know how I did!
While it may not always feel like it here in Charlotte, it’s beginning to look like Fall!. The trees are lush, leaves are beginning to turn and fall underfoot—it’s beautiful!
Speaking of beautiful, can you even handle this family? I have been photographing them from the NICU to milestones and family portraits. They styled their family perfectly for fall family portraits with deep, warmer tones and hints of denim. I love that they’re coordinated, and not too matchy matchy.
What really makes these photos are the radiant smiles and the easygoing energy of these four. Not everyone is super comfortable in front of the camera, but there’s so much beauty in normal, minimally posed family moments. From little kisses to children exploring their surroundings, I love to photograph the essence of a family instead of a cookie cutter posed snapshot that may or may not resemble their true spirit.
Enjoy and capture each season, and print your pictures because time is a thief, y’all!
Pumpkin picking at it’s finest! We took a trip to the pumpkin stand to grab a few pumpkins to carve. This stand is where I found our beautiful pumpkins with muted tones last year. There weren’t as many of those this year, but we were able to find a few to decorate our front porch with.
Scroll through to check out what we didn’t bring home ◡̈ Evan chose something that we just couldn’t bring ourselves to buy. Sometimes if you love something, you let it go… right?! Enjoy!
Our first annual fall apple picking trip did not disappoint. Sky Top Orchard is nestled just above Flat Rock, North Carolina. The property is HUGE and so are the crowds, but we managed to sneak in right at opening. When we left, the cars were parked and in line for over a mile away from the entrance. We were glad to wake up a little early instead of sitting for hours with a 2 year old!
Here is a little glimpse into a tradition I hope to continue in the years to come! I forgot to photograph the BEST two parts of our apple adventure… the apple cider donuts and the apple cannon!!
Sky Top’s donuts are the most delicious donuts I’ve ever tasted and I have been dreaming about them ever since! I love anything with cinnamon sugar, so of course I had to try a few - or a dozen. Our other favorite part of the day was the apple cannon. It is new this year and I got a few photos on my phone, but didn’t get out the big camera because was a popular attraction with a lot of people around. We got a basket of 20 apples to shoot out of the cannon, and I was the only one out of the three of us to hit a target and earn an extra apple to shoot. Girl power!
We are into traditions that we can share with Evan, and this is one fall experience that I’d love to repeat next year. There is so much to do at the orchard, which makes Sky Top a perfect day trip with a toddler. What a fun way to kick off fall!
Just as his parents were preparing for his baby shower, Tristin surprised them with a speedy arrival much earlier than they had anticipated. Since he was about 10 weeks early, he earned himself a stay in the NICU to do some more growing and to develop a few more skills before leaving the hospital and heading home. Since his NICU admission he has proven to be quite a little fighter and is making great strides in his development—no longer needing an IV and breathing mostly without support. The snuggles and skin-to-skin time are surely helping both Tristin and parents to adjust and to thrive. Just look at those smiles!
“I found out I was pregnant when I was 5 weeks (in June). I had just graduated from the University of South Carolina and just received a job here in Charlotte at Charlotte Latin School. I was terrified and had no clue what I was going to do. I had no other choice but to make the most of my situation and my pregnancy. Fast forward to December, I was preparing for my baby shower to be on December 7th. On December 1st, at about 3:30 am, I began having sharp pains in my stomach. I honestly thought I had food poisoning from Thanksgiving. I could not sleep and was in excruciating pain. I finally decided to go to the hospital around 7 because I hadn’t felt a lot of movement along with my stomach pain. I got there and they told me I was 4 cm dilated. They gave me medicine to stop it, however, the meds did not work. Next thing you know, they told me I was 7-8 cm dilated and my baby was coming right then. My boyfriend and I looked at each other and didn’t know what to do. Tristin Joshua Lewis was born on 12/1/19 at 9:16 am. He weighed 3 pounds 4 ounces. All I could do was cry because he was so small. He was transported to Novant Presbyterian right after he was born. He is now 3 pounds 6.7 ounces. He is breathing on his own (room air trials) for 18 hours of the day. He had is picc line removed and he is done with all fluids he was receiving. He is a fighter! He’s doing everything he’s supposed to be doing and I couldn’t be more proud of my little trooper. Being a young parent is not easy. Being a parent already is not easy, but I wouldn’t trade this feeling for the world. Tristin lights up my world and never fails to put a smile on my face. He is my SONshine! Babies are blessings. I am beyond thankful to have Tristin in my life!”
Josephine snoozed through her dreamy newborn session. She mirrored the peaceful demeanor of her lovely parents. I adore accessorizing little girls with dainty headbands. With sweet little newborns, it doesn’t take much accessorizing to create a beautiful feminine photograph. Also, as you can see swaddling babies does not have to limit access to their sweet fingers and toes—those are some of the best parts of newborn photos!
What are your favorite accessories for little girls?
One of my very favorite parts of being a newborn and NICU portrait photographer is to hear from past NICU families that I have photographed. I just love when they reach out with photos and stories about the fun things they’re doing. Like they say, kids grow up SO fast! These preemies are no different! They thrive the minute they’re discharged!
Landry is no different. Here is what her family had to say. Isn’t she just a cutie?!
“ She talks of her mama often and always shares that she lives in heart and gets to live in the clouds with Jesus. She’s a true miracle... She is surrounded by 7 cousins and so much love from my family. She’s a spitfire for sure but brings us so much laughter. ”
And then there were four—four girls, that is. Mallory is the newest addition to this crew of little ladies. I adore this family. It’s been a blessing to photograph all four of these girls and to capture each of their individual personalities. I know I am in for a fun time when they book a session, and I really appreciate how they trust my vision for each of their sessions. I must add—it is such a treat when I see that they’ve printed and displayed my images all around their home! Mallory’s youngest older sister did a Baby Plan with me, so I’ve been able to photograph each one of these girls in her milestone photos. There’s something so special about getting to know families through photographing them over time.
Look at how well these girls love their newest little sister!
This little lady with the captivating smile and full head of hair is Ava! Is she not the cutest thing you’ve ever seen? Also, I don’t blame you if you’re currently searching online for her outfit in your size—can you say timeless elegance?! While we are just starting Ava’s baby plan, I’ve gotten to know her family a bit already because Miles, one of her two big brothers was also on a Baby Plan of his own! Let me tell you, this family is so much fun! They are easygoing and just wonderful in front of the camera.
Their mama is not only sweet as pie and raising some serious cuties, but she is also Dr. Haberle from Metrolina Dermatology. If you’re looking for a comprehensive dermatology practice in the Charlotte area, I cannot recommend one more highly than Metrolina. Just take a peek at Dr. Haberle’s accolades and I bet you won’t disagree with me! From skin cancer screenings and Mohs procedures to microdermabrasion and chemical peels, this office can handle all of your dermatological needs.
Okay, back to sweet baby Ava. This session was all about baby girl. It was so much fun to focus on Ava and all things girly and sweet during this session. Pearls, bows, and lace all made an appearance in her portraits. Every girl likes to play a little dress up now and again, right?
Evan is almost two, so we thought it was time for a Friday night fire and his first roasted S'mores! He had a blast and managed to stay away from the fire. H...
If you know me, you’ve probably figured out that I’m far from traditional! I love to stray outside the lines of what’s normal and comfortable. So it’s no surprise that I enjoyed this Easter holiday despite the strangeness of this pandemic!
Easter weekend was filled with family time with just the three of us. Evan did his first Easter egg hunt and ate way too many M&Ms and Skittles! He loved searching for his eggs. He just put them in a little bucket from one of my baby showers from before he was born. Why, you ask? Well, because his Easter basket was already packed and ready to put out on Easter morning. Do people still put out an empty basket on Easter Eve to have the Easter Bunny fill it? Well we didn’t stick with that tradition - oops!
That evening, we put 5 carrots out on the porch for the Easter Bunny. Evan was a little disappointed because he thought the bunny was actually going to be out there right when he opened the door! We explained that he would come in the night and he seemed to be satisfied with that response. The next morning, he ran to the front door to see how many carrots were left. Surprisingly, there was only one!
On Easter morning, we read Easter books and watched church online (thanks David Chadwick and Moments of Hope Church!) Evan doesn’t quite understand what watching church means, especially since he doesn’t watch a ton of television. He’s used to seeing other children so watching people sing songs was pretty fun to him. He really enjoyed the music but he got restless during the sermon.
We had pizza for lunch and hung out around the house the rest of the day. That night, we blew up an air mattress and put it in the den to watch a movie. Evan sat through the entire thing! We watched Monster’s Inc on Disney+ and were both hoping he’d fall asleep…but that definitely did not happen! I was thrilled that he was able to watch the whole movie, though!
While we thoroughly enjoyed our out of the ordinary Easter, we are ready to see our friends and family again!
Here’s a little video of our Easter weekend!
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.
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?
