One year birthday club session

It’s hard to decide which sessions are our favorites during the birthday club. One year birthday club sessions are very exciting. But do we like them more than the newborn session? What about the 2 other sessions in between? There is also the other 13 sessions after one year! The one year birthday club session is definitely up there with our favorite sessions. The kids definitely start to show lots of personality. The session began with some family photos. We knew that we were going to do a smash cake at the end so we wanted to be sure to get all the other photos done first. The family photos went very smoothly, giving them lots to pick from when making selections. We were hoping to get some photos of the brothers but big brother was on the move. He is very fast and since little brother hasn’t quite caught up yet we only got a few of those. No big deal since this session was the one year birthday session and that was the focus anyway. Our big one year old smiled and laughed during all his photos. He even bounced right back after a tumble in the weeds. It was like it didn’t even happen! He is so easy going just like mom and dad. We moved around the park a bit getting different scenery options. He isn’t walking just yet, maybe a step or two. This actually helped because he was fully entertained by use being silly after we gave him a spot to sit or stand. The last thing was the smash cake, or cupcakes. He was definitely more interested in the cake tray than the cupcakes. Big brother wanted to join in this one year birthday club session so we were able to capture a few of them sharing cupcakes – super cute! Even though we didn’t have a smash we still captured this one year session. The kids grow so fast so having these photos will be a great memory. See you in 6 months!     #ravettaphotography #birthdayclub #stlphotographer #portraitphotographer #oneyearsession #oneyearsmashcake #smashcakephotos #happybirthday #outdoorsession
Rachel Ravetta   0     birthday club , Children photography , family photography , Ravetta Photography , stlouisphotographer

Mom is the favorite so we just roll with it

Sometimes I wish we could all roll with it like this family. Mom is the favorite so we just roll with it during the session. The plan was to photograph an 18 month session in the park. Mom has some thoughts about flowers in a basket and reading the favority books. However, Luella had other plans. She didn’t care about her favorite books, she just wanted her favorite person – mom. We know it is hard for little ones to sit without mom sometimes. We started of slow by having them play together while mom inched away a bit. She was never able to get too far! Lucky mom knew this might be an issue so she dressed ready to be in photos if needed. This is the personality we want to capture right now, all mom all the time. Most of the session turned into a mom and me session. These photos were quite perfect! Then after Luella warmed up a bit more she was willing to play with her brother for a few photos. These dancing and playing photos are very cute! We had to do a bit of zooming and cropping to get a photo of her by herself. However, what we did get was wonderful because she had a big smile on her face. Of course she did because she was still touching mom. We even tried handing off to dad while mom hid around the corner. All the little tricks we had Luella wasn’t buying what we were selling. This isn’t the first session where mom couldn’t leave and it won’t be the last. We are just grateful that when mom is the favorite everyone is willing to just roll with it. Truely these photos will be cherished because mom is often behind the camera, they will be enjoyed forever. #ravettaphotography #stlphotographer #birthdayclub #queenypark #momandme #photoswithmom #babygirl #outdoorphotos #outdoorsession #photographyoutdoors  
Rachel Ravetta   0     Children photography , family photography , Ravetta Photography , St. Louis Photographer

Heirloom Photography

Heirloom photography is a southern tradition but we are happy to offer this style in our studio. Portraits that span generations are meant to capture children in a classic and simple style. The best age is any child that can sit unassisted into the teen years. Heirloom photography is a tradition done once per child at a particular age. However, you can do them yearly if you wanted. Heirloom sessions are unique and our goal is to provide your family with timeless heirloom prints to display in your home forever. Your viewing gallery will include many images and expressions. Once you make the selection of your favorites we can print them in black and white or color. You can even add the details of turning it into a digital painting. The work of art with every detail perfected will be a cherished memory for many future generations. We received a call wondering if this was something we could do because our client saw them online. She is a grandmother and wanted to have this southern tradition for her grandchildren. We have recently been photography sessions outdoors because the weather is nice. However, we have full studio that we can utilize at any point. We use a crisp clean white background for many different types of portraits, such as model photography and these timeless heirloom photos. During this session we were quickly able to capture some great expressions. This little girl was ready to smile and give us all sorts of facial expressions. It is going to be a tough choice for grandma to select her favorite for the wall art. Since we had a bit of extra time we included a few personality photos as well. Personality photos are done on the same white background but allow the child to pose, dance or jump around to show off their personality at this age. We really enjoy these crisp and classic photos, give us a call to set up your appointment today.         #ravettaphotography #stlphotographer #heirloomphotography #studiosession #southernheirloom
Rachel Ravetta   0     Children photography , family photography , Ravetta Photography , St. Louis Photographer

Siblings having fun together

Moms of three have their hands full but we are happy to create a session of siblings having fun together. When mom can get three kids ready for photos and out the door on time we step up to the plate. We get as many photos as we can during the session. The goal of this session was photos of the kids individually and then all of them together. We actually started by taking some first communion photos of the oldest because the quick photos done on the actual day were not suitable for the wall. We were happy to create more wall worthy art for the family. Once we completed those in the church we headed outside. The day we selected actually turned out to be quite nice. It was a breezy July morning which greatly helped the attitudes of all children because they were not hot the whole time. Of course we also tried to find as much shade as possible. Photography of the siblings together was fun because we could see how they interact together. We were able to get some perfect smile photos. Then we had to have some fun by jumping around for some photos as well. During the individual photos that gives us a moment to get to know each child. The oldest was doing a great job of keeping up the smiles even though he had been in tons of photos at this point. We were able to talk about Minecraft and underwear to keep the laughs. Middle man is full of personality, he was all wiggles during his photos and quick to say this was going to wear him out for the day. We kept cracking up at the things he would say between photos! Little princess was all about it! She wanted to pose herself, pick some locations and also help her brothers get the perfect photos by fixing hair. Such a joy to work with this crew and we know we will get to see them again!       #ravettaphotography #stlphotographer #summerphotography #siblingphotography #locationphotos #kimswickmo
Rachel Ravetta   0     Children photography , family photography , Ravetta Photography , St. Louis Photographer

Too much fun in one session

There really is no such thing as too much fun in one session. We often only get to see some of our clients once a year when it is time for a birthday club session. When a family has three members of our birthday club we understand that is it sometimes easier to just get everything done during one session. Three kids ready for photos arrived and did everything we wanted. We were hoping to accomplish each kid individually, the three kids together and some family photos. Not only did we get those but we also fit in some photos with mom and kids and then dad and kids. Working with each kid individually gives a moment to talk with them one on one. We learn so much about the things they like or what makes them smile. Getting to know our birthday club members is truly a joy. The photos of the kids together are fun because they interacted so well together. You can tell big sister wants to keep those boys in line! We picked a park near dads works. It worked out perfectly that dad could meet during his lunch to be a part of these photos. We are a big fan of using every opportunity to get those family photos. After a couple locations we could tell the kids were starting to get a bit silly. Great, let’s do it! Some fun jumping photos, tickles, ring-around-the-rosie, and climbing in trees – these photos are a great way to show personality and also let the kids have fun. We like having the nice family photos but adore some time when the kids play together. They might not all be looking in the right direction, or even doing the right thing, but that is the personality we capture. We look forward to seeing them again next year for the birthday club session. #ravettaphotography #stlphotographer #birthdayclub #parkphotos #familysession #summerphotos
Rachel Ravetta   0     birthday club , Children photography , family photography , Ravetta Photography , St. Louis Photographer

Free newborn session

Our clients are important to us so we give a free newborn session to our wedding clients. Your session gift can be used within the first 3 months after they start a family. The gift does not expire, we are not rushing anyone. We just want to see them back in our office when they start a family. Sometimes we see couples back quickly and other times it is a few  years before we hear from them. It doesn’t matter and we are happy to meet the new addition every time. This little girl was only a couple weeks old, the perfect time to take newborn photos. We got started with family photos, she loved to be wrapped up and slept the whole time. We were able to capture mom-baby photos, as well as, dad-baby photos. These were in addition to the perfect family photos. They even molded easily into the “strange” poses we use to hold the baby. We want everyone to look relaxed, the best way to do that is to have mom and dad work together to hold the newborn. It always seems that when it seems akward, it is actually a perfect photo. It was now time for mom and dad to relax. We wanted to try a few things with baby girl unwrapped, she wasn’t a fan. Her initials spell out SAS. Mom and dad said she is living up to the sass already. Even still we got a few photos in other wraps and hats that the couple brought with them. We have lots of options in our studio but always welcome those items that are special to your family. We broke out the soccer outfit for a few photos because dad is a big soccer fan.  A small knit soccer ball even looked like she was going to kick it. She may have had a lot to say during the free newborn session but that didn’t stop us from getting great photos. We hope to have her as a new birthday club member! #ravettaphotography #stlphotographer #newbornsession #soccerfans #studiosession #growingfamily
Rachel Ravetta   0     Children photography , family photography , Newborn Photographer , Ravetta Photography , stlouisphotographer

Growing Families are so much fun!

We really enjoy seeing our growing families. Each time a new child is added we get to meet them and create memories. When a family of 4 becomes a family of 5 we are excited to document the moments. We enjoy seeing our growing families because it gives us a chance to catch up with them during the session. We photographed Abby and Jeff’s wedding many years ago. Then when they started a family we had the honor of capturing those moments. Sadly, when their second was born it was right before everything shut down so we were not able to newborn photos for them. However, this time around we welcomed the phone call saying they were about to have a third child. Abby called to get more information on how to set up the appointment before he had even arrived. It seemed like we heard back from her very quickly because Julian had decided to come a bit early. They were happy to find an appointment quickly so they could get those much needed family photos. We never know what to expect with sibling but these older siblings couldn’t have been any more perfect. They just loved their little brother! They were excited to take any photos with him that we asked and then also requested a few of their own ideas too. We were able to get perfect family photos and sibling images too. These photos are going to be a special memory forever! While the older kids played we focused on photos of Julian. Mom mentioned that he is always moving and she wasn’t kidding. He was either moving his arms or legs, then when those were all wrapped up he was moving his head or eyes. Such a curious little man! Since his best photos were him all wrapped up we focused on those, getting some definite wall worthy images. Of course, big sister came back into the studio a few time to check on her baby brother to be sure he was doing alright. She is just as talkative as Julian is wiggly – mom is going to be very busy with these two. Good thing big brother is around to help too. They are three great siblings who are very lucky to have each other for a lifetime. Thanks for letting us capture these memories of your growing family!   #ravettaphotography #stlphotographer #newbornsession #studiosession #familywithnewborn #babyboy  
Rachel Ravetta   0     Children photography , family photography , ravettaphotography , St. Louis Photographer

Fall Family photos

Fall family photos are very popular. If you are thinking about having photos in the fall you would want to contact us early. Sadly we don’t know when the colors will change on the trees but we know when they do appointments will be gone. It’s best to guess a time and then we can always find the best area with the most colorful trees. But really it’s not all about the leaves in the trees. The photo is about the people in it, that is the most important part. We missed the leaves on the trees for these fall family photos because they changed and fell so fast. It really didn’t matter because it was all about the family with them anyway. They decided to set up a family appointment with us because they really like the school photo we took a few months earlier. We were happy to get them in as soon as possible before it became too cold outside. The morning of the session was a bit cold but not bad enough to move the appointment. We were ready to meet the family and get some great photos. Mom told us that dad wasn’t too excited about having photos. Really what dad is? However, he seemed to be having just a wonderful time! He wanted us to be sure and capture his sons haircut and had some fun expressions during the candid photos. The kids were great to work with and big brother was so helpful letting his little sister lean on him for support. The photo we got were exactly what they wanted. Originally they were just going to get the download of all the images but after seeing everything mom knew a couple of them needed to be on the wall. We are so happy that they enjoyed the session and we look forward to working with them again in the future. #ravettaphotography #stlphotographer #locationsession #parkphotos #familyphotos
Rachel Ravetta   0     Children photography , family photography , Ravetta Photography , St. Louis Photographer

Family photo tips

How many things are you trying to do around the holidays? We would suspect, just like everyone else, you are trying to do too much. Decorating the house, holiday parties, presents to wrap, the list can be endless. Despite the long list we want you to add one more thing…family photos! Here are a few tips. Don’t miss the opportunity while family is together to have them photographed together. We are often working around school and work schedules. Get those photos done while the kids are on break, it’s one less scheduling problem in the mix. Whether you have a very large family or a family that can fit around one table, we are prepared to take your photos. Our sessions include the opportunity to take all types of different poses. Make sure to do them all while you are together, why not? When taking photos around the holidays there is always the thought of including the decorations or not. We love the idea of taking photos next to the tree or on the fully decorated staircase. However, if you are able it is a good idea to take a few without the decorations. These are the photos you will hang on the wall since they are timeless. Speaking of timeless, make sure your clothing is something classic and comfortable. You want to be able to move around easily. Especially if you have young children it might be best for you to get down on the floor with them. Patterns are not a problem but when selecting those just make sure someone else in the photo has that same color in their clothing. This will keep everyone coordinated but not matching. Is matching bad? Nope that is another option, everyone can wear matching colors or even pjs for a fun option. Next on our few tips for family photos, if you decide to have photos in your home we may need to move a few items to make room. We don’t often move anything large. But perhaps a chair, end table or even just the décor on top needs to adjust in order to make the photo perfect. We always put everything back where it was when we started. Lastly, have fun! Photos are all about spending time together. Don’t worry if the kids are a bit restless, we have seen it all. We are there to capture the photos not judge how your children are acting. Let them be themselves and let us capture it all! You can use these few tips to help create those wonderful family photos. #ravettaphotography #stlphotographer #familyphotos #holidayphotos #locationsession
Rachel Ravetta   0     family photography , Ravetta Photography , St. Louis Photographer

Luella and her pumpkins

Are we allowed to have favorites? Of course we love all of our clients and enjoy spending time with them during the session. But after year and years of working with some we find the sessions are more like friends catching up. Rather than clients we work with for just a short time. It all started when we took photos of Alexis because her mom brought her to our studio. We photographed their wedding. Alexis and Dillon started a family and thought that our birthday club would be a perfect fit. We have been working with them regularly for the past few years as the children are growing. We sometimes take too much time talking that it’s more like friends catching up at a picnic together in the park than a family session. This birthday club session was for Luella’s 8 month. Alexis and Dillon decided to theme the photos with some pumpkins. They had all the right colors and sizes to put around Luella in the photos. She was doing such a great job of sitting, not great at standing just yet. Though dad let her try her best before she took a bit of a tumble, he had so much faith she could do it. Dad will always be her greatest supporter! My favorite part of the session was when we took a few photos of big brother pulling his sister in a wagon. For fun mom and dad jumped in pretending to struggle pulling the wagon. Just a fun moment and a cute family photo! Of course, we enjoy taking the regular family photos but throwing in a few fun ones is a nice change to the session. It also helps to keep the attention of the younger kids. After taking too many photos the kids didn’t want to sit still so yet again we took some time to chat. We really should schedule extra time for us to just have a picnic next time!   #ravettaphotography #stlphotographer #birthdayclub #familyphotos #parkphotos
Rachel Ravetta   0     Children photography , family photography , ravettaphotography , stlouisphotographer