How to get real baby smiles during a baby photography session in Ottawa

Newborn Photography – Ottawa’s best newborn photographer shares tips on how to sooth a baby

Many parents ask me how I am able to get their baby back to sleep so quickly during a newborn photography session. To be honest with you, I wish I had known half of what I know now back when I had my babies (who are 9 and 11 years-old now!). The truth is, it takes time and practice to get the swing of things. Just like it took me time to learn how to pose newborn babies for photos, it also takes time to adjust and get to know what works and what doesn’t for your little one. For first time parents, everything is so new and overwhelming to them. At times, it may seem that you just don’t know what you’re doing. I know that was certainly the case for me and my husband back when we had our first son. But the truth is that everything is new for baby too! They have just spent the last 9 months enjoying the warmth and cuddle of being all snuggled up in mommy’s belly and suddenly everything changed for them. Luckily, there are a few things that you can do to make this transition for both of you a little easier. Here are a few tips and tricks that I have learned over the years while photographing little ones:


1) The first thing I recommend is to make sure baby is clean (diaper change), fed and comfortable. Sometimes all baby needs is to be fed or to have a clean diaper! Babies usually start turning their heads, opening their mouths and putting their hands in their mouth when they start getting hungry. Although we’re told babies usually feed about every 3 hours, every baby is different and watching for these signs will help you keep baby happy and content.

2) Swaddle. For my kids, I was convinced that they did not like being swaddled. They would cry and get their arms out and I was certain they did not want to have their arms in. But the truth is that most babies looove being swaddled. If you think about it, they had just spent the last 9 months not really being able to move in mom’s belly; at least for the last couple of months before they came out. Being swaddled gives them a sense of security and comfort. At my Ottawa studio I swaddle them quite tightly for newborn photos but I always tell parents that’s not how you want to swaddle them at home. Click here to find some instructions on how to swaddle a baby at home.


3) Make sure baby is not cold. The truth is nobody likes being cold… at the studio I keep the temperature nice and toasty since the newborn baby will be naked while I photograph him/her throughout the newborn session. For my kids, before I changed them, I would always run the wipe or cloth under hot water so that I wouldn’t startle them with a cold cloth on their warm skin. Making sure baby is not cold at my sessions always helps them sleep and be comfortable.


4) White noise. Here is a link for the white noise I use throughout my newborn photography sessions. Back when I had my boys, which really wasn’t that long ago, there was no YouTube or apps that we could use. So we resorted to the vacuum cleaner, the hair dryer and things of that nature. Nowadays there are so many ways get these white noises and they really help! These sounds help mimic the sounds that babies heard while in momma’s belly and it’s yet another technique to help sooth your baby. 🙂


5) Rocking the baby. I always tell my clients that if their baby is moving, I’m moving with them! Sometimes when they’re laying on the beanbag while I do their newborn photos, they will start moving a bit and wanting to wake up. If I just put my hand lightly on them and start moving it slightly from side to side, they usually go right back to sleep. At home, you can rock your baby, put them in a swing and even go for a car drive. Moving and rocking them lightly is a great way to put them back to sleep.


6) Giving them a soother. I know, I know… we are told not to give them soothers. And I totally agree that if your baby doesn’t need one, then you shouldn’t give it to them. However, there are some babies that really have that need to soothe by suckling. It’s their instinct. And in that case, I recommend a soother. During my newborn photo sessions, I always tell parents to bring a soother along. In case baby starts waking up while I transition them in between poses, I put the soother in their mouth and they usually go right back to sleep.


I hope the tips above can help you a bit! Please note that these are just my opinion and you should always talk to an expert in case your baby is still having a hard time settling after you try all of the tips above. I know it can be tough in the beginning to find out what works for your little one and what doesn’t but this time truly flies by and soon they will be giggling and playing with you! Enjoy this time with them and make sure you get to rest as well. Thanks for stopping by! 😀

6 Great Ideas for Creating Stunning Maternity Photos

Congratulations, you’re expecting!

Surely you’ll want to tell the world and everyone you love. Maternity photos are the best way to express your new joy in a creative and beautiful way.

There are so many picture ideas to consider for this major milestone.

Here are 6 cute ideas for stunning maternity photos.

1. Waterfront View

If you want your photos to have a calming effect, a waterfront view is the way to go.

Bodies of water such as lakes, beaches, and rivers provide a beautiful aesthetic. Nothing can compare with the image of rushing water or breaking waves. People will feel a sense of ease when they catch a glimpse of your pictures.

Try posing on a dock or sandy seashore. There’s no limit to how you can incorporate this view into your shoot.

Nature, in general, is a great go-to subject for maternity photos. Maternity photos that are set in the woods or a forest are always cute.

2. The Silhouette

One of the most elegant maternity ideas involves the silhouette. Simple and classy, the black and white contrast will show off your body.

You can achieve a silhouette in a studio or out in nature. An open field in the evening is a perfect place to snap this kind of photo. A glowing, vibrant sunset or sunrise is the ideal setting for achieving a stunning effect.

3. Painted Belly

Most mothers want to show off their beautiful pregnant bellies in some way or another. Painting your belly is the colorful and fun way to do this.

You have a lot of wiggle room in terms of what you can have painted. Do you want a glove or starry night sky? An image from a fairytale or a children’s picture book is another great painting idea.

Get as creative as possible and don’t be afraid to show off your individual taste.

4. Candid Shots

Maybe you want to show off your silly side for your maternity photo shoot. In that case, you can’t go wrong with some candid photos.

Candids are less posed but just as lovely. They let you show off your sense of humor and sensibility. There are some funny things about pregnancy and motherhood so why not embrace them here?

Include your wacky food cravings or take a photo of you hanging around in your favorite spot. Share a laugh with your partner or other children. The idea is to keep is playful and casual.

There are so many settings and activities that make adorable candid photos. Try posing while doing your favorite things such as reading or cooking.

5. The Milk Bath

The milk bath is one of the most unique pregnancy photo shoot ideas out there.

This concept involves submerging yourself into a milk bath, either wearing a cute outfit or going all natural. Adding flowers is the best way to create an artistic and delicate aesthetic. You can use daisies, orchids, roses, or any other beautiful petals that fit your style.

6. Baby Animals

Babies are adorable, human or otherwise.

If you want to make people lose their minds over cuteness, try posing with some baby animals. Tiny goats, bunnies, ducklings, kittens, and puppies make great counterparts for a maternity photo shoot. You can even incorporate a family pet.

Take Your Maternity Photos

Now that you’re overflowing with creative ideas, it’s time to take those maternity photos. Check out our affordable packages and rates for photo shoots.

Also, make sure to keep up with the latest baby and maternity photo tips by visiting our blog.

Newborn Photography Ottawa – sweet baby Aria

Another sweet baby girl is on the blog! Baby Aria came to the studio at a few days new and it was so fun to meet her and see her family again. She’s got one of the sweetest families out there. 🙂

Did you know that newborn photo sessions will last anywhere between 1-3 hours depending on which package you choose to go with? It may seem like newborn photos are effortless but it can take quite a bit of time to transition baby from on pose to the other. I really take my time transitioning baby in a soothing and gentle manner so that she/he stays sleepy and comfy through the whole thing.

Throughout my newborn photography sessions, I do a variety of poses in the beanbag as well as newborn photos in props. Usually, there are about 5-6 poses that I do of the newborn baby on the beanbag. It may seem a like a lot more but the great thing about newborn photography is that you can take such a variety of photos from just one pose by just switching the angle you photograph baby from and adding a few props in between! When parents receive their gallery, there are usually around 70 photos to choose from (with the newborn mini session there are usually about 30-40 photos or so). The gallery is filled with the best of the best photos of your newborn baby session, including family and sibling photos. Many times, parents end up purchasing extra photos or upgrading to the bigger package. I think it’s always a great problem to have when you have too many beautiful photos to choose from. 😉

Please visit the rest of our website and make sure to browse through our galleries! Feel free to contact us with any questions you may have. Thanks for stopping by!

Newborn Photography – serving Ottawa and surrounding areas

It’s been so nice taking some time to enjoy this beautiful Summer weather with my boys! The sun is shining, the heat is real and thank goodness for swimming pools and ice cream. 🙂

I met this family a few years back and it was so nice seeing them again as they welcomed their new baby girl! Their kids were seriously the sweetest and most well behaved kids ever. And this baby girl… I could have kept her all day here with me. 😀

Most newborn sessions last somewhere between 2-3 hours. What you see here are just a few photos to give you a tiny sample of the goodness that we captured. Newborn photography sessions are usually a mix of photos of baby on his/her own (on the beanbag as well as props such as baskets), family photos, photos of each parent with baby as well as sibling photos. We take time to feed and sooth baby whenever needed. Sessions are never rushed, so you can be assured that you will leave with some beautiful memories that will last you a lifetime (because all of our packages include high resolution digital photos!).

There are lots of tips on how to prepare for a newborn photo session beforehand. I always send clients some guidelines prior to their baby session with suggestions on how to prepare, what to bring, when to feed their newborn baby, what to avoid, etc. That way we can work towards having the newborn photo session go as smooth as possible.

Please feel free to browse through our galleries and take a peek at the different packages that we offer. Thanks for stopping by!

Family Photography Ottawa – Outdoor Summer Session

I often blog mostly about newborn sessions because, let’s face it, everyone wants to see photos of cute little babies! 🙂 But a lot of my work is spent outdoors photographing amazing families during the warmer months. Outdoor family photography sessions usually begin around March or April and sometimes go as late as December! But I’m all about going outdoors in Winter too for those more adventurous families. I have known this particular family for about 5 years now and I absolutely love watching their kids grow. The first time I met them, their daughter was just a little baby! It was so fun seeing the kids personalities fully formed now. They are such great and fun-loving kids!

There are so many beautiful places around the city of Ottawa to do family photos. You can turn most parks, trails, etc in a beautiful backdrop for your family photography session. Personally, I love photographing families towards the end of the day. The sun is softer and the lighting is dreamy. However, a lot of families with younger kids prefer taking photos earlier in the day. And that is totally ok! Many places offer beautiful open shaded areas that will work wonders for any photography session.

When clients book a session with me, we talk about location, best time to book (based on the light as well as their kids ages) and even suggestions on what to wear. And no, you don’t have to go buying a whole new wardrobe for your photo session. 😉 There are many simple outfits that will look beautiful for a family photo session. If I can give you one piece of advice is to avoid green! You don’t want to blend with the grass and the trees…

Please click here to see more samples of family photos in the Ottawa area. And feel free to contact me with any questions that you may have. Thanks for stopping by and enjoy the beautiful Summer weather!

Maternity Photography Ottawa – Juliana & Caio

I loved photographing this beautiful couple last week! These are actually dear friends of mine; Ju & Caio. 🙂 I first met them when their little guy was just a baby and I’m so happy that I got to photograph their maternity photo session as they anxiously await the birth of their newborn baby girl! I cannot wait to meet her!

Most clients get their maternity photos done between 32-36 weeks of life. However, that varies a bit if this is your second or third pregnancy. In those cases, many mommas are ready to take their pregnancy photos as early as 28 weeks (I was one of them!). As long as the belly is nice and round (meaning you can totally tell you are pregnant), you’re good to go! As a matter of fact, I don’t recommend that clients wait until the last minute to get their maternity photos done in case baby decides to be born a bit sooner than planned.

As for what to wear, there are a ton of options. In this case, this beautiful mom chose to wear a couple of cute tops with jeans. For the jeans look, ideally you want to go with a nicely fitted top or tank top to really show the curves. You can easily change the look by adding a cardigan, a scarf, etc. That way you can have a few different looks for your pregnancy photos without having to change the whole wardrobe!

Another option is to wear a flowy dress. I absolutely love that look for Summer time. This works especially well for petite moms. And yet another option is to go with a fitted dress! This look helps accentuate all of the right curves.

When booking a maternity photo session with me, wardrobe is something we definitely discuss. And I always tell my clients that one of the most important things is that they feel comfortable and love what they wear.

Please feel free to click here to see more maternity photos. And feel free to contact me at info@littlewagonphotography.com or 613-266-8934 if you have any questions. Enjoy your day! 🙂

Newborn Photographers – Ottawa Little Wagon Photography

It’s been a while since I sat down to do some blogging and some social media posting! With this beautiful weather and the business that comes with Spring photo sessions, it’s been hard to find a time to sit and do “computer” work for a bit. 😉

This adorable family recently came in to capture some photos of their sweet new baby boy. It is so much fun to include older siblings in these newborn photo sessions. Although it is not always easy to capture those newborn and sibling photos (and I always warn parents that they may not happen if older sibling doesn’t want to cooperate), it is so priceless when we get photos like these.

There are three different packages that I offer for newborn sessions. The first one is a mini session and includes photos of baby only. The other two both includes family photos as well as sibling photos. Some parents choose to have the main focus of the session be on newborn photos and just want to capture a few of the family ones. Some parents prefer capturing mostly photos of the family with just a few of the baby on his/her own. However, the far majority of my clients end up with exactly half and half! Even when parents come to the session with the focus being mainly on one or the other, they end up loving them all. And that makes me so happy… 🙂

After just giving birth, there are many moms who don’t feel their best and feel they should skip any photos with them. With a little encouragement I usually get them to take at least a few photos with their babies. They are sooo precious to have and to keep! Knowing how to angle the camera to capture the best look for momma and baby is key. I absolutely love capturing those sweet tender moments between a mom or a dad and their newborn baby. And the three or four of them is even better!

Please feel free to visit my gallery page and contact me with any questions that you may have. I hope you enjoy scrolling through the blog to see more samples of my work!

Baby Photography Ottawa – Sweet Stella

I loved seeing this sweet baby girl again in my Ottawa studio! I first met her when she was just a few days old and look at her now! She’s 7 months; such a perfect age to get some baby photos done. I just had to stop by and post a couple of close-ups of this sweet little face! 🙂

Please feel free to see more adorable babies in this gallery. Thanks for stopping by!

Newborn Photography Ottawa – Spring Baby!

It seems like the weather is finally deciding to cooperate with us and Spring is in the air!! Spring brings in so many new beginnings, including a lot of newborn babies! And that means we get a lot of newborn photography in our little Ottawa studio (yay!). 🙂

Back when I started doing photography, newborn photography was the trickiest type of photography session of them all! Although I had already had my two babies by then, it is very different posing them and getting those adorable photos that you see in my gallery. It took me many years and a ton of practice to finally get all of those little details in place. And I’m still constantly taking newborn photography classes, watching newborn photographers’ videos, etc. Always trying to improve and grow my newborn photography skills.

When talking about newborn photography, it is important to talk more about how to pose newborns. Although the photos seem so effortless, it can take a bit of time to get newborn babies to pose just the way I want. This is why newborn sessions can take so long. I never rush a newborn into doing anything he/she doesn’t want to. And we always take a break if baby needs to feed or settle before we keep taking those beautiful baby photos. In my Ottawa studio, I only do the poses that feel most comfortable to baby. Not every newborn will want to settle into every single pose. But thankfully most babies settle quite easily into the most popular poses.

There is also another little trick when it comes to newborn photography. Not every photo you see was taken exactly as is! Newborn safety is so important when it comes to newborn photography in my Ottawa studio. One pose in particular (the famous “froggy” pose), is completely Photoshoped. Baby is being held my mom’s or dad’s hands at all times. Isn’t that so interesting!

Now let’s move on to some photos of this sweet baby girl who has such a sweet family and one of the most adorable big brothers ever! Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions or would like to book a spot. Thank you for visiting my website!