Meet Alaric - Newborn Photo Shoot in new home studio!

Speaking of which, these parents were so much fun to get to know. From the way that they picked out this super unique baby name to swapping life stories, our time together flew by.

As for baby Alaric, he was a little angel but only slept peacefully through the a few minutes of our session. I'm not gonna lie. When he showed up bright eyed and active, I thought the session might have turned out a little tricky, but the parents were super helpful and were able to rock him to sleep.

Time for a little aww moment: When Alaric was born, what was your first thought? “How cute his little nose was and how happy I was he was finally here.,” says Sheena. Isn't that precious? Alaric is such a lucky kiddo.

How was your experience having your newborn photographed? Were you nervous or worried before? How did it turn out?

“We were a little nervous since he is our first, but after being there and all of us working together it turned out to be a really good shoot with really great photos.”

NewbornSara BakaySeptember 6, 2021Newborn, Baby, Photography, Photographer, Lexington, Lex, Photos, Photoshoot, KY, Kentucky, Louisville, Home Studio, Winchester, Paris, Richmond, GeorgrtownComment

Engagement Pictures at Masterson Station! Interview with Shannon.

In my 5+ years as a photographer, I’ve been extremely lucky to get to work with all kinds of amazing human beings. As you’d expect, every couple is different from the next. Some are all about the PDA, some are all about keeping it sweet and romantic, and some people… well, some people are just downright hysterical!

Meet Adam and Shannon, two of the goofiest people I’ve worked with in a while. The session took place at Masterson Station Park, which was a great backdrop for our time together. The fun they had during the shoot helped us to get some great pictures! The entire time these two were cracking jokes and picking on each other, and I was there to catch it all on camera.

I love asking how people meet. “Adam became friends with my father through being a sales representative for a local parts store and my father had an interest for working on older cars in his free time. Once Adam and my father became friends, we met through my dad at his shop. We had known each other for years before we decided to give dating a shot.”

How To Book Your Newborn Session

When it comes to booking your session, there are a lot of questions about how the process works. Since your new little peanut isn’t here yet, it’s hard to figure out a schedule. Here is what we suggest:

Contact us during the beginning of your third trimester to set a date for the session. We require a deposit of 50% of the session fee to hold the date for you and we only accept newborn sessions during the first 14 days after birth. This means that we will schedule the session for sometime within two weeks of your due date.

We will also hold a spot for two backup dates – one a week after the original session date, and one a week prior to your due date. This ensures that if your little nugget doesn’t come according to schedule you’ll still be covered.

Keep in contact with us as your pregnancy comes to a close so we can be prepared. After the baby is born, give us a call or shoot us a message so we can make sure that one of the dates we have set will work out.

When Should I Book My Maternity Session?

We suggest contacting us as soon as you know your due date. We can then decide on a time that is best for your photos. We like to schedule your maternity session around the time you are seven to eight months along. This way, you are far enough along to show off your baby bump, but not to the point where you are going to be miserable in your photos.

As you go along your pregnancy, things may change with your due date, or you may start showing sooner and want to do them earlier. Just contact us and we can discuss this and help you find a new date.

If you’d like to add on a gender reveal session, we typically do those photos shortly after your 16 to 20 week ultrasound when the baby’s gender is discovered.

Group Discount For Student Headshots!

As a photographer, I am hired for many different types of photo needs. Weddings, family pictures, engagement pictures, and senior pictures are my typical bookings, but with a city full of talented people, I sometimes get hired to capture acting headshots and portfolio pictures. As an actress myself, I have been in front of the camera for these types of pictures many times.

In Lexington, we have a great children’s arts academy, InnOvation. They teach acting, dance, and voice lessons, have summer camps, put on theatrical shows of their own, and even giving kids the chance to compete in competitions, like JTF. Mary Joy, who is the leader of InnOvation, asked me a few years ago if I was interested in taking headshots for a group of her students. I asked a few more questions and found out that each student only needed a couple of headshots, which would be a much quicker shoot.

7 Tips For Preparing For Your Summer Photo Session

Are you ready for this hot summer? Here are seven ways you can make sure your summer portrait session goes off without a hitch.

1. Dress appropriately. Summer means hot and humid weather, which can lead to sticky bodies. Choose breathable, lightweight fabrics that don't weigh you down. As for shoes, sweet flats or loafers are a great option.

2. Think about your hair. If you or a family member's hair reacts to humidity in a negative way, opt for a hairstyle that won't leave you feeling insecure. For example, a pretty braid or an updo is a good choice. Or you can wear a headscarf, or use a little extra product to keep frizz at bay.

The Benefits of Having an Uplugged Wedding

An unplugged wedding is where you ask your guests to turn off their phones, cameras, tablets, and other mobile devices during your ceremony.

When guests use their own cameras, there are many ways that this affects the photography that you’re actually paying for. Guests often times are taking photos at the same time we are, and their flashes interfere with our cameras, leaving you blown out completely (and unsalvageable) or having weird shadows or lighting throughout the photos.

Photographers Get Hungry, Too! Feed Your Team.

A wedding typically lasts 10 to 12 hours. As your photography/videography team, we are scheduled to be there between 4-10 hours of that. If we take getting ready shots and are there all day, we try to eat a big breakfast before we get there, but that only lasts so long. We are often running around like crazy all day trying to cover the whole wedding, and don’t have time to snack or take a break. We’ve literally been known to run to the bathroom to cram down a sandwich or pretzels that we packed in three minutes and then get back to it.

WeddingSara BakayJune 16, 2021Cozyshoppe ProductionsWedding, Food, Lexington, KY, Kentucky, Versailles, Catering, Vendor, Paris, Louisville, Hamburg, Cupcakes, Pizza BarComment

New Puppy Family Photos

Family pictures are usually very high energy, but not quite as high energy as a new puppy! When Nicole asked me if we could do a shoot for her brand new family member, there was no hesitation. I love animals! They had previously used me for their engagement pictures, and eventually, their wedding photos as well. Naturally, when they got Blue (yes, named because of his beautiful blue eyes), they wanted me to capture the joy and love they had for him.

Marriage, Christmas, and COVID!

WeddingSara BakayJune 10, 2021Wedding, Highlight reel, Photo shoot, Photographer, videographer, video, videography, Photo, Photography, Lexington, Richmond, Kentucky, KY, Versailles, Paris, Louisville, LexComment

Do I Really Need a Professional Makeup Artist? 5 Reasons We Say "Yes!"

You’ve made a big investment in photography (and possibly videography as well) to help capture your big day. You want to make sure you absolutely look your best. Although, I’m sure you do a very nice job on your everyday makeup, I strongly recommend looking into hiring a makeup artist. At the end of this article, I will give you a link to a site where you can find quality Kentucky hair and makeup artists for your special day.

Here are 5 reasons why having a pro artist is important:

Surprise During the Maternity Shoot!

Maternity pictures are a fun way to remember the beauty of pregnancy without remembering the aches and pains that come along with it. Typically, a shoot lasts 45 minutes to an hour and the mother is anywhere between 28 and 36 weeks pregnant. During that stage, the mother usually has a very visible baby bump, but isn’t too uncomfortable to participate in the shoot.

When Beverly arrived for our scheduled Maternity shoot, she was running a little behind. I definitely have grace for pregnant women in these situations because they are taking on a major life change. It’s worth noting that this is going to be the FIFTH child for this couple and she deserved extra grace on that particular day… because she was in active labor!

Should I Do a "First Look" at My Wedding? 3 Reasons We Say Yes!

Many of the couples I work with ask me whether or not they should have a first look. If you’re reading this, you’re probably wondering the same thing. In my professional opinion, I think there are a lot of benefits to this idea. I love first looks. I know that they are a tad bit ‘untraditional,’ but let me take a minute to explain the benefits of a first look.

Photography and Videography