Do you absolutely love this session?  Want to see the little girl grow! Leave a comment! 40 comments will earn this beautiful family a mini milestone for their sweetest little girl once she can sit up! <3 

Finally, I kicked myself, stopped dreaming, and I tested it out, and I even became courageous and set up my tripod and was able to get a few of my daughters and I together! Please consider doing this next year, these mini sessions release in March and are photographed in late April before Mother's Day. 

I had so much fun with their session, we even did a little Facebook Live session of their photo shoot. 

This gorgeous family ended up going home with 5 amazing canvas prints of their session! I cannot wait to photograph these girls again. 

Do you love their session?? Help mama win an awesome opportunity for a mini-sitter session with Sweet Rose by commenting below! 35 comments on this post will do! 

Take a peek at their session below, if you love it, leave a comment! 30 comments will earn this family a mini sitter-milestone session for their beautiful princess!! Don't you want to see how she's grown? Leave a comment, Fairbanks!

Enjoy the preview of this beautiful session! 

Toddlers in Fairbanks Toddlers on Valentine's Day Toddlers in Fairbanks Toddlers on Valentine's Day Toddler Playing and Having Fun- Ft. Wainwright, AKAdorable toddler near Fairbanks, AK, having lots of fun. Toddler Playing and Having Fun- Ft. Wainwright, AKAdorable toddler near Fairbanks, AK, having lots of fun. Toddler Playing and Having Fun- Ft. Wainwright, AKAdorable toddler near Fairbanks, AK, having lots of fun. Toddler Playing and Having Fun- Ft. Wainwright, AKAdorable toddler near Fairbanks, AK, having lots of fun.

Newborn Baby Napping- Ft. WainwrightBaby napping and snuggling up with a toy or in charming outfits and "disguises" near Fort Wainwright and Beaver Creek. Newborn Baby Napping- Ft. WainwrightBaby napping and snuggling up with toys or in charming outfits and "disguises" near Fort Wainwright and Beaver Creek. Newborn Baby Napping- Ft. WainwrightBaby napping and snuggling up with toys or in charming outfits and "disguises" near Fort Wainwright and Beaver Creek. Newborn Baby Napping- Ft. WainwrightBaby napping and snuggling up with toys or in charming outfits and "disguises" near Fort Wainwright and Beaver Creek. Newborn Baby Napping- Ft. WainwrightBaby napping and snuggling up with toys or in charming outfits and "disguises" near Fort Wainwright and Beaver Creek.

For her fist birthday photographs, mom wanted PINK, and SPARKLES, and ELEPHANTS! I think we were able to manage that ;) 

Pink Cotton Candy...... <3 

Fort Polk newborn baby boy.. 

I love every session and every baby I photograph here in Leesville! Many Fort Polk families, several Leesville families, and a few from here there and everywhere, deridder, lake charles, alexandria, and beyond. Can you find your baby? <3 

I decided to take some time and give a little glimpse into the life of Sweet Rose.

First and foremost, I am a mother. A mother of two beautiful children, who are an extreme handful to say the least, at two and four years old, as any toddler/preschoolers are. I teach them at home. I take them to the park. I snuggle them and watch silly cartoons. This is what we do during the day, because they're only little once and I don't get to get that time back later. Sometimes while we are snuggling or while they're playing at the park, I will have the chance to sit down, usually on my phone because heaven forbid I leave the room, and answer some emails/messages and do a little work. For the most part, everything waits until bed time.

After dinner, baths, snacks, teeth, snuggles, books and books and books, and songs and tucking in over and over again, I get a moment to myself with my partner in crime. We usually sit and watch a favorite show. Then the work begins.

I sit down at the computer, edit the latest session, upload it to back it up, save it, lock it. Editing a session takes between 2-3 hours, depending on what the session is and whether or not there are extra things to edit (black eyes to edit out of every image, a giant scrape on a knee, etc.). I love to keep things simple and real, so my workflow normally consists of: Narrowing down images to an appropriate and realistic number of images (this is really hard to do...), Opening the images up in one program to enhance the color a little, do minor corrections. Open images up in second program to soften skin and do any heavy edits that need to be done. 

I also do the following: back up images. place orders. send invoices. reply to messages. schedule the next week's posts on facebook. reply to more messages. reply to emails. do my taxes. research new techniques. continue education. follow up with past clients. work on marketing materials. research new ways to market. answer messages. prop shop. research client's answers to their questions to find their style. plan upcoming sessions. Set up meetings. answer messages. Call clients or potential clients(I'm really terrible at this. I don't like talking on the phone for some reason.). file paperwork. catch up on my polk photographer's group. package up orders. schedule delivery of orders. and more.

On days where I do have sessions, I get up early, clean the entire house, get the girls up and ready for the babysitter, drop them off with the baby sitter, come back, set up the studio really quickly, meet the clients at the door, do the session (usually about 2 hours), clean up the studio, do two loads of baby laundry, sanitize the studio couch, boppy, bean bag, light and camera. Load up one photo from the session, fully edit it, post it on facebook. Pick up the babies from the baby sitter's house, eat something because I haven't eaten yet, and continue with the rest of the day as normal, since I have the kiddos now ;) 

I finally decided to take the plunge and hire a blogger for me, so hopefully soon the blog posts will start to pop up again more regularly. Other than that, I am a one woman show. I do it all, I try to do it the best that I can. This year has been exceptionally busy for me so far, I'm so excited to be fully booked every month. I wish I could take every baby that knocks on my door, but I just do not have it in me to do so. There just isn't any more time in the day. 

Upon meeting baby Olivia for the first time, Kat thought she was the most beautiful, precious little girl in the world. She says she wasn't nervous at all for the session, but so excited and loved it all! 

Leave some Love!

-Sweet Rose, Vanessa Sanoja, Newborn photographer

(a 16x20 print is a $75 value with sweet rose. Not redeemable for cash.)

I have been wanting to open this up to you for a while, and finally decided to go for it.

When thinking about my own photographs of my children, and what I would want from a photographer, I came up with this package for myself. 

When I think of how I want to view my images years from now, this is what I long for. Thumbing through loose prints with them, while being able to see some of my favorites over time on the wall. Living in a digital age, I also want the digital photographs, to look at, share with my friends and family online, and print at my leisure. 

Introducing - Sweet Rose's Signature Collection
Newborn Photographer AlexandriaNewborn Photographer Alexandria

Signature Collection is designed to give you the greatest value. Options available include: 6 photographs, 12 photographs, or 30 photographs. Add ons also available for a discounted price. Signature Collection includes your session.

I love this package, and I hope you do, too. I cannot wait to work with you and your newest love.

Everyone knows I love babies. I have a newborn photography studio in my home in Leesville (just north of fort Polk). I photograph newborn babies because they change and grow so quickly, every week they grow more and more!

Sweet Rose Fort Polk PhotographerFort Polk Newborn Photographer

But let's take a moment, step back from newborns for a moment. I have two children. Neither is a newborn baby anymore. One is a toddler at 1 1/2 years, and one is a preschooler with a wild imagination.  I have been so busy photographing newborns lately that I forgot to point the camera at them. When I did, I realized just how much they had changed in the last 4 months... and thus, Ten Minutes with your Toddler was born.

Fort Polk Newborn PhotographerFort Polk Newborn Photographer

This is a really quick session designed to capture your child as he or she is now. Right now in this moment. How does it work? 10 minutes isn't enough time for them to sit and say CHEESE! ... this isn't that kind of session. Look at these beautiful photographs all over this post. All of these images were captured within 10 minutes of playing with these kids. Mom making child laugh. Pulling out the best stops.

Fort Polk Newborn PhotographerFort Polk Newborn Photographer

I handed Emma a stick, and she loves dressing up by wrapping things around her. We put some fabric on her, put a flower on her head, and voila, she was turning things into things in the back yard. 

Fort Polk Newborn PhotographerFort Polk Newborn Photographer

Mama C knew if we gave her 2 1/2 year old a seat, she would sit on it, and then to make her laugh, I actually have no idea what she did because I was focused on K, LAUGHING at her mom, then dancing around, making her dress swirl. 

Fort Polk Newborn PhotographerFort Polk Newborn Photographer

Let's capture how your child is now, how they laugh, how they look at you, how they REALLY smile. Not a cheese. A smile.

Because aren't they only this small for a little while?

Fort Polk Newborn PhotographerFort Polk Newborn Photographer

VISIT ME ON FACEBOOK To view the promotional image collage, 12 images from K's 10 minute session!

My studio space, let's be honest, is ever-changing. I never keep anything in one spot, and who knows, next week I might have this room totally rearranged. But for today, it looks like this:  Let's ignore the fact that this is a smartphone photograph, mmk? Aint nobody got time to make an actual panoramic anymore.

So let's talk about my setup and why it's like this.

First, my comfy couch. Oh man I love this couch and I could sit here all day!! Why do I have my comfy couch in the studio? Mom, you just had a baby, you need somewhere to sit that resembles a cloud. I used to have a glider, but that thing made MY tush hurt, I'm sure sitting in it for 2 hours isn't fun. Dad, you're discovering that nights ... well they aren't for sleeping right now. So, snuggle up with mom and fall asleep. (it's pretty warm in here, so if you prefer to step out in the air conditioning, I also have a perfectly comfortable couch in the living area as well to fall asleep on.)

(I know I know. Another iphone photo.)

Let's talk about this thing...

WHAT IS THAT! (every mom asks me what I have under the blanket.)

This is called a posing bag. It's not a bean bag, it isn't an ottoman, and it is not a luv sack (or whatever you call it?) - It is a posing bag. It is made of vinyl and is designed specifically for newborn photography. (IF you are a photog reading this, you can purchase one from Posy Pillow - this is the studio size and runs about $90 unfilled. Then add 4 and a half bags of fill (about $12/bag). )

Why don't I use natural light? Well I don't have a single spot in my home that allows for that, AND in Louisiana, winter days can actually be quite dark. Initially I taught myself how to use studio lights. I have to say I think I did pretty well on my own, but decided eventually to take a workshop on studio lights. I have to say, I like it better now because I can control the situation. And one of the reasons I LOVE newborn photography, is because I can control the situation. . . 

You may see my assistant running around from time to time. 
Just kidding, she isn't allowed in the studio while I'm photographing a newborn, however, she will be home with a babysitter running around somewhere. You'll probably catch a glimpse of her hair as she zooms past you like a lightning bolt. Here she is helping me pose my baby(doll).

Sometimes, I need a fill. I have a GIANT reflector that doesn't fit in my studio because it takes up half the room.

You can't even seen the whole thing here because I couldn't fit it in my frame. Light on camera right, reflector on camera left.

Don't mind her white face and tan body, that's a result of the light being flashed right onto her face. I wasn't really aiming to take her portrait right then. ;) 

What is the end result?

TA DA!

(shot with: Canon 5D Mark iii, 50mm f/1.4 lens)

This is my first baby, named "baby" - appropriately. She was my doll growing up and we were inseparable. She doesn't have a name, really. I could never name her because she never opened her eyes, and I couldn't name her without seeing her eyes (or so I told my mom at a very young age). Don't mind her "skin tone" - it's really inaccurate after 28 years of being plastic and thrown in the washer and dryer.

If I could, I would upgrade my lights and opt for a giant softbox for some gorgeous soft light, but for now I know how to manipulate light enough that I can get a pretty nice soft light with my tiny softbox. I think it's 2 x 3 or something, I haven't even measured. :)

Fort Polk - Leesville - Deridder - Rosepine - Anacoco - Newborn Photographer - Portrait photographer - Child photographer - baby photographer - Sweet Rose - Photographer - Vanessa Sanoja

Before having a baby there are a lot of things you do, and a lot of concerns you have. No one is more paranoid than expectant mothers and brand new parents.  Often times when you find out you are expecting, you start searching for your OBGYN, and begin making a list of pediatricians to interview (provided you aren't under a program such as tricare prime where the doctor is assigned to you). You will look for the best ultrasound technician to provide you with the gender of your baby, and look for the best and safest products on the market for your baby. You will never use google search more in your life than as a pregnant and new mother. You will never read more reviews or ask more questions than when searching for something for your brand new baby.

And then you decide to look for a newborn photographer.

Often times price is the biggest factor. Why? Many different reasons, many feel they should be on a budget for this type of luxury. 

But if you're looking at prices only... you could be missing out on a big, big part of choosing your newborn photographer. Safety. Experience. 

So, let's talk about that. What SHOULD you look for in a newborn photographer??

Below I, along with two fellow newborn photographers, have compiled a list of what you might ask your potential newborn photographers. 

Do you have insurance?

How long have you been working with newborns?

Do you have insurance?

Yes of course! Liability and equipment insurance is super important to me. 

How long have you been working with newborns?

I have been photographing newborns solo since January of 2013.

These twins are children number 5 and 6 in this beautiful large family. What blessings, boy girl twins! I loved them, they were a dream to work with. 

You will NOT believe it, this session only lasted one hour and 30 minutes. That is unheard of in the twin photography world!!

Help Mama earn a beautiful wall mounted print by commenting on this beautiful twins session - 30 comments on this post will earn her a print!

My assistant for this session was Tiffany Hess.

Fort Polk - Leesville - Deridder - Rosepine - Anacoco - Newborn Photographer - Portrait photographer - Child photographer - baby photographer - Sweet Rose - Photographer - Vanessa Sanoja

Comment on this blog post! 25 comments and this family will receive a beautiful wall mounted portrait from this session. 

Fort Polk - Leesville - Deridder - Rosepine - Anacoco - Newborn Photographer - Portrait photographer - Child photographer - baby photographer - Sweet Rose - Photographer - Vanessa Sanoja

Q. When should I book my session?

A. Please reserve your session as soon as you can. We will schedule your session to take place between 32-35 weeks gestation.

Q. What should I wear?

A. Wear what is comfortable to you. What makes you feel pretty. If you bring your husband or children, have them coordinate to you (not matchy matchy, but coordinating.)  If you prefer an in studio session (as pictured above) wear a strapless shirt or bra and you will be wrapped in a stretch fabric. 

Q. How long will it take?

A. 30-45 Minutes

Q. What should I bring?

A. If you want, you may bring sentimental items. My style of photography is simple and about connections, you to baby, family to baby. If small things like his or her first pair of shoes are important to you, we will work to incorporate them into the session.

Q. How many images will I get?

A. Your online gallery will contain 20 fully retouched images. Depending on the package you choose to purchase will determine how many digital images or printed photographs you will go home with.

Q. When will I see my photos?

A. Maternity orders are strictly online. Your gallery will be open for orders starting 4 - 7 business days after your session, unless we have discussed different time frames.

Q. Can my husband be in the photos?

A. Yes!

Q. Can my other children be in the photos?

A. Yes!

Any other questions? Feel free to contact me! <3

And just a few weeks later, I was able to snuggle up with her precious little baby, who has the perfect middle name - Rose. But Then, I'm totally bias on the name <3 :) 

She was the sweetest! Only 6 days old.