At some point, every newborn photographer starts to get the itch to do a twin newborn session…it’s just one of those rites of passage that we all have to undergo. Having been a newborn photographer for almost three years, I’m a little surprised that I haven’t shot a twin newborn session yet so trust me when I say it was time. All thanks goes to my friend Christina of C. Tundo Photography – she actually referred the job to me, thinking that the mom wanted a posed session in a newborn studio (which I have in my home). When it turned out that mom wanted a lifestyle session, Chrissy had every right to be bummed out that she passed on it but, if she was upset, she never let me know ❤️
So let me tell you about this session. Caroline and Elinor were born pre-term in early December but spent 11 weeks in the NICU and, by adjusted dates, were technically less than a week old. To add to the chaos of having twin baby girls, Catherine and Pat also have two young boys. Needless to say, their lifestyle session was wild and real and so, SO precious. This twin newborn session was incredibly sweet. I got the feeling that Catherine and Pat really appreciated having another set of adult hands around and my nurse-photographer duties included assisting Catherine in latching babies to nurse while daddy read books to the boys. Have I said recently how much I love my job?
One of my biggest take-aways from this session was how Catherine and Pat were each other’s safe port in the current storm of their life. While the boys ran roughshod around the house (in the endearingly sweet, rambunctious way that boys have), their parents sat serenely in the midst of it, each with a baby in arms, smiling at one another and reveling in the new life they found themselves living. I couldn’t have been more impressed and affected by the loving way Pat gazed at his wife and the relaxed atmosphere as they allowed life to happen around them – it wasn’t “picture-perfect” for the majority of the session but I never once heard an angry or impatient word. No one lost his or her temper. Life was just lived. And before I give the false impression that lifestyle sessions have to be picture-perfect, I actually prefer when they aren’t. Life with kids is rarely neat and tidy and my goal as a lifestyle photographer is to capture your life as it is Right Now. If that means boys running around playing with shells while you’re hoping for a good family shot, then I’ll capture the running around and then we’ll entice the big brothers over with the promise of holding a baby. It’s the best of both worlds and no one has to have a temper tantrum (neither child nor adult, ha!) because they were being pigeon-holed into a place they didn’t want to be at that moment.
Catherine eventually got the family photo she was hoping for as well as some sweets shots with just her husband and her girls and I delivered a gallery I was really proud of for the memories they will provide this family for generations to come. For a first twin newborn session, it was really pretty awesome ❤️
Liz Viernes Photography is based near Fulton, Maryland, and specializes in maternity, fresh 48, posed and lifestyle newborns and first year milestone portraits.
leave a comment