Kristin Burns Baby Photography

Local photo reception

2011-01-25T10:33:00.000-05:00

Raccoon © Kristin Burns

Last night was the Xbestpix photo contest reception in Sunnyside. One of my photos was featured, so we braved the cold to check it out. Lots of fun - good food, wine, and best of all a chance to talk with other area photographers.

Tried in vain avoid glare on the print

It was very cool to see photos of our neighborhood - one was from the 1940s - from photographers who clearly love it here. The funny part was that it was a blind judging and people could submit from anywhere so only 4 photographers were actually Sunnysiders. Turns out there were over 200 submissions and only 10 photos picked, which made for very strong work.

The host, TDS (Technical Digital Services) does high end printing and design & they naturally did a great job on the mounted prints. Can't wait to take mine home soon. The show prizes were from the Chamber of Commerce and I also got a citation from the City Council, so it was a very civic-minded night. All the winner photos will be up on the Chamber's site soon if you'd like to check them out.

Happy New Year!

2011-01-13T16:49:00.000-05:00

My little girl snuggling tight - Patrick Burns 2010

Hooray, it's 2011! I spent the second half of 2010 launching a new TV entertainment site. Which was fun. But a bit sad since I love photographing babies and there was no time to breathe, never mind market my work. I did do a few shoots for repeat clients and some charity work, but I can't wait to get back to focusing more on my photography in 2011.

This year, my goals, in no particular order are:

Team up with other photographers & child-friendly businesses

Make time for friends, near and far

Travel more (see above!)

Tackle some large-scale redecorating and organizing projects in our home

Plan trip to Greece

Get out of my neighborhood more to enjoy NYC

Schedule more days of mini-shoots

Find a good yoga studio that is convenient enough I'll actually go

Take another trip sans child

Learn some new creative projects to do with children

Seems like a lot once I write them out, but it's mostly fun stuff. Last year was all about business goals - taxes, contacts, even finding good childcare and preschool for my daughter. Now that I feel like I have the right people in place, I've got to get out there and enjoy it!

Ho-ho-Holiday Boutique

2010-11-30T13:51:00.001-05:00

Julian at last year's event © Kristin Burns

I've been busier than a Kardashian at a shoe sale, so pardon the last minute quality of this post. Our local park is hosting a fundraising Holiday Boutique on Sunday and you should all come. I'll be taking Santa photos (free to take, $5 for a print) so stop by and sit your little one's kiester in Santa's lap without trekking to the mall.

Sunnyside Gardens Park Holiday Boutique

Phipps Social Hall

51-01 39th Avenue

Sunnyside, NY 11104

Sunday December 5th

10AM - 4PM

Boston Area Portrait Day

2010-11-01T12:22:00.000-04:00

Photo: Rachel Ford James's Flickr

I'm very excited about coming up to my hometown of Arlington for a day of mini-sessions Saturday November 13th. I have a few time-slots open if you are interested in joining in the fun. Here's the info again:

November 13, 10-3

Robbins Farm/Skyline Park (51 Eastern Ave, Arlington, MA)

Rain date November 14th

Come join me for a 30-minute mini-session at a local playground with a gorgeous view of Boston on Saturday. The sessions are $50 per family (not per child, all included) and an online album of the best photos. Please bring along your baby's favorite toys, blankets, even their fancy holiday clothes!

Email me or call 718-791-0536 to schedule a session. Can't wait to see all the kids!

Friday Fun: Male Model walks the Chanel show with his Toddler Son

2010-10-08T09:00:00.001-04:00

Image via @vogue_london

I love fashion week in NYC, but I try to keep up on the subsequent weeks in London and Paris too. Chanel held its Spring 2011 show in Paris this week to excellent reviews - for Karl Lagerfeld's designs, the amazing location and its A-list crowd. But now all everyone's talking about is the runway walk Brad Koenig took with his toddler son. In matching jackets & jeans, they make an adorable pair. Click to enlarge the photo.

Friday Fun: Man Babies

2010-08-20T11:57:00.000-04:00

GET MORE AT ManBabies.com!

So simple, so disturbing.

Friday Fun: Real-life Candyland

2010-07-23T16:31:00.001-04:00

Photo & video from Craftster via Ohdeedoh

Need a little break on this Friday afternoon? Since it's unlikely you have an aromatic garden modeled after childhood-favorite board game Candyland to escape to, why not watch a video of one?

I loved Candyland growing up - a great mix of luck and skill not too hard to enjoy or too boring (I'm looking at you Othello!) to finish. I also love candy - and fear for my health if a real Candyland existed. But this garden takes the fun of the journey through Candy Cane Forest and Molasses Swamp sugar-free. Plus it only took 7 months to create/grow, but think kids - or anyone who loved Candyland as a kid - would love it forever.

Gone Fishin'

2010-07-20T15:26:00.000-04:00

Captain Juliet at the helm

I've obviously taken a break from the blog for a while.

It's been a busy summer. Not just for the usual suspects - long lazy weekends enjoying the city, exploring the world or visiting family - but also due to huge increases in my photo editing & photography work. At one point I worked 2 weeks straight between travel photo editing, corporate portrait photos, TV fan site photo design and of course baby photography.

But it wasn't all work and no play. We've taken a few little trips and will definitely take more soon. With a husband in academia, these summer days are fleeting. And given the choice between late nights chasing fireflies with my daughter and updating here, I'm chosing fireflies.

Big long Memorial Day post

2010-06-03T09:33:00.000-04:00

I had so much fun taking free family portraits at the Sunnyside Gardens Park last weekend, I can't pick just a few favorites. So here are a lot.

Preview: Memorial Day Fair

2010-06-01T19:31:00.000-04:00

More to come soon, but here's a sneak peek of the free family portraits at the fair.

Inspiration Wednesday: Christopher Niemann's Abstract City Blog

2010-05-26T19:00:00.010-04:00

"I am always amazed at the diverse lot underneath the highchair of our toddler." - Christopher Niemann

If you follow Christopher Niemann's blog Abstract City on the New York Times site you already appreciate his humorous visualizations of city life.

Today's post, The Haunted Household, will strike a chord with anyone who wonders if there is some invisible force (or tiny monsters) derailing our attempts at keeping a passibly clean house.

Add kids to the mix - he has a toddler - and the identifying may border on paranoia that he's been peeking in my dishwasher (always full, either clean or dirty) or junk drawer (mystery batteries) while I'm out. Good thing he didn't look under the couch.

Free Family Portraits Saturday in the Park

2010-05-25T23:00:00.001-04:00

Please share/tweet/print this photo to spread the word.

Happy Memorial Day! My family recently joined our local community park and Saturday is the annual Memorial Day Fair.

I'm volunteering to photograph families in the newly renovated park. There will be music and food and good weather. It's one of the only days that the park is open to non-members so stop by and enjoy.

Friday Fun: Morality in Babies?

2010-05-14T10:00:00.003-04:00

Nicholas Nixon for The New York Times

All photographs taken at the Infant Cognition Center at Yale University.

OK, well I think sociology & science are fun anyway. I had a photo shoot in Long Island yesterday. Which meant a rare luxury - driving alone. Made more of a luxury by a really interesting show on WNYC's (our NPR) Leonard Lopate Show. He interviewed Yale professor Paul Bloom who wrote last week's New York Times magazine's cover story "The Moral Life of Babies."

Listen to the interview here:

I have noticed very strong moral reactions in the babies I've photographed, especially when they hear another baby cry. The empathy and worry is really heart-warming. It's incredible that these traits can be inborn as well as amplified through parenting. Once again I'm blown away how amazing babies are!

May goals (as in "may" get done...)

2010-05-04T14:00:00.000-04:00

In like a lion

Well, looky here! It's already May. If you'd like to join our Monthly Meetup check-in, post your goals to Athena Dreams blog the first Monday of the month.

I truly enjoyed April - lots of family events, plenty of work and general running around. The weather was either pouring rain or gorgeous, so those sunny days meant we HAD to get outside and explore our neighborhood. My daughter is a pure joy to watch hoofing down the sidewalk, usually on the way to the park, a look of concentration easily broken by whatever (cat, dog, car, motorcycle, squirrel, baby, bike, truck, etc.) catches her fancy. Sometimes the walk there was longer than the time at the park.

Work-wise, I did OK. Still doing my photo editing assignment for a travel publisher 30 hours a week, which is my main time commitment. Also did a family photo shoot and plan for more this month. Got some business planning done too, include new pricing (effective after 5/31) to reflect my market and budget research. Still feel like I could be hustling more, but when all of my childcare time is used for photo editing, the photography work has to come when I can make time.

A look back at April goals:

1. Finalize pricing changes (update site, facebook) - done, need to publish

2. Contact past clients (assemble email list, write email detailing new pricing/return client discount) - done

3. Photograph wine bar - nope, but tried to get in touch with owner - try harder this month

4. Pursue guest bloggers - nope

5. Enjoy the outdoors - done!

On to May:

1. Publish new pricing

2. Schedule 2 days of lower-price-point mini-sessions

3. Pursue guest bloggers

4. Research craft fairs (unfortunately cannot do the 2 where I could have shared a table)

5. Plan a few summer adventures, both professionally & personally

The last one has me the most excited. I'd really love to book some out-of-town photo shoots for this summer and will talk with friends/contacts to find someone who'd like to host. Other than Boston and NJ, I've mainly shot in NYC. Friends in other cities - let me know if you'd like to set something up.

Awesome Mother's Day gift ideas

2010-05-04T12:06:00.002-04:00

I'm a mom, but I also have a mom, a mom-in-law, and a nana who all deserve amazing Mother's Day gifts. Since the big day is coming up Sunday, why not surprise the moms in your life with one of these last minute creative gifts? No vacuums allowed!!!

New moms may feel less than gorgeous right now - lack of sleep, saggy bellies & drool-covered clothing will do that to the most confident woman. Why not give her a spa trip to help her get her mojo back. Bliss (a great NYC-launched spa chain) has a new Rookie Mom massage that sounds perfect. Make sure to include free babysitting (no, dads, watching your own child does not count as babysitting!) to ensure she'll really relax.

Photo: alexindigo

Instead of flowers - which are perfectly good gifts but tend to, you know, die - I think if the mom has a yard, buy her a tree for each of her children. We've given this gift for a baptism before, but there's something adorable about giving a new mom a tree as old as her baby and watching both grow. In NYC, I like Garden World in Flushing since they stock native organic plants in their locally-owned family business.

A baby photo shoot with me! Purchase a gift card for a single session or a series of shoots and I will email it in time to print out and slip into her Mother's Day card. This one is extra-perfect for moms-to-be since they can have something reminding them of the baby on the way. I've sold these to grandparents and friends of some of the coolest kids around, so it only seems fair to give one to the moms that made them.

Other ideas you can plan last minute are gift certificates to local restaurants (babysitting included please), arranging for a house cleaner to deep clean mom's home, and of course chocolate. You know the women in your life best, so whatever you give her, your love and respect are sure to shine through. Hope everyone has a Happy Mother's Day!

Baby Names

2010-04-27T18:40:00.000-04:00

Maybe we should have named her Star.

I guess it's not surprising that as a baby photographer I would hear a lot of names in my work, but I'm still sometimes surprised. No, I haven't met any twins named Ima & Ura Hogg or any Tracy Junior Juniors. Usually I'm surprised with just how well-suited the names are to the children I meet.

Reading the recent Ohdeedoh article on hip 2010 baby naming trends, I'll have to say I breathed a sigh of relief when my daughter's name wasn't on the top 100. Maybe it's because I was one of 4 Kristins (aka Kristin D.) in my grade-school class. On the other hand, it's certainly not like when we were bandying about name ideas my husband and I wanted to make a name up or have it be so exotic it would either sound crazy with our last name or be impossible to spell.

Who knows why names become popular anyway? As much as I loved Freakonomics & their take on baby naming trends, there is sometimes just a cultural feeling in the air that makes certain names stick in your brain.

Turns out I may have let that sigh out too soon. Only after naming our daughter did the name scream out every time someone mentioned it. From Shakespeare (duh!) to LOST & Psyche & Taylor Swift & a movie premiering this month, suddenly Juliet is everywhere I turn. Luckily I've enjoyed most of these Juliets. In real life, they are coming out of the background too.

Just days ago I toured a local preschool where Jules may go a few mornings in the fall. First words out of the director's mouth? "Oh we have a Juliet in her class!" Well, there's no escaping your name - Juliet B. has a nice ring to it, right?

Happy Earth Day!

2010-04-22T09:00:00.001-04:00

Jules & I enjoy some "nature" on campus

Hope you are enjoying Earth Day 2010 with your little corner of nature. This year we may be more likely to explore the urban jungle but even in New York City we do our part. From Community Supported Agriculture to beekeeping to Safari 7, there's a surprising amount of wildlife here. Let's try to protect it for our kids too.

Newest Newborn: Isabella

2010-04-20T15:30:00.000-04:00

Just days after she was born, Isabella's mom called me to set up a newborn photo shoot. Within the week I was there, taking photos of her tiny, sweet hands & feet. Her soft smiles and sleepy yawns.

And of course her big sister Victoria.

Love the shots of her gazing up at her Mama.

The early days pass very quickly but luckily this family will have these photo to look back on and remember. Email me if your family would like newborn photos too.

April Goals

2010-04-07T18:00:00.000-04:00

At least my dining table is in full bloom

Spring has sprung in New York City and it's been hard to stay motivated when all I want to do is run outside in a big field while cherry blossoms rain down and clouds roll by above. Or (even better) let my daughter run crazy for a bit at the local park and then meander home through Sunnyside Gardens's walkways between the tree-lined blocks. Neither really jives with all the computer-related goals for this month, but I'll try.

First a look back at last month's goals:

1. Focus on end of Bakery's Half-Dozen business course & organize all the material they provided - Done, I downloaded all the info and organized it, but need to review the work I've done and adjust my business plan.

2. Take photos for our local wine bar's website - Stopped by a few times (to drink, naturally) but haven't talked to the owner about a good time to shoot.

3. Reach out to people I admire to guest blog - have a few people interested, need to figure out what I'd like from them.

4. Blog ahead more - Somewhat done.

5. Schedule 4 in home shoot (one down already) - Only 2.

6. Enjoy my office work even if it triggers insane wanderlust - Really enjoying this project. Definitely focused on "day job."

Not bad, not great. But I will say that sometimes when starting something new - like my travel photo editing assignment - it can take away from original plans. And I subscribe to the practice of devoting effort towards paying work over less-/non-paying work.

On to April, I'm hoping now that I'm settled a bit more into this project, I can properly promote the baby photo business. One thing I learned from the Bakery course was making a business plan. Sparked by that, I made a big decision on pricing so I need to flesh that out.

April goals:

1. Finalize pricing changes (update site, facebook)

2. Contact past clients (assemble email list, write email detailing new pricing/return client discount)

3. Photograph wine bar

4. Pursue guest bloggers

5. Enjoy the outdoors

Not too ambitious but with 30 hours a week in the office and a couple of photo shoot too (both baby and corporate) I think this is possible.

National Autism Day: Photos of Hope

2010-04-02T09:00:00.001-04:00

Today is National Autism Day. Other than cheering on Yoko Ono as the new Worldwide Autism Ambassador by Autism Speaks, I'll be looking over some of the photos I took last autumn at the Brooklyn Autism Center. I loved spending time with the kids and their amazing teachers.

The BAC is running a terrific program with one-on-one teacher to student ratio. They use a variety of methods - music, art, trampoline and even horse therapy. If you know someone in the New York City whose child is on the spectrum and might benefit from that kind of attention, check them out.

Inspiration Wednesday: Hop on Pop

2010-03-31T09:00:00.004-04:00

Buy it from Powell's Books

"Up Pup, Pup is Up". And with that we're off with Hop on Pop a book short on words but big on wordplay. And when we get to "No, Pat, no. Don't sit on that!" my daughter is so wrapped up in the book that she says a mournful "No!" before I finish turning the page.

I'm not under any delusions (other than the stereotypical new mom belief that everything Juliet does is BRILLIANT!!!) that she's reading at 18 months but love that she's interested enough in books to chime in when she knows what's coming next.

Dr. Seuss could (should?) have a whole month of Inspiration Wednesdays all by himself. He lived many lives before writing children's books - a Massachusetts native son, former ad man before Don Draper made it cool, creator of cartoon Navy training films in WW2. Check out Seussville.com (caution, like many kid's sites, the music is LOUD!) to read about his life and work.

He tried his hand writing children's books but found huge success only after writing a reading primer commissioned using a 220-word vocab list. That book, The Cat in the Hat, became not only a classic but also helped children both learn to read and love to read.

Dr. Seuss/Theodor Geisel/Ted to his friends, whatever his name, he knew how to take the sometimes frustrating process of learning to read and brought humor and rhythm to combat it. His later work touched on war (The Butter Battle Book), environmentalism (The Lorax), anti-materialism (How the Grinch Stole Christmas) and other weighty but universal themes without preachiness. His early-reader books - like Green Eggs and Ham, The Cat in the Hat, and One Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish - may have lacked big plotlines but helped raise a generation to value books.

I grew up reading his books and watching cartoons & movies (The 5,000 Fingers of Dr. T is a trippy masterpiece) based on his imagination. But now I'm more interested in checking out a couple books on Geisel. Donald E. Pease just published brand new biography, Theodor SEUSS Geisel (Lives and Legacies), but I'm more interested in his work than his life. So I'm looking forward to flipping though Dr. Seuss Goes to War: The World War II Editorial Cartoons of Theodor Seuss Geisel

and The Seuss, the Whole Seuss and Nothing But the Seuss: A Visual Biography of Theodor Seuss Geisel for a review of his artwork.

His drawings - despite or maybe owing to lack of training - show chaos, catastrophe, mess and most of all fun as commonplace in childhood. His villains are often just closed-minded or snobbish and can be redeemed though expanding their heart a few sizes. His heroes mess up and get scared but generally everything works out OK, even if the house gets trashed. You know, like a typical day with my daughter.

What's your favorite Seuss classic?

Inspiration Wednesday: A Monster at the End of This Book

2010-03-24T09:00:00.002-04:00

Buy it at Powell's Books

Watching Sesame Street (warning: loud! NSFW!) now is surreal compared to when I was a child 8 million years ago. Gone are the scruffy Muppets that looked handmade & the city streets that were believably run down. The kids and even grown-up actors could have been our neighbors and the occasional guest star flew right over my head. Clean/shiny/new/technocolor Sesame Street just makes me long for that grit. Plus you rarely see a kid walking his llama.

Of course NYC in the late-70's/early-80s was a very different place than now too. But there were no pink fairies, gag. OK, I'm old. Get off my lawn!

But my daughter loves Elmo so we'd occasionally check in for the last 20 minutes of the show. I kinda love Elmo's World too - probably because it's a blatant ripoff of Pee-Wee's Playhouse. Our flat-screen broke last month and while we decide on the replacement we've just been using our computers to keep up with our favorite TV shows. Hulu has a lot of Sesame Street clips but not enough Elmo for Juliet's appetite so we've expanded to my old-time favorites. Turns out she hates Kermit but loves Grover. Probably due to reading The Monster at the End of This Book.

Grover is one of my favorite Muppets - he's brazen but easily scared, adventurous but messes up a lot, goofy but lovable. You know, like your own little monster. This book is a whole lot of fun packed into a short story. I don't want to ruin the ending but the title is not a lie!

Friday Fun: Oh, you're THAT Kristin Burns aka Googlegangers

2010-03-19T09:00:00.002-04:00

Happy just THINKING of all my new Googlegangers - Big Pink Photography

Like many people, when I married, I changed my last name. It was a decision I didn't take lightly but I'm glad I made the switch since now my husband, daughter and I all share a family name. But one consequence was going from a much less common name to a more common one. Sure, that makes things easier when spelling it or pronouncing it. But I also gained a whole bunch more Gogglegangers.

What the heck is a Googlegänger? Glad you asked. Basically a person with your exact same name & spelling who may come up in a simple web search for you. I am certain someone has lost a job prospect (or worse, been falsely arrested) due to someone confusing their Jim Smith with the ax murdering Jim Smith. But some people, like those profiled in this funny 2008 New York Times article, embrace their namesakes and their inevitable similarities.

My matches run the gamut, but if you're looking for me online, where are a few detours you may take along the way.

Marketing & Communications Manager for Undergraduate Admissions at UC Davis

Kick-ass rock photographer & chronicler of the Smashing Pumpkins

Realtor in Northern Virginia

Hartford CT Radio DJ & bulldog rescuer

I don't know any of these women personally, but I find myself rooting for them. Yes, even the one who has the coveted URL of our name. Who knows? I may someday need a house in Northern Virginia and why wouldn't I call on my Googleganger.

But my favorite namesake may be the fictional character, Kristin Burns, in James Patterson's You've Been Warned. I have not read this book yet, but next time I'm heading to Cape Cod I might have to throw it in my beach bag. This quote alone from the plot description is just like looking in the mirror:

"Kristin searches desperately for what's real through the lens of her camera, only knowing two things for sure: that no place is safe and the fate of everyone she loves lies in her hands."

Words to live (or die!!!) by. And pass on to my other Kristin Burns's.

Inspiration Wednesday: A Little Prairie House

2010-03-17T09:00:00.001-04:00

buy the series of "My First Little House" books at Powell's Books

Honestly, my daughter loves the whole collection of "My First Little House" books - adapted from Laura Ingalls Wilder's stories of growing up in Wisconsin and moving out to the Kansas prairie - so picking just one was difficult. Living in New York City, I have a hard time understanding how tales of covered wagons, sewing patchwork quilts and building your own house are so entertaining to my citified baby. But I'd go beyond entertained to transfixed.

Why A Little Prairie House over equally beloved Dance at Grandpa's or Going to Town? While Going West - where Pa decides (apparently without Ma's input which will provide a lesson on equality of the sexes soon enough) to move the family out to Kansas - is the biggest tear-jerker of the bunch, A Little Prairie House combines the best qualities of Ingalls Wilder's writing in one short story. By focusing on Laura - the 5 year old middle daughter - the wonder, fear & excitement of venturing into unfamiliar territory are easy to identify with even years and miles apart.

Plus it has Mr. Edwards who can dance like a jackrabbit and spit farther than Laura could imagine. Nice!

Friday Fun: Child-friendly Street Art

2010-03-12T09:00:00.001-05:00

Playful posies patch potholes - Photo of Pete Dungey's project, "Pothole Gardens"

I realize municipalities are forced to do more with less. But the crumbling infrastructure leaves cities looking worn and sad. Leave it to 2 artists working on other sides of the world to find beautiful ways to shore up some cracks in the surface.

Over in Britain, Pete Dungey is planting miniature gardens in potholes. The Pothole Gardens project encourages others to fill in the unfilled potholes in their area with pretty little bunches of plants. After reading about him on Apartment Therapy, I checked out Pete's website to discover that he's a design student in Brighton whose work tends to the site specific provocative bent. Depending on your feelings on the word "Rabbit," you'll probably enjoy his other work too.

Legos line ledges - photo of Jan Vormann's Dispatchwork

Back stateside, artist Jan Vormann is filling in holes of a different sort in New York City buildings with Lego bricks. Gothamist posted a few photos, but check out Vormann's site for several more of his Dispatchwork project. I especially like the jaded city folks' reactions.

I'm going to be on the lookout for more artists dealing with public spaces creatively. There's something sweet and optimistic about the 2 installations - both in the childlike materials and the colorful designs. Let me know if you've seen more examples in your city.

Newborn love

2010-03-11T09:00:00.000-05:00

Mmmm, sleepy sweetness

Nothing quite says Spring like all the little newborn creatures. From lambs to chicks, the fuzzy babes are up there with crocuses (croci?) as harbingers of renewal and new life. Newborn babies come year-round but who says they can't help us welcome Spring too?

I have a photo shoot this morning with a family who just had their second daughter only last week. It's been a little while since I've been lucky enough to photograph such a tiny baby and I'm pretty excited. Plus 2 of my daughter's friend's moms (aka my friends) are due with their 2nd babies within the month too and I can't wait to meet them.

If you know someone who is due soon and would like photos of the newborn, send them to my website or email me to book a photo shoot in their home. Those first sleepy/crazy/milky days pass so quickly but those sweet photos will last for many more Springs to come.

Inspiration Wednesday: Caps for Sale

2010-03-10T09:00:00.009-05:00

You monkeys you! - buy it from Powell's Books

This month, Inspiration Wednesdays is dedicated to children's books. One of my daughter's favorites (and thankfully mine since it's a daily read) is Caps for Sale by Esphyr Slobodkina. Subtitled "A tale of a peddler, some monkeys and their monkey business," the simple picture book was the first to illicit a big response from Juliet. Sure, it was shaking her fist in fake anger at those naughty monkeys. But since we're all trying to show our kids the joy of reading, what's better than when they catch the bug?

She now grabs books off the shelves and climbs up on the couch saying "oooooh" to entice us to read to her. Luckily, when the stories are as sweet and funny as Caps for Sale, my husband and I happily oblige. Even the 79659th time.

Tuesday Trinkets: Five O'Clock Crows Textiles

2010-03-09T09:00:00.002-05:00

All future baby shower gift shopping, done!

I have mentioned Sara Hopp Harper's work before in this blog, but now I can share some photos I recently took of her new line of baby quilts. When I cut open the big brown cardboard box fresh from the postman, I was blown away by the goodies inside.

Sara is the brains & brawn behind 5 O'Clock Crows, hand-dyed batik cotton linens and textiles. She designs the patterns, paints on the wax, concocted lusciously-named (cherry pop, peacock, gold sand) colorways and dyes the fabric in big vats all by her VERY talented self. The fabric alone is artwork. But then - the overachiever - she uses the fabric to make gorgeous tea towels, quilts & other practical masterpieces. You can buy it on Etsy, 1000 Markets or email Sara for commissioned work.

When she started a baby line, she naturally turned to me for photos of her wares. First little bundles of joy? Baby quilts. They are super-soft as well as brightly colored to stimulate your budding genius's spongelike mind. You are all getting the first look at my photos which will soon be expanded to include photos with real live babies cavorting on the quilts. Stay tuned!

March goals: In like a lion

2010-03-05T18:00:00.000-05:00

All about the Benjamins (or in this case, Sophies)

Whew! Made it through February into an already crazybusy March. Yes, that's a word now.

A look back at my goals for February :
1. Focus on Bakery's Half-Dozen business course - Very much so! Did business plan, press kit, marketing plan (although I think this has to be redone), added Press section to my site, generally kept up with the Bakery assignments
2. Take photos for our local wine bar's website - no, and I really should because I could use a drink
3. Reach out to people I admire for more support & ideas, including adding a blog-roll here - done!
4. Blog ahead more - done!
5. Schedule 3 in home shoots - done! Although 1 was a party, it counts.

February was pretty exhausting, work-wise and life-wise. The shortest and bleakest month (in NYC anyway), I dealt with 2 big snowstorms, job interviews, photographing a corporate portrait shoot, a friend/former co-worker's sudden death, movie contest, and grandparent visit. Short month my arse. I'm very glad it's over.

One goal I hadn't listed but accomplished was to find a new photo editing assignment. As of Tuesday, I've been working for Frommers doing some travel photo editing for their site. I'm trying to compress the 30 hours per week into 3 days onsite and so far so good. It gives me 4 days home for hanging out with my daughter & husband and OH YEAH scheduling photo shoots.

On to March & my more time-limited goals:

1. Focus on end of Bakery's Half-Dozen business course & organize all the material they provided

2. Take photos for our local wine bar's website

3. Reach out to people I admire to guest blog

4. Blog ahead more

5. Schedule 4 in home shoot (one down already)

6. Enjoy my office work even if it triggers insane wanderlust

Hope everyone has a fabulous month!

Inspiration Wednesdays: The Red Balloon (Le ballon rouge)

2010-02-24T09:00:00.006-05:00

Buy it on Amazon

A fanciful short film about a young boy who is followed around Paris by a friendly red balloon. Screened daily at the Museum of the Moving Image right here in Queens, I remember first watching this movie in elementary school and connecting with this little boy in France.

Watching the movie again years later, the first thing I noticed was just how gray everything other than the balloon is. Seeing post-war Paris - with its bombed out buildings, gray stone cathedrals and buildings, dour citizens - transformed by a simple balloon back into a city of life and hope is heartwarming. The little boy, naturally dressed in gray, with his local bullies, strict grandmother and mean schoolmaster, needs the balloon most of all.

Pascal was played by Pascal Lamorisse, the son of the director Albert Lamorisse. Pere Lamorisse was trained as a photographer (and later invented the board game RISK), and had already directed the also wonderful Crin blanc: Le cheval sauvage (White mane: the wild horse) and won the Palm d'Or at Cannes for each and an Academy Award for Le ballon rouge. In both films, he shows he understands children very well. Their love of wandering, the fact that youth is not always easy, the wonder in simple pleasures.

It is a short movie at just over 30 minutes, but perfect for the youngest viewers for just that reason. My daughter squealed with laughter more than once and loved the ending. In the midst of a tough winter, maybe we need the balloon now too.

Friday Fun: The Kids of "Everything is Terrible" are Wonderful

2010-02-19T09:00:00.002-05:00

The mouths MOVE!!! Around 1:55 will scare you to your very core.

Everything is Terrible is an amazing found footage site. My husband is obsessed and because of him I've watched such gems as Phone Manners. But who know they had so many great baby videos?

I'm kind of in love with the push-up/kiss combo.

Oh Matthew, I hope you eventually got to go to the park without a camera crew.

As you can see, found footage - especially from the 80s - is comic gold. Enjoy your weekend!

Fashion Week and Grandmothers

2010-02-18T09:00:00.001-05:00

The big question - do I look at the camera or my adorable grandson?

It's fashion week in New York and yes, I can be a totally uncool mom who no longer goes to any shows or parties and still love fashion. Women's Wear Daily posted a slideshow on fabulous designers who had their grandchildren at their shows this week in NYC. I always thought it was fun to see designers bring out their kids at the end of their shows for a little walk on the runway. Gwen Stefani & Kimora Lee Simmons come to mind.

Double the pleasure - could my parents be cuter with their 2 grandkids?

This week we also had a visit from my parents & aunt which gave my daughter her very own entourage. Of course my mom was in 7th heaven and I started thinking about some of the grandparents I have photographed with their grandchildren. It doesn't happen that often, but I love to immortalize the bond.

Some more cake? Don't mind if I do!

Ah you lucky grandparents - like parents but without all the rules, schedules and responsibility!

Why not schedule a shoot with your grandchildren as a gift for their birthday or a big family event? I have even had a grandmother book a secret shoot while she was babysitting her granddaughter so she could give the photos to her daughter as a holiday gift. How cute! Send me an email to book a photo session today!

Mardi Gras Baby!

2010-02-16T10:15:00.001-05:00

Laissez les bons temps rouler!

Happy Mardi Gras! Whether you are heading out for some pre-lenten gluttony or fixing your favorite traditional Fat Tuesday foods at home, here's hoping you get all your yayas out today. My daughter is thoroughly enjoying her beads at home - alternately slinging them over her arm and transferring them from pot to pan in her play kitchen.

Photo by Tina Rupp via weightwatchers.com

Speaking of food (which I usually am), if you feel like starting your healthy eating today, here's a recipe for King Cake on WeightWatchers.com from back in the day when I was their photo editor. We had a lot of fun with the baby on the photo set that day & I kept some of the more hilarious polaroid test shots pinned to the board next to my desk way past Easter

Friday Fun: Baby Hamlet

2010-02-12T09:00:00.001-05:00

Maybe it was watching the VERY British story of The Little Princess (with the very non-British accented Shirley Temple) earlier this week that made this YouTube clip so entertaining to me. Via Sadie at Jezebel.

Obviously Brian Cox is an amazing actor in his own right but this toddler Theo is hilarious delivering Hamlet's famous soliloquy in his adorable British accent. "That is the question" "Yeah!"

Zara, or what to wear?

2010-02-11T09:00:00.001-05:00

Primping makes perfect

Potential clients ask me all the time if they should plan on more than one outfit for their baby's photo shoot. As a mom, I think an extra shirt just makes sense in world of spit-up, drool and other potential spills. Just in case. On the other hand, when the shoot is a short one like my 30-minute mini sessions, it's not always a good idea to break up the flow if the child is relaxed and happy by trying to change their outfit halfway through. In your own home, why not try a second look?

First outfit, a lush red dress

When you have a baby like Zara, even the "behind the scenes" photos are gorgeous.

Costume change!

Hey, when it works, it works. What I love is that by shooting digital in natural daylight (instead of the traditional studio set-up), I can adapt to the situation and quickly move around whatever space we're in to find just the right spot - even down to cool color combos.

Still sweet and calm in outfit #2

I don't think I would have put Zara in front of the funky blue background in the red dress, but her ivory sweater is neutral enough that her sweet face is still the star of this photo.

When I go into families' homes I'm always on the lookout for the best spots to photograph their children - nice warm light, cool textures and colors. In Zara's case, 2 outfits meant more variety for her photos and a nice break for her. When you book a shoot with me, I'll work to make sure your child enjoys their shoot just as much!

Inspiration Wednesdays: The Little Princess

2010-02-10T09:00:00.004-05:00

As a bonus this week, the movie I picked is free to watch on Hulu.com.

I loved the Shirley Temple classic, The Little Princess, as a child. I know that a gentler, less Victorian remake exists too which may actually be less scary to young children, but I remember lapping up the rough edges of the original.

Based on the wonderful book by Frances Hodgson Burnett, the plot alone fulfills the morbid curiosity of all well-loved children with 2 living parents & is the predecessor of several "lovable orphan" movies including Annie & Cinderella. A haughty rich girl sent to boarding school only to presumably lose her father in the Boer War is forced by the mean headmistress to move to a chilly garret and clean up after the other students. Of course being a Shirley Temple movie she learns what's really important along the way and gets her happy ending, but not without some very sad and scary points along the way. And some singing and dancing.

So if you're stuck inside with a snow-day like us, why not brew up some tea and dream of tropic escapes with Sara Crew.

Amara

2010-02-09T09:57:00.000-05:00

Impossible to believe, but only a few short months ago it was summer. I needed to relive some of the warm memories and thought back to a particularly hot day when I went to New Jersey for a day of mini-shoots.

One of the families included Amara - a gorgeous girl who loved the camera. And bubbles.

We had a lot of fun running around the backyard chasing bubbles in the hot sun.

Just looking at these makes me feel happier on a cold day.

Friday Fun: Children's Health

2010-02-05T09:00:00.001-05:00

It's cold & flu season here in New York City and you can't go 10 feet without seeing another snotty baby. Or adult. But hey, let's look back at some old public health posters to make us feel a little better about our current ailments. Until the 4th of July anyway.

Hey, at least it isn't syphilis!

You can buy these or other health-related WPA posters at Vintograph. I have my eye on the tooth-brushing one for our bathroom. Because maybe we still need some of their advice today after all.

Olivia

2010-02-04T09:00:00.000-05:00

Here's one baby I've been lucky enough to photograph recently in Sunnyside. Olivia and her mom were welcoming and warm on a cold winter morning. It's Olivia's favorite time of the day &we had so much fun getting down on the floor to play together.

In addition to the relaxed & natural infant portraits you can see here, we also had a chance to dress Olivia up in her Christmas dress and Christening gown. So now her family has professional photos to remember those days when I could not be there to document them.

Her gorgeous nursery deserves a post of its own too. Prepare yourself to see more photos from this session over the coming weeks!

Inspiration Wednesdays: The Sound of Music

2010-02-03T09:00:00.002-05:00

Buy it at Amazon.com

Every February, our friends run WALOMM (watch a lot of movies month) - a contest to see how many movies you can watch during the shortest/coldest/dreariest month. When we started it, let's just say the various streams of media saturation were a bit dryer and the bulk of movies were watching in theaters, on DVD or TV. Now we've got the internets and Netflix and all sorts of newfangled portable contraptions, plus more unemployment. Which translates into more competition.

So this month, I'd decided to use my weekly Inspiration Wednesday to highlight a movie either beloved by me in childhood or the child in me as an adult. In no way an exhaustive list, I think these are movies I'll enjoy watching with my kids too.

First up, The Sound of Music.

I took this tour in 1999 but Aissy55 took this photo. Highly recommend.

The story of a 'young girl who will never be a nun," the movie somehow features Nazis, motherless children, an only-slightly closeted Uncle Max and a saucy Baroness while still remaining one of the best love stories out there. It may be scary and sad at times but I'll take that over a sacharine cartoon any day. Plus Maria is a lovely role-model - honest, inventive (her curtain-clothes rival Scarlett O'Hara's), brave and independent.

Of course all my daughter noticed about it when I had it on in the background the other day were the songs - particularly rocking out to "My Favorite Things," "Do Re Mi," and "The Lonely Goatherd." She even sang along (in her way...) to "Edelweiss" - one of the lullabies I sang her as an infant.

What favorite childrens movies should I include this month?

February Goals - Getting down to gulp business

2010-02-02T10:12:00.000-05:00

Juliet - my fearless assistant & muse - Kristin Burns

"The secret of getting ahead is getting started. The secret of getting started

is breaking your complex overwhelming tasks into small manageable

tasks, and then starting on the first one." -- Mark Twain

A day late, sure, but I was busy pretending yesterday was the last day of January so I could cross off one big goal from last month's list. Every month, The Meetup members post our goals at Athena Dreams, look back at the previous month's list, and encourage each other to focus.

First a look back at my January goals :

1. Update photo galleries with new work - nope

2. Prepare for upcoming art fairs - nope

3. Reach out to people I admire for more support & ideas, including adding a blog-roll here - nope

4. Blog ahead more - nope

5. Schedule 3 in home shoots - nope

It looks like I got nothing done! But I actually just did a crappy job of writing goals. I actually accomplished quite a bit - got our taxes squared away, started working with another Meetup member photographing her work, photographed a baptism, sold 4 matted prints of my art photography, entered the Annual PDN competition & most importantly signed up for the 6-week business course at Bakery. I also embraced my time at home with my daughter by cooking, coloring and dancing with her in my downtime.

On to February :

1. Focus on Bakery's Half-Dozen business course

2. Take photos for our local wine bar's website

3. Reach out to people I admire for more support & ideas, including adding a blog-roll here

4. Blog ahead more

5. Schedule 3 in home shoots

If more gets done, so be it!

Inspiration Wednesdays: Henri Cartier Bresson

2010-01-27T14:10:00.000-05:00

Rue Mouffetard, Paris, 1954

With the announcement that the Museum of Modern Art is running an Henri Cartier-Bresson retrospective this Spring, I decided to take a new look at some of his work. His photos have strong shapes and playful composition - never more so than in his street photos of children.

Children in Seville, Spain, 1933

Madrid, 1933

Madrid (in Lego) by Fubiz

One of the funnier recreations of a classic Cartier-Bresson shot; the entire set of Classics in Lego is worth a look.

Kids in the White House

2010-01-27T13:07:00.000-05:00

Sasha & Malia sledding with their mother on White House lawn, 2009

No, I'm not calling for the summary replacement of all government officials by their far more adorable offspring (yet!). But it sure seems like the children of US presidents know how to enjoy the perks of the White House while still taking time to just be kids. Tonight is the first Obama State of the Union address and while I'm looking forward to watching it, I started thinking back to the various children who lived in the White House before Sasha & Malia moved in last year.

Quentin Roosevelt & his playmate Rosewell Pinckney, 1902

John John and Caroline cracking Kennedy up on Halloween, 1963

Miss Tarkington waiting to snap a picture of President Harding. 1922

And while "Little Miss Tarkington" may not have been a resident of the White House, something about the determined face makes me believe she got her photo with Harding that day.

Inspiration Wednesday: Diane Arbus

2010-01-20T11:16:00.000-05:00

Diane Arbus with Doon (Double Self Portrait) - Diane Arbus 1945

One of my favorite photographers, Diane Arbus, is known for her photography of outsiders and misfits. But I always think back to her early self-portrait (above) of herself as a young mother with her daughter Doon. Knowing how her short life would end in suicide in 1971, it's hard to look at her so vulnerable and, I think, happy.

Child teasing another, N.Y.C. - Diane Arbus 1960, Credit: Fraenkel Gallery

Her early work, like this shot of 2 children on the sidewalk in New York City may lack her later formalism (stark lighting, eye level, straight on photos) but laid the groundwork of her career-long mission to humanize the strange and unlikely subjects or her photography.

From giants to little people, socialites to drag queens - and everyone in between - Arbus' portraits are known for her unflinching gaze. Her work featuring children inspires me because she treats them as she does adults by showing their individual personalities.

Child with Toy Hand Grenade in Central Park - Diane Arbus 1962

The famous shot of a young boy holding a toy hand grenade shows a gawky child grimacing at the camera. But a look at the contact sheet that day includes several emotions - happiness, mischief, boredom - Arbus' caught on the child's face.

Child with Toy Hand Grenade Contact Sheet - Diane Arbus 1962

And while sometimes imagining the inner workings of a child's mind can be unnerving, I think it's brave to give them the same respect as adults in portraiture.

Identical Twins, Roselle, New Jersey - Diane Arbus 1967

The photo of the twins (inspiring Kubrick's twins in The Shining) shows how by getting down to the child's level Arbus treats the girls as equals to the viewer.

I come away from Arbus's photos wondering about the person's life after the portrait was taken. Diane Arbus succeeded where other art photographers failed by foregoing her own ego and letting the humanity of her subjects dominate. Sadly, she lost her own way.

Mother & child reu-u-uion & Winter special

2010-01-20T09:00:00.002-05:00

Mom gives a kiss to Olivia and gets one back from Phoebe, the joys of twins - Kristin Burns

One thing new moms and photographers have in common is that they are rarely in their family photos. As someone who fits both descriptions, I don't have nearly enough photos of my daughter and I together. My husband took some of us this weekend and made me think of all the mother-child photos I've been taking lately.

Oliver knows Moms love snuggles between bouts of running wild - Kristin Burns

Sometimes my clients are nervous about getting in front of the camera, especially if they have just delivered a baby and don't feel their fittest. But looking back on the rare shots of myself when my daughter was a newborn, I don't notice the extra pudge around my middle or the bags under my eyes - OK maybe a little. I'm so happy to have those early days documented.

Older kids like Andrew might be the hardest to grab photos with on your own - Kristin Burns

If you need an extra reason to book a session with me soon, I am running a special for the rest of the winter.

Audrey demonstrates how to make her Mom laugh - Kristin Burns

Book your shoot for before March 21st and I'll include a FREE 8x10 print (value $20) with your order. Looking forward to a few more moms getting in front of the camera for once!

Celebrate the memory of Dr King today

2010-01-18T10:43:00.001-05:00

Still more work to do, but how amazing is it that only a few years later this diverse group of children is reciting the words of Martin Luther King Jr. together today?

From the Washington Times via YouTube: Fourth graders from Watkins Elementary School

recite Martin Luther King Jr.'s 1963 speech at the Lincoln Memorial. January 17, 2010.

I've photographed children of all races in my work and love capturing the same curiosity and joy in their faces. The idea of segregation and prejudice are so foreign to me that it's shocking to hear people still spouting that nonsense today. What makes us different - especially as children! - is tiny compared to our similarities. Let's hope the babies I take photos of today will grow up in a future Dr. King would be proud to see.

Friday Fun - Kids in WPA Art

2010-01-15T09:00:00.001-05:00

Enjoy Don't Destroy

A poster showing two very bad children picking flowers: "Enjoy. Don't destroy."

Created in 1936 or 1937 as part of the Ohio WPA Federal Art Project.

When the WPA was producing posters, they weren't only providing work for artists and bolstering the economy, they also focused on how everyone could help. From victory gardens to supporting the local library, there was something for kids too. Some more favorites:

Wee Willie Winkie

Created by the Illinois WPA Art Project to promote the use of libraries by children,

this poster shows a child in pajamas running through town at night.

The poster was illustrated by Cleo Sara, c. 1940.

Red Riding Hood

Titled "Once Upon a Time," this poster by illustrator Kenneth Whitley shows Little Red Riding Hood and a wolf.

The poster was produced by the WPA Federal Art Project and published circa 1939.

All illustrations and caption info found on Vintagraph - an amazing resource for artwork. They feature WPA posters and other vintage illustrations available in several sizes/prices for print. Makes cool nursery decor and gifts.

Pantone color of 2010

2010-01-14T09:00:00.003-05:00

Makes you picture the sea or a Blue Hawaiian, depending on your mood - Kristin Burns

A nice cheerful color this year for the brand new decade. Amazing how much it has already come up in my recent photo work.

Sophie rocks turquoise stripes - Kristin Burns

Pantone has been pretty spot on for their Colors of the Year (2009, 2008) and with the lingering 80s influence, turquoise will be incorporated into fashion, home decor & product design.

Julianne's blue eyes and turquise accent look terrific with pink - Kristin Burns

We used it as an accent color in my daughter's nursery when we designed it in 2008, which could mean we were ahead of the curve but more likely it's just a pretty, not-too-girly color that looks great with the ubiquitous pink we knew we've never truly avoid.

Emmet, ever ahead of the game - Kristin Burns

So get ready to see turquoise all over crib fabrics, mobiles and toys for both boys & girls in 2010. If you have a turquoise nursery, I'd love to photograph it!

Inspiration Wednesdays: Dorothea Lange

2010-01-13T09:00:00.001-05:00

Tater Tot

Family of migrant potato pickers in Tulelake, Siskiyou County, California. September 1939.

Photograph by Dorothea Lange.

This month I'm going to feature a photographer every Wednesday (last week doesn't count...) whose photos of children inspire me. They may not be known as baby photographers but the way these men and women capture the emotions of children is something I try to do in my own work. Who better to start out with than Dorothea Lange.

Five Plus Pup

November 1936. "American River camp, Sacramento, California. Destitute family.

Five children, aged two to seventeen years."

Medium-format nitrate negative by Dorothea Lange for the Resettlement Administration.

Lange is known for her portraits of migrant family life during the Great Depression. She manages to show the stark poverty they faced while not losing their individuality and humanity. While she is best known for the desperate faces of Dust Bowl farm families, she also wanted to document the love that sustained them when they'd lost everything else. Of course, the camps, work and food helped put a smile on these childrens' faces too - you can't eat love.

Big Brother

August 1939. Migratory children living in "Ramblers Park." They have lived

on the road for three years. Nine children in the family. Yakima Valley, Washington.

Photograph by Dorothea Lange.

What really inspires me is the timelessness of her portraits. I try to let the personality of each baby and child I photograph come through in their photos and focus on their expressions. While she was documenting an historic period to inform those lucky enough to have avoided the Dust Bowlers fate, she never loses sight of the fact that these aren't just educational devices but real kids trying to find fun where they can.

The Happy Camper

November 1938. "Migrant cotton picker's child who lives in a tent in the government camp

instead of along the highway or in a ditch bank. Shafter Camp, California."

Medium format nitrate negative by Dorothea Lange.

All photos and caption information from the amazing Shorpy. A great resource for archival photos, especially for prints.

Bokeh - lighting up a grey January

2010-01-12T11:32:00.001-05:00

The gorgeous Oliver & family, complete with glowing orbs of mystery behind them - Kristin Burns

You can't swing a dead cat around a design or photo blog without seeing something about bokeh lately. Wikipedia says the "term comes from the Japanese word boke (暈け or ボケ), which means "blur" or "haze" - all I know is it's pretty.

How to make Andrew, 14, even hipper? Bokeh behind his spiky hair - Kristin Burns

I really like bokeh lights and it turns out Christmas tree lights look pretty cool all blurry. I usd the effect in a few of my holiday portrait photo shoots last month and my clients all flocked to those particular shots.

Bokeh glows almost as much as Erin's smile - Kristin Burns

There are some products out there to help you make cool shaped bokeh. But I enjoyed Lifehacker's tutorial for do-it-yourselfers. Maybe some heart shaped bokeh for Valentine's Day shoots? I'm starting to book up for the upcoming weekends so call or email me soon for your baby or child to have a session too.

January Goals and Busy December review

2010-01-08T12:37:00.003-05:00

Buck up, chica, January isn't that bad! Diana 12.19.09 Kristin Burns

Last month was the end of Jena's Modish Biz Tips monthly meetup, but luckily Liz at Athena Dreams has picked up the reigns. Welcome to all the amazing Meetup group! I'm hoping for more of the encouragment and inspiration from everyone here! Please comment with your blog/site so I can check out your goals this month too.

Although my goals are a week late (due as much to enjoying my husband's winter break from his PhD studies as to my procrastination) I think they're still going to get done.

First a look back at my December goals:

1. Really enjoy the holiday season with my friends and family - Done, with gusto!
2. Have fun at the chaotic, busy but rewarding days of shoots - be they in-home, mini-sessions or, gasp, Santa - Done, never had a busier $$$-er month as a photographer
3. Purchase/order/make thoughtful gifts for my favorite people - I hope so
4. Taxes! - Pushed to this month to take advantage of a fabulous new accountant
5. Reach out to people I admire for more support & ideas - Some but not enough

Feeling a bit unmotivated this month. I really think I would have been smart to schedule some of the 765846 December shoots in January instead but I was really trying to get everything done before the holidays so my clients would have photos to share with their families. Now I've lost some of the momentum that carried (or possibly drove along tidal wave style) me through December.

Enough griping, here's January's goals:

1. Update photo galleries with new work

2. Prepare for upcoming art fairs

3. Reach out to people I admire for more support & ideas, including adding a blog-roll here

4. Blog ahead more

5. Schedule 3 in home shoots

Come out, come out, wherever you are!

2010-01-08T11:36:00.000-05:00

Relax! I won't bite. Nina - Kristin Burns

Sometimes when I should be doing something a little more productive, I get caught up in Google Analytics. An amazing tool for tracking popular content on my websites and blog. Checking in to see pageviews and unique visitors? Great use of my time. But too easy too slip through the rabbit hole into maps and click overlays. Hours have been mysteriously lost.

One thing I've learned is that I have a lot of readers here. Hooray! But very few of you follow or comment. I know I'm guilty of the same thing since most blogs I follow through Google Reader instead.

So here's a no-judgment, come-on-out-of-the-woodwork post!

Your incentive? I'm working on a blog roll. Comment with your website or blog link and I'll check it out and add it to the list. No blog of your own? Comment anyway to say Hi!

Not another New Year's Resolution Post

2010-01-05T09:00:00.001-05:00

Instead, a look back. Sophie 12.19.09 Kristin Burns

Now not to get all mushy Christmas Letter, but 2009 was quite a year. I'm going to post my January goals in another post, but first a look back at the end of the aughts.

Luckily it's a mostly positive look back. I came through the first full year of motherhood relatively unscathed. We have a fabulous sitter that gave us a breather from the early days of relying solely on ourselves and our family. I loved most of my freelance photo editing jobs, including a wonderful 6 months at Reader's Digest. And most of all, my used-to-be-a-hobby baby photos turned into a business that let me balance it all while doing something creative and genuinely fun.

If I had a word for 2009 it would have to be "Yes." Join in an art fair? Take photos of a birthday party? A strings recital? Kids with Santa? Sure, why not?

It wasn't all hunky dory. I had one office gig that drove me to tears. Luckily (?) that ended when their funding ran out for me. I learned about it on what would be my last day in a meeting in front of 20 people who thought I already knew. P-p-p-p-pokerface, thank god!

Still, that brief project was at least well-paid and easily forgettable. I met so many amazing families through my photo work. I feel much more connected to our neighborhood. Our friendships - especially with my daughter's friends' families - are stronger. Our families expanded and got closer as the next generation spiced things up. My husband somehow managed to handle school/home/marriage/fatherhood and we actually got out on our own a bit more. And my daghter changed from a baby into a VERY independant toddler.Walking, talking, dancing, laughing, kissing - I can't count all the "firsts" 2009 brought us.

Still I'm excited to move on to 2010.

Merry Christmas & Happy Holidays!

2009-12-24T22:22:00.001-05:00

Inspiration Wednesday: Meaningful gifts, week 4

2009-12-23T10:55:00.000-05:00

As homemade as I got this year - paper snowflakes for the tree.

Ho ho ho! This week snuck up on me. Aided by a stomach bug that hit our whole family, I've been off the computer more than I'd like. But I wanted to share my last week of holiday gift inspirations.

Making homemade gifts can help save money & simplify your list. Who wouldn't like yummy truffles or relaxing bath balls? Here are some of my favorite ideas (that you'll still have time to make before Christmas) on the web.

Martha Stewart's Snow Globes

I've seen instructions for making these on several sites but leave it to Martha to have the easiest to follow directions. So break out some old jelly jars and kitschy figurines. Also beautiful with costume jewelry or orphaned kids' toys.

Instructables Bath Bombs

Instructables breaks down even the most complex project into steps with helpful photos and comments. I like the variations on the bath bomb - you can customize different essential oils and colors to your giftee.

Flower Stationery

I am not a fan of cutesy or country, but this stationery takes both and makes a kinda mod finished product. The method Home Made Simple lays out would work with leaves, small pine boughs and even your child's hand-print.

Need more ideas? I love 100 Homemade Gift Ideas and hope to make more of her ideas next year.

Inspiration Wednesday: Meaningful gifts, week 3

2009-12-16T09:00:00.001-05:00

At our co-op lobby tree surrounded by fake gifts

This year we are simplifying our gift giving. Our families aren't over-the-top in general so the holidays aren't completely gluttonous anyway. But add a couple of grandchildren into the mix and the sheer number of gifts tends to grow.

So when I read about the tradition of giving your children only 4 gifts at Christmas, I was intrigued. Want. Need. Wear. Read.

I'm not going to divulged the gifts now, but it's been a fun way to think about what to give Juliet this year. You would think the "want" gift would have to be the best (and oh baby, it is GOOD), but we've got a budding bookworm on our hands. I'm really looking forward to picking just the right book and adding a personal message for her to look back on each year.

At our co-op lobby tree surrounded by fake gifts

What do you think about giving want, need, wear and read gifts this year?

Keep calm

2009-12-15T09:57:00.000-05:00

Oh, I knew I loved that stiff upper lip Britishness

This week has been B-A-N-A-N-A-S (are the kids still using that?) with an art fair, day of photo shoots, tree buying, job interview & general holiday mayhem.

I haven't been posting a lot of the photos I have been shooting lately because my clients are giving some as gifts and the receivers read my blog. Man, there will be a glut of "kids in front of Christmas tree" posts come Boxing Day.

Speaking of Boxing Day, it's a British holiday celebrated the day after Christmas. It was traditionally a day to give gifts to those with less. Hasn't really caught on in America - unless you count returning-crap-you-hate. Since it falls on a Saturday this year, I've been invited to a few Boxing Day parties. Which sounds nice, but after the glut of food, family & frivolity in the weeks leading up to Christmas, I'd much prefer a spa day or at least a couple of hours reading in bed.

Another British tradition that seems to caught on this year (at least in the design world) is the slogan "Keep Calm and Carry On." I've seen it emblazoned on tee-shirts, holiday ornaments, posters. My favorite so far is the baby onesie.

Buy this from ThisBlueBird via Zazzle

I know this slogan was popularized during the London blitz in WWII but the message seems to resonate today. In my own life, both family and friends have had a rough year. So whether it's money troubles, marital woes, general holiday mayhem or poor health, here's hoping a little British resolve will help ease the burden. Until then, there's another British import I can recommend.

Inspiration Wednesday: Meaningful gifts, week 2

2009-12-09T13:09:00.000-05:00

On the same animal theme from last week's Meaningful Gifts post, this week I'm plugging Heifer International.

A worthy gift on it's own, but why not make the gift-giving even more fun by pairing one of their animal-based donations with a coresponding children's book? That way the kids in your life will have the added joy of opening a present!

Some pairing ideas:

Flock of Ducks = Make Way for Ducklings

Trees = The Giving Tree

Pigs = Olivia

I'll bet you can match the perfect animal to your child's favorite book. They even offer adorable gift cards to let everyone know you donated in their name. How cute slipped into one of these books!

Santa photos: laughter and tears and everything in between

2009-12-09T09:00:00.000-05:00

Poor freaked-out Elisa had no sympathy from my bored daughter - Kristin Burns

On Sunday I took around 100 photos of children with Santa at our local park's holiday fundraiser. It was exhausting of course, but really fun too. A few things helped me enjoy the day:

Hiring an assistant to handle the money & printing
Buying a new portable printer
Taking at least 2 shots per child
Keeping calm & positive when the inevitable tears came
Allowing families to come back later when their kids were ready
Photos of my daughter with Santa without braving the 2 hour line at Macy's
Friends stopping by with their children who were comfortable with me

Success! A slight smile - Kristin Burns

There were so many adorable babies and children who were excited, nervous, apathetic or terrified (sometimes all of these emotions wrapped up in one child!) when they first spotted Santa. It's hard to pick just a few, but here are some to brighten your day.

Santa had the patience of a saint. Saint Nick that is - Kristin Burns

Probably the best thing to come out of the day was meeting even more of my neighbors. I've already set up some photo shoots with a few families and I'm excited to keep expanding. After all, when I got on his lap, I did ask Santa for a successful 2010.

Makers Market NYC Saturday

2009-12-07T16:09:00.006-05:00

Hope to see you Saturday 12.12.09 for a fun and affordable art fair just in time for holiday gifts. Here's a sneak peek at some of the photos I'll be selling in a few sizes and price points.

Please spread the word!

Recent nursing portraits

2009-12-07T09:00:00.002-05:00

A bonding snack for Stacey & Owen - Kristin Burns

I'm a big fan of breastfeeding - nutritionally sound, economically smart & developmentally positive. That said, it's a huge commitment of time and energy when you are low on both. So when a new mom wants me to take a photo of her nursing her baby, I feel honored to document their intimate bond.

Amanda & Elliot snuggle up - Kristin Burns

Plus the babies are blissed out in milky-sweetness afterward, which makes for some beautiful photos.

A full and happy Owen - Kristin Burns

Let me know if you would like me to capture the fleeting time when you're still literally nourishing your baby.

Friday fun: Crying on Santa's lap

2009-12-04T09:00:00.012-05:00

lyrabellacqua/flickr

I have been drafted to photograph the children on Santa's lap for our local Holiday Boutique to support the Sunnyside Gardens Park on Sunday. Stop by if you'd like to avoid the creepy mall Santa and bored photogra-elves.

Sunnyside Gardens Park Holiday Boutique

Phipps Social Hall

51-01 39th Avenue

Sunnyside, NY 11104

Sunday December 6th

Open 10-4, Santa from 11-3

So I don't know why these are so funny to me, but they are. Enjoy!

Nathan T. Baker/flickr

daveynin/flickr

Of course, like everything in the world ever, there's a website dedicated to children crying on Santa's lap if you'd like to see more. I really love this vintage one Darth Vader posted.

Courtesy of ScreamingSanta.com

Let's hope the children this weekend will have a better time with our Santa. Or if not, that the photos are as funny as these.

December promotion: Give one session, get one 50% off

2009-12-03T09:00:00.000-05:00

Why is Connor so happy? He finished his holiday shopping on kristinburnsbabyphoto.com - KB

Everyone loved the special offer for Black Friday so much I've decided to extend it through December. I'd like to think it's solely due to their love of my photography, but I'm sure skipping the malls and finishing their holiday shopping in one fell swoop is a big plus too!

In addition to giving The Little Dozen (a series of 12 mini-sessions for the first year of a baby's life) you can now purchase gift certificates for individual photo sessions. To celebrate, when you purchase a session to give, you receive 50% off a session for your own baby or child!

Personalized & packaged to give - how easy is that?

Bonus: book your family's session for a day during December or January and you'll also receive a FREE 8x10 portrait for yourself and one for the gift-getter. Check out the site for pricing and my portfolio.

Inspiration Wednesday: Meaningful gifts, week 1

2009-12-02T09:21:00.002-05:00

Checking out the grubby hands on their way - Kristin Burns

When I first mentioned the Queens Zoo to my husband, who grew up in Flushing, he seemed to remember they had some squirrels and maybe a dog. Ha! Luckily either his memory is bad or the zoo has vastly improved from his childhood.

We have visited the zoo with our daughter and my parents. Walking from enclosure to enclosure, it's a nice little circle with lots of trees and places to rest along the way. I loved watching the sea lions swimming & pumas lazily checking us out. But the real star is the petting zoo.

Curious sheep - Kristin Burns

The staff couldn't be friendlier. I'm hoping to check it out again this year now that my daughter is walking and can ~~terrorize~~ follow the animals better. I love that she can begin learning about the right way to treat animals and how important taking care of our planet is to all living creatures.

Zoos can get pretty crowded in NYC during the summer, but the Queens Zoo is open year-round. This month it looks like they are giving the bears presents every weekend. How cute is that?

Andean bears get Holiday Gifts - Suzanne Bolduc ©WCS

Why not give a zoo membership to the animal lovers on your gift list too? The annual membership includes admission to the Bronx Zoo, New York Aquarium, Central Park, Prospect Park, and Queens Zoos. A family of four can have membership for as low as $120 - a lovely gift that gives back to conservation and wildlife.

December goals & review of bizarre November

2009-12-01T13:02:00.002-05:00

Hmm, where to find a skating dress? - Kristin Burns

Hooray! November is over & December is finally here. Peppermint lattes, gift shopping and Baby It's Cold Outside on repeat. Plus it's time to post my goals on Modish Biz Tips for a brand spanking new month.

First a look back at my November goals:
1. Pick new local business to host Mini-sessions - done, shoot at Claret 12/19
2. Schedule Boston shoot for early December - didn't happen due to more NYC bookings, considering Boxing Day though
3. Autism photo shoot - moved to 12/8
4. Compile email mailing list - not really, mainly using Facebook & Twitter
5. Spread word about holiday cards - done
6. Seek out more photo editing and producing work- technically yes, I did seek

I'll say it, November was kinda weird. I've never had more interest in my photography and yet experienced my first drop in photo shoots and orders. Luckily December is already almost completely booked with shoots and I hope more and more photo print orders. I'm looking forward to a few days of mini-sessions where I can meet even more new families.

On to December!

1. Really enjoy the holiday season with my friends and family
2. Have fun at the chaotic, busy but rewarding days of shoots - be they in-home, mini-sessions or, gasp, Santa
3. Purchase/order/make thoughtful gifts for my favorite people
4. Taxes!
5. Reach out to people I admire for more support & ideas

Wishing everyone reading this a lovely & peaceful holiday season and a productive New Year!

New York City Photo Shoot December 19th 10AM-2PM

2009-11-29T18:00:00.004-05:00

Gorgeous memories of their tiny faces - Kristin Burns

So you've been meaning to get professional photos of your baby, child or family but with everything else you've got going on - holiday parties, decking the halls, shopping-til-dropping - you haven't yet.

It is not too late to have prints ready before the holiday season is over. Take a half-hour and wrap up (ha!) all your holiday gift-giving at once. Everyone loves receiving photos of your children for gifts.

I'm super-excited to announce a day of mini-sessions at Claret on Saturday, December 19th from 10-2!

Claret is a beautiful wine bar in Sunnyside but so much more. From the Sunnyside Strings performance I photographed this Fall, to serving lovely tapas and hosting live music weekly, Claret has become a neighborhood institution in the brief time it's been here. I'm so happy now that the cold weather has ruled out photo sessions in the garden of April Glass, I was able to find such a beautiful, bright location with huge windows and gorgeous wood to host in our neighborhood.

Back to the photo shoot, here are the basics if you are interested in joining in:

Sign up for a 30 minute mini-session for $50. Please bring your favorite toys & join your little one for a family shot too if you like. You'll receive your choice of CD or online gallery (password-protected) of the photos within the week. Prints are discounted to 4x6 $1, 5x7 $5, 8x10 $10. Check out the portfolio of photos on my site if you'd like to get an idea of my style.

To book your time slot, just give me a call at (718) 791-0536 or email me. Can't wait to photograph your little ones!

Inspiration Wednesday: Be thankful

2009-11-25T09:00:00.000-05:00

Part of last Thursday's Baby Thanksgiving feast - Kristin Burns

Today's Inspiration Wednesday post won't so much deal with one charity or group that inspired me, but with a whole host of people, places and things I'm thankful for this year.

my husband for balancing school, work and fatherhood with still being a kickass husband
my daughter for only growing more hilarious as she turned into her own little person
our parents for their glow of grandparently happiness when surrounded by the new generation
our siblings & their new children for sharing those grandparents!
my local mother's group for supporting me in way more than baby stuff
our neighborhood, whose local businesses have been amazingly supportive of my photo work
our friends for embracing our child as one of the gang - I promise we'll hang out sans bebe more this year!
my aunts for making our first post-baby plane flight vacation painless and relaxing
all my freelance photo editing clients for financing my personal photography work
my new-found "Say Yes!" attitude
the internets for connecting me to old friends, new clients and great ideas
Michelle Obama's advocacy for girls' education and healthy food
Michelle Obama's arms for making me want to work out more
Mad Men for all their helpful parenting tips (kidding!!!)

What are you thankful for?

Why wait until Black Friday? Wrap up your shopping today.

2009-11-24T09:00:00.001-05:00

A family portrait is much nicer than a Snuggie, right Graham?

I know it's traditional to wait until the day after Thanksgiving to have the big holiday sale. But starting today for my loyal blog-readers (Google analytics don't lie), you can do all your holiday shopping and get a special deal for yourself!

In addition to giving The Little Dozen (a series of 12 mini-sessions for the first year of a baby's life) you can now purchase gift certificates for individual photo sessions. To celebrate, when you purchase a session to give, you receive 50% off a session for your own baby or child!

Personalized & packaged to give - how easy is that?

It's that simple. Bonus: book your family's session for December or January and you'll also receive a FREE 8x10 portrait for yourself and one for the gift-getter. Check out the site for pricing and my portfolio. Now isn't that better than braving a crowded mall at 4AM?

Friday Fun: Thanksgiving Family Moments

2009-11-20T09:00:00.001-05:00

The first wave of babies - photo credit Ann Price

I'm still recovering from hosting the First Annual Baby Thanksgiving at our place today - 14 babies and their parents (mostly moms) over for turkey and mayhem. Very fun. Since I'm in a Thanksgiving-y mood, here are some clips from TV celebrating the holiday. Whether you spend it with friends or family, I wish you a happy Thanksgiving.

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart

Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c

Thanksgiving

www.thedailyshow.com

Daily Show
Full Episodes

Political Humor

Health Care Crisis

Inspiration Wednesday: Jumpstart Reading

2009-11-18T09:00:00.003-05:00

Morning book time while we get ready for work - Kristin Burns

This week is the first annual New York City Independent Bookstore Week. Check out The Independent Booksellers of New York City site to see the list of events, readings & bookstores. I like Books of Wonder in the Flatiron district for kids books - and they are having a big fall picture books event Saturday if anyone needs an outing.

I love to read, as does my husband. So we were extremely excited when our daughter took to the habit too. She now brings over her favorite books to me on the couch, climbs up onto my lap and flips the pages as we go. For a child who loves to go-go-go, that time is a welcome break for both of us. We haven't pushed books on her, but simply by reading to her before bed and surrounding her with books, she has already shown concentration and patience - 2 traits I hope help her in general as she grows.

Surrounding her with books came natural for us - and our family & friends who gave her most of them! - but what about children who aren't blessed with age-appropriate books in their home? How do they get comfortable with reading? Jumpstart is an organization that brings volunteers into preschool and daycare centers to help young children get a leg up before kindergarten. On their annual Read for the Record in October, volunteers read The Very Hungry Caterpillar to 2 million children and incorporated crafts and other learning activities to bring the story alive.

This holiday season, why not add Jumpstart to your volunteer or donation list? Other ways to help children learn (and learn to love) to read include:

* set up a regular reading time with your own child
* organize a story time at your local library or playgroup
* donate books in good shape to a daycare center in your neighborhood
* give books at baby showers
* support local bookstores and ask the shopkeeper for recommendations

Happy birthday Moses!

2009-11-17T09:00:00.004-05:00

Sunday was our nephew Moses's birthday & we celebrated in style.

His mom made adorable (& healthy!) baby-friendly carrot cakes for the kiddos.

Fear not, there was strawberry shortcake for us grownups.

Here's hoping your birthday wish comes true!

Friday Fun: Veterans reunited with their kids

2009-11-13T09:00:00.008-05:00

U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Stephanie Tigner (RELEASED) 071008-N-4163T-141

In honor of Veterans Day, today's features photos of soldiers returning from war and reuniting with their families. All the descriptions are from the photographers or sites that provided the photos. Get a hanky, folks.

(Photo above) SAN DIEGO (Oct. 8, 2007) - Boatswain’s Mate 2nd Class Kelley Wood hugs her daughter during the homecoming celebration for guided-missile destroyer USS Milius (DDG 69). Milius was assigned to USS Bonhomme Richard Expeditionary Strike Group (ESG) and is returning from a six-month deployment in support of the global war on terrorism.

Photos by MN National Guard

Soldiers from the 34th Combat Aviation Brigade (CAB) were reunited with friends and family at Holman Field in St. Paul on May 22, 2009 after a one year deployment support Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Photo Credit: Sgt. Maj. Terry Anderson, 8th Theater Sustainment Command Public Affairs (Photo Courtesy of U.S. Army)

Giannette Toro, 6, prepares to reunite with her father, Sgt. Jaime Toro, early Tuesday morning, Jan. 27 at Wheeler Army Airfield, Hawaii. More than 180 Soldiers from the 728th Military Police Battalion and the 2nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team returned to Hawaii following 15-month deployments to Iraq.

(U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class John Suits/Released) 090921-N-2456S-100

NORFOLK, Va. (Sept. 21, 2009) Sonar Technician (Surface) 3rd Class Frank Diaz assigned to the guided-missile destroyer USS Bainbridge (DDG 96) holds his four-month old son for the first time following his return home to Naval Station Norfolk, Va. On April 12, 2009, Bainbridge Sailors assisted in the rescue of Richard Phillips, captain of American container ship MV Maresk Alabama after being seized by Somali pirates.

(U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Steven Khor/Released) 090902-N-4031K-001

ATSUGI, Japan (Sept. 2, 2009) Lt. Cmdr. Mike Kinter, assigned to the Royal Maces of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 27, hugs his son during a homecoming celebration for Carrier Air Wing 5 at Naval Air Facility Atsugi. CVW-5 returned to Japan after a four-month deployment aboard USS George Washington (CVN 73).

(U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Mark Logico/Released) 090821-N-7498L-097

PEARL HARBOR (Aug. 21, 2009) Gas Turbine System Technician (Electrical) 3rd Class Brent Palmer sees his daughter for the first time as the guided-missile destroyer USS Paul Hamilton (DDG 60) returns to homeport at Naval Station Pearl Harbor after a seven-month deployment as part of the Mid-Pacific Surface Combatant Operational Employment program. The program calls for all Hawaii-based surface combatants to focus on conducting intermediate and advanced training and regular deployments in the western Pacific Ocean.

War sucks, but the love these soldiers, sailors, airmen and seamen have for their families sure doesn't. So support our returning veterans - single gals & guys, do more ;) Happy Veteran's Day!

Custom Holiday Cards - as low as $0.60 each!

2009-11-12T09:00:00.003-05:00

Babies LOVE cards! - Kristin Burns

Since I've posted the holiday card designs, I've had a lot of interest and a lot of questions. To answer some of the most common, here's a sample holiday card process. The main thing to remember is to pick a photo you love and I can make it work in the design you love. Easy peasy!

Since I don't want to spoil the surprise for those of you getting cards from my clients, I chose a photo of my daughter that we won't be using on our own card this year. A basic snapshot of her playing with some magnetic toys on my parents' new fridge.

First pick a holiday card design from my site:

Email me with the number of cards you'd like, the size of the card, the photo and the wording. I'll take care of the rest and mail you the cards when I get them from my lab. Shipping is included in the cost!

Now check out some examples of the photo above added to some of the more popular card choices:

Aqua Florentine

Holiday Stripe

Retro Snowflake

Let me know soon if you are interested in seeing your own baby, child or family in one of these designs instead. All the wording, pricing and ordering info is in a special holiday card section of my site.

Inspiration Wednesday: City Harvest & more Thanksgiving Charities

2009-11-11T09:00:00.000-05:00

Gobble, gobble - Kristin Burns

I remember volunteering with my Nana at a soup kitchen in Boston on Thanksgiving. And it felt good - serving people in need food on a day we set aside to give thanks for all we have. But what about the other 364 days of the year?

Turns out Thanksgiving is the number 1 day to volunteer in America. But what food banks, soup kitchens and other food outreach programs need is money and people year-round. Still, as the holiday season arrives, it makes sense to think about how lucky we are and help those who need it.

Seriously - do you even know how delicious you are, turkey? - Kristin Burns

This year the number of homeless, poor & unemployed families that need food has risen, so if you normally donate, give more. If you normally don't give, give. Here are a list of some good charities - feel free to comment or email me with more if I'm missing any.

City Harvest

Feeding NYC
Feeding America’s Hungry Children
Children for Children (founded to help children volunteer at a young age)

Happy birthday Sesame Street!

2009-11-10T13:00:00.002-05:00

Catherine relaxed and enjoyed her photo session immediately after cuddling with Elmo - Kristin Burns

Today is Sesame Street's 40th birthday! This makes me happy, reminds me I'm old and means I can share memories of it with my daughter one day. One resident of the show's city neighborhood (way back in the 70's, a bit of a slum) who keeps showing up at my photo shoots is Elmo.

Alone for once (usually clutched protectively) - Kristin Burns

A Muppet not quite 40, but beloved by many a young person for his quirky humor, kindness & sense of wonder. Hopefully the Children's Broadcasting Network will see this as tribute or homage. C is for copyright.

That mouth is made for little fingers like Mikayla's - Kristin Burns

Here's today's 40th anniversary show with Elmo helping the First Lady with her garden.

See he's helpful too - a lovely role model for my daughter! Michelle Obama ain't bad either.

Friday fun: Obama Babies

2009-11-06T09:00:00.001-05:00

President Barack Obama lifts up a baby during his visit with U.S. Embassy staff and their families in Prague, April 4, 2009. Photo: Pete Souza

It's been just over a year since Barack Obama was elected. And like politicians before (and after) him, he was often photographed kissing babies. But whether it was his youthful campaign, his loving young family or the excitement of electing the first black president - Obama and babies made a winning team.

Taking our new baby to the polling station

Inauguration Day

Of course, some suspected there would be a post-Inauguration Day baby boom. I'm one of those crazies who hope the boom extends to the Obama family. How amazing would Sasha & Malia be with a cute baby sibling?

But the big question is - who would babies vote for if given the chance?

Hooray for the first year!

Newest Black & White Baby Photos

2009-11-05T09:00:00.007-05:00

Araceli is sweetness & timelessness in black and white - photo Kristin Burns

Looking over the blog, I noticed that I haven't included any black and white photos of the children, babies and families I've photographed lately. Color photos capture the beautiful skin-tones and fun clothes of my little subjects, but I always include black and white shots in my sessions too.

Owen's amazing winter hat (& mama) - photo Kristin Burns

Black and white photography works so well with baby photography. Without color, you can focus on the soft texture of their skin and clothing, their sparkling eyes.

The contrast of black & white really show off Moses's new teeth - photo Kristin Burns

Plus, when you are planning holiday presents for your family, black and white photos can feel more elegant and timeless. More giftable. Why not make your gift-giving easier this year and schedule a photo shoot for your child now?

November goals

2009-11-04T12:16:00.000-05:00

No excuses, we're in the big boy seat now, Santiago

Oops, It's already 11/4 and I forgot to post my November monthly goals to Modish Biz Tips.

First looking back on October goals:

1. Get the word out!
- really talk to people at the fair next weekend and give out lots of info done - and it was a lot of fun
- research local businesses to line up a second location for in-store photo shoots. Loved doing it at April Glass and think a second place would help both do better need to do
- plan Launch Party & ask friends to each put up a few cards in their neighborhoods & spread the word need to do

2. Turn that word into action!
- finish filling the sessions for the Boston shoot 10/24 done
- publicize the April Glass shoot 10/17 done
- book 3 in-home sessions done

3. Plan ahead for a busy Fall!
- finalize holiday card designs done - a big one!
- contact past clients about printing again need to do

4. Enhance my website!
- I'm pretty happy with this but possibly updating the contact section to make it more user friendly. Embedding an email form? decided against

Pretty simple this month after a busy October:

1. Pick new local business to host Mini-sessions
2. Schedule Boston shoot for early December
3. Autism photo shoot
4. Compile email mailing list
5. Spread word about holiday cards
6. Seek out more photo editing work

October went pretty well. My main accomplishment is figuring out a good work-flow for planning, shooting, proofing and delivering photos. And organizing my tax/finance side. And figuring out that everyone wants to book shoots on the weekends. All good things!

Which means I now have more time for photo editing/production jobs during the week after taking a break to launch my baby photo business last month. Check out my photo editing and producing site to see examples of past work. It's so much fun for me to balance my own photography with finding great photos for other companies!

Inspiration Wednesday: Zen Family Habits

2009-11-04T09:00:00.001-05:00

Nothing wrong with a brother an sister just playing in the leaves - credit Kristin Burns

I get it. We're parents; we're busy. But there the busy you need to do - pay bills, grocery shop, make dinner - and the busy you feel guilted into doing. The lessons, playdates, carpools, toys out the wazoo.

Since Baby Einstein was debunked (who honestly thought a video was going to turn their children into baby geniuses?) I feel an even stronger pull to simplify our child's life and provide her with the space to learn & grow. One great resource is the Zen Family Habits blog.

My husband has subscribed to this for a while and I recently added it to my overflowing GoogleReader too. I love their attitude of encouraging children and families as a whole to enjoy themselves and not about the stuff you are being advertised into thinking is necessary. Check them out if you'd like to have a different voice in your head.

Some of the best advice I've gleaned so far boils down to:

1. Don't overschedule
2. Have fun with your kids
3. Live your own life
4. Ask for help
5. Simplify your stuff

Newest nursery photos

2009-11-03T09:00:00.001-05:00

Welcome to Grr...aham's nursery

I may love to take photos of babies, but I'm also obsessed with home design. Floorplans, patterns, prints, paint, tile, flooring, lighting - seriously, I cannot get enough. Like many new parents, I spent a lot of time and money creating a nursery for our daughter with my husband before she was born.

So now when I go to a new family's home for a baby, child or family photo shoot, I make sure to include photos of the nursery & other playspaces.

I adore that monkey perched over the letters!

Recently during a local photo shoot, I was smitten with the design of their nursery. Sometimes with boys' rooms, you get more neutral colors, but this was bright and fun.

Little touches like these darling wooden toys really add personality

If you also made a big effort to welcome your child into your home by making a space all theirs - even within your bedroom - I would love to include some photos of it for you. In fact, I have a whole section of my online portfolio dedicated to Nursery & Toys so you can get a peek at even more amazing children rooms.

Wild & classic at the same time

Who's that in the garden? The cutest little gnome in Sunnyside!

2009-11-02T09:00:00.000-05:00

Cutest gnome in the garden

Still recovering from a Halloween weekend of parties, redoing the living room and candy coma. But here's a shot of my daughter dressed up in her garden gnome costume posing in front of our friends' house down the block from us. Hope you had a happy Halloween!

Blowing you a kiss goodbye for now

Friday Fun: Vintage Halloween Photos

2009-10-30T09:00:00.001-04:00

Photo via: mcmCPH

Trick or treat? How about some treats. In honor of my love of both Halloween and vintage photos, here are some of my favorites. The trick? Click on the photos and you'll get to their Flickr albums to see lots more.

First one from my generation - Star Wars! If only I could have convinced my friends to put this team together. Where's Chewy?

Photo via: stevechasmar/Flickr

Love the annoyed look on this little witch's face. You know she'd have rather been a flapper that year.

Photo via: foundphotoslj

An oldie but goody from Found Magazine's feed. Minus the one mask, the rest looks scored from their parent's' closets.

Photo via: chicks57

I wish there was more info on this shot, but I think we can safely guess it predates the Hershey's Kiss. Any idea what the boy is supposed to be dressed as?

Happy Halloween everyone!

Holiday photo cards: take your pick

2009-10-29T09:00:00.005-04:00

It's the most wonderful time of the year for stationary nerds like me.

After briefly considering designing my own photo card templates, I decided to outsource. Luckily my lab offers amazing designs!

If I took photos of your family this year, take a look and let me know which design you would like for your holiday cards. Then send me the name of your favorite photo (or 2!) from your session and the wording you would like printed on your cards.

Without further ado, here are the 8 suites I picked.:

This shows the 4x8" option, but be sure to come to my site to see the 5x7" versions too and learn all the pricing & ordering info. I'm so excited to see them with your adorable babies in the "Your Photo Here" spot!

If you still need to get your family's photo taken for these cards, book with me soon so there's time for the printing. Of course if you're running on the late side you could do what my friend does and just call them New Year's cards. Let me take care of the cards this year so you can spend time with your family instead!

Inspiration Wednesdays: RealBirth

2009-10-28T09:00:00.008-04:00

Early on in the hospital when labor was pretty mild & I was still smiling.

No, I'm not pregnant - that shot is from last year on August 30th when my husband and I rushed to the hospital to have our baby, Juliet. We were freaking out (of course!) but felt prepared after our childbirth classes at RealBirth.

I cannot rave about this place enough. I was semi-confident that labor & delivery would be routine and I could do it. But after the classes - in childbirth, breastfeeding and infant care - we both felt excited about our baby's birth in a new way. Without scaring us with horror stories or pressuring us to go natural at all costs, the teachers at RealBirth gave us the tools to have an educated birthing experience and first days of parenthood.

Sure, we went the traditional medical route and chose a hospital birth, but it certainly wasn't a lay-back-and-let-the-doctor-handle-it birth. In the classes, I loved their tips on prenatal massage, walking the halls as long as possible and really feeling like the driver of my delivery. But the best part was that they treated my husband as the full partner he was in the birth. We felt comfortable asking questions and loved the hands on learning. Swaddling isn't as hard is it looked!

The result - a happy healthy mom, dad & baby

After the hospital stay, when we were forced to parent Jules on our own (um, with the help of our parents & friends...), the skills we learned in the breastfeeding and infant care classes really helped. Knowing the basics, we could focus on the new parent freak-outs no one can prepare for - like the first night home - and not sweat whether our baby was eating enough or going to have that flaky skin on her hands forever. Spoiler alert: it goes away.

I tell all my local pregnant friends to check out RealBirth & recommend founder Erica Lyon's book The Big Book of Birth to anyone who lives outside New York City. After your baby is born, they have new parent classes, drop in nursing groups and more. A great resource for any new parents out there.

Sneak peak - Halloween costumes from my weekend shoots

2009-10-27T09:00:00.001-04:00

Look out! It's a scary bear!!

Phew! It's just the adorable Owen.

My fun - albeit crazy - weekend started in Boston for a baby photo shoot. Then driving through the rain Saturday night for my monthly April Glass shop day of mini-sessions on Sunday. The weather was iffy but we got outside both days. If you missed out but want to come next time, be sure to follow me on twitter and become a fan on Facebook so you get the updates. But both will recur before the holidays.

Luckily I got to fit in some time with my family and the children were uniformly wonderful. Some even wore costumes!

Before children grasp the concept of Halloween (candy, mainly) they still look terrific all dressed up. I'm partial to food or animal costumes for the first year, in a non-Geddes way. As Owen shows us (above) there's something silly about a harmless cooing baby dressed as a Grizzly bear.

Catherine rocks her Strawberry Kiss costume while swinging a bear (not Owen, fear not)

As for food, whether it's a peapod, banana or in Catherine's case strawberry, it just seems to make children even sweeter. Plus it's the closest they'll get to health food on Halloween.

And because my daughter humored me last week when her costume came in, here's a sneak peak of her all dressed up.

She is NOT amused. But did manage to leave the hat on a good 5 minutes.

Yes, that's right, she's a garden gnome. Now the only question is what my husband and I should wear. Should we go as an over-the-top couple who may have a gnome in their garden? Or maybe fellow lawn ornaments - a pink flamingo? a Victorian gazing ball? Who cares? Everyone will be looking at the baby anyway!

Friday fun: Gross foods for kids

2009-10-23T09:00:00.000-04:00

Photo: Flickr/M J M

So I was reading the Children's Heath article on 20 worst foods for children in America and they made some great choices. But what about the grossest foods for kids. You know the stuff that you look back on and wonder how you ever put that in your mouth. But honestly, most of this crap is new and extra gross. How about my favorites for breakfast, lunch and dinner!

Sausage, wrapped in a "blueberry" pancake on a stick

Photo: Flickr/bug138

Uncrustables PB&J - I feel my juvenile diabetes acting up just looking at this.

Photo: Flickr/Silversprite

Dinosaur Chicken nuggets, just like cavemen ate.

Photo: Flickr/Dalboz17

Any I missed?

Spook-tacular event Sunday - photo sessions at April Glass

2009-10-21T12:35:00.001-04:00

Lucy loved those mums... to death!

I am really excited about this weekend, can you tell? Sunday I'm back in NYC for a local Sunnyside photo shoot at April Glass. We were originally scheduled for last weekend (I'm not usually crazy enough to book shoots in 2 different states for the same weekend) but the nasty weather meant rescheduling. I'm so sorry to those of you who can't make the new date, but that means there are now a few openings available. See, procrastinating paid off this time!

The shop is full of super-cute Halloween decor and baby gifts. But since the weather looks nice, I'm planning to use their gorgeous garden out back like last time. This will probably be the last time I have a day of mini-sessions there for a while, so if you are planning a photo holiday card or giving gifts of photos this year, this is the right time to come.

Here's the info again:

October 25, April Glass Photo Sessions Noon - 4PM

44-09 Queens Blvd. Sunnyside, NY 11104
Weather-permitting we will be out back in their adorable garden. Give Patrice a call at April Glass at 718-937-7578 to schedule a 30-minute mini-session with me. $50 for the session and either a cd or online album of the best photos. Call me at 718-791-0536 with any questions.

Boston-area photo shoot Saturday

2009-10-21T10:07:00.001-04:00

Moses loves the swings - Kristin Burns

I'm very excited about coming up to my hometown of Arlington for a day of mini-sessions Saturday. I have a few time-slots open if you are interested in joining in the fun. Here's the info again:

October 24, 10-4

Stratton School park (180 Mountain Ave Arlington, MA)

Rain location Doherty residence 8 Gay St., Arlington

Come join me for a 30-minute mini-session at a local playground with a huge lawn Saturday. The sessions $50 per family (not per child, all included) and either a cd or online album of the best photos. Please bring along your baby's favorite toys, blankets, even their Halloween costume!

Email me or call 718-791-0536 to schedule a session. Can't wait to see all the kids!

5 Hints for photographing your baby at Halloween

2009-10-21T09:00:00.005-04:00

Juliet at 2 months, a banana - Kristin Burns

Halloween is fast approaching and I can't wait to get some photos of my daughter in her costume. You'll have to wait until 10/31 to see this year's adorable get-up, though. But on a night of chaos, excitement and sugar highs, how do you make sure you capture your child in full regalia?

A hungry monkey eyes the sleeping banana at the People.com Halloween party

Hint 1: Don't wait until Halloween
This might be a bit of a cheat, but unless anyone is checking out your camera EXIF info, no one will mind if you get some shots of your little princess or ogre the day before. You're going to have to make sure it actually fits and try out any modifications anyway. Growing up in Boston, we usually added a turtleneck under all but the warmest costumes anyway. May as well take advantage of your child's undivided attention before the big day. Bonus points for enlisting a friend with their child in a coordinating (monkey/banana, cop/robber, Sonny/Cher) costume.

Our neighbor Owen in his handmade Noddy costume - Kristin Burns

Hint 2: Get down to their level
Pop a squat and take a few photos from your child's point of view - not only will you get some adorable portraits, you may enjoy seeing all the holiday decor from their perspective. Man, that glowing jack-o-lantern looks creepy from below!

Our daughter's favorite spot, our funky green patterned rug - Kristin Burns

Hint 3: Pick a location you can repeat next year
In my family, we used a door in the dining room as a backdrop to all our Halloween photos. Really fun to look back and see the difference a year made when the setting remained unchanged. Why not try someplace outdoors like your garden or a local park to include some fall colors?

My cabinet-crazed-burst-of-creativity cupcakes - Kristin Burns

Hint 4: Don't forget the little details
You spent hours picking out (or super-mom, sewing) the perfect costume for your child only to have them wear it once before it doesn't fit. Luckily the photos won't be so easily outgrown. Whether it's the tiny Dorothy ruby slippers or the monogrammed candy pail you had rush delivered (and will be replaced with your pillowcase next year to hold more loot), there are lots of little details from the day that will be discarded soon but not forgotten. Don't forget any holiday treats you made from scratch.

If you're counting, yes, my daughter had 3 costumes last year - Kristin Burns

Hint 5: Have fun with it
Your kids will be having a blast trick-or-treating, seeing the other children all dressed up, and amassing scary amounts of candy. So posing for a staged portrait will probably be the last thing on their mind. Instead, why not have them camp it up for the camera with their silliest (or spookiest!) face at the first house they hit and then relax. If you've followed the previous hints you've already snapped some treasures and just enjoy the moment. And gear up the biggest perk of making it through Halloween - raiding your child's candy after they go to sleep!

Still deciding on your child's costume? Check out last month's post with some of the most hilarious baby costume ideas. Want me to take some post-holiday photos, including their costume? Check out my site and shoot me an email.

Are you a Facebook fan?

2009-10-20T09:00:00.001-04:00

I set up a fan page on Facebook and like it so far. It's a bit bizarre to have fans, especially since most of them haven't had me photograph their kids yet - heck, some don't even have kids! But I love the support and it's a great non-evite (why hello, 2001!) way to spread info about upcoming events, specials, whatever.

Facebook itself is such a strange system to me. On one hand, it has allowed me to stay in touch with way more people than this non-letter-writer, rare phone-caller could otherwise manage. Some people had been out of my life for a while and are just now getting back in, which is really wonderful. And also get closer with newer friends who I don't see as often as I would like. But it's a very shallow sort of intimacy though, when I can read what everyone had for dinner but not have that one-on-one conversation that even email gives.

When it comes to babies, the same dichotomy is there. I have seen way more of my friends' (and friends of friends) babies and love seeing how they grow into little people. But please don't quiz me on my former co-worker's daughter's name please!

Actually a fan page on Facebook is kinda perfect for baby photography though. You can get quick glimpses of adorable children while scrolling down your news feed over coffee. Stop by and become a fan if you haven't already. It's a nice way to keep up with everything Kristin Burns Baby Photo-related without much effort on your part. And isn't that what Facebook is all about?

It's a family affair!

2009-10-19T09:00:00.002-04:00

Yes, Mikayla, we do love families!

I am off to Boston Thursday for a shoot Saturday. But just as importantly, a visit to my family. My Mom & Dad getting a couple of days of grandparents time with my daughter. I'm sure I'll snap a few (who am I kidding?) photos of them together. So I've been looking at some of my favorite family shots.

I have met some wonderful families along the way. They have run the gamut from nuclear, blended, single parent, extended. All happy; all loving; all varieties.

If you would like me to take portraits of your family, check out my portfolio of family photos then call or email me to set up a shoot. There is still time to make sure you have the perfect photo for your holiday cards or to give as gifts to the doting grandparents in your own life!

Friday fun - parenting advice from PassiveAggressiveNotes.com

2009-10-16T09:00:00.001-04:00

All photos courtesy of passiveaggressivenotes.com

One thing I've learned as a parent is that I have a lot to learn. Luckily there are plenty of people out there more than willing to help me. Ha!

I don't remember when I first started reading PassiveAggressiveNotes.com but it's now one of my favorite time-wasters. People submit notes that they've found at work, in their apartments (inter-roommate passive-aggression is frequent & hilarious), on the street. I don't know whether the notes, the captions or the comments are my favorite part but I've perked up many a slow day with a visit to their site. Who doesn't giggle when confronted with an anonymous note to a sandwich thief or toilet seat dribbler?

And like every other place on Earth, they have a treasure trove of parenting advice. Some of my favorites:

So you're saying I shouldn't buy Juliet a baby-paintballer set for Christmas? These guys even offered free parenting lessons. Not sure 10 is enough.

But what if Jules turns into a self-righteous artwork copywriter? Thank god I've already seen the tragic outcome.

Guess I'd better learn fast or she may suffer the consequences of my failure. Yikes! I guess the cranky old lady at the park who barked at me to put gloves on my daughter when it was 70 degrees out isn't looking that bad now!

Rain rain go away, October still has 2 fun days

2009-10-15T17:40:00.000-04:00

That's right, Emmet. Shout at that nasty rain!

Here is the updated list of upcoming events (excluding private photo shoots and parents group sessions) for the remainder of October. I will post a list of November events soon.

October 24, Boston-area Photo Sessions Noon - 4PM

Stratton School park, Arlington MA
Please contact me or let any Boston-area friends know I still have a few sessions open. I will book 30-minute slots for photo shoots with your baby, child or whole family. $50 for the session and either a cd or online album of the best photos. I blogged about this last month, so check it out for all the details.

October 25, April Glass Photo Sessions Noon - 4PM

44-09 Queens Blvd. Sunnyside, NY 11104
Weather-permitting we will be out back in their adorable garden. Give Patrice a call at April Glass at
(718) 937-7578 to schedule a 30-minute mini-session with me. $50 for the session and either a cd or online album of the best photos. Here's all the info from last month.

To make sure you're in the loop for any news, you can follow me on Twitter, get the RSS feed of this blog, check out my website and become a fan on Facebook. Of course going lo-fi and calling me at 718-791-0536 is good too!

New York City boys

2009-10-15T09:00:00.003-04:00

Emmet with mom & dad on their roof deck, Kristin Burns

Monday I had a fun photo shoot with a family in Manhattan. Trying to get cross-town during the Columbus Day Parade, I started thinking about what makes these New York City boys.

I've been lucky enough to take photos of lots of city babies and children. Sure, we may have less space than those families out in towns. But hey, when the trade-off is watching a children's string performance in a local bar, it doesn't seem too bad.

They're more likely taking the subway than the minivan to visit Grandma. They may not have a swing-set in their backyards (or frankly, a backyard) but with a park in every neighborhood, they're still swinging.

If you need inspiration, come to my website to see examples of the fun times these city babies share!

Inspiration Wednesday: Brooklyn Autism Center

2009-10-14T09:00:00.002-04:00

Detail of Gate at the Queens Zoo, Kristin Burns

After last week's blog post on Autism Speaks, one of the families who is interested in having me take photos of their daughter recommended her school, the Brooklyn Autism Center. I'm excited to announce that I will be there for a day in November for portraits of their participating students. I would love to become a resource for parents with children who may not do so well in a studio photography setting. I'm hopeful that I can show each child's personality in their photos.

I'm still learning more and more about the school, but already love their 1 to 1 student/teacher ratio and focus on a variety of learning techniques. The director told me that the students are even horseback riding! As someone who has loved riding since childhood, I hope to participate in their therapeutic (and just plain fun!) rides in the future too. Can't wait to share with you my experience next month at the school.

Oktoberfest is the best, Autumn Special Offer!

2009-10-13T10:00:00.002-04:00

Mums and pumpkins, Kristin Burns

This weekend really felt like autumn at last.

Friday night we went to a friend's new apartment in our neighborhood for chili, drinks and good conversation while the babies all played together. Saturday was the Sunnyside Oktoberfest. Sunday was a trip up to the Bronx for the zoo, a walk around Fordham campus & dinner on Arthur Avenue. Then yesterday (bonus!) I had a photo shoot in Manhattan

Back to that Oktoberfest. It was just so much fun. On the business side, I sold prints of my favorite photos of Queens and met lots of potential clients with their adorable kids. But I occasionally played hooky from our booth to take our daughter around the fair. There was a pumpkin patch, brats & beer, around 30 vendors and a good community vibe.

The weather really drove home that Fall is here at last. So I've decided it's time to add my Autumn Special Offer to the website. Hope it means I'll be meeting some new families this season. Come check it out!

Friday Fun - early color photography of children

2009-10-09T09:00:00.001-04:00

Sergei Mikhailovich Prokudin-Gorskii.
A Group of Children, 1909

I love these color photos by Sergei Mikhailovich Prokudin-Gorskii, taken during his survey of Russia done for the Czar around 1910. Of course, I love the ones of the children the most.

But the whole technology behind getting the color photography brings out the photo geek in me too. He made these amazing photos long before we had color film by using red, blue and green filters when snapping photos in quick succession. They explain it much better here.

Prokudin-Gorskii surveyed the entire Russian Empire and recorded its diversity - in culture, ethnicity and terrain - to bring back to the Czar. Along the way (in his custom train car photo lab, natch) he captured amazing photographs of everyday people in the far-flung regions of pre-WWI, pre-revolution Russia.

Peasant Girls, 1909

Nomadic Kirghiz, 1911

A Settler's Family, ca. 1907-1915

You could seriously spend your whole Friday going through these archives. I look at the faces of the people - especially of the children - in these photographs and see the same emotions as I see today when I look through my camera lens. It's amazing that these were taken 100 years ago.

Baby feet

2009-10-08T09:00:00.001-04:00

I just set up a shoot for Monday where the mom asked specifically for photos of the baby's little parts - hands & feet. I have always enjoyed these details myself. What is it about the tiny, perfectly formed but barely-used feet of newborns that is endlessly fascinating?

They are even adorable in little shoes.

And of course, babies find them fascinating too. If you would like me to take some photos of your baby's little details, check out my site for more info.

Inspiration Wednesday: Autism Speaks

2009-10-07T09:00:00.000-04:00

photo courtesy of Michal Czerwonka for The New York Times

This week a new study came out in the Journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics that estimates the rate of having a child on the autism spectrum to be around 1 in 100 for children under 18. There was also a hopeful article in the New York Times Monday on the positive impact pets can have on autism-spectrum children. They talked about Autism Service Dogs of America who links up service dogs with people who need them.

I have a cousin on the spectrum whose parents have done a fantastic job of raising him with education, vocational training and socialization. But the rising prevalence of autism-spectrum rates - especially among boys - is truly alarming. It is just so fast, faster than genetic or evolutionary causes, and needs so much more research funding to discover why.

I like the organization Autism Speaks. They are an advocacy group trying to help families face the unique challenges autism brings while also bringing political pressure for funding & research looking for the causes of this disorder.

As a photographer, I look for that spark that makes every child unique and reflects how they see the world. Children on the autism spectrum - including Asperger syndrome - see the world very differently. All parents want good photos of their children but those on the spectrum may not do well in a traditional portrait studio setting. I am currently working on a series of portraits of these children. Please let me know if you know any families who may be interested in participating.

Grandparents, they sure love photos of the babies

2009-10-06T09:00:00.003-04:00

My parents with their 2 lovely grandchildren

It's so funny. Whenever I'm taking photos of children, their parents and I are gabbing away. Usually about the adorableness going on at that moment, but often meanders into the shared experiences of parenting the little ones. Sometimes the topic turns to grandparents.

Ahh, I can't wait to be a grandparent! You get all the benefits of parenthood all over again - with kids that may even resemble your offspring - without the never-ending fear/anxiety/guilt/responsibility of parenthood. People joke about grandparents spoiling the grandkids, but I just see it as unadulterated joy of seeing these little people and being able to pass them back to their parents whenever you like. I kid though because my daughter lucked out with 4 awesome grandparents who are very involved with her. My mom even offered to change dirty diapers last weekend when the two above decided to synchonize.

What my clients and I usually come back to is that grandparents simply can never get enough photos of their grandchildren. Often that's the reason they set up the shoot in the first place! So I try even harder to get photos of the babies and children doing their own thing. Because seeing what their little loves are really up to - at home, with their stuff, with their parents - is what grandparents really want. Why not give it to them? They gave you life, goshdarnit!

Or even better, next time they hint that they're sending you a flashing-light, siren-blaring, gigantic-eyesore toy, subtly suggest you may want a photo shoot instead. You don't really have the room for a 3rd play-kitchen anyway.

Kristin Burns Baby Photography

Local photo reception

Happy New Year!

Ho-ho-Holiday Boutique

Boston Area Portrait Day

Friday Fun: Male Model walks the Chanel show with his Toddler Son

Friday Fun: Man Babies

Friday Fun: Real-life Candyland

Gone Fishin'

Big long Memorial Day post

Preview: Memorial Day Fair

Inspiration Wednesday: Christopher Niemann's Abstract City Blog

Free Family Portraits Saturday in the Park

Friday Fun: Morality in Babies?

May goals (as in "may" get done...)

Awesome Mother's Day gift ideas

Baby Names

Happy Earth Day!

Newest Newborn: Isabella

April Goals

National Autism Day: Photos of Hope

Inspiration Wednesday: Hop on Pop

Inspiration Wednesday: A Monster at the End of This Book

Friday Fun: Oh, you're THAT Kristin Burns aka Googlegangers

Inspiration Wednesday: A Little Prairie House

Friday Fun: Child-friendly Street Art

Newborn love

Inspiration Wednesday: Caps for Sale

Tuesday Trinkets: Five O'Clock Crows Textiles

March goals: In like a lion

Inspiration Wednesdays: The Red Balloon (Le ballon rouge)

Friday Fun: The Kids of "Everything is Terrible" are Wonderful

Fashion Week and Grandmothers

Mardi Gras Baby!

Friday Fun: Baby Hamlet

Zara, or what to wear?

Inspiration Wednesdays: The Little Princess

Amara

Friday Fun: Children's Health

Olivia

Inspiration Wednesdays: The Sound of Music

February Goals - Getting down to *gulp* business

Inspiration Wednesdays: Henri Cartier Bresson

Kids in the White House

Inspiration Wednesday: Diane Arbus

Mother & child reu-u-uion & Winter special

Celebrate the memory of Dr King today

Friday Fun - Kids in WPA Art

Pantone color of 2010

Inspiration Wednesdays: Dorothea Lange

Bokeh - lighting up a grey January

January Goals and Busy December review

Come out, come out, wherever you are!

Not another New Year's Resolution Post

Merry Christmas & Happy Holidays!

Inspiration Wednesday: Meaningful gifts, week 4

Inspiration Wednesday: Meaningful gifts, week 3

Keep calm

Inspiration Wednesday: Meaningful gifts, week 2

Santa photos: laughter and tears and everything in between

Makers Market NYC Saturday

Recent nursing portraits

Friday fun: Crying on Santa's lap

December promotion: Give one session, get one 50% off

Inspiration Wednesday: Meaningful gifts, week 1

December goals & review of bizarre November

New York City Photo Shoot December 19th 10AM-2PM

Inspiration Wednesday: Be thankful

Why wait until Black Friday? Wrap up your shopping today.

Friday Fun: Thanksgiving Family Moments

Inspiration Wednesday: Jumpstart Reading

Happy birthday Moses!

Friday Fun: Veterans reunited with their kids

Custom Holiday Cards - as low as $0.60 each!

Inspiration Wednesday: City Harvest & more Thanksgiving Charities

Happy birthday Sesame Street!

Friday fun: Obama Babies

Newest Black & White Baby Photos

November goals

Inspiration Wednesday: Zen Family Habits

February Goals - Getting down to gulp business