Shanna Chess Photography

This little guy was so precious! Sarah and Brian brought in their new cutie Emmett for newborn photos back in November. (I’m actually having a hard time believing we’re already through the first quarter of 2022! Is that just me?) He was a total sweetheart! Parents are always welcome to bring special items from home. In this case, mom and dad brought a colorful quilt that a family member had made. Even though our session took place in the fall, the quilt’s bright colors reminded me of spring! It also gave us a beautiful splash of color, since most of our photos were with all-white backgrounds. A blue beanbag and heart from my studio collection of props matched the quilt perfectly. Since this newborn photography session took place just a month before Christmas, mom and dad requested a holiday setup. This is always a fun option if your session takes place shortly before a major holiday like Christmas or Easter. It’s generally easy to work in just a single holiday-themed setup, and these k...

Erin and Dylan came to see me with their new baby girl, Charlotte, for newborn photos. She was so cute! I had met Erin before and it was great getting to know Dylan as well. Since both parents were there I convinced them to do family pictures even though they’d decided they were going to bypass those. A lot of times new parents feel super tired and are worried they don’t look their best, or they were too tired to get ready before their little one’s newborn photography session. We’ve all been there! New babies are a lot of work, but family is everything and I really believe it’s worth it to have photos with your little one no matter what. And, as I told Erin and Dylan, the beauty of digital images is that there’s no commitment. You can choose whether you want to purchase them or not, so there’s no harm in taking a few just in case! They ended up loving the family images as well, so I’m really glad we did those shots, even if it wasn’t quite according to plan. They will treasure those ...

Karla and Francisco brought in their new baby boy to my Eugene, Oregon photography studio. Isn’t he adorable? Their two older kiddos came too and we got some sibling and family photos, but I decided to just share some of the newborn-only shots today. Here are a few of the baby pics from Thiago’s newborn photography session. Enjoy! Thiago had the best hair! Tons of it, and so soft and fluffy! He was also super squishy, which I can’t resist. 😊 He slept great and was very easy to pose. We used cream, white, and blue for his pictures. What a dreamy color combo! It was perfect for my moon and stars props. And I also just happened to have a cowboy hat that we knew he would look amazing in. We were right! Whether you keep it simple with just a couple of swaddles or go all out with hats and outfits, it’s always fun to play dress up with these little guys.  There are so many options to choose from at the studio, so I’d definitely recommend that you take a look at my newborn gallery and p...

I’m so excited to share the photos from this twins newborn photography session! Corina and Joshua brought their new bundles of joy—a boy and a girl—to my Eugene, Oregon photography studio for pictures. Kenadee and Kash were absolutely adorable! Newborn photography with twins is always so much fun! For reasons of both safety and convenience, I have an assistant lend an extra hand when there are two babies. This ensures that both little ones are totally safe, secure, and comfortable through the entire process. Although my full newborn photo sessions come with the option of doing parent/sibling pictures, mom and dad wanted to just focus on the babies and not do any family images. Corina also told me she’s not a big fan of hats and headbands, so we kept it pretty simple. When it comes to color schemes for twins newborn photography, there are a ton of options—especially when you have a brother and sister! Dressing baby boy in blue and baby girl in pink is a popular choice, as is choosing g...

Aida and Aziz brought their gorgeous new baby daughter Aila to my photography studio in September. This little pumpkin was absolutely perfect! Many times clients will choose a single theme for their newborn photo session. But there’s no reason you can’t choose a couple! Mom asked for baby pictures with rainbow baby, moon and stars, and fall themes, and we were able to capture all of them. Aila was super cooperative as we changed setups, switched out props, and got her in and out of various swaddles. Since we were working with several different themes, we didn’t really stick to a particular color scheme. Mom just picked out whatever caught her eye and we ended up with a really fun and beautiful variety of pinks, purples, yellows, and neutral colors in addition to our themed pictures. When it comes to choosing colors and props, it really is all about how you’re going to use your finished newborn photos. Some people like to do complementary colors because they’re going to have several pho...

Happy New Year, everyone! I don’t know about you, but it felt to me like 2021 went by in the blink of an eye. I had so much keeping me busy as a mom and as a photographer—all great things, and I’m looking forward to new experiences and memories in 2022! The new year is a time for new beginnings, so what better way to start it off than with a post about a newborn photography session? As a photographer who specializes in newborns, I’m lucky enough to be reminded of the blessings of new life almost every day. It’s just one of the many reasons I love capturing the first days with these sweet little ones! Nakayla and Joseph brought new baby brother Bryson to my Eugene, Oregon photography studio along with older siblings Braxton and Brooklyn. This was the first time I’d met this family, and I loved them immediately! They were so sweet and loving with each other, and big brother and sister did an absolutely stellar job participating in their little brother’s newborn photos! I also loved the...

It’s almost Christmas! And I can’t think of a better way to kick off the holiday weekend than with these warm and cozy baby pictures from Hazel’s newborn photography session! Hazel came to my Eugene, Oregon photography studio with mom (Faith), dad (Garrison), and big brother Theo. Such a sweet family! I loved the deep, non-traditional colors Faith chose for her daughter’s newborn photos. I hardly ever get to use brown at all, and especially not for baby girls. But it can be such a beautiful color! We offset it with some cream flowers and wraps and it turned out looking so rich and beautiful. And the rust color gave me all the cozy pumpkin spice vibes! Although there’s absolutely nothing wrong with the traditional pink for girls and blue for boys, you really do have so many color options available. So get creative and don’t be afraid to try something different! I’m always happy to point you to props and outfits in the studio that would go well with your chosen color theme—no matter ...

Happy December, everyone! Hope you all had a great Thanksgiving and that you got to spend it with the people you love. The holidays can be such a busy time, but they’re also a good reminder of what’s really important in life—like family relationships! I loved capturing this family’s love with a newborn photography session for their new baby girl! Heather and Dan brought their little cutie Freda in for newborn pictures at my Eugene, Oregon photography studio. I love her name! It’s old-fashioned (which is coming more into style the last couple of years, especially for girls) and quirky at the same time. Heather and Dan picked out a great mix of colors for Freda’s newborn photoshoot. Lots of neutrals, which were perfect for the family and newborn shots. And then all the colors of the rainbow! It’s kind of fun to go with a couple different themes like that (especially if you’re doing a full newborn photography session and have a bit more wiggle room with the number of outfits and setups yo...

I hope everyone has had a great weekend and is gearing up for a great Thanksgiving! However you celebrate, I hope you get to spend time with the people who matter most to you and that you have lots to be thankful for this year. I know I do—and my wonderful clients are definitely on my gratitude list! It’s such a privilege to watch these families grow and to capture images of the love they share. And speaking of sharing—here are some adorable baby boy pics to make your kickoff to the holiday season even brighter! I actually did this newborn photography session back in August, but I think the colors are perfect for fall too! Suzan, Deep, and big brother Daniel were all able to make it to my studio when they brought in cutie Jayden for his newborn photos. It’s so fun when the whole family can be a part of the photo shoot! Suzan really wanted to mix both dark and bright colors, so we chose a couple different shades of brown and blue for a nice contrast. I love how it all came together! Ja...

Affinity and Shawn brought the whole gang in this time for some newborn and family photos with the latest addition—sweet baby boy Nation. I did mom’s maternity session towards the beginning of summer and it was such a great session! (Be sure to take a peek if you missed it!) They were expecting Nation at the time—their fifth and final child—and wanted to do something extra special to record it. I loved helping them celebrate their last pregnancy with beautiful pictures, and it was even more fun to have them back in my Eugene, Oregon photo studio with all their sweet kiddos too! They picked out some of the cutest outfits for the new little man! I especially loved that they went with yellow as their main color—it’s totally underrated for newborn photography and it adds such a fun, bright splash! Although you absolutely don’t have to (I have a ton of props at the studio) you’re always welcome to bring personal items that would make the session especially meaningful for you. We inclu...

Elizabeth and Elijah brought adorable Finlee for her newborn photos in late July. Now that the cold weather is kicking in I’m enjoying the process of going back over some of my summer sessions! Of course, it’s always nice and warm in my Eugene, Oregon newborn photography studio , so come on in for baby pictures and all the warm and cozy vibes! Finlee was so cute and the best cheeks! So soft and chubby. 😊 She was just perfect for me and slept like an angel through her newborn photography session. We decided on a beautiful pink and gray color combo that turned out so pretty! As well as beanbag poses and swaddles, we also used a couple of props: my antique pram and a soft little heart—just the right size for baby toes to hold! Mom and Dad both decided to join in for some baby and family pictures, which I absolutely loved! Special portraits like these are the kind of thing the whole family will treasure for years to come. Although many people think of putting baby pictures in an album o...