Lifestyle Family Photos at Home

Are you moving houses soon?

Whether it is down the street or across the country, a lifestyle family photo session should be part of your moving plan.

I have had the pleasure of photographing several families before they move to a new house. Each family wanted photos of themselves at their current home as a small token of all the good times spent there together.

Honestly, I wish I had more photos of the first home my husband and I bought together. That was where we brought our first baby boy home from the hospital and started the journey into parenthood. We had so many firsts within those walls. We experienced many joys and some heartaches. Within the comfort of home, we were able to grow as people and as a family. 

I think photographs are one of the best ways to help you remember. Looking at a picture of you sitting on the front steps helps you remember all those times you sat there watching your kids run around in the front yard through the sprinkler or saw their little faces smashed against the window waiting for you to come home from work.

These at home sessions are tailored to your own family and are designed to capture what is important to you.

I want to know where you liked to spend their time together, activities the kids loved to do, and the places in your home you never want to forget.

Our homes are filled with memories. As they say, time flies and kids grow up way too fast. We change, we move. But I am in the business of trying to push that pause button, just for a minute. Encourage you to look up and enjoy the place you are in now.

One of the things I loved in our first home was the back deck and yard. It was there where we hosted my son’s first and second birthday parties, Easter egg hunts, spent many mornings digging in the dirt, and enjoyed long afternoons splashing in the kiddie pool.

Now, in our new home, our backyard is an oasis filled with squeals and giggles, a hammock, and a temporary pool to keep us cool in the heat of a Georgia summer day.

This family’s backyard provided the space and freedom two little boys needed to run free and explore.

Do you want to forever capture photos of your first home you lived in together?  The place you saw your baby take their first steps? The porch where you spent summer evenings relaxing as you sipped an ice cold beverage? I’d love to document you and your family in your home.

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Monica Conlin is a natural light family and newborn lifestyle photographer that specializes in newborn photography, Fresh 48 photography, smash cake photography, school photography, maternity photography, and family photography. Monica is based in Decatur, GA and services Decatur and the Atlanta metro area.

5 things I have enjoyed about the Front Porch Family Photos project

For the month of May I took photos of families around my neighborhood of Oakhurst as well as the surrounding area of Decatur. The goal was to document families during the pandemic of COVID-19 and take a snapshot of our lives while we had to quarantine and keep social distance from one another.

I want to share five things I really loved about this project:

1. Seeing how people celebrate special life events occurring in the time of Coronavirus and quarantine 

2. Witnessing the resilience of people in difficult situations

3. Hearing other’s “silver linings” and their willingness to share the good things they see happening in a hard season 

4. Watching families grow (whether it is a new baby or new pup) and become stronger together

5. Discovering the beauty of our neighborhood and all the lovely homes in the area

Thank you to everyone who participated in this beautiful project. I am grateful for this experience and the joy it has brought me during this unprecedented time in history.

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Monica Conlin is a natural light family and newborn lifestyle photographer that specializes in newborn photography, Fresh 48 photography, smash cake photography, maternity photography, and family photography. Monica is based in Decatur, GA and services Decatur and the Atlanta metro area.

Quarantine with Kids at Home: 4 ways to turn a rough morning into a GOOD DAY

I am a family photographer, but I am a mom first and foremost. And don’t we all need a little help right now during this whole social-distancing thing? So after experiencing a fare share of rough mornings, I thought I would share a little about things we do to change a train wreck morning into a good afternoon.

When I wake up in the morning, after consuming the right amount of coffee, I am ready for the day ahead of me! I greet each day with an optimistic nod, believing the best of my kids and myself. 

However, I have found that even before my coffee kicks in, the hope for the day is quickly fading and I am thinking: how in the world will we make it to bedtime? 

Before quarantine and social-distancing, I had several go-to options when I needed to change up a day’s pace.

But given our current situation, I no longer can call up friends with kids for a playdate, let my children loose on our local playground, or run to the donut shop for a special treat and an extra dose of caffeine. But I have found a few things that have really worked for our family to change the trajectory of a bad day. 

They are simple, do-able, and hopefully helpful for you. Try one or two or all of them to help turn a hard morning into a day that is enjoyable for you and the kids. 

1. Get Outside!

We all know this to be true, kid’s attitudes (and my own) change when you get outside. The shift is palpable with the change of scenery, the fresh air, and the ability to be loud. If the weather is nice, this is what I do first. 

Here are a few ideas of outdoor play that is minimal effort with maximum entertainment:

• A water table or kiddie pool for pouring, splashing, measuring, plant watering, bucket filling, etc. It is amazing how many games they make up with a large container of water and a few buckets and measuring scoops. 

• Scootering and bike riding

• Nature walks looking for bugs, leaves, flowers

• Sidewalk chalk. We’ve made obstacle courses and art work. 

• Digging in the dirt or sand with construction toys and kid shovels

• Allowing them to take an indoor toy OUTSIDE. So exciting to “break” a rule! 

• Picnics and snacks in the backyard or on our front porch steps

2. Dance Party!

Another good way to get those little bodies moving, even on a rainy day, is having a dance party. So crank up the tunes! (Do people still say that?) I know turning on music helps boost my mood and dancing around like a fool gets those endorphins flowing. We take turns making up silly dance moves and trying to copy each other. I take this time to fulfill my duty as a parent to teach them classics like “running man”, “the lawn mower”, “the sprinkler” or “the disco point”. Please, join me in teaching our children these valuable dances. 

Here is a thirty minute Kid's Dance Playlist we listen to!

3. Snuggle up and practice gratitude. 

This is another one that can be done anytime and anywhere. Usually if my kids are whining, complaining, and overall having a rough go of it, I pull them in for a good ol’ snuggle session. Not all kids want cuddles, but mine would love it if we were touching 24/7. So they pile on my lap and I ask them to tell me something that they are thankful for.  They typically require me to share first, so taking that few seconds to pause and think about it already starts turning my mindset around. Practicing gratitude together helps remind us of the good things in our lives. 

4. Schedule a break for you.

Every parent knows that they NEED a break: this is obvious. But I do think we need to be told to TAKE a break. I can feel the desire in my bones to just take a breather from the constant attention and care of my children, but most of the time I try to ignore that feeling. I am learning the importance of acknowledging and acting on the need for a break. 

And if you are like me, you have already listed ten reasons in your head why you CAN’T take a break. But here is where I give you permission to do it anyway.

If you have another caregiver in the house, talk with them and schedule a time that works to tag them in for thirty minutes while you shower or walk or just sit down. If you don’t have help during the day and need a break, let your kids watch a tv show (or two or whatever), or send them in the backyard with a snack and watch out the window to have some peace and quiet. Even a small amount of time allows me to reset and feel ready to take on the rest of the day! Again, here is your permission and someone telling you that IT IS OKAY.

So don’t let a rough start to a day determine how it will end. You can do this. It will get better. 

Monica Conlin is a natural light family and newborn lifestyle photographer that specializes in newborn photography, Fresh 48 photography, smash cake photography, maternity photography, and family photography. Monica is based in Decatur, GA and services Decatur and the Atlanta metro area.

I am a Lifestyle Family Photographer in the Atlanta area — so what exactly does the term "Lifestyle" mean and is it right for you?

You have decided to take those long overdue family photos and started the hunt for a family photographer. In your search you see the phrases Lifestyle Photography or Lifestyle Newborn and Family Photography used, but are still unclear as to what that style of photography is AND, more importantly, unsure if it is right for you.

I use the term lifestyle photography to mean more natural and emotive family photos. I do not want your newborn and family pictures to be stiff, with fake smiles on your faces and angry threats under your breath to your children to stay still and look at the camera.

My goal is to document the connection between each family member and provide a photo that helps capture who you are as a family in the moment. 

Lifestyle doesn’t mean that there is no guidance or direction from me, your photographer!

I will direct you during the shoot with basic instructions like where to sit or stand as well as help you with some poses, but I also encourage you to have fun and enjoy one another's company. I will ask you to look at each other instead of me and think about something you love about them.

The idea is that eventually you forget about me and the big camera in my hands and the attempt to keep that big smile plastered on your face. Instead, you interact with and enjoy the people you are taking your photos with. That is when the genuine emotions come out and unique and special connections shine through.

But what do we do in a lifestyle photo session if not stand, stare and smile at the camera?

During a family photoshoot, I want you to play with your kids, throw them in the air, give them piggyback rides, and feel free to act super silly with them. I encourage you to tell your favorite joke, because I want to snap a picture of the real giggles or eye rolls that follow the bad dad joke. And as a warning, tickle fights tend to break out in these family sessions as well.

In a newborn lifestyle session, I want you to snuggle in close with your fresh, new baby and smell the sweet scent that newborns have. I want you to breath and take a moment to be enamored with their precious little yawns and tiny little toes. I encourage an older sibling to get to know the newest family member, and ask them to notice how small their hand is in yours or how soft their hair feels.

Everyone likes a good photo of the whole family looking and smiling. However, these connections, bonds, and memories are important to capture in photographs and what you will want to look back on and remember years from now.

Click the “Book Now” button at the bottom of the page if you want me to take lifestyle family photos of you and your loved ones!

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Monica Conlin is a natural light family and newborn lifestyle photographer that specializes in newborn photography, Fresh 48 photography, smash cake photography, maternity photography, and family photography. Monica is based in Decatur, GA and services Decatur and the Atlanta metro area.