Samuel - Rainbow Baby Session - Grand Rapids, Michigan Newborn Photographer

Sweet little  Samuel was welcomed into this family with SO MUCH love and anticipation. His family waited for him for nearly 6 years...and then he made his momma wait by showing up at 42 weeks! Stinker! But, oh, was he SO worth the wait.

Being two weeks overdue and already over a week old, he behaved much like a 3 week old baby - which is he was not all that happy to have me messing with him! He preferred to be wrapped and left alone - and so, that's what we did.

Every baby is different, each baby with a unique God-given temperament and character and I LOVE seeing it. So while it may bother some to not have a completely sleepy baby, I don't mind letting them be them...and capturing it none-the-less.

Enjoy a few highlights!

Bennett - Newborn Session - Grand Rapids Michigan Newborn Photographer

This little peanut came into my studio looking JUST like his big brother, who I had photographed as a rainbow baby almost 2 years ago!

Every single one of the babies I get to meet is a miracle. Every single baby I meet takes my breath away! I often chuckle with parents as I "ooo and ahhh" over their babies that it NEVER gets old...but it truly never does!! Little miracles, entrusted to me for 2-3 hours, to document and love. I am so very blessed!

Enjoy some highlights from our session!

Personal - Week One

So, I decided to share a little more personal day-to-day images here this year. It was on my heart to start this year taking pictures (every day I can) with my REAL camera and to process them in black and white. This will be a project that hopefully grows me as a professional while also capturing the heart of our life as a family. 

Unstaged, (processed B&W and then) unedited, messy, genuine life together.

I already love how it's shaping up. 

always coloring

eager reader

imaginative play

their favorite game

legos, naturally

ever since he was a toddler, and even still

wintertime colds

read-aloud time with dad

 school days

 geography game

 Ev's first year of basketball

...at the end of a year and the beginning of another

2016 has come to an end...this past year was one for the books!

I want to start out by saying THANK YOU to all of you who used me to capture your babies, families, kids, and bellies this year! I am continually humbled by your trust and confidence in me...and I thank God for each of you!

Thank you to old and new clients for sticking with me as I changed the way my business operated this year. I know it was a little different to schedule your family sessions with me, but again, I appreciate your confidence in me. I recently read a quote from Bobby Gallaty, "Delayed obedience is disobedience" and I can say that for a good while there I was disobedient (gulp). I had felt God calling me to restructure and refocus my business but I kept delaying because I was frightened and insecure. You see, photographers are not hard to come by...GOOD photographers are not hard to come by...we are so blessed to live in an area where there is an abundance! But, even though from the beginning of Anne Jansen Photography I said I believed ALL people should be able to get GREAT photos of their kids and families and an abundance of photographers helps accomplish that goal, I found myself paralyzed by all the GREAT photographers who surround me at times. I wanted to say yes to everyone, because what if by saying no I started to lose my business?

But, you know what God was asking me to do? Say no...no to extended families, no to weddings, no to engagements, no to scheduling family sessions at all times of all days. No to some weekends. No to editing during the day. I just couldn't imagine.

Being obedient was incredibly scary for me, and if I'm honest, I still am not walking in full confidence - I am still insecure, I am still tentative, I'm acutely aware of my weaknesses, I compare and despair like the best of them...so one foot in front of the other, I suppose! But, I can honestly say, God used each of you to show me that obedience comes with blessings - because you all blessed me more than you know.

55 newborns, 12 rainbow babies, 50 milestone sessions, 33 family sessions, and 10 maternity sessions. I am almost in tears writing those numbers out...thank you so much for a great year!!

So what will be new in 2017? Lord willing, a few things!

What I'm dreaming up...

A consistent blog
Personal posts as I attempt to grow my lifestyle skills as well as my black and white processing skills
A studio at my home (with no stairs, yay!! the stairs are my pet peeve for new moms!!)
No price increases
A new employee
Increase in Rainbow Baby sessions
More stories, more connections
Professional networking
Mentoring

So, again, I can't say it enough...THANK YOU! Can't wait to see you in 2017!!

(I couldn't get everyone's sessions in one post...I hope yours made it, but if it didn't, please forgive me!)