Capturing New Baby Moments with Hayato’s Family

I cannot even begin to express the joy I felt at finishing up editing this photosession. Scrolling through the 125 edited finalists in this session of love and family, I feel such a sense of pride at the many images I’ve laboured over that will forever help to keep a piece of these precious moments fresh in these new parents’ memories.

It was a very stormy morning when I set off to attempt capturing this family and their new baby (about one-and-a-half months old). So stormy that the family’s power had gone out and had just turned back on before I arrived at their doorstep. Being that my years of experience with photography have mostly been in the outdoors, with ample natural light, I was a bit nervous to see if I could take enough clear images that would successfully capture the family in a way that would make them happy. (Especially as I’m still saving up myself to buy a professional-quality camera, and using my old Nikon D5000 until then.)

So before the session I brushed up on tips for technical instructions for indoor photography with natural lighting, and gave it my best go. I think I succeeded.

Hayato and his wife Morgan were a pleasure to meet and photograph. The sense of welcoming calm in their faces and their home put me at ease straight away, and we got to work marking their love and joy onto digital format.

One of the most meaningful moments I had the pleasure to capture was when I asked the family “Are there any special mementos – toys, heirlooms, etc. – that you would like me to include in the photos?” Hayato took only a moment to enthusiastically pull out an old family album, knowing exactly which photo he was looking for. He shared with me that his father had recently passed away, and how it would mean a lot to him to have his own childhood photo of him together with his father included in some photos with his own son.

I’m quickly beginning to realize that these are more than just photos that I’m taking for people. Not only are these special moments for now, and for the future, but by including the past and the memories already made through the small but mighty important items carefully entered into the frame, there’s a depth to time and the neverending and cyclical love that can shine.

Is there really anything quite as special and long-loved as baby photos?

An enormous thank you goes out to Hayato and Morgan for welcoming me into their homes, and allowing me the chance to be their photographer for this stormy Salt Spring Island morning. What an honour it was.

If you would like to see more of my photos, you can read more blog posts on my photography here on Salt Spring Island, as well as around the world. You can also visit my photography section of this website here to view different galleries (which may or may not still be under re-construction at the moment). I’d also love it if you gave my Hannah Spray Photography Facebook page and/or Instagram page a visit (and perhaps a follow?).

Thanks for visiting! 🙂