Moms Archives - Missy Timko Photography Blog

Baby James | Pittsburgh Newborn Photographer

This was a very special shoot with baby James Michael, who was born in the winter of 2020. Mom and dad, Kate and Joe, were as hesitant as I was about shooting an in-home newborn session due to the rising COVID numbers in our area. We decided together that the best course of action was to essentially shoot two newborn sessions – one mini shoot outdoors in December and then a more comprehensive newborn shoot a few months later when we all were vaccinated, which ended up being April. This first set of images were shot in December:

For the outdoor newborn photos, I used my Canon RF 70-200 2.8 lens, so I was able to maintain some distance from the family but also get those beautiful details on baby James. We lucked out with a somewhat warm December day. I was so happy we got those first days because look how much he changed from December to April!

Can you believe that adorable face? This little guy was so engaged and happy! Our shoot went very smoothly, and I was amazed at how much he had changed.

Below you will find Kate’s birth story and some details about life with a newborn.

Baby’s Place of Birth: Magee Women’s Hospital

Describe your birth experience.

I think my birth experience was as positive as it could get. I went into labor on my own the day before my induction day at 40 weeks,5 days. It went from 0 to 60 very quickly…meaning I went from thinking I might be having contractions to timing them two minutes apart within 30 minutes.

I was fortunate that my favorite doctor delivered James (Dr. Anne Shaheen is incredible!). She was so supportive and reassuring throughout my entire labor and delivery. I felt like I was in the best care throughout the process and I have happy memories from it. The moment that James was born was an incredible sensation! I felt him leaving my body and becoming his own person in that moment.

Describe life with a newborn. How has your life changed since giving birth? Is it like you expected or totally different?

Life with a newborn was difficult! At first, it was difficult getting to know James and getting to know ourselves as parents. I felt like we had to start from square one and rebuild our lives. However, since we have settled into this process I think our lives are better than ever before. James helps complete our family!

Does baby have siblings or pets? Siblings’ ages? How did they react to baby coming home?

We are very close to my parents’ 12-year-old German Shepherd mix named Jack. Before we had James, he spent about 50% of his time at our house.

Unfortunately, he was originally afraid of James and uncomfortable with the new situation within the “pack.” Now that James is a bit older, he is very interested in Jack. He pets Jack and constantly is checking him out. Jack is starting to come around to James and licked his foot nine times in a row yesterday. I think he might reciprocate the friendship soon.

When did you book your newborn session? Why did you pick Missy Timko Photography?

I booked my newborn session in May 2020 after I exited the first trimester.

I picked Missy because I like her style of photos. I don’t like photos that are super artsy with props. I loved Missy’s natural ability to capture moments between a family. I also like the fact that we are practically neighbors!

How did you prepare for your newborn session? Any tips for new moms regarding newborn photography?
We did a brief newborn session outside right after James was born where I did my own hair and make up. I do NOT suggest this. I did this because of Covid-19 concerns. Get your hair and make up done and relax!

Do you have a favorite image(s) from this session? Describe the image and why you love it.
In our second newborn session when James was four months old, there is a photo of us on our bed looking down at James. This was just a natural pose that we fell into and Missy captured it. I love seeing the love that Joe and I have for James in that photo.

Baby James is a Baby Planner, so I get to see him again in a few months and then again for his first birthday. Looking forward to watching this little guy grow from a baby to a toddler! Learn more about our Baby Plan here.

Missy Timko Photography is a boutique photography studio located in Mt. Lebanon, PA. Missy specializes in children from newborn to senior, families, and adults. Missy’s style is simple, natural, and clean, both posed and lifestyle photography with beautiful natural backdrops, and Missy also has a gorgeous custom studio space in uptown Mt. Lebanon. There are many session options, from full length custom sessions to quick & easy headshots, inside the studio or outside in a beautiful natural or urban location in Pittsburgh. Contact Missy for availability.

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Post category:Families Lifestyle Newborn
Reading time:10 mins read

Baby Lucas | Pittsburgh Newborn Photographer

I had the pleasure of photographing baby boy #2 for the O family in their gorgeous Squirrel Hill neighborhood. I photographed older brother Jackson a couple of years ago, and his photos are some of my favorite newborn portraits! Here is my favorite image from that session (in their previous home):

And now, onto the new shoot with baby Lucas! Mom Sara filled out a questionnaire for me so you can hear all about her birth story and experience bringing her new sweetie home.

Due to COVID (and the fact that they have an AMAZING view in front of their home), we shot this session primarily outdoors in full sun with fill flash. The clouds were so beautiful on this day, so I took full advantage of the natural sky backdrop! Then we did a quick shoot indoors, where I work a KN95 mask to protect the family.

BABY’S NAME AND BIRTH DATE: Lucas Morgan O’Brien born 9/17/2020. (Due date 9/19/2020)

BABY’S PLACE OF BIRTH: Magee Women’s Hospital in Pittsburgh

DESCRIBE YOUR BIRTH EXPERIENCE.

After working all day, I starting having contractions around 6 pm. We went to the hospital and Lucas was born at 3:01 am. He came into the world on a happy note as I did not push him out but rather literally laughed him out!

DESCRIBE LIFE WITH A NEWBORN. HOW HAS YOUR LIFE CHANGED SINCE GIVING BIRTH?

The transition to two has been easier than I anticipated and we feel like Lucas has been part of our family forever.

DOES BABY HAVE SIBLINGS OR PETS? HOW DID THEY REACT TO BABY COMING HOME?

Lucas’ older brother Jackson is smitten with him. He gets excited to see him and asks for him every time he wakes up. While there are moments of learning to adjust to being a big brother, he is overall doing really well with the change.

WHEN DID YOU BOOK YOUR NEWBORN SESSION? WHY DID YOU PICK MISSY TIMKO PHOTOGRAPHY?

We booked over the summer I believe. Missy did a beautiful job capturing this special time in our life when Jackson was born and we wanted the same experience for Lucas’ newborn photos.

HOW DID YOU PREPARE FOR YOUR NEWBORN SESSION? ANY TIPS FOR NEW MOMS REGARDING NEWBORN PHOTOGRAPHY?

Plan for your outfits beforehand. As a newly postpartum mom, it is hard to predict how your body will look and what clothes will make you feel good. I made sure to have a few different sizes and styles that would coordinate with the rest of the family’s outfits so I wasn’t scrambling the morning of the shoot.

DO YOU HAVE A FAVORITE IMAGE(S) FROM THIS SESSION? DESCRIBE THE IMAGE AND WHY YOU LOVE IT.

My favorite is probably the ones of Jackson kissing Lucas. There is one close up that just melts my heart, especially the version in black and white.

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Post category:Families Lifestyle Newborn
Reading time:5 mins read

Mother’s Day Sessions 2019 at Missy Timko Photography

We held Mother’s Day minis at the Ace Hotel in April of 2019 to celebrate mothers and capture the unique bond we have with our little ones. I am thrilled with how these sessions turned out and shed a tear while sorting and editing some of these special images! I am such a softie!

I’ve always wanted to shoot at the Ace Hotel in Pittsburgh–the vibe is chic and hip, and the decor is classic American… simple & modern, utilizing dependable materials and a neutral palette. They have a signature Pendleton wool blanket that is designed specifically for each city, and the Pittsburgh blanket has bright red and blue rectangles that give off that vintage-modern look that is distinctly Pittsburgh.

This turned out to be the ideal location for this shoot. The staff at the Ace Hotel was of great assistance in planning my event. We got their largest corner suite, and it could not have been a more ideal location for these cozy lifestyle images.

Something that surprised me was the beautiful portraits I got of the moms. Each one looks relaxed & happy. These individual portraits of mothers almost certainly will be the images most valued by their children as they grow. Here are a few of my favorites: