Big Brother Enzo - Philadelphia Family Maternity Session

When we moved into our new house a year ago, we lucked out with the most incredible neighbors around -- including Nicole, Marco, and Enzo.  I have loved getting to know them, and couldn't wait to photograph them enjoying one of their final mornings as a family of three.  A planned outdoor family maternity session turned into a cozy in-home session instead, thanks to a chill in the air and a little rain falling down.  And sometimes these things just work out exactly the way they are supposed to, because their house was the PERFECT place for me to capture a bit of their connection .... 

Tammy Bradshaw is a Philadelphia family lifestyle and documentary photographer.  If you're interested in having your family's story brought to life, please get in touch!  

philadelphia maternity photographer, philadelphia family photographer, philadelphia newborn photographer 

Embracing the Chaos - Family Newborn Session

A few years back, Jodi & Ryan contacted me to book a maternity and newborn photo package, and I absolutely loved working with them. One of my favorites from their new baby session got some love from Lemonade and Lenses, taking first place in their International Image Contest.  When they emailed to let me know that Erin was going to be a big sister, I was thrilled for them and was looking forward to this session for months! 

So often, people contact me worried about how their toddler (or older kiddo) will act during the family session once their new baby arrives.  And as a mom of two of my own, I understand the fear, but trust me when I say that when it comes to a lifestyle newborn session, there really isn't a reason to worry!  My favorite part of new baby sessions with siblings is playing with the older children, winning them over a bit, and capturing the essence of what having multiple kids is all about.  Because let's face it -- It is definitely NOT about everyone sitting perfectly for photos.  It's about running and jumping and playing and sometimes being too rough, and sometimes being really gentle, and snuggling and laughing and comforting.  And embracing the chaos that will become your new normal.  The chaos that you will surely miss one day.  

Thank you so much to the O'Shea family for trusting me to document this irreplaceable time ...

Michael Jackson Living Room Jams.

My kids don't always get along, but when they do, it's magical.  Michael Jackson sing-a-longs have become a regular thing in our house --  and on the afternoon pictured here, Rayna taught Ember the art of belting out "Beat It" with some serious emotion.  Most days with these two are total chaos, but I love the pauses in that chaos that lead to them being so in sync ... 

I'm moving toward capturing my clients' families the same way that I photograph my own -- with a focus on the little things that make the everyday so special.  If you'd like to book your own documentary family session with me, please get in touch!  

documentary photography, lifestyle photography, philadelphia family photographer, philadelphia family photography 

Jackson & Mama -- Documentary Family Photographer

Photographing Jackson and his beautiful mama was one of the highlights of my year so far.  They played, they snuggled, they danced around their living room.  He practiced scooting across the floor with the most adorable crawl, and then they snuggled some more.  Spending time with these two renewed my spirit and energy, and I went home from this session appreciating and loving my own kids a little more .... 

Tammy Bradshaw is a Philadelphia family lifestyle and documentary photographer.  If you're interested in having your newborn, childhood, breastfeeding, or birth story captured, please get in touch!  

Penelope Laughing. Philadelphia Documentary Family Photography

I've had the pleasure of knowing this sweet family for a little while now.  They live around the corner from me, and Penelope (who happens to be the COOLEST kid on the planet) and my daughter have gotten some serious playtime in over the years.  Penny never fails to put a smile on my face.  Her laugh is just incredibly contagious and her personality is a force to be reckoned with!  I had a blast with these three hanging at their place and taking a stroll around Passyunk Square ... 

Tammy Bradshaw is a Philadelphia family lifestyle and documentary photographer.  If you're interested in having your newborn, childhood, breastfeeding, or birth story captured, please get in touch!  

New Baby Zoe - Philadelphia Lifestyle Newborn Photographer

It always helps when couples are naturally snuggly together, and this was definitely one of those times.  Stephanie and Dan are so perfectly matched and in love -- in fact, during our session they told me all about how they met and how awesome their wedding was.  I even got to glimpse at the gorgeous photos that their wedding photographer Heather DiPiazza took on their special day, and they were all smiles while reliving the memories.  When you take all of that goodness and add an adorable new baby in to the mix, it's bound to be a great session. Zoe is just the sweetest little love bug in Philadelphia, and I'm sure she'll enjoy looking at these photos when she's all grown up, and she can really appreciate how her parents held her so close to their hearts .... 

Tammy Bradshaw is a Philadelphia family lifestyle and documentary photographer.  If you're interested in having your newborn, childhood, breastfeeding, or birth story captured, please get in touch!  

Baby Evangeline - Philadelphia Newborn Photographer

As soon as I started talking to Stephanie on the phone during our consultation, I knew that I would love working with her. She's funny and warm and has such a peaceful presence about her ... and she's a total natural at this whole mama thing!  Her unassuming beauty and obvious love for her sweet little family made for such a fun session filled with light, laughter, and connection ...

Tammy Bradshaw photographs motherhood and babies in the Philadelphia area.  If you’d like to capture your growing family’s natural beauty with a photo story, please get in touch!

Philadelphia newborn, maternity, family, birth, and breastfeeding photographer.

Rayna in the Woods. A personal post.

One of my goals for 2016 is to spend more time photographing my own family on a regular basis.  I mean, trust me -- I definitely snap plenty of them with my iPhone, but my grownup camera barely made an appearance around them last year at all.   It's time for me to get back to practicing my craft on the people who inspire me the most.   So for the rest of the year, I'm keeping my camera with me and available on a regular basis rather than packing it up in between sessions with clients.   

This past weekend, while on a getaway to visit friends in Florida, I fell in love with the way the woods behind their house looked just before sunset.  I took our kids out into the thick of it one night to snap some photos, and nabbed these shots of Rayna (the oldest of my two, who will be five in a few months).  I love the way she just becomes so wild and free when we're out exploring in nature, totally at home with herself ... 

All images - ISO 1000, 35mm, 1.4, 1/80

Marcella and Her Littles - Philadelphia Maternity Photographer

Marcella is truly one of the sweetest women that I have ever met.  She's as caring and down-to-earth as she is beautiful, a local Philadelphia doula, and lover of all things birth and babies.  I was thrilled to photograph her during one of the last afternoons of her pregnancy.  To be honest, I expected to have to work a little magic to make sure her three kiddos all made it in front of my camera, but I never needed to do any convincing at all -- From my first minute with them, they were hugging her legs, snuggling in, and desperate to be in photos.  They couldn't get enough of their gorgeous mom ...

Tammy Bradshaw photographs motherhood and babies in the Philadelphia area.  If you’d like to capture your growing family’s natural beauty with a photo story, please get in touch!

Philadelphia newborn, maternity, family, birth, and breastfeeding photographer.

Brittany, Judah, and Harper - Philadelphia Maternity Session

There are certain people who were born to teach and guide others, and Brittany is one of them.  She spends countless hours educating and empowering Philadelphia families through her work as a doula and childbirth educator, and has touched the lives of so many babies in our city!  She's also an incredible mom to two pretty awesome kids, and is preparing for her third babe to arrive in the days to come.   

Britt has so much love for all of the families she meets through her work with Blossoming Bellies Wholistic Birth Services, and she recently noted on her own website:  "I'm becoming more and more thankful for and inspired by the amazing women and families with whom I've had the pleasure of working over the past years since my last birth ....  Thank you for all that you've given me in return - inspiration, awareness, and empowerment in moving forward towards my own labor, birth, and new parenting of this next little one."    

A couple of weeks ago, we headed out to Fairmount Park to celebrate the end of her third trimester with a maternity session that would document one of her last days as a mama of two ... 

Tammy Bradshaw photographs motherhood and babies in the Philadelphia area.  If you’d like to capture your growing family’s natural beauty with a photo story, please get in touch!

Philadelphia newborn, maternity, family, birth, and breastfeeding photographer.