Sarah and Lando and I go way back. I remember the first time I met Sarah, a bride to be in 2005.  We excitedly discussed her wedding, and planned an engagement shoot  for her & Lando at the North Carolina State fair.  When we met again at their wedding in 2006, I just remember a blur of an incredible day, every detail executed to perfection, from the yacht carrying them from the ceremony to the reception, to the sendoff with sparklers, bouquet flying behind them as the car pulled away.
We crossed paths again in Santorini, and had lunch together overlooking the cliffs of Greece, and they generously extended their NYC apartment to me on a trip there a year or two ago.  When they saw I was coming to NYC for my Shoot & Share, they instantly offered their new home to me as a base for my session.
And that’s when they dropped the kicker–Sarah was pregnant, due to give birth about 10 days later!
Now, as most people know, first babies tend to come late, so I hesitantly took them up on their offer of using their place for the day.  But a few days before, I received an email from Lando to check in, say hi, plan the key drop….and tell me that Sarah would be having a C section and they’d be returning home from the hospital the VERY DAY I was supposed to be there.  And he was just saying this “because we want you to feel free to use our place openly”.  I was set to change my location, but under great insistence from Lando, I was there anyway.  Because sometimes things are just meant to be.  So I was there for this:



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(Yes, that is Sarah looking gorgeous and perfect 4 days post-c section!)
The new family:

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The new baby, Penelope Sophia (Pia)

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Where Pia sleeps:

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Pia’s hair rocks out 🙂

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Sarah is an absolutely glowing new mom:

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Pia has such a sweet presence already:

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I just love photographing new families!

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Sarah & Lando are just so joyful at PIa’s presence:

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It’s easy to see why:

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Pia slept pretty much the WHOLE shoot, which gave us lots of time to try out a bunch of different poses!

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A little help from Lando–newborn faces are just so smushy:

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Sarah only had one request–a pose of Pia in this hat, supporting her face with her hands that she had seen somewhere. We tried and tried, but Pia just couldn’t hold up her own face!  Darn chubby cheeks 🙂

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To be fair, those pom poms were bigger than her little face, but she did it!

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And then promptly fell back asleep while we posed her some more:

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So so cute:

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Little girls should be surrounded in pink!

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My favorite thing about this photo? Pia’s little hand reaching up to touch her Daddy’s face:

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Sarah’s vest–she insisted the every girl should have some glamorous photos 🙂

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Lando wanted photos of himself and Sarah skin to skin with their baby. I LOVE these:

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Such sweetness:

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Little Pia-what a great model you were!

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I really wanted to have lots of photos of Sarah alone with baby Pia–they are so precious:

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A couple more of the family (tip for this type of photo–have mom wear a strapless,nude color bandeau bra top–blends in perfectly!):

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I wanted a photo that showed how small Pia is, which I got in Mom & Dad’s bedroom:

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Pia finally woke up just as we were wrapping up!

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Which was a perfect time for her to eat and for me to photograph this AMAZING, stunning, perfectly appointed nursery that Lando & Sarah (but mostly Lando, I heard) created:

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Seriously, have you ever seen something like this?! It was even more stunning in person:

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Another view:

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Another view:

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And…another view!

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There are TONS of tiny little details in this room (as on Pia herself):

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I spy with my little eye a sleeping Pia!

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Beautifully folded soft blankets:

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Tiny soft shoes:

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And an assortment of good books and great ones:

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A beautiful baby, all wrapped up and tied with a bow:

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Lando bought this dress just for his little girl:

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Two more:

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Sarah & Lando, thank you so much for your help,and for allowing me to spent time with your precious Pia! I hope to capture her life every step of the way 🙂