Little A..so full of personality and ready for a Baby Gap ad, if you ask me! You can see her spunky personality throughout her entire gallery. We had grammie, grampie, and mom and dad for their at-home session, and this may be my favorite from the day:

That’s grammie’s hand, and can’t you just see the love and connection between them?! This image gives me chills.

Nothing better than a good hand to chew on ;)

I love using plain white blankets. They give such a classic, crisp feel. And completely highlight my gorgeous models!

This is when I took the camera away from my face for once… “So THAT’S what she looks like!”

Until next time,

Category: Little Ones, Recent Sessions, Sneak Peeks | Show Comments | 4 people commented. Click here to add yours!

“What should they wear?”- One of the most common questions I get as a photographer- and for a good reason! As photographers know, what you wear is a HUGE part of making an image!

That’s why I’ve rounded up my favorite kids’ designers and boutiques for you to browse through - from upscale chic to hand-knit accessories, from abroad to local flair, this post will help you get your little ones dressed to impress (and have fun!) for spring and summer photoshoots.

We’re featuring this year’s latest:

Leggings, Tutus, Hand-Knit Hats, Rainboots, Hat-Headbands, Pettiskirts, Diaper Covers, Superhero Capes, Organic Clothing, Baby/Toddler/Kid Clothing, Local Boutiques (Newburyport MA), Online Boutiques, What other Photographers dress their kids in, and Outfit Recommendations.

All images are copyrighted by their respective companies and are from their respective websites/photographers. They are shown here for example purposes only. They have not been photographed by me. Mariah M Photography is not affiliated with these companies in any way- We just LOVE THEM!! :)

Alright, are you Ready?! Grab a coffee and come styling with me! I’ll show some of MY favorite outfits, but make sure to visit the websites to find the perfect outfits for you.

 

http://www.labellaflorachildrensboutique.com -LabellaFlora is JUST FOR GIRLS, and just from these pictures you have to see that they’ve got chic ruffles DOWN PAT for outfits. From urban to victorian, these designers have your little girl covered head to toe- in funky, different, and positively fun outfits! And, um, raise your hand if you LOVE that combination above *raises hands!*.

Who doesn’t love a lavender pettiskirt?! Picture your little girl running through a field of flowers, or sitting on a set of funky urban steps in this. Can you picture it? I CAN!

This outfit perfectly exhibits what you should aim for in an outfit- textures, color, casual look, and color. AND still looking like a kid!

Owls and ruffles. Who would have put that together? I’m glad they did!

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Onto Matilda Jane, which every photographer has been dressing their little girls in lately. (You gotta know it’s good when a photographer dresses their kids in it, LOL. ;)

http://matildajaneclothing.com

You can’t see the whole dress here, but Denise Demarchis creates the most beautiful girls’ dresses and pants with THE most beautiful prints and patterns you can think of. Think tea rose, paisely, and stripes put together in a dress that’s country chic and ready- for play or runway. Seriously, if you visit any site from this post, check her out. You won’t regret it. Denise is a genius in design and function.

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http://livelykid.com -Lively Kids- Downtown Newburyport, MA! A cute boutique of kids’ clothing, accessories, and play items that are colorful, funky, and sure to impress the most upscale of tastes. And located right in downtown Newburyport (next the tot lot in the middle of the store complex)! Leave the kids with the hubby in the tot lot and do a little of your own shopping ;)

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http://emotionalarmor.com -Newburyport, MA! These t shirts for kids, babies, and adults are emblazoned with emotionally uplifting and self-esteem boosting sayings, including “Make Lemonade” for adults, “Princess: Not for Rescue” for girls, and “Little Body, Big Dreams” for babies. Not sure how to wear for a photoshoot? Layer under a button-down for boys, and pair with a funky skirt and bright leggings for girls. You’ll see these being modeled all around Newburyport and the North Shore- self esteem is the new black! Located in “Pure”- downtown.

Above : “Feuled by Determination”, and “Expect the Unexpected” for boys. Love it.

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http://www.polkadotpatch.com/super-hero-capes.html - Polkadot Patch Superhero Capes! What kid can resist being a superhero? These are for girls and boys, and can be a great prop in a dress-up portion of a shoot.

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http://coollittlekid.com - Cool Little Kid. Name says it all! Danish, organic, funky kids clothing.

I cannot resist this shirt for boys- the colors, the attitude- LOVE IT. Picture this with a hat and denim!

This baby tee is being pre-bought for my future children, mark my words. Imaging this with leggings and a cute diaper cover. Ohhh, baby! :)

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http://www.milalilu.com/ - MilaLilu. Newton Highlands, MA! Local, fun, and ridiculously stylish. Check it out:

What little boy can go without a Sid Viscious tee? THIS is positively mohawk-ready.

This raincoat makes me want to shoot on a rainy day. pair with some patterned rainboots, and you’re good-to-go for Spring in New England.

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http://www.jcrew.com/crewcuts_home.jhtml?srcCode=GCCB00076&noPopUp=true

CrewCuts by JCrew. The way they style these outfits is positively delectable. Their clothes are just gorgeous and well-made. Perfect for the preppy New Englander!

LOVE this one. How can you not? The ballet flats, the colorful dress, and the understated blue collared shirt? I picture this in front of a textured brick wall.

This boys’ outfit KILLS me. Oh, how I wish I had a little boy to dress in a sailor sweater and suede shoes! I picture this one sitting on the boardwalk at Newburyport Waterfront.

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http://www.oilily.com.au/main.php - Oilily.

image from http://oilily.com .

One of a kind pieces for girls and boys. Love that warm-toned floral top! Their separates go extremely well together, and are a layer-lover’s dream! Check out that pink patterned skirt, too!

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http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=45754 - Homemade, knit hats by Amanda Keeys. Amanda is an amazing photographer in Australia, and know how to accessorize to get the perfect shot. That’s her etsy shop, and her hats are being bought by photographers all over the world as props for shoots. They’re colorful, fun, adorned with flowers, and for girls and boys. Her book featuring her hats is in publication now. Get your own, and have a stylish, happy kid indeed!

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http://www.vincentshoestore.us/shop/index.cfm?occasion=9  Vincent Designer Rainboots. Quality and….umm…enviable style? I want these in my size!

Those little pink ones! They absolutely slay me!

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http://jamieraehats.com/ Jamie Rae Hats. Gorgeous, flower-adorned headbands and hats!

How cool would these look on a funky, colorful outfit? I’d be one happy photographer if a little girl showed up in one of these! :)

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http://thelittleseed.com/shop.aspx The Little Seed. Organic, chic clothes from none other than Soleil Moon Frye and Co. Located in LA, but will ship anywhere. Key word: Organic.

Cute as heck t shirts…

And modern play. I will be getting this baby for a prop, to be sure!

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http://www.myrockstarbaby.com/product_details.php?id=15  My Rockstar Baby- LEGGINGS! 

YES, LEGGINGS! In all Caps! I LOVE ABSOLUTELY ADORE these, and as the site says, they make diaper changes a breeze. In all sorts of gorgeous patterns and warmth factors. Picture your baby in a skirt or just a diaper with a legging pattern to fit your tastes. Not only perfect for photoshoots- this protects crawling little one’s knees!

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What else do leggings go great with? TUTUS!

http://pettiskirtplace.com/pettiskirts.html -Pettiskirts for the discerning girly-girl.

http://www.fairyfashiontutus.com/catalog.php?category=3 Fairy Fashion Tutus.

I’m sure you can imagine all the great possibilities for tutus. Wear them alone, with a funky outfit, as a costume- either way you choose it, Little Girls LOVE to wear them, and they make great whimsical images. You can even juxtapose a delicate tutu with a grunge background- edgy!

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http://www.oobi.com.au/ - Oobi! For baby, kids, toddlers, boys and girls. An Australian company that I absolutely LOVE. They distribute in Australia and foreign countries now, but will be hosting American trade shows this spring and summer.

Vintage 50’s dress, anyone? That hat. Oh gosh.

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Diaper Covers. A Couple Links to Homemade, Unique Covers that’ll make your baby’s bum look designer!

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=7644492

http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=48097§ion_id=5281157

These are great, because while you want those bare-bum pictures for baby, they DO need a diaper on for at least some of the shoot! These covers make wearing a diaper stylish.

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http://www.gap.com/browse/division.do?cid=6170 - The all-encompassing Gap Kids. I love their site, because they literally put together photography-ready outfits for you! Just click on the “Mix It Up Outfits” under this section and they’ll show you killer combinations of their cute clothes. Here are a couple of my favorites for Spring that are GREAT for the 7-14 age:

Madras and textured stripes- who knew? :)

(The ever- classic t shirt under the button down.)

A Gap Favorite. This is all you need- Sparkly shoes to complete the outfit, maybe?

Props to the Gap for making Paisely understated and classic. This dress is classy and fun, but not overpoweringly so.

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Aaand finally, I could not resist this cute little tee from Bird By Bird Boutique. Click on the link to dress your baby birdie in the cutest future photographer wear!

http://www.shopbird.com/product.php?productid=16548&cat=343&manufacturerid=&page=1

For your budding little photographer (BabyBird).

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A lot of information, you say? Yes, we know. Here are a couple outfit suggestions to get your creative juices flowing:

Boys:

Shorts (or Denim) + Graphic Tee + Striped Button-Down Shirt

Sweater Vest + Funky Long Sleeved Shirt Underneath + Hat

Rocker Tee + Denim + Mohawk!

Plaid Shorts + Rolled-up Collared Shirt + flip-flops

Rolled Jeans + Graphic Tee.

Girls:

A Flowy Sundress + Bare Feet

A Denim Skirt + Graphic Tee + Striped Tights + Shrug Sweater + Cutesie Shoes!

A Long, Bohemian White shirt + Jeans + Bare Feet

Long, Bohemian Layered Skirt + Tank + Flower Hat

Skirt + Rainboots + Bright, Funky T Shirt + Hat!

Tutu + Tank

Just a Tutu + a Funky Hat!

Baby: Birthday suit is good, but…

Funky Flower Hat + T shirt + Diaper Cover

Sundress + Flower Hat

Just a t shirt + Baby Bum!

Just a diaper + Diaper Cover.

…and a million other combinations!

Sometimes the best thing to do (and the cutest), is to let your child pick their outfit themselves. You can bet you’ll get a whole lot of colors and patterns, and they’ll be pretty proud to show it off! :))

Finished your Coffee yet? ;) Until next time,

Category: Modeling, Randomness, business | No Comments Hide Comments | No comments yet. Click here to add yours!

 

Here’s Cheryl (in green) showing a bunch of fine looking photographers how she shoots. Imagine having that many cameras pointed at you?

See that pose being struck in the background?

Cheryl’s husband and baby Kennedy getting their pose on. You can’t see it, but in front of them is a whole lot of cameras!

See the gorgeous model in the background there?

Cheryl and the group.

You should have seen the faces of the people driving and walking by, haha. We must have looked like a huge group of good-looking paparazzi ;)

Category: Personal, Photography Tech | Show Comments | 4 people commented. Click here to add yours!

I was one of the 40 lucky children’s photographers that attended The Secret Workshop, run by fabulous kids’ photographer Cheryl Muhr (http://cherylmuhr.com). Cheryl and her guest speakers Amy Smith and Jodie Otte gave us a weekend full of knowledge, secrets, and confidence that is absolutely priceless, and I can’t say enough about the candid, humble way they shared both their successes and failures with us. It was so refreshing to hang out with a bunch of other women who are just as obsessed with photography as I am, haha!

Along with the workshop, we were able to run sessions with some of the cutest little models I’ve ever seen, and you’ll see a bunch of them on my website. Here are some images (including my lovely banner girl):

Another photographer, Stacey Larson’s daughter:

Category: Personal | Show Comments | 2 people commented. Click here to add yours!

The second day in Florida, we took the racecar Grand Prix up to Jacksonville, or Jax, as the locals called it, to meet up with a fellow photographer, Katelyn. I knew her gorgeous photos from flickr, and couldn’t pass up an opportunty to do some shooting with her for the day. She was kind enough to let us stay in her apartment for the night, and saved us a heck of a hotel bill!

We started out by waking up at 5:30 am to catch the sunrise on Jacksonville beach. I never would have wanted to wake up at 5:30 for anything, but this convinced me that some things are worth losing some sleep over. Here are a couple more images of the morning:

I’ve always seen sweeping, dramatic images of giant piers like these, but we don’t seem to have any up in New England. Jacksonville sure does though, and working with this as a backdrop with that gorgeous morning light was heaven.

Onto our second location, a glade by a river covered in Spanish Moss. Absolutely gorgeous. Southern Belle meets Alice In Wonderland. 

Onto a cute little 50’s diner (that went perfectly with that dress)…

(Katelyn does the pensive-diner-girl look very well.) I have more from the diner, but don’t you wanna see our other locations?

Of course you do, dahhlin. So Dita Von Tesse.

Our urban loc:

And I do always says this, but there is more to come. I still have half of these images to edit, so expect a whole ‘nother post of more of the fabulous Katelyn.

Category: Personal | Show Comments | 4 people commented. Click here to add yours!