Happy 2018! We are already in mid-Jan.  Time passes so fast especially when we are so busy playing with all the cute babies in town.  We had an amazing 2017;  I’m so blessed having the multi talented partner, Stella, by my side and all of you wonderful, kind and caring clients. 

I treasure the long term relationship with clients and it’s always nice working with familiar faces.  After hearing lots of interests in the Cake Smash session from my existing and very supportive clients; I’m happy to announce that we now cover the Cake Smash session for your beautiful 1 year old.  The most ideal time for Cake Smash session is when baby between 10-12 months old.  They should be able to sit on their own and able to grab the fluffy delicious cake with their cute tiny hands.  Don’t wait until the last minute to reserve the session if you want to share these hilarious and goofy photos of your precious little one at their first ever birthday party. The average turn around time for the photos is 3-4 weeks; prints and album take another 2 weeks. 

Stay tuned for more tips on newborn, maternity and baby photography

byJanelle, your  newborn and maternity photographer

The post Cake Smash Session in 2018 appeared first on Hong Kong Newborn & Family Photographer.

It’s such an honor to contribute my photo to the 100 Creative Newborn Photo idea post, published by Shutterfly!  https://www.shutterfly.com/ideas/newborn-photo/

Now, we will never run out of poses and inspirations! 

If you’re looking for some beautiful personalized greeting cards for this holidays or introducing your precious newborn to the world, Shutterfly has wide range of design in greeting cards for every occasion! 

Still looking or that perfect photo of your best side before hitting off the printer. Contact us today to book a session! 

Stay tuned for more tips on newborn, maternity and baby photography

byJanelle, your  newborn and maternity photographer

The post A BIG thank you to Shutterfly! appeared first on Hong Kong Newborn & Family Photographer.

We all love those perfectly posed and beautifully styled newborn photos.  Many would say “well, that’s easy.  The baby is sleeping in those photos and you can move and dress them however you wish.”  But that assumption can’t be any further from the truth.  Through this article, I would like to describe the reality of how newborn photo sessions are conducted and some of the challenges we face.  Hopefully this will help parents gain a better understanding and have a much more enjoyable session.

It is almost certain that the baby will cry at some point during the session.  Especially when we are trying for those cute and curvy-posed types of photos.  Ideally, the baby is in deep sleep and we can move and style the little angel freely.  But it normally does not work like that.  Every slight move of the baby wakes them up and each baby behaves differently when they are being disrupted.  Oftentimes, babies cry for a short few seconds while they are being adjusted into a pose.  We usually give them a little massage to help calm them down and they fall right back to sleep quickly.  If crying resumes, we pick the baby up and hold them until they fall back to sleep.  This process can repeat itself many times over and I understand when the parents instinct to protect their baby and may be worried or even concerned the cries becomes more frequent and louder.  However, staying calm and having patience is the best way to calm your baby.   My team has over 5 years of experience handling newborns and small children and we place your baby’s safety and comfort as our top priority.  Let’s try not to be overly worried first; if you really don’t feel comfortable with the process, please let us know and we are more than happy to stop at anytime.  

For each session, we aim to try for at least 3 different styles for the newborn photos and also some family portraits.  Another challenge exists if you have toddlers and/or multiple children.  We have to keep the toddlers engaged and the newborns calm simultaneously for the photos to turn out perfectly.  We’re also mindful that newborns have very frequent feeding and diaper changing schedules and we work accordingly to seize those precious free moments we have in between.  Consequently, a standard newborn session can easily run up to 3 hours.

Each session requires a good team on all sides – we should all stay calm and try to relax.  The best photos are captured when everyone is genuinely having a good time and with minimal stress involved.

I hope by now you have gained a clear idea of the challenges we face during the newborn sessions.  Have a little faith in yourself and us – together we can create the most amazing photos that your family will treasure forever.  Want to know more?  Give me a shout and I’m happy to answer all of your questions.

Stay tuned for more tips on newborn, maternity and baby photography

byJanelle, your hong kong newborn and maternity photographer (previous post)

The post What if my baby cries during the newborn photo session? appeared first on Hong Kong Newborn & Family Photographer.

My favorite time of the year is here!  The magical season is making everyone so happy.  Recently, I revisited a lot of moms who just have their second or third child.  It’s always exciting to meet their older child/children again years after meeting them the first time when they were a few days old.  I really want to thank you all for sharing your happiest moments with me years after years.

Besides earning the big trust from my repeating clients, there are two more exciting news of this year I want to share. First, byJanelle photography is being featured on three leading publications in Hong Kong – Time Out Family, Expatliving and Sassymama. 

Second, I have a new team member Stella who is a certified nanny.  Stella is very experienced with newborns and she has taken care of her grandson since day 1 who is now 6 years old!  As we all know, newborns are very unpredictable and sometimes the newborn session does not always go as smooth as we plan it.  Having Stella on board is a big plus for me and you (parents!).  She’s so excellent at calming a crying baby and she also loves to share her tips on taking care of newborns.  Don’t be shy – you can ask her anything next time when you see her.  Stella also has a photography background. Her father-in-law is a famous photographer in Hong Kong and Stella used to assist him.  Aren’t we lucky?

I feel blessed for being able to work with so many amazing people. Thank you again for your big support.  A friendly reminder – booking for the first half of 2017 are filling up fast. Contact me now to lock in your ideal date for your next photo session.

Follow me on Instagram (@byjanelle_photography) and facebook page (facebook.com/byjanelle.net) for more instant updates. 

Wishing you all a wonderful year in 2017!

Stay tuned for more tips on newborn, maternity and baby photography

byJanelle, your hong kong newborn and maternity photographer (previous post)

The post Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! appeared first on Hong Kong Newborn & Family Photographer.

I had an excellent time meeting more babies and families in San Francisco / Bay Area.  I felt very lucky having the sunny weather throughout most of my trip and witnessing @Karlthefog  sitting right above the golden gate bridge – it’s definitely a different kind of beauty! 

I often crave for a more natural setting amidst the concrete jungles of Hong Kong.  Since my work mainly revolves around newborns and moms with big bellies, traveling for long distances is usually out of the question.  In contrast, many families in the Bay Area have outdoors access literally a doorstep away and this can make for a very scenic photo session.  Although the breathtaking sky line of downtown Hong Kong is equally precious, I always love including Mother Nature in my work.

Quick shoutout to all expecting parents in the San Francisco / Bay Area!    Looking for a photographer to bring out some new perspectives of your beautiful city?  Contact me to find out my next traveling schedule.

Last but not least, a huge thank you to my  David, the CMO!  None of this would have happened without you!! Thumbs up to David!!  

For families in Hong Kong, I still have a few slots remaining for the rest of 2016. Contact me as soon as possible to secure your slot! 

I look forward to hearing from you! xx

Stay tuned for more tips on newborn, maternity and baby photography

byJanelle, your hong kong newborn and maternity photographer (previous post)

The post San Francisco Newborn Photographer and Family Photographer appeared first on Hong Kong Newborn & Family Photographer.

I’m defiantly more of a small wedding kind of person where I can always have a quiet place to capture the moments. Have a small intimate wedding coming up? or small group event? Share the details with me, maybe we can have a fun day together.

The post Sunset Wedding appeared first on Hong Kong Newborn & Family Photographer.

On top of that, my article is also being published on the Sassy Mama’s website! Come check it out – Top 5 Tips To Prepare For A Newborn Photography Session.

Thank you Sassy Mama for such an amazing opportunity and it feels warm to be a part of this loving community.

The post Thank you Sassy Mama – Newborn Photography appeared first on Hong Kong Newborn & Family Photographer.

Over a year ago, I talked about the differences between custom photography and volume photography (click here). In a brief summary, custom photography is catered to YOUR family only. There are no 2 photos alike: they are captured in different time, different light and different subject. Before the session, I often ask my clients to share some photos that they like (either from my portfolio or other sources) so I can prepare and think of the best photography approach for them.

I’m a strong believer in capturing the moments. As a well trained artist / photographer, I try to avoid creating repetitive works. I like the challenges of shooting in a new location every time and I’m often inspired by the new environment or simply the people I work with, YOU

There are no 2 photos alike. You and your family are the special unique individuals and my job is to capture these beautiful moments of your life for you to treasure for a life time. I’m looking forward to meeting all the little “monkeys” in town this year Interested in learning more about a newborn session? contact us today.

Stay tuned for more tips on newborn, maternity and baby photography

byJanelle, your hong kong newborn and maternity photographer.

The post You are special! -newborn photography appeared first on Hong Kong Newborn & Family Photographer.

I did a little research on newborn jaundice and here is what I learnt – apparently most newborn babies have jaundice in the first few weeks and some are more noticeable than others.  Jaundice causes the skin to look yellowish because of the high levels of pigment in the blood called bilirubin. During pregnancy, mother’s liver eliminate bilirubin for her baby. After birth, newborn baby’s liver has not yet fully developed to remove bilirubin on their own. Therefore, pigments build up to cause the yellowish problem on their skin. That’s one of the most common reasons for newborn jaundice.

The ideal age to photograph a newborn is between 7 and 14 days old. Newborns sleep more deeply at this age and have greater flexibility and ease of posture. Since mild newborn jaundice will not affect the photo quality in most cases and I can correct the yellowish skin color in post production, it’s not necessary to postpone a newborn session.

I understand every situation is different. For newborns with more severe jaundice, treatments are required in the first few weeks. Don’t worry, older newborn photos can be equality (if not more) as cute and precious.

We take no more than 3 bookings per week to ensure the best photo quality and provide a more flexible schedule for every family. Book early today to secure your slot and start sharing your family story with us (contact).

Stay tuned for more tips on newborn, maternity and baby photography

byJanelle, your hong kong newborn and maternity photographer 

The post Should I postpone the newborn photo session if my baby has newborn jaundice? appeared first on Hong Kong Newborn & Family Photographer.

Year 2015 went by like a blink of an eye. I didn’t even have time for a wrap up earlier.  So much had happened in 2015 – a lot of traveling, work was unexpectedly busy and I had learned to face a lot of new challeges (I’d like to see it mostly good, haha!). Two highlights I would like to mention. First, THANK YOU! YES! YOU! MY AUDIENCE! I honesty didn’t expect how many of you had actually read my blog before reaching out to me. You always put a smile on my face when I see your emails/texts/calls that how much you like my photos AND my blog. THANK YOU! Every time I see your comments, it motives me and I know the fact that I’m not the only audience to my blog Second, following your passion and doing what you absolute love every
day is truly amazing. To me, you know what that is. My photography work has inspired a close friend of mine on turning her habit/passion into something bigger! I’m very blessed to have friends who I can share my happiness from photography and through that I inspire others on pursuing their own passions.

Moving forward 2016,  I’ll continue on my mission to meet more newborn babies in town and re-meet all the familiar faces again. It’s always great to re-meet the baby 6  to 9 months after I have taken their newborn photos. They always surprise me how fast they grow but their facial expressions always remain the same!

We are luck that having a pretty warm winter this year. I found the weather is quite perfect for taking some outdoor family photo. Wanna explore some beautiful outdoor places in Hong Kong with me? Contact me to schedule

your next photo session! Looking forward to hearing from you and Happy 2016!

Stay tuned for more tips on newborn, maternity and baby photography

byJanelle, your hong kong newborn and maternity photographer .

The post Happy New Year! – Family Photography Hong Kong appeared first on Hong Kong Newborn & Family Photographer.