I want to thank everyone who came out this year for the Mommy & Me mini sessions! I truly enjoyed these sessions as they mean so much to me. As a mom, I know that molding my little people into respectable human beings is a hard and thankless job! But we do it because we ADORE their sweet little faces, stinky little toes and melt-your-heart giggles. Yet, we often forget to get in front of the camera and share in the fun WITH them! I want my kids to look back and see that I was present in their lives and that I did actually enjoy being around them! Happy Mother's Day to all you WONDERFUL mommas out there! ~ Nickie

This summer has been a busy one and I have been blessed to photograph so many little people and their big people! For instance, the Kreiter family! Working with this beautiful couple took me back in time to when I was pregnant with my first baby. There is just something so magical and awesome (in the truest sense!) to be bringing a little person into the world. From being two people who love each other, to stepping into the role of 'parents'. It's amazing and scary, but these two did it so beautifully! Meet the Kreiter Family ~ Meghan, Casey and Landen. Thank you for choosing me to capture this special time. x

Sales sessions are the ugly but necessary side of Nicola Jane Photography! While I would much rather spend all my time with my little clients and create beautiful pictures for their big people, each month I keep getting these annoying bills that I have to pay! Yes, NJP is a business! Gosh darn it! This is not my favorite part of the 'job'! Over the years I have tried several different approaches with pricing all the while trying to keep you, my amazing clients, in mind! Because, let's be honest, if you're not happy, then NJP cannot exist (*insert very sad, pouty face here!*), but if I cannot pay those pesky bills, then NJP also cannot exist! What a pickle! 

So, after having these beautiful miraculous babies, reality set in! Babies are hard work! Toddlers are even harder! Yet through it all, watching these little people develop personalities is amazing! I had two baby boys, born from the same gene pool only months apart, and yet they couldn't be MORE different. I was so naive to think that my second son would be just like his brother! I couldn't have been more wrong! 

It's hard to describe my boys, as in some ways they have similar qualities; kind, sweet, emotional, curious and tenacious, but they show it in different ways. And yet, in other ways they are the perfect yin to the other's yang! As a mother, I am grateful to the photographer inside of me to be able to capture their uniqueness! My eldest... he has a very solemn and tender sole. He is unsure of himself and is very contemplatative... he is a thinker and very much a mama's boy! :)

My youngest is very intense. Very black and white. Very deep, and yet, a TOTAL goofball! He is wild and daring and up for anything! He is loud and shy and generally simultaneously awesome and a hard work to hang out with! :) 

Looking back on their young lives, I know that their personalities where innate. When I was pregnant with them, even then they behaved differently! One was quiet and worried me every day, and the other was active and gave me no rest! Nothing has changed! Every day they challenge me and frustrate me, but EVERY day I look at them and marvel at the privilege of being their Mum. They are amazing and I get to watch them grow and learn and be who they want to be. It's an honor. 

But why does this even matter? Because I know that all children no matter what their history have their own stories to tell and their own personalities to show. When you come into my studio, I will see every little client as themselves, and I want to capture their soul. Sometimes they are playful and cannot sit still, other times they are tearful and quiet.. there is no normal, and that is ok! They are all phenomenal and amazing and I am so lucky to be able to capture a moment in their little lives for their big people to treasure forever. 

"Hold him a little longer, 
Rock him a little more.
Tell him another story,
Tell him a million more.
Let him sleep on your shoulder,
Cherish his every smile.
He is only a baby,
for just a little while."
​~ Anon. 

Lately, I've been asked a lot about why I love doing newborn sessions! They're hard work, they're hot and they're messy!! It's true, but come on, look at how adorable they are!! However, it's not just the cuteness that makes me do it, it's something much more than that. Let me take you on a journey....

Once upon a time, I was told I would not be able to have my own children. Hearing that causes a pain in your heart that is beyond words. But then, one day, the impossible happened... I found out I was pregnant! He was my little nugget of joy and hope. Carrying him nestled under my heart was the biggest blessing of my life and I loved feeling him grow safe inside me. Being pregnant was a miraculous feeling that I truly cherished and seeing a swollen belly still to this day makes all those feelings gush back. It's amazing! Growing a tiny person inside you is just amazing! And so maternity photography just makes sense! It's selfish really, because I get to revel in all those amazing feelings that I had when I carried my babies! Yes, babies... plural!!! 

Ok... the next part of this story is SO cliche, but just go with it!! Not only was I that disgustingly glowy woman that had perfect pregnancies, but I will also tell you a story of how perfect their deliveries were! Oh my goodness! I was made to do this! When my first baby was born, he crawled up to my chest and just stayed there! There were people buzzing all around us, but by then, tunnel vision had set in... it was just me and him! This tiny little person that I had made who had been connected to me for months, who grew each day under my heart, had now stolen it! Completely! My life would never be the same. Those tiny fingers and toes, his button nose, those wrinkles, his chubby cheeks...I knew I was in trouble!!

So I guess, that's why I do it! Everything about babies makes me gush! They are simply amazing to me. They are not a paycheck (that's a whole other story!!), but something to be treasured, protected and loved. I don't take this business of being a mother for granted, and my business is an extension of my mothering! I truly LOVE what I do! 

With love, 
Nickie, Ryan and Owen. xx

Bumps and babies!! What could be better? I'm not sure which I find more beautiful! I love it when I get to photograph both and create a story. 

And then came baby!

I love my job! :)

It's no secret that I LOVE newborn sessions, but close on it's heels are sitter sessions!!! I love seeing my little clients return and show of their new skills and their adorable personalities. Sometimes they start off a little shy (quite right too!!), but then we start to have a little fun!! This guy..he had the best smile!! Those eyes!!!

"Where is the best place to have my images printed?"

Well, this is a question I hear often so I thought I would take some time to help give you an informed answer! You may think that my opinion is biased, and truthfully it is because this is something that matters to me! Why go to the expense of having beautiful pictures taken only to end up with poor prints hanging on your wall that you are not happy with? So, I ordered prints from some of the most popular photo labs to see how they compared....

Here is the original image. This was produced from the print lab that I prefer to use, WHCC. My monitor is calibrated to their printer, which means the prints I receive are printed to the EXACT colors that I see on my monitor. Now, take a look at the rest. Some of them were pretty close....some of them were not....!

The print from Costco had more red tones in it compared to the original.

The print from Snapfish was more yellow with less contrast than the original.

The print from Walmart had lots of darks and more magenta tones that the original. 

The print from Walgreens came out more green than the original and was also over-sharpened. 

The print from Target came out very yellow, it lacked contrast and was over-sharpened.

The print from Shutterfly was more orange than the original and lacked contrast. 

​So as you can see, not all printers are the same! That is not to say you can't get your images printed at any of these places! I honestly get my Christmas cards printed at Costco! Why? Because it's affordable, quick and let's face it, they're going to end up in the recycling pile in a couple of weeks! However, the 20x24 prints that I have hanging around my house I have professional printed, because I look at them EVERY day...my visitors look at them... and ok, I might be a bit OCD when it comes to this stuff!! 

"But, your prints are expensive!"

Yes, it's true! Ordering prints from any professional is going to be more expensive. Getting your hair done at a salon is more expensive than doing your hair yourself! You get the point! Here's the reason why... professional print companies are held to a higher standard..it's what they do! They are committed to providing reliable, high quality products. They check their ink settings to make sure that each and every one of their printers are printing correctly so you can get the same print over and over again. Other companies do not do this! I could reorder the same print again and get different results. 

Now, this post is not intended to reprimand you!! Heck, I'm just happy if you PRINT your images!! The purpose of this is just to inform you of the results I found! My greatest fear as a photographer is that you print your images and hate the picture you look at every day which results in your lack of trust in my work. I aim to provide you with a service that is consistent and high quality and I hope that keeps you coming back time after time, because I truly love capturing images for you! It is also for this reason that this year I have changed my approach to ordering products. I will now be offering you a variety of packages at your in-person sales appointment to get the exact product that fits YOU. 

If you have any comments or questions, please let me know! I'd love to hear from you!!

P.S. I will keep these photos at the studio for you to take a look at!