Kansas City Maternity, Newborn, and Baby Photographer | Kansas City Birth Photographer | Overland Park

1 Day Old Connor’s First 48 Session at the Hospital

Jessica Strom — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 02:32:16 +0000

Oh sweet Connor. Heavy Connor. 10 pounds of adorable Connor. Often when I do these sessions I’m meeting parents for the first time and I knew right off the bat that it was going to be awesome when they asked me if I wanted to hold him before I started shooting. Um, YES! Oh I could have snuggled with this little bug all day. We had fantastic light coming in through the hospital room windows, a happy baby, a new mom who did not look like she just gave birth let alone to a 10 pounder (God Bless you, my hero!) and an adoring new dad who could just not get enough of his new baby boy. Perfection!

Mom bought this little outfit off Etsy since it holds special meaning and normally I don’t do these types of posed prop set ups in a hospital session, but 1 day old Connor showed me he didn’t care what I did so we gave it a go on the bed just using the hospital sheets and I think it worked out great. Plus, well he filled it out really well for a 1 day newbie! =0) So stinking adorable!

Choosing to have me come to the hospital for a BIRTHday session is a fantastic alternative to going with the contracted companies that go door to door in the hospital as I bring my expertise and know how to work with new babies. I also do not use flash under any circumstance to protect their little eyes and am on partial-call to be there the day your baby is born (or the next day depending on the time of birth). Trust me, having true professional images of the day your baby is born is something you will treasure forever. Check out my BIRTHday (also called First 48 for within the first 2 days of birth) packages HERE. Don’t miss out, I only take a limited amount of bookings each month!

A Beautiful Maternity Session in Downtown Overland Park

Jessica Strom — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 19:04:41 +0000

I’ve been so busy shooting that blogging has taken to the back burner but I’m trying to get some more current work on here. You can also follow me on my Facebook page for current sneak peeks at www.facebook.com/jessicastromphotography

The beautiful Tina! We decided to do her maternity session from her Belly to Baby package in downtown Overland Park back in the winter to give us something more to work with in the blahness that is a white grey winter day and I’m thrilled with how they came out despite the sky being totally white. Tina looked absolutely radiant and adorable. Her hubby wasn’t able to make it so it was just Tina and I and we had a lot of fun walking around from place to place and getting to know each other. I even treated her to come fresh pie at the local pie shop in downtown OP after our session was wrapped. The area is really quiet and trendy with all sorts of cute little shops, not to mention the farmer’s market in the spring. Yummy!

I had gone scouting there the day before to make sure everything was good to go and loved the name of the movie on the marque (Amore) and hoped they wouldn’t change it the next day (Friday), but think they probably would, I snapped a photo of it on my iPhone just in case. So glad I did because the new title didn’t quite fit for one having a little girl! So just add a little photoshop magic and voila!

So baby Natalie is here now, we did a beautiful newborn session of her and now we’re almost ready for her first Watch Me Grow session. Time sure flies when you’re having fun!

The Results of 2013′s Rock My Tie Photo Contest Are…

Jessica Strom — Sat, 25 May 2013 16:37:58 +0000

This was a CLOSE CLOSE race. I honestly didn’t know who was going to take the prizes until after it closed and the votes were final, it changed so much all the time and there were 4 little dudes really making a run for it! The Top winner who took it all won with 129 votes, right behind was 124 votes, then 118, 116, and 113. CRAZY CLOSE! So without further adu…

The Grand Prize Winner of 2013′s ROCK MY TIE with 129 votes is…

DUSTIN!!!!

From the Under 1 Category! CONGRATS!!!

The First Runner Up is from the Under 1 Category and winner of a Mini-Session, with 124 votes is…

JOEY!!! Congrats!!

The next two Runner-Ups are BROTHERS from their respective age categories! This has only happened once before in all the contests I’ve done in the last 4 years that both siblings do so well! (with random unknown voters it can really differ!)

Brian on the left from the AGE 2-3 Category had 118 votes and baby brother Henry from AGE 1 Category had 116! Congrats to you both!! Being that you both won, we’ll just upgrade those two mini-sessions into one family session with your 20 images!

An honorable mention goes out to ELIJAH from the Age 2-3 category who came in so so close with 115 votes!! Way to go buddy!!! All the rest of the votes for each kiddo were under the 100 mark and if parents would like to know what they got, please just send me a message. I don’t publish all the final vote numbers so not to discourage anyone because ALL the boys were ADORABLE!!

And the winner of the VOTER Mini-Session picked at random from the comments is…

STACY with email address STACYLOU112001 @ blank dot blank! Please email me to claim your prize! =0)

Everyone, you all did so amazing and THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU for participating! Thank you to all the voters who commented to win the session, you said such kind things and they go straight to my heart!

ROCK THE TUTU and ROCK MY TIE will be back again next year in 2014 and open to ages 0 – 2 years (yes, the age limit is being lowered!) Hope to see you then (but sooner would be awesome! Do please get in touch!)

It’s been great! Until next year!!

ROCK MY TIE 2013 | Kansas City Baby Photo Contest

Jessica Strom — Thu, 23 May 2013 13:00:23 +0000

***Please excuse any slow down of my website and missing backgrounds or fonts as the traffic is significantly increased over the next couple days***

ROCK MY TIE IS LIVE UNTIL TOMORROW, FRIDAY MAY 24th 11:59PM. Please vote for you favorite little dude in EACH category! Can vote once per day per IP address (basically anything with an internet connection).

Are you ready?? GOOD LUCK! Please select your choices and click vote!

Mobile/DIRECT Link to Under One Category is https://polldaddy.com/poll/7122240/. **If you are having trouble on your device, use the direct link**

Mobile/DIRECT Link to Age One Category is https://polldaddy.com/poll/7122247/. **If you are having trouble on your device, use the direct link**

Mobile/DIRECT Link to Age 2-3 Category is https://polldaddy.com/poll/7122250/. **If you are having trouble on your device, use the direct link**

DON’T FORGET TO LEAVE A COMMENT BELOW WITH YOUR NAME AND EMAIL AND BE ENTERED TO WIN A MINI-SESSION JUST FOR VOTING! Must also “Like” my Facebook page at www.facebook.com/jessicastromphotography as well! Thank you!!!

Twins Lilli & Elli in the NICU

Jessica Strom — Mon, 20 May 2013 17:05:15 +0000

This session almost didn’t happen. One of the hard parts of coordinating a photo session in the NICU is well, it’s in the NICU. Things change daily, conditions of all the sweet babes can and does change daily. Sometimes you think you’re admitted for another few weeks and something amazing happens & you find out you get to go home the next day. Other times it’s opposite. Sometimes it’s me, if I get even a hint of a cold, scratchy throat, stuffy nose, anything, I won’t go anywhere near the NICU. I think Momma and I had picked out 3 or 4 dates and each time something happened that delayed it. It’s hard because parents are so looking forward to something normal and medical delays can’t be helped. But in the end, we prevailed!! And we found a date and rocked it out. I don’t bring anything with me into the NICU but parents are always welcome to provide anything they want for their sessions. They bought the outfits and the blankets were lovingly made by their grandma. I think the images turned out absolutely beautiful of this sweet precious family! Thank you for inviting me to photograph you all, I’m so so thankful (and beyond thankful for other introductions) that this day worked out.

As I head into Spring & Summer I can only take on limited NICU sessions, so if you know of anyone who could use this service and meets the criteria (born under 35 weeks with a minimum admission of 3 weeks) and at either Shawnee Mission Medical Center or Overland Park Regional Medical Center), please send them the following links: http://www.jessicastrom.net/kansas-city-free-nicu-photography/ and http://www.jessicastrom.net/2013/02/04/welcome-to-the-nicu/

The Results of 2013′s Rock The Tutu Photo Contest Are…

Jessica Strom — Sat, 18 May 2013 18:32:31 +0000

2 days, 27 little ladies, 1683 votes cast…

With 191 Votes, the GRAND PRIZE WINNER of 2013′s ROCK THE TUTU is…

TYLER from the Under 1 Category!! CONGRATS!!!

The first RUNNER UP and winner of a MINI SESSION with 171 votes is…

AUBREE from the Age 2 & 3 Category!! Congrats!!!

The next Runner Up and winner of a MINI SESSION is from the Age 1 Category with 89 votes is…

TESS!! Congrats!!

And the final Runner Up and winner of a MINI SESSION is from the Under 1 Category with 107 votes is…

ANISTON!! Congrats!!

And the winner of the VOTER Mini-Session picked at random is…

KIRSTEN (last name not provided) with the email address of kristenkujayhawk @ blank dot blank. =0)

THANK YOU to ALL the moms and beautiful girls for entering the contest, it was a BLAST! If you are a parent and would like to purchase the high resolution image of your daughter’s photo, they are available at $40 each and you can email me to let me know you want it and I’ll fill you in on the rest. I don’t post the results publicly as the vote numbers vary so much I don’t want to discourage anyone, but if you are a parent and want to know where your votes fell, I would be happy to share it with you, just email me please.

I will email all the winners tomorrow on Sunday! You are welcome to email me ahead of time but I will reply tomorrow. =0) Congrats again!!

Come back NEXT WEEK, the boys contest ROCK MY TIE goes LIVE ON THURSDAY!! Registration is closed for it however there will be another voter prize so make sure you vote!

Thanks again everyone!!

ROCK THE TUTU 2013 | Kansas City Baby Photo Contest

Jessica Strom — Thu, 16 May 2013 12:51:38 +0000

***Please excuse any slow down of my website and missing backgrounds or fonts as the traffic is significantly increased over the next couple days***

ROCK THE TUTU IS LIVE UNTIL TOMORROW, FRIDAY MAY 17th 11:59PM. Please vote for you favorite little diva in EACH category! Can vote once per day per IP address (basically anything with an internet connection). ROCK DEL TUTÚ ESTARA ACTIVO HASTA mañana, VIERNES, 17 de Mayo hasta las 11:59 PM. Por favor vote por su pequeña diva favorita en cada categoría! Se puede votar una vez por día por cada dirección IP (básicamente cualquier aparato con una conexión a internet).

While you’re here and voting, ANYONE can ENTER TO WIN a FREE mini-portrait session with me this spring (select dates only) that includes a digital image package, a $350 value! All you have to do is leave a COMMENT with your name and email address on THIS POST as well as LIKE my Facebook page (www.facebook.com/jessicastromphotography) and the voter winner will be selected at random. **Winning session is to be done in Overland Park and valid for one immediate family only, not transferrable** Mientras estas aquí y estés votando, CUALQUIERA puede entrar PARA GANAR una corta sesión de fotografías GRATIS conmigo esta primavera (sólo en fechas seleccionadas) Esto incluye en un paquete de imagen digital, un valor de $350! Lo único que tiene que hacer es dejar un COMENTARIO con su nombre y dirección de correo electrónico en este blog, así como al igual que un LIKE en mi página de Facebook. (www.facebook.com/jessicastromphotography) El ganador será seleccionado al azar. ** La Sesión ganadora se debe hacer en Overland Park inmediatamente y es válido solamente para una sola familia, no se puede transferir **

For our contest entries, GRAND PRIZE is the most overall votes. That entry wins a full family session including a premium digital package to be done this Spring. A $700 value! But wait, there’s more! There are 3 RUNNER UPS, the top votes in each age category, and they EACH win a mini session with their family this Spring that includes the premium digital package, each a $600 value! Para las entradas del concurso, el GRAN PREMIO será el que tenga la mayoría del voto. El gran Premio se ganara una sesión familiar de fotografías completo, incluyendo un paquete digital de calidad suprema, la sesión se podrá tomar en la primavera y tiene Un valor de $700! Pero espere, hay más! 1ero, 2ndo, y 3cer lugar, también ganaran por medio de los mejores votos en cada categoría de edad, y cada una de ELLAS gana una corta sesión de fotografías con su familia esta primavera que incluye un paquete digital de calidad suprema y de alta resolución, cada uno un valor de $600!

A HUGE THANK YOU to Whitney from LITTLE DREAMERS TUTUS, www.littledreamerstutus.com, for making the ADORABLE tutus for me, she ROCKS and I will always use her tutus! They are perfect for WEDDINGS, PORTRAITS, and PLAY. Check her out (but plan ahead!) Un gran agradecimiento a Whitney de LITTLE DREAMERS TUTUS www.littledreamerstutus.com, por hacerme los tutús tan encantadores. Ella es increíble! y siempre voy a usar sus tutus! Son perfectos para las bodas, retratos y para divertirse. Visite su página de internet (pero planificar con anticipación!)

The Boys Contest, Rock My Tie, will launch next Thursday so stick around next week to vote for the boys! El Concurso de Niños, Rock My Tie, se lanzará el próximo jueves. Y espere para Votar por los Niños la próxima semana!

One last reminder, anyone can promote the contest, all I ask is that businesses are not used as a means to promote any one entry and using business newsletter email lists to ask for votes for any one entry will result in disqualification. The contest is a whirlwind of FUN, let’s be sure to keep it FAIR. Un último recordatorio, cualquier persona puede promover el concurso, lo único que les pido es que no utilicen a las empresas para promover al participante. No se permite usar listas de correo electrónico boletines de negocios para pedir el voto de una o (un) participante porque si no, el participante será descalificado del concurso. El concurso es un torbellino de diversión, asegúrese de mantenerse JUSTO.

Are you ready?? May The Tutu Be With You! Please select your choices and click vote!

¿Estás listo? Que El Tutu esté con usted! Elija sus opciones y haga clic y aplique su voto!

Mobile Link to Under One Category is http://poll.fm/488p2

Mobile Link to Age 1 Category is http://poll.fm/488rz

Mobile Link to Age 2-3 Category is http://poll.fm/488sd

NO OLVIDES DEJAR UN COMENTARIO ABAJO CON SU NOMBRE Y CORREO ELECTRÓNICO Y participará para ganar un sesión pequeña SOLO POR VOTAR! Debe también “Me gusta” en mi página de Facebook en www.facebook.com/ jessicastromphotography ¡Gracias!

Happy BIRTHday Aniston! | 24 hrs Newly Born

Jessica Strom — Sun, 12 May 2013 01:35:39 +0000

Oh Aniston, she is just so stinking precious. Her momma had won one of my BIRTHday packages to have her sweet first baby photographed and the session was just such a joy to photograph. I love all my BIRTHday hospital sessions but especially when it’s a first baby it’s especially exciting as you can literally feel that ‘first baby’ energy as soon as you walk into the room. There were a lot of family members there visiting when I arrived and since they are such small rooms, I do always ask everyone except Mom & Dad to step out while we do pictures so we can have space to move around. Trust me, I feel bad doing it, but it does make it easier and faster to work. Aniston was bright eyed & bushy tailed during the whole time I was there but I skillfully caught her on some blinks to it looked like she was sleeping. And she even smiled for me too! I brought the 1 Day Old onesie and the hospital girly (striped one) hat and she totally rocked it. =0)

Choosing to have me come to the hospital for a BIRTHday session is a fantastic alternative to going with the contracted companies that go door to door in the hospital as I bring my expertise and know how to work with new babies. I also do not use flash under any circumstance to protect their little eyes and am on partial-call to be there the day your baby is born (or the next day depending on the time of birth). Trust me, having true professional images of the day your baby is born is something you will treasure forever. Don’t miss out, I only take a limited amount of bookings each month!

And just a few in color, because she was born to wear a ton of pink!!

Sophia’s Beautiful & Very Purple Newborn Session

Jessica Strom — Sun, 12 May 2013 01:11:44 +0000

Usually I get initial inquiries for my portrait services from expectant moms, but every now and then a Daddy will get in touch for more information and will usually discuss it with Mom before getting back to me. This time, Daddy was really buying for his wife a ‘Push Present’ and knew that she loved photographs so very much and so after speaking with me over the phone, decided to book a basic newborn session (baby only portraits) for their new baby girl as Mom’s ‘Push’ present. I loved it!! He surprised her shortly before baby was born and did a wonderful job keeping me up to date on when baby arrived. She was in fact one of my three baby girls all born on the same day in April, it was wild. A couple weeks ago I went out to their home in Lee’s Summit (yep, I sure will drive out there!) and met this ADORABLE little family. Sophia could not have behaved more beautifully for me. She slept just about the entire time, let me do whatever I wanted to with her and just was a total dream baby. She’s now one of my Watch Me Grow baby planners and I can’t wait to photograph her as she’s grows this year with her parents and her adoring big sis!

Push Present? What an incredible honor and joy. Thank you!!

Whitmore’s 1 Month Session at Home

Jessica Strom — Fri, 10 May 2013 19:33:34 +0000

Little man Whit is such a handsome little doll! He arrived a little earlier than his due date period and so this session was done when he was a month old at home out in the Lawrence area (which I don’t mind driving to at all!) I always tell parents that I don’t have any expectations of babes when they are past the newborn curly stage (under 2 weeks) but Whit did amazing. He was sleeping when I arrived and we took advantage of it to get his stunning images on their red throw blanket I found on their couch. I love using items I find in the home as backdrops so that way when the images are enlarged and framed they will look absolutely perfect in that room.

For in-home sessions I usually shoot in the living room, baby’s room, and the master bedroom since those are the areas that families spend the most time in. As a back up, I always bring my studio lights with me in case there’s not enough available window light. It’s also great to be able to shoot in the same areas over the Watch Me Grow baby plan, which Whit is delightfully on, and I’m excited to document his first year. Happiness starts at home, so that’s why I love doing so many of my sessions there. =0)

Enjoy! See you next week Whit! Can’t wait!