All you have to do is look at these portraits to know how much fun we had. And I just love how personal and unique they are! Can’t you see them sharing these with their little boy someday? I often have people tell me they had a lot of fun, but this time it was my turn!  I loved every minute of it –thanks, Niki and Cody!

We decided to play with window light and hats today! Elyse was such a great model and was very patient while we experimented with different angles (and different hats!). The studio has a wall of glass facing south and at certain times of day, we get just the right amount of soft light. If you’re photographing your baby at home, be sure and move close to a big window –but avoid direct sunlight. Your snapshots will instantly improve!

My friends at Dallas Dog Life are publishing a directory ! They have lots of good information and fun activities on their website, but the directory is fabulous. I keep mine in the car!

“This first edition includes more than 200 DFW dog-friendly business listings, emergency veterinary clinic information, informative articles, and more! You can’t beat the price – only $5 for a directory packed full of information that any local dog-lover needs close at hand. Buy one for yourself and a friend and have the peace of mind that $1 of the purchase price – yes, a full 20%! – goes to the SPCA of Texas to benefit their spay/neuter program.”

I recently photographed this handsome little newborn boy, Nicholas, and fell in love with his gorgeous curls and sweet little face. I love it when babies fall asleep and we are able to gently slip them into fun hats and cocoons! This one fit him perfectly. We’re getting quite a collection of handmade baby stuff in a variety of colors and textures — and I think adding texture to a photograph is a big deal. If you’re in the market for some cute things for baby, check out www.etsy.com – a great resource for finding handmade items and purchasing directly from the artist.

I often get calls from people who have just had bad news from the vet. As heartbreaking as it is — I consider it very important work. We always make room on the calendar for these emergency sessions. Just before the holidays we photographed a 17 year old dachshund, and he’s still doing well. But two weeks ago we photographed this handsome guy, Eddie, who was only 8 – and by the time his proofs were ready he was gone. He was much loved. So rest in peace, Eddie — now you’re a puppy again!

This is Eryn and her dachshund Elvis — they were amazing! People often ask me why I choose to photograph two subjects that most photographers consider difficult, but there is a special kind of magic that happens when we put kids and dogs together that makes it worth the extra effort. It’s a combination of their wisdom and their innocence I think…

I was excited to learn that I have been awarded the Angie’s List Outstanding Service award for Dallas/Ft. Worth for 2009!  Several years ago, one of my clients posted information about me on Angie’s List. At the time, I didn’t know anything about Angie’s List but it wasn’t long before new clients started calling. If you’re unfamiliar, it’s a terrific resource for finding tradespeople and other professionals in your local area. So thanks for the pat on the back, Angie!

I just fell in love with some of the cute little December and January babies I’ve photographed lately…. this is beautiful Aliana.

About a year ago one of my clients told me about a wonderful online resource for Moms in the DFW area. It’s called Moms Out Loud (www.momsoutloud.com ). They have a free forum where you can chat with other moms, post questions and even post reviews of your favorite baby-related businesses and services. If you’re a Mom’s Out Loud member and you’d like to post a review of your experience with Teresa Berg Photography, well, of course we’d be thrilled. My husband and I love reading online reviews. We plan our vacations based on the reviews we read on Trip Advisor (www.tripadvisor.com ) and often hire tradespeople after reading their reviews on Angie’s List (www.angieslist.com ). It just takes some of the fear out of doing business with someone you found online. Angie’s List goes a step further and asks you to fill out a report card on the vendor after their work is complete and I think it helps to standardize the format – but a review is a review! I didn’t even know I was listed there until I started getting calls from new clients. So now you can chat with other moms, plan a trip to a child-friendly or baby-friendly place, and hire someone to repair  or remodel the nursery after your husband finishes with it!

It’s the busy season for babies. Every year at this time I seem to get lots of calls for maternity portraits (one of my very favorite things to do) and adorable newborn babies. I love it!  For those of you considering a maternity session – here’s a couple of tips. WAIT until you’re at least 32 weeks. That way you’ll be nice and “round” for profiles and silhouettes…and while you’re waiting for the weeks to tick by, think about a keepsake that might be fun to include in your portraits. A well-loved family teddy bear or something precious will really add to the personal feel of your baby’s first portraits. I had one client that brought a pretty little sweater to the newborn session. It was a 12 month size and we included it in each of her daughter’s sessions…until it fit!

It’s really great to have the new studio now with the extra shooting possibilities for babies and moms-to-be. Our new location is in the Preston Trail Village Shopping Center at 17194 Preston Road (Dallas, 75248). It’s the northeast corner of Preston and Campbell, next to a big Kroger store. There is a baby boutique downstairs, a music school next door (ugh….. I’m sooooo sick of two finger Frosty the Snowman!) and other professional offices all around. We’ll be having an open house at some point –so stay tuned!