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Award winning Charlottesville newborn + maternity photographer

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Award Winning Charlottesville Newborn & Maternity Photographer

new all inclusive sessions. All your photos. no memories left behind

Cake Smash Photography

Angela McNaul Photography presents cake smash photography. Serving Charlottesville and Richmond area.

Happy Birthday Charleigh Cake Smash photography Palmyra
Cake Smash Photography

Happy Birthday Charleigh Cake Smash photography Palmyra

Happy Birthday Charleigh Cake Smash photography Palmyra Happy 1st Birthday, Charleigh. I love cake smashes and I love photographing these…

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Richmond Virginia Cake Smash Photographer Declan
Cake Smash Photography | Children's Photography

Richmond Virginia Cake Smash Photographer Declan

Richmond Virginia Cake Smash Photographer Declan I love photographing sweet babies (and their siblings) for the first year of their…

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Charlottesville Cake Smash Photographer ~Brooke~
Cake Smash Photography

Charlottesville Cake Smash Photographer ~Brooke~

Charlottesville Cake Smash Photographer ~Brooke~   Brooke was such a happy girl coming in for her “Just a cake smash”…

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Richmond Virginia Cake Smash Photography ~Lainey~
Cake Smash Photography

Richmond Virginia Cake Smash Photography ~Lainey~

Richmond Virginia Cake Smash Photography ~Lainey~ Happy 1st Birthday Lainey! Such a sweet and fun cake smash session with this…

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~Keegan~ Charlottesville Cake Smash Mini Session
Cake Smash Photography

~Keegan~ Charlottesville Cake Smash Mini Session

~Keegan~ Charlottesville Cake Smash Mini Session Keegan came to visit me for a cake smash mini session. What a joy…

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CONTACT ME

info@angelamcnaulphotography.com

375 Four Leaf Lane
Suite 203
Charlottesville, Virginia

@angelamcnaulphotography
This happens all the time. Mom says: "I really d This happens all the time.

Mom says:

"I really don't want to be in the pictures."

And I get it.

You've just had a baby.

You probably haven't slept.

You may not feel like yourself.

You may not love the way your body looks right now.

You may have spent the entire morning making sure everyone else is ready.

But here's what I want you to know.

I'm not interested in making you look like a model.

I'm interested in making you look like their mom.

Because when your baby is 10 years old, they aren't going to look at that photograph and critique your hair.

They're going to see you holding them.

And I think you'll be glad you were there.
There is a look parents give me sometimes during a There is a look parents give me sometimes during a newborn session.

Usually after their baby has pooped.

Again.

Or spit up.

Again.

Or decided that the beautiful outfit they arrived in needs to be completely removed because absolutely everything underneath it is now questionable.

It’s the look that says...

“I am so sorry.”

And I always laugh.

Because please know this.

You do not have to apologize to me because your newborn is acting like a newborn.

Your baby is not ruining the session.

Your baby is not being difficult.

Your baby does not need to “behave.”

They are literally days or weeks old.

Honestly, if everyone leaves with a few good photographs and only one person gets peed on, I consider that a pretty successful day.

The bar is realistic around here.
I Still Get Nervous After all these years… I s I Still Get Nervous

After all these years...

I still get a tiny knot in my stomach before every newborn session.

Not because I don't know what I'm doing.

Because every family has trusted me with something irreplaceable.

Those first days.

Those tiny details.

Their brand new baby.

That trust is never something I take for granted.
I have a soft spot for dad photos. Not because da I have a soft spot for dad photos.

Not because dads don't love being in photographs.

Some do.

Some absolutely do not.

But there is usually a point in the session where dad realizes this is not really about having his picture taken.

It's about showing up in the story.

So I ask him to sit down.

I hand him his baby.

And almost immediately, he stops thinking about the camera.

His shoulders relax.

His hands know exactly what to do.

And he looks down.

That's usually when I take the photograph.

Not the smile he gave me.

The one he gave his baby.

Those are the dad photographs I love most.

The ones where I don't think he even realizes I'm taking them.
10 images to show you how I photograph newborns, c 10 images to show you how I photograph newborns, children, and families—the details I look for, the way I use light, and the kind of photographs I want you to have years from now.

Obviously, there’s so much more to my work than 10 photographs.

But if you’re new here, these are a pretty good place to start.

Charlottesville newborn photographer | Crozet newborn photographer | Virginia newborn, child, and family photography

#CharlottesvilleNewbornPhotographer #CrozetNewbornPhotographer #CharlottesvillePhotographer #photographer
A Little Confession I probably take too many phot A Little Confession

I probably take too many photographs.

There.

I said it.

But newborns are terrible at following a shot list.

They stretch when you're not ready.

They make a face for half a second.

Their fingers uncurl.

Their eyes open.

Their mouth moves.

Their whole expression changes while I'm standing there thinking, wait, wait, wait.

And I would rather have too many photographs than realize later that I missed the little thing that made that baby uniquely theirs.

So yes.

I take a lot of photographs.

Because babies don't repeat themselves on command.
The Quiet House People always ask if my house is The Quiet House

People always ask if my house is loud because I photograph babies all day.

Ironically...

It's usually very quiet.

My kids are grown, so after a session ends, I come home to silence. I edit while the dog sleeps nearby and my husband asks how many babies I got to snuggle that day.

It's funny how my job fills my heart with tiny voices while my own house has become so peaceful.

Life has a way of changing before you even realize it.
Nobody Needs Another Perfect Baby Picture I love Nobody Needs Another Perfect Baby Picture

I love a beautiful newborn portrait.

Obviously.

But I don't think your gallery needs to be 30 photographs of your baby looking peacefully at the camera.

Give me the weird little faces.

Give me the clenched fists.

Give me the baby who looks mildly offended.

Give me the feet.

Give me the profile.

Give me the photograph where they're making the exact face their dad makes when he's annoyed.

Give me the one that makes you laugh.

Because when you look at these photographs years from now, I don't think you're going to need proof that your baby was beautiful.

You already knew that.

I think you're going to want proof that they were themselves.

Even then.

Charlottesville & Crozet Newborn Photographer
Serving Charlottesville, Crozet, Richmond, Keswick, Waynesboro, Harrisonburg, Staunton & Lynchburg

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