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Award Winning Charlottesville Newborn & Maternity Photographer

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

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Richmond Virginia Newborn Photographer ~ Tristan~
Newborn Photography

Richmond Virginia Newborn Photographer ~ Tristan~

Welcome to the World, Newborn Tristan Traveling from Richmond for his newborn photography session, sweet baby Tristan was such an…

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~Oliver ~Crozet Virginia Newborn Photographer
Newborn Photography

~Oliver ~Crozet Virginia Newborn Photographer

Baby Oliver Crozet Newborn Photographer I love photographing newborns of siblings whom I did a newborn session for. I love…

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Newborn Elijah Scottsville Virginia Photographer
Newborn Photography

Newborn Elijah Scottsville Virginia Photographer

Elijah Newborn Elijah was such a small peanut when he came to see me for his newborn portraits.  I had…

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Olivia Charlottesville Newborn Baby Photographer
Newborn Photography

Olivia Charlottesville Newborn Baby Photographer

Olivia Charlottesville Newborn Baby Photographer I loved photographing Olivia’s parents for their intimate maternity photos and felt doubly blessed when…

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Gordonsville Newborn Photographer Olivia
Newborn Photography

Gordonsville Newborn Photographer Olivia

Gordonsville Virginia Newborn Photographer Olivia Newborn Olivia came into the studio last month for newborn portrait’s. What a gorgeous girl…

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~Nora~ Baby Photographer Richmond Virginia
Newborn Photography

~Nora~ Baby Photographer Richmond Virginia

Richmond Baby Photographer Nora Frances Nora was 5 days brand new when she came to visit me for her newborn…

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375 Four Leaf Lane
Suite 203
Charlottesville, Virginia

@angelamcnaulphotography
Can we talk about newborn feet for a minute? Becau Can we talk about newborn feet for a minute? Because HOW are they this tiny? 🥹 Those little toes, the flaky skin, the way they curl up and tuck their feet in when they're sleeping. And somehow, when you're holding your baby, you still can't quite believe someone so small is actually yours. Here's something I wonder about with second and third-time moms. Do you find yourself paying more attention to the little details with each baby because you know just how quickly they change? Or are you like most of us with your first, thinking those tiny toes will always be that tiny? Because one day, those feet will be running through your house, leaving muddy footprints on your floors, and you'll look back at a photo like this and wonder how they were ever so small. Tell me, are you a baby-feet person? Because I have a feeling there are two kinds of people in this world: the ones who can't stop kissing those tiny toes and the ones who think that's a little weird.
Everyone has an opinion about newborns Before you Everyone has an opinion about newborns Before you have a baby, everyone has advice for you. Sleep when the baby sleeps. Enjoy every minute. Don't hold them too much. Hold them as much as you want. They'll grow up before you know it. And then the baby arrives, and suddenly you're making a hundred decisions a day while trying to figure out this tiny human. Here's my opinion, after photographing newborns for years: you don't have to make every moment magical. You don't have to love every stage equally. And you don't have to feel guilty for looking forward to a little more sleep. You just have to be there, loving the little person in front of you. So I'm curious. What's the one piece of advice you received as a new mom that you actually found helpful? And what advice would you tell new moms to ignore?
The things we forget Here's something I've always The things we forget Here's something I've always found interesting about photographs. You can remember what your baby looked like as a newborn. You know they were tiny. You know they had those sweet little cheeks. But can you remember exactly how tiny their fingers were? The way they tucked their legs up when you held them? Or how their whole body seemed to fit in the crook of your arm? Sometimes it takes looking at an old photograph to realize just how much you've forgotten. Not the big things. The little details. And those are often the things I love photographing most. I want to know something from the moms who've already been through the newborn stage. When you look back at your baby's newborn pictures, what's the first detail you notice now that you probably didn't think much about at the time?
The newborn stage isn't always what you expected The newborn stage isn't always what you expected Can we be honest about the newborn stage for a minute? Everyone tells you to soak it all in because they grow so fast. And they're right. But when you're running on three hours of sleep, haven't had a hot cup of coffee in days, and can't remember what day it is, "soaking it all in" can feel like a pretty tall order. You can love your baby more than you ever imagined possible and still find those first few weeks really hard. Both things can be true. And I think sometimes we need to hear that a little more often. When you look back at those first few weeks with your baby, what do you remember most? Was it exactly what you expected, or did something about motherhood completely surprise you?
You know those sessions where absolutely NOTHING g You know those sessions where absolutely NOTHING goes according to plan? This was one of them. Two weeks ago, I headed to the Outer Banks for this sweet family's beach session to celebrate their last baby's first birthday. It was also our final session together as part of their VIP Baby Plan, which made it extra special. And our 20th? 25th? Session together? What I didn't plan on was a weekend of absolutely WILD weather. The waves were out of control. And when I say out of control, I mean the ocean decided it wanted to be part of the session, too. My camera bag? Almost gone. The towels? completely drentched. Our props, including the surfboards and little car? The ocean had other plans. There were moments when I was genuinely worried about the kids near those waves. And yes, I even took a fall on the beach with my camera in hand. I wish I could tell you I handled it all with complete grace and professionalism. 🤣 But we survived. My gear survived (THANK GOODNESS). And somehow, in the middle of all that chaos, we ended up with THIS gallery. Just look at these images. The biggest smiles, the sweetest snuggles, the kids together on the beach, and those beautiful moments with Mom and Dad. The kind of images that make you forget just how much work went into getting them. And that's what I love about this job. Sometimes the sessions that don't go according to plan end up being the ones you remember the most. This family has trusted me to document their baby's first year, and getting to finish that journey with a beach session like this was such a privilege. One whole year of milestones, growing, changing, and capturing a little person becoming who they're going to be. I don't think there's a better way to celebrate a first birthday than looking back at just how much has changed in twelve short months. And now I need to know... Are you a “let's embrace the chaos and make it work” person, or would you have been packing up the second those waves started coming in?
Instagram post 17982891935901290 Instagram post 17982891935901290
The things you won't remember There are so many t The things you won't remember There are so many things about those first few weeks that you think you'll remember forever. The way they smelled. The little noises they made while they slept. How they curled their legs up when you picked them up. The exact way their head felt tucked underneath your chin. But here's the thing... You won't remember all of it. Not because it wasn't important. Because there is simply too much happening at once. You're exhausted. You're learning a new person. You're recovering. You're adjusting to a completely different life. And while you're living it, it can feel like these days will last forever. They don't. That's why I love photographing the details. The tiny fingers. The wrinkly feet. The eyelashes. The little rolls. The way they curl into you. Because these are the things that disappear first. And years from now, when you're looking at a photograph of your grown child, you may not remember what happened that particular day. But you will remember this. How small they were. How they fit in your arms. And how much you loved being their whole world. What is one newborn detail you remember most clearly from your own children?
They don't stay this little There is a version of They don't stay this little There is a version of motherhood that you only get for a very short time. The version where your baby can fit completely against your chest. Where their entire hand can wrap around one of your fingers. Where you can hold them for hours and somehow still feel like you haven't held them enough. And I know that when you're in the middle of those newborn days, it doesn't always feel magical. You're tired. You're probably wondering when you last showered. You're feeding someone every two hours and trying to remember whether you already changed that diaper. You may even find yourself wishing for a little more sleep and a little more routine. And then, almost without warning, that tiny baby isn't so tiny anymore. The newborn days are over. The fingers are bigger. The cheeks have changed. They're awake more. And you realize you would give anything to go back and hold that little version of them one more time. That's why I think newborn photographs matter. Not because your house needs another pretty picture. Because someday, this photograph will be proof of exactly how small they once were. And how completely you loved them. If you could go back and relive one part of the newborn stage, what would you choose?

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

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