This sweet boy was the very first newborn in the new studio! He was almost a full 2 weeks overdue, and he just did not want to leave his mama's comfy tummy! Randall III is named after his daddy and his grandaddy. This was an extra special session because this sweet boy's daddy is deployed overseas but he gets to meet his baby for the first time in about 1 more month! I was so excited when mamma asked me if we could incorporate dadd's dog tags and name badge (see photo below). It was incredibly special! He slept and ate like a champ and was the perfect baby to break in the studio. And can I just say how much I LOVE my new studio. So much more space and great light....it is definitely a huge step up from my last studio in Illinois. One of the perks of being in West Virginia for sure! 

I am so excited to share these photos from his session with you. I am still looking for a newborn baby girl to come to the studio for a model call on February 24th or March 3rd. Let me know if you are interested or know someone who is! 

I am soooo excited to announce that the Rachel V. Photography studio is now open in Huntington, WV! It took me a little longer to get everything up and running thanks to morning sickness {more like all day sickness and fatigue} but it is finally finished! When we started looking at houses in West Virginia, I knew this space would be absolutely PERFECT for the studio. Large windows for soft natural light, dark wood floors, and lots and lots of space for all my equipment and props! And my vision finally came to life. Thank you to my wonderful husband for all of his help getting it set up.

​I am looking for one newborn model to break in the studio and am offering 3 complimentary digital files with full printing rights {up to 8x10] in exchange for your time. Contact me today at photosbyrachelv@gmail.com if you are interested or know anyone who might be! I can't wait to get a baby in here!

There is nothing I love more when my clients come back for another session with me. I met the Keck family a couple of years ago when Harvey was turning one for a fall mini shoot. Now, Harvey is almost three years old and Evelyn is a year old! It is so incredible to watch all of these special families grow. Here are just a few of my favorites from their summer session!

Alright. I'm back at it....again. Blogging. The last six months have been very busy and filled with lots and lots of doctors appointments and treatments so I apologize that the blog was deemed a non-essential part of my life for a little while. I actually really enjoy blogging and am excited to get back into it. It gives me an opportunity to reflect on my photography sessions and celebrate a brand new baby, mom-to-be, happy couple, or milestone. So to revitalize my commitment to blogging, I'm going to post some of the highlights from the last 6 months...again. I promise to be better!

This sweet peach was so good to me. She slept her whole session and didn't make a peep. 

Love this custom designed romper from Kartay Photography Props

Another custom designed romper from Kartay Photography Props for the win

Knitted bonnet created by yours truly. My first knitted photography prop. 

Garfield Park Conservatory was a major find this year. This is one of my new favorite spots. I have a photography permit here and all of these photos were taken in the dead of winter! How awesome is that?!

These engagement photos are extra special. Also taken at the Garfield Park Conservatory in Chicago. Kristen and met in 5th grade and although after we graduated high school we went separate ways, it was such a blessing to be able to catch up 9 years later! They are such a sweet couple.

Of course my husband and I had to sneak a few photos in. 

Love me some downtown Chicago winter engagement shots! Chicago is simply magical

This sweet boy came back to me for his first year cake smash & splash! I took his newborn photos and it was sooo fun to get to see him again and see how much he has grown. I didn't think he could get any cuter but here we are.

His eyes make me melt. 

Baby Emmett at almost 2 months old. He is such an easy going baby. I loved spending time with this family in their gorgeous downtown Chicago home. Also, be sure to scroll down to see some photos of their NURSERY. #nurserygoals

Ok so it's been a little while since I wrote my last blog post. And I *was* doing so well there for a little while with blogging every.single.session.  Ooops!! Since I am about 25 sessions behind, I decided to just post some of my favorite portraits from the last 6 months instead. This was the year of the babies. I have LOVED snuggling each sweet boy and girl. So far none of the parents have let me keep any of the babies despite my begging and pleading. How can you not just fall in love with these sweet faces? I hope you enjoy a few of my favorite from the last 6 months! 

Oh I cannot get enough of this little babe. Miss Cora came to visit me at 10 days new, and she was sooo good to me. She slept for most of her session and even gave me a little smile. I am obsessed with this session for a few reasons. 1). Cora's 97-year-old great grandfather made the quilt in the photos below. 2) Cora's great grandmother knitted the white blanket in the photos below. 3) She did NOT have a single accident during her 3 hour session (that is a miracle and has never ever happened in the history of newborn photography before. 4) This was my first time incorporating fresh flowers into a newborn session and I LOVE the result. 5) Cora's mommy and daddy are some of the most awesome people you will ever meet are sooo fun to hang out with! We had such a great time during their session! I hope you all enjoy these photos as much as I do :)  Have I mentioned that I love my job?!

Cora, I look forward to watching you grow and move mountains :)

I don't know how I get so lucky to work with the best clients in the world and these two are no exception. Hannah and Dave recently welcomed their sweet baby girl, Cora, a few months ago (I know, I know I'm forever behind on blogging...oops). These two just radiate joy and are so fun to be around, and I feel like we have been friends forever. Hannah was one of the cutest pregnant ladies I have ever seen (see below) and she is such a beautiful mom to sweet Cora (photos to follow). They have one of the cutest houses in Wheaton, and I was so excited to be able to help them design both a maternity and newborn wall gallery. Thank you Hannah & Dave for letting me capture these precious moments for you and your beautiful little family!

 Wow. It's been a while since I last blogged. Oops! It's not because the lack of shoots, but rather the busyness of re-branding and vamping up my business. I am sooo excited about my new business model, website, and brand! I have spent the last 6 months researching, taking classes, and being mentored by other amazing photographers and I couldn't be more happy with how everything has turned out. My new business model has allowed me to spend more time with clients designing their perfect session and really understanding what it is they want to get out of their session. So to kick everything off, I am excited to share a few cake smash photos from little Miss Charlotte's session. Enjoy!
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Introducing baby Everett! He came to visit me in the studio with his proud parents and brother when he was 13 days new! His mom, Vicky, and I work together as occupational therapists in inpatient rehab, and I was so excited when she asked me to do his newborn photos. Baby Everett wins the award for the most poop I have ever had during a single session--haha! Good thing he was super cute. He gave me a run for my money but it was nothing a little warm air, white noise, cuddles, and food can't fix!

Enjoy friends!

Yay! I'm finally getting around to blogging Fall mini shoots. I had two Fall mini dates on November 5th and November 19th. The weather couldn't have been more different. It was hot and sunny on the 5th and freezing and windy on the 19th (can you tell which photos were taken on which day?). I was worried about how the kids would do in the cold but they braved it soooo well (better than some of us adults even...haha). Needless to say it was total cuteness overload. I wanted to keep all the children. :) Families are just so much fun to shoot and the candids are always my favorite. I had a wonderful time meeting 9 new families, and I am excited to share a few highlights from each session. Thank you for choosing Rachel V. Photography to photograph your beautiful families!