Baby Lucas | Pittsburgh Newborn Photographer

I had the pleasure of photographing baby boy #2 for the O family in their gorgeous Squirrel Hill neighborhood. I photographed older brother Jackson a couple of years ago, and his photos are some of my favorite newborn portraits! Here is my favorite image from that session (in their previous home):

lifestyle newborn photography

And now, onto the new shoot with baby Lucas! Mom Sara filled out a questionnaire for me so you can hear all about her birth story and experience bringing her new sweetie home.

Due to COVID (and the fact that they have an AMAZING view in front of their home), we shot this session primarily outdoors in full sun with fill flash. The clouds were so beautiful on this day, so I took full advantage of the natural sky backdrop! Then we did a quick shoot indoors, where I work a KN95 mask to protect the family.

BABY’S NAME AND BIRTH DATE: Lucas Morgan O’Brien born 9/17/2020. (Due date 9/19/2020)

BABY’S PLACE OF BIRTH: Magee Women’s Hospital in Pittsburgh

DESCRIBE YOUR BIRTH EXPERIENCE.

After working all day, I starting having contractions around 6 pm. We went to the hospital and Lucas was born at 3:01 am. He came into the world on a happy note as I did not push him out but rather literally laughed him out!

family portrait two boys in park

DESCRIBE LIFE WITH A NEWBORN. HOW HAS YOUR LIFE CHANGED SINCE GIVING BIRTH?

The transition to two has been easier than I anticipated and we feel like Lucas has been part of our family forever.

DOES BABY HAVE SIBLINGS OR PETS? HOW DID THEY REACT TO BABY COMING HOME?

Lucas’ older brother Jackson is smitten with him. He gets excited to see him and asks for him every time he wakes up.  While there are moments of learning to adjust to being a big brother, he is overall doing really well with the change.

newborn baby boy with big brother on bed

WHEN DID YOU BOOK YOUR NEWBORN SESSION? WHY DID YOU PICK MISSY TIMKO PHOTOGRAPHY?

We booked over the summer I believe. Missy did a beautiful job capturing this special time in our life when Jackson was born and we wanted the same experience for Lucas’ newborn photos.

HOW DID YOU PREPARE FOR YOUR NEWBORN SESSION? ANY TIPS FOR NEW MOMS REGARDING NEWBORN PHOTOGRAPHY?

Plan for your outfits beforehand. As a newly postpartum mom, it is hard to predict how your body will look and what clothes will make you feel good. I made sure to have a few different sizes and styles that would coordinate with the rest of the family’s outfits so I wasn’t scrambling the morning of the shoot.

DO YOU HAVE A FAVORITE IMAGE(S) FROM THIS SESSION? DESCRIBE THE IMAGE AND WHY YOU LOVE IT.

My favorite is probably the ones of Jackson kissing Lucas. There is one close up that just melts my heart, especially the version in black and white.

newborn baby boy black and white with brother


Missy Timko Photography is a boutique photography studio located in Mt. Lebanon, PA. Missy specializes in children from newborn to senior, families, and adults. Missy’s style is simple, natural, and clean, both posed and lifestyle photography with beautiful natural backdrops, and Missy also has a gorgeous custom studio space in uptown Mt. Lebanon.  There are many session options, from full length custom sessions to quick & easy headshots, inside the studio or outside in a beautiful natural or urban location in Pittsburgh.  Contact Missy for availability.

Mother’s Day Sessions 2019 at Missy Timko Photography

Read more about the article Mother’s Day Sessions 2019 at Missy Timko Photography
© 2019 Missy Timko Photography. www.missytimko.com

We held Mother’s Day minis at the Ace Hotel in April of 2019 to celebrate mothers and capture the unique bond we have with our little ones. I am thrilled with how these sessions turned out and shed a tear while sorting and editing some of these special images! I am such a softie!

I’ve always wanted to shoot at the Ace Hotel in Pittsburgh–the vibe is chic and hip, and the decor is classic American… simple & modern, utilizing dependable materials and a neutral palette. They have a signature Pendleton wool blanket that is designed specifically for each city, and the Pittsburgh blanket has bright red and blue rectangles that give off that vintage-modern look that is distinctly Pittsburgh.

This turned out to be the ideal location for this shoot. The staff at the Ace Hotel was of great assistance in planning my event. We got their largest corner suite, and it could not have been a more ideal location for these cozy lifestyle images.

Something that surprised me was the beautiful portraits I got of the moms. Each one looks relaxed & happy. These individual portraits of mothers almost certainly will be the images most valued by their children as they grow. Here are a few of my favorites:

I definitely plan on offering this session next year! Make sure you are on my email list to have first access to this event and others.

Here are a few of my other favorite images from this day:

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Missy Timko Photography is a boutique photography studio located in Mt. Lebanon, PA. Missy specializes in children from newborn to senior, families, and adults. Missy’s style is simple, natural, and clean, both posed and lifestyle photography with beautiful natural backdrops, and Missy also has a gorgeous custom studio space in uptown Mt. Lebanon.  There are many session options, from full length custom sessions to quick & easy headshots, inside the studio or outside in a beautiful natural or urban location in Pittsburgh.  Contact Missy for availability.

Baby Pippa | Pittsburgh Newborn Photographer

This newborn session ranks high on my list of happiest memories! Jenny & Dan called me when Pippa had just come home from the NICU–she spent some time there after being born a couple months early at about 3 lbs.  Pippa was finally approaching her due date and had almost doubled in size since birth, so mom and dad were ready to do some “normal newborn things” and have her photographed.  What a celebration!

Baby Phillipa, Pippa, “Pip-squeak”… you are so loved! Here is what your mama had to say about your birth:

“Philippa was born preterm due to complications from severe pre-eclampsia. No matter what though it was a beautiful experience filled with extremely supportive family and friends that made the day of her birth a true celebration (amidst the uncertainty of it all). She spent 27 days in the NICU and had a smooth course coming home in record time. “

newborn photography in pittsburgh, paDescribe life with a newborn. How has your life changed since giving birth? Is it like you expected or totally different?

Since giving birth life is different. There is a slower pace to things where I am able to step back and enjoy the quiet moments with Philippa that I love. Yet at the same time I am worried it is going so quickly. She grows and change everyday before our very eyes and it is a privilege to have this experience. We are so thankful.

Does baby have siblings or pets? Siblings’ ages? How did they react to baby coming home?

No pets or siblings. We plan to get a dog though once the period of sleep deprivation is behind us. Ha!

Pittsburgh newborn photographersWhen did you book your newborn session? Why did you pick me?

We booked the newborn session after Philippa was discharged from the NICU. We picked Powder Blue because of the natural quality to her photos where real life is captured in the home. Plus, Missy understood what it meant to have a premature baby and the timing of photographs. That was unexpected and meant so much to us.

How did you prepare for your newborn session? Any tips for new moms regarding newborn photography?

To prepare for the newborn session we made sure Philippa was fed, rested, and in an outfit she was comfortable in so we could minimize changes. Keeping the house warm was a good idea of Missy’s since that allowed Philippa to be changed easily from outfit to bundled in a wrap. 

lifestyle newborn photographer pittsburgh pa

lifestyle newborn photography

newborn baby lifestyle portraitDo you have a favorite image(s) from this session? Describe the image and why you love it.

We really love all the images. We love the image of Philippa wrapped in the parachute swaddle on the white background. She looks so peaceful and really captures the essence of her (what we think) is her sweet personality. Another favorite is one where you captured her sly smile and her blue eyes. I am not sure how long her eyes will stay blue so I am so happy we captured them during her newborn period.

pittsburgh photographersMissy – thank you so much for taking beautiful photos of Philippa. We were so happy and after everything we went through to get to this point it was nice to do something “normal” like newborn photos and have them document where she is in her life right now. She has come so far and we are so happy and blessed to have her in our life. 

black and white baby portrait on a bed

I am so grateful to have been a part of this newborn experience and look forward to watching Pippa grow! <3

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Missy Timko is the photographer behind Powder Blue Photography, a boutique photography studio located in Pittsburgh, PA. She specializes in newborns, maternity, families, seniors, and headshots. Missy’s style is simple, natural, and clean, a mix of slightly posed and lifestyle photography with beautiful natural backdrops, and Missy also runs a studio in the Point Breeze, Pittsburgh.  There are many session options, from full-length custom sessions to little sessions, inside the studio or outside in a beautiful natural or urban location in Pittsburgh.  Contact Missy for rates and availabilit