Dec
09
2017People with physical disabilities sometimes have a long road to becoming parents. From infertility, to making modifications to your accessible home to ensure everyone’s safety, you may face several challenges along the way. Our tips will help.
3 Ways to Prepare for Life as a Parent with a Disability
1. Be Prepared for IVF
If you, your partner, or both of you live with physical disabilities, you may face a decision about fertility treatments. If your doctors have suggested in vitro fertilization (IVF), you will need to prepare yourselves mentally and financially for this type of treatment. Even though many couples agree they will do just about anything to get pregnant, you need to consider the costs of the treatment (click here for an IVF cost and regulation guide). In fact, one study shows that high costs are a determining factor in couples’ decisions to get more affordable treatment abroad.
You also need to understand that various countries regulate IVF differently, and some have specific regulations about the age IVF may be used, the number of embryos that a doctor can implant, and whether donor eggs or sperm may be used. Learn the success rates of IVF in various countries before you make a decision. Fortunately, “the success and availability of in vitro fertilization have given hope to many infertile couples who have not been able to conceive. Since 1978, 5.4 million babies have been born worldwide with the help of IVF.”
Once you decide to pursue IVF, start saving for treatments. More traditional ways of covering the costs include saving more money from each pay period, dipping into a retirement fund, or using a flexible health savings account if your insurance plan allows for you to do so. Today, couples are getting creative about paying for IVF. Some raise money through online fundraisers, while others use online auctions and swap and sell sites to supplement their savings.
2. Prepare Your Home
Once you are pregnant, prepare your home for your new bundle of joy. Many people with disabilities live in accessible homes with features such as walk-in or roll-in showers, lower counter heights, and non-slip flooring. Other accessibility features in your home may make it difficult for you to baby proof it, so plan to ensure the safety of your family. For example, if you have 36-inch wide doorways, get baby gates that extend far enough to accommodate your wider doorways. Also, if you have lower counters, lock your cabinets and drawers with childproof locks since items will be more accessible to your toddler, too.
One area of babyproofing that parents often overlook is putting guards or locks on windows. Even if you live in an accessible one-story home, you need to ensure your child’s safety by baby proofing the windows because he could crawl out of one or pull an open window down on himself. Most accessible homes also feature windows that are low to the floor, anyway, so it is imperative that you install guards to protect your child. Keep in mind that different types of windows require different types of baby proofing.
3. Reduce Risk of Falling
If you are concerned about falling while carrying your child, use this checklist to prevent falls. Many home modifications to reduce the risk of falling are simple fixes that you can do yourself, including tightening handrails and repairing broken ones, securing all area rugs with non-skid pads or double-sided tape, and using floor cleaner and wax this is non-skid. Install grab bars in your bathroom, especially once you begin bathing your newborn in your tub. Keep items you use most frequently within reach when you care for your baby, too.
Another way to reduce the risk of falling is increasing the amount of lighting in your home. Place nightlights along your path to the baby’s room and put one in his bedroom. Have a licensed electrician install lights at the top and bottom of stairs, and keep a lamp near your bed and near the baby’s crib. Evaluate your home’s lighting and make sure you add lighting to all dark areas.
People living with disabilities who long to be parents should prepare themselves for IVF, modify accessible homes to ensure the family’s safety, and take steps to reduce their risk of falling while caring for children.
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Ashley Taylor is a freelance writer, photographer, and advocate for people with disabilities. She created DisabledParents.org to provide information and resources to other parents with disabilities. When she isn’t working, she enjoys spending time with her husband and two children.
Dec
03
2017
If I could tell you all the sorrow and the joy in sweet baby Jude’s story, I would have to write a novel. This baby boy was desperately hoped for and celebrated with a joy you could slice up like the finest wedding cake. Jude is a miracle hoped for and loved beyond measure
Mrs. Reagan is the sweetest big sister. At 5 years old, she will always remember the day Jude came home. She’s also an amazing helper for her sweet mama. I can’t wait to see how Jude and Reagan’s relationship will grow over the years.
Since Jude was born right before Christmas mama brought this sweet sleigh and Christmas pajamas for Reagan. I added in this sweet sweater romper for Jude and some trimming from a local tree farm. I’m super happy with how this Christmas set up turned out for them.
I couldn’t resist toning down the Christmas theme to a little more rustic woodland scene with this antique bread bowl and more use of the greenery.
And this grumpy face followed by the tinest of smirks… oh, newborn expressions are my favorite!
Yet, as always, it’s the simple images that draw me into each baby’s story. The cream and whites, the skin tones, the curly little babies: these will always be my very favorite. Nothing brings back the rush of newborn memories than seeing the sleepy newborn smiles on simple backdrops. The portraits are true classics.
And as always, I sneak in just a few detail images. Jude’s curly ears. His crinkly eyelashes. His tiny profile. Those tiny toes. These tiny details are what make Jude who he is. These tiny details bring back the rush of newborn memories.
Do you never want to forget your newborn baby miracle? I would love to give you digital and physical reminders of this fleeting time. Please click here to get to know what it’s like to work with Quiet Graces Photography. Or click here to inquire about booking a session now.
Nov
20
2017
Meet April and McCall. This sweet mama came by for both her Greer SC Studio Maternity Newborn Photography needs.
I’m not going to lie: I almost stole McCall. Those curls and those crystal blue eyes. Who wouldn’t want to steal him after spending time with him?!
He made me laugh so much when he sneezed and I handed him hand sanitizer. McCall licked it. I learned to give better instructions and gave him a good cuddle for that mistake!
April is stunning. She’s such a gentle soul. A speech therapist by trade, I could easily see her patience and perseverance at this maternity session.
Everything about her color scheme just screamed serene.
We carried the same color scheme over into her newborn session. I love how this made both galleries perfectly suited for either an album or a wall collage together.f
Baby Mattie Jane was delicious. I constantly have to remind myself not to smooch client babies.
Her delicate features stole my heart immediately. Her hands tucked under her cheek!
This tiny smile in this Piper Romper from Lydia’s Hope Chest was my favorite from this session.
But a close second is the bottom image below where Mattie Jane moved her foot from the “perfect” pose. I love when they do this and express their personality.
April, Mattie Jane and McCall are growing up in a home where they are absolutely adored. Keep up the good work, mama. I can already see it’s worth it.
Interested in booking a studio maternity and newborn session with Quiet Graces? I’d love to help you create a cohesive gallery perfect for an album. Your first step to booking your session is to contact us. We’ll send you information about working with us in the studio and help you create the session of your dreams.
Nov
17
2017George’s mamas contacted me early on in their pregnancy for Greer SC Natural Newborn Photos.
They had seen my work long before their little miracle was on the way. Lisa and Martha couldn’t wait to celebrate their precious baby with photos.
So we celebrated. George was an absolute angel for his session. He slept soundly and let me pose him smoothly.
In fact, he slept so soundly that I had to wake him at the end of our session because he had yet to open his eyes!
In my 7 years as a newborn photographer, I’ve found that I’m often hired to capture an image like this one. Parents ask if I can make a baby smile and the truth is that I can’t. I have some tricks up my sleeve and about 60-75% of the time I catch a smile on camera. But George pretty much smiled in every single pose. It was delightful!
However, even if I capture the perfect image the client had envisioned when they booked, it’s not typically their favorite image. The images most loved by parents are the ones that freeze in time tiny meaningful details. The favorites images the show how he liked to sleep in his crib. Or how she liked to sleep with her hands right next to his face. Or they way he curled up just so on mama’s shoulders.
I did force George’s mamas to be in images with him, but I promised not to share them here. Our babies need to see how much we loved them right from the start and they were so glad that I had made them!
George’s mamas loves this image best in both color and black and white. His little face shown in the beautiful dance of light and shadows. His hands raised above his head like he likes to sleep in bed.
What memories do you want to hold in your hand forever? What tiny detail do you never want to forget? I’d be honored to capture your brand new little love for you in Greer SC Natural Newborn Photos.
Sessions book fast, so contact me today to get your due date on the calendar.
Nov
13
2017Recently SleekLens contacted me about giving their Portrait Perfection Photoshop Actions a try in exchange for a review. I was intrigued because I’ve never used a set of actions that were not created specifically for newborn photography. So I’ll start with a side by side comparison.
Review of Portrait Perfection on a Studio Newborn Image
Here’s a Straight Out of the Camera Action of Sweet Mason.
This is my normal newborn photography edit. I typically use a combination of hand edits in Camera RAW, and Erin Tole’s Paint Box, Portraiture, and some skin color correcting actions by Amanda Nicole Photography once an image comes into Photoshop.
Here is a newborn edit using only the Portrait Perfection Photoshop Actions.
Here’s my recipe:
- Color Corrections: All applied at 14% with a soft brush
- Reduce Reds
- Less Orange Juice
- Cream Yellow Tone
- Warmer at 24%
- Exposure Bright at 9 %
- Soft Skin glow painted on baby at 40%
- Fast Retouch
- Skin Smooth Layer Painted only on Baby at 40%
- Rose Skin Brush at 18% on cheek and Lips
- Enhance Tones: Romantic Dance at 40%
- Toned Vignettes
- Cream Vignetted masked off baby
- Resize for Web at 800 pixels
- Sharpen layer at 15%
- I used this on all images for the review so websize action was consistent.
Thoughts on my Studio Newborn Image
What I liked:
I really liked the color correction actions. They worked a little different from the ones I used currently and I felt they dealt with the minor jaundice so well!
I also liked the Rose Skin Brush. I don’t have anything like this and often I can take too much red from tiny lips and cheeks while color correcting a baby’s skin. This is such a quick way to add it back in!
I loved that the Warmer/Cooler and Exposure Brighter/Darker layers applied at zero percent so I could turn them on gradually as needed. Most of my actions for this in the past have applied at too high opacity and I feel like that makes me over apply them on the whole.
What I missed:
There’s no flake remover in her set. I can frequency separate (a technique I use for babies with lots of acne already), but that seems to be about it for removing the hundreds of little flakes new babies often have and it’s just not my favorite way to do it.
I didn’t like a lot of the toned actions. None of the All in Ones, Bases, or Enhance Tones really spoke to me. I think that’s partly because I have my own style for newborns already and partly because these actions apply at high opacity instead of a lower opacity and letting me dial up opacity.
Review on some Outdoor Images
Since I’m sort of set in my ways on Studio imagery, I thought I would give this a try on an outdoor image. I really don’t do a lot of outdoor portrait work so I’m more of a blank slate here. I don’t have a typical edit.
Lighter Back Drop Images
Here’s the Straight out of RAW. Only adjusted white balance.
Here’s my Edit.
Here’s what I used.
- Warmer
- Enhance Tone: Whisper
- Color Correction Natural
- Color Correction Reduce Greens
- Portrait Retouch: Fast Retouch
- Light Glow Peach (Moveable)
- From a Candy Store: Dodge and Burn
- Vignette: Toned Vignette
I kept messing with these after this action set. Here’s my final edit.
Thoughts on my Outside Images
What I liked
I really enjoyed playing with the light flares. I don’t know how to do that on my own so it was fun to have that added to my arsenal.
Also, I am addicted to From a Candy Store: Dodge and Burn. I have used it over and over and over again on my outside images and a studio images. It’s a little easier to use for me than the dodge and burn tools in Photoshop
Final Thoughts
I think this set is an excellent portrait retouch set for outdoor work. The skin retouching is perfection for that work.
I also really love the movable light, dodge and burn, vignettes, and versatility of bases.
If you’re looking for a large set of actions to do just about all the beginning to intermediate level Photoshop work, then I would give SleekLens’s Portrait Perfection at try!
