Leading up to the birth of your first baby, people will tell you how quickly that first year goes. You’ll hear all of the cliche sayings and chalk it up to unsolicited parenting advice. But Mama, let me tell you…it’s so true. You may not even realize it when you’re in the thick of it, but before you know it, the sleepless nights and constant diaper changes feel like a lifetime ago.

The truth is, the baby that once depended on you for every little thing is now exerting their independence, and along the way, he/she will experience a lot of firsts. More than any other year of their life, they’ll experience milestones that you never want to forget. Their first belly laugh, their first real smile, and their first words. You’ll cheer them on as they roll over for the first time, sit up independently, and crawl. The day they take their first steps you’ll melt into a puddle of emotions- wanting to freeze time and simultaneously being so proud.

Throughout your baby’s first year you’ll fill up your phone with hundreds, if not thousands, of photos and videos. I did too (and still do). However, I also know the value of having a professional photographer document those big milestones and allow me to be IN the photos. Yes, a first year collective is an investment, but as a mom, I can tell you that the photos of my daughter and our family together are my most treasured possessions.

So what does a first year collective include and why is it worth the investment?

When you invest in documenting your baby’s first year, you get to decide how many milestones from bump to first birthday you want to document: maternity, newborn, 3 months, 6 months (also known as the “sitter” milestone), 9 months and one year. Most do 3-4 sessions, depending on when baby is born and if they participate in our annual motherhood event or Santa sessions.

For some, that sounds like a lot of sessions to do within one year, and it is. BUT, when you put a photo from each side by side and see how much they have grown in just a few months, you’ll be thankful you didn’t skip out! I promise I have created this collective with you in mind. I know just how busy that first year is and that’s why I don’t want you to have to stress over logistics or remembering to schedule your baby’s sessions.

Once you are in the collective membership, all of the logistics are taken care of for you. This includes not only guaranteeing you a spot on the calendar (particularly important for those wanting sessions during our busy season in the fall) but tracking and reaching out to you when it’s time to schedule your baby’s next session. We’ll work together after each session to choose your favorite portraits to display in your home and which ones will go in their baby album.

I hear from families all the time how much they love knowing the first year will be documented. It truly goes so fast and life is busy. I never want you to look back and regret not documenting your baby’s first year. It only happens once and 5, 10, 20+ years from now, you both will be so thankful you did!

Baby Elijah is a AWP collective baby! Maternity, newborn, and now six months! I love looking at all of these photos side by side and seeing how much he (and big brothers) have grown! His hair is as wild as ever, he has the most charming little personality and lights up the room.

Ambre Williams Photography is a maternity, newborn, and family photographer in Orange County. Our studio is located in Newport Beach and we serve clients from the surrounding areas including Corona Del Mar, Huntington Beach, Irvine, Laguna Beach, and Newport Coast.

From client wardrobe to the delivery and installation of your printed keepsakes, our job isn’t complete until your memories are in your hands. Because we strive to take care of every little detail for you, we only take a limited number of sessions per month.