In March, Melanie and Carl welcomed their very first little baby boy into the world. Meet Declan during his first week in Seattle.

My favorite part of new babies is their sweet little baby lips. So cute and sweet and pouchy in all the right places.

Who doesn’t love all of the cute little faces babies make as they’re learning what it’s like to be in the world? Sweet Declan was sleeping, and just trying out face after face.

When photographing babies (and kids, and dogs for that matter) it’s a whole lot of waiting, waiting, waiting. Waiting for the food cycle, the diaper cycle, then finally, the sleep cycle. The funniest part about shooting babies is all of the, um, things that come out of the nether region- I don’t keep track anymore of how often I’m peed or pooed on (or my lenses get peed on… those boys, they shoot far, you see!). There was both during this shoot… but we won’t tell you any more about that. No sense in embarrassing this cute lil boy.Melanie looked so beautiful just days after giving birth. No doubt there wasn’t much sleeping happening in this household that first week!I’ve never seen such a dedicated papa. Carl sat in the rocker and held Declan til he fell asleep for some more shots- he was shusssssshhhhing the entire time. Melanie and I laughed at how funny it was at the time, but his rhythmic sh-sh-shhhh sh-sh-shhhh did the trick! Congratulations, you two! I thank you for giving me the opportunity to get to know you and photograph you through such fun milestones over the last few years! Cheers to you both, you’ll make wonderfully supportive, attentive, and loving parents!!

Winter is here in Seattle. It means that weddings slow down and wedding photographers hibernate through the cold, kept warm by the glow of their computer screens as they update their portfolios and get caught up on clients’ albums.  I am so relieved to have survived one of the best years of my career as a wedding photographer and most exciting years for Get Hitched Give Hope. But mostly, I’m excited to reconnect with all of the images I captured this summer. When we get busy in the height of the summer shooting season, and get swirled in the vicious spin cycle of shoot-edit-shoot-edit-shoot-edit I rarely get to take a breath and just enjoy the moments, so here are a few from a sweet newborn photography session this August.

Shana and Nate are brand new parents- Nate called me just a couple of days after their little baby girl Talia was born. He was so excited, I can still remember chatting with him on the phone, wanting so badly to find a spot on my calendar to fit them in while she was still under a week old. Here she is, all shiny and new. And this model came loaded with wrinkles, newborn baby smiles, and extra sweetness.

And MAN were these moments sweet. It was amazing to be in Shana and Nate’s home, sharing these first few moments with them. It can be a crazy time when your first baby is born, with all of the hospital hubbub and visitors. We just took a massively huge “time out” in life and sat quietly together to watch this little miracle take in her surroundings.

I love how their massive king-sized bed dwarfs this little tiny bean. Amazing to compare.

Oh, and no pressure…. but Shana is also an accomplished wedding photographer from the east coast. I was reeeheeeheeeally hoping I’d make her proud. It’s kinda a big deal to hand over the photography duties if you’re a photographer yourself. So thank you, Shana, for letting me in to document this fleeting time for you and Nate!!! It was a really great day for me. Seriously.

Tis the season for frantic shopping, lotsa hot chocolate, and a little snow! Oh, the snow….

Order Deadlines: December 7th is the last day to have print orders in from your sessions in order to have timely holiday delivery. We will still be taking print orders after the 7th, but won’t be able to guarantee delivery in time to place your gift under the tree (or menorah, or….).  >>>>view your shoots here<<<<

Holiday Portraits: We are fully booked for custom lifestyle sessions for the holidays, BUT we DO have one option so you can still have something under the tree :: The Holiday Swift Sessions!!!! Here’s how it goes:

• Appointments are available in select one hour time slots on Sunday December 5th.
• Arrive ready to go (lipstick on, hair gelled, and shoes shined!), and for 20 minutes we’ll shoot simply and beautifully in our little modern, white studio
• Your proofing & ordering session will be right there, right then! You may choose one digital file as part of your package that you can make your own prints and holiday cards from.
• Any prints, additional digital files, or accordion album stocking stuffers you’d like for holiday delivery can be purchased at this time, too, so have your gift lists ready! See print prices and accordion albums here: http://www.bit.ly/LMPcatalog
• These mini sessions are $150 (plus tax). A non-refundable retainer of 50% holds your date, and the rest is due by the 5th.

You can book your session by inquiring here with your preferred time (morning, midday, afternoon, or evening). Please complete the portrait agreement we send you right away to hold your spot. >>>>Book Your Swift Session<<<<

Non-holiday Portraits: We can still shoot in December, we just won’t be able to have your fully edited proofing site and print orders to you in time for Christmas. Inquire here for more information on a custom lifestyle session.

We thank you humbly for your years of support and business, and sincerely wish you each warm memories and full tummies this winter season!!!

We’ve kept under wraps the exciting news about what Laurel McConnell Photography’s donation would be for this year’s bridal & breast cancer charity auction Get Hitched Give Hope. And with GHGH 2010 ONE WEEK away, it’s time for the big reveal!

Oh, we’re so excited!

Drumroll please………..

So so excited. We can’t wait to tell you! (wow!)

{continue drumroll}

Here it comes. Get ready.

{cymbals clash, big bang, a little boom}

The auction gurus have put together a fabulous LIVE AUCTION PACKAGE called “A Brand New You,” and have included my photography services alongside fashionista Laura Cassidy and beauty stylist Erin Skipley!!!!! (wow!) A little more about this package:

• First, go shopping for some new digs with fashion expert and Seattle Metropolitan style editor Laura Cassidy. I mean, have you READ her style blog?
• Then, get all prettied up with a pre-wedding makeup and hair consultation over at the super in demand Bellatrix Studio with Seattle’s sweetheart Erin Skipley. One word: airbrushing.
• Your final destination is a photography session with yours truly! Engagement portraits. A Swanky Couple Shoot. A Baby session. BUSINESS PORTRAITS. We’ll even finish things up with a studio credit or high resolution file so you can go make some save-the-dates or have a new headshot. You choose what fits you best since it’s for such a great cause, and we want to have a GREAT time during the live auction (they’re so exciting!). This is your chance to get some AMAZING fashion advice, high end beauty styling, and some fun professional photography at a GREAT deal and a great cause.

To read the full details on this package and pre-shop some of the other AMAZING things that will be up for bid on Thursday October 28th, head on over to preview the BRAND NEW e-program and don’t forget to get your tickets now! This year is bound to be the best yet with more sponsors and a few surprises all at the Four Seasons Seattle (wow!).

See you with your party shoes on!!

p.s. sorry for all the buildup, excitement, and exclamation points. It’s 2am. Friends shouldn’t let friends write articles in the middle of the night.

Aiden is a spitting image of his dad and mom. With golden hair and the cutest dimples, this ones gonna be a charmer!

I was elated to hear that Megan and Ian were expecting- I absolutely love photographing my wedding clients as their lives change. I first met these two Ballardians a couple of years ago through Michelle Engvall, their fantastic wedding planner. I photographed their Seattle engagement session around our neighborhood (Ballard), then made it back again for their beautiful beachside wedding at Golden Gardens.

They still have their first two “children” (er… dogs! who put up with us quite well as we photographed around their cute craftsman bungalow in Seattle. Strike that. Poor jealous older brother Zeke. He gently nabbed Aiden’s gorgeous handmade hat and ran down the narrow stairs and out the door into the backyard, all for a little more attention. He’s not used to sharing the spotlight!!!

He’s so expressive! I just wanna scoop him up and smother him with smooches.

Aiden’s beautiful nursery. I love Megan’s style.

Here’s that blue hat that Zeke ran off with. Luckily, it survived, because it’s just tooooo cute on this little bear.

The best part about this image? The sock lines on his chubby little legs!!

Plastic. It’s so delicious.
Congrats on your first babe! Here’s to your beautiful, beautiful family!!! *clink clink*

We’re pleased to announce The Swift Session: a miniature portrait shoot event designed specifically for really cool really busy people.

WHAT in the….?  Engagement portraits. Family portraits. Bump portraits. Kid portraits. Social media profile pictures. One day, any purpose. $150 will get you a fun and fast-paced 30 minute shooting session, a proofing gallery with 30 edited images, & one high resolution digital image to use as you wish (or $50 to use toward prints in your shopping cart).

WHO, you ponder. Bring your family, pet, beau, or just yourself.

WHY in the world would I do such a thing? Because it’s summer and you’re beyond due for some professional portraits to mark this time in your life. No more of this point-and-shoot sit-on-my-harddrive eyes-are-closed-double-chin malarkey.

WHEN, you ask? Here are the remaining available session times (this will be kept updated as sessions are booked):

August 8th (Sunday): 1:00, 1:40,   2:20,   3:00,   3:40,   4:20,   5:00,   5:40, 6:20, 6:40,   7:20

WHERE, you wonder? I’ll disclose the secret location closer to our shoot date, but it will be a beautiful park-like location easy to get to, park at, and shoot around, and in Seattle!!

HOW do I start? Contact us HERE with your time preference and we’ll send you to our booking website. Once you’ve signed the contract and purchased your session, we’ll also send you a guide with tips on how to maximize your portrait experience with us!

Rules of the game:

• We’re going to schedule sessions back to back, so they’ll be swift. We’re gonna cut to the chase and make some fun and classic images, so don’t be late!
• If it rains, we’ll move the sessions indoors to the Greenlake studio.
• Sessions are non-refundable unless you have a REALLY good excuse, in which case you’ll have a studio credit toward our regular Lifestyle Sessions (pricing starts at $350).
• These aren’t for commercial use. We have a whole separate type of head shot and business portraiture shoot, let us know if you’d like one of those instead!

Update!!!!! Update!!!!!! We’ve got some exciting things coming down the pike in the next few weeks, one of which is an opportunity to represent Nikon at the hot-ticket blogging conference, Blog Her, in New York!!!! It just happens to be this same weekend, so by the grace of my super supportive clients, we’ve rescheduled everyone for a full session and will not be offering any more Swift Sessions on the 8th. Don’t fret, though, we WILL be offering one  just in time for the holidays!!!! Stay tuned, and please contact us if you’d like to schedule a full custom lifestyle, engagement, baby, or professional portrait session this summer! xo, Laurel

Day Seven.

I can’t believe how little babies are when they’re born. They’re like these little squirmy aliens, eager for your unconditional love and attention. And so precious, and so perfect. Meet baby Natalie, photographed at Matt & Audrey’s home just one week after her birth.

The pink little bean. Don’t you want to scoop her up and smother her with little butterfly kisses?

It’s incredible how many new faces newborns have. They can barely see, yet their faces can tell a million stories.

A little Mother’s Day gift, just in the nick of time.

Congratulations, Mama and Papa!