Dana Cote, Forever Bellies

Everything You Need To Know About Baby’s First Foods

Olivia Farrow February 4, 2021

When my daughter was a few months old, the conversation of when to start giving her feeds inevitably came up, especially with all of my allergies and her severe eczema. Of course, I was the most educated between the two of us because of my job as a newborn photographer, and I had no idea of the complexity of giving baby solids for the first time! So I consulted with the experts in my network and I was absolutely pleased

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13 Questions You Need to Ask When Hiring A Newborn Photographer

Stephanie de Montigny January 28, 2021

Finding a newborn photographer is such an exciting task that can also feel daunting at times because you have no idea what you are looking at beyond pretty pictures and pricing. Here are the top questions you need to ask when hiring a newborn photographer for your top contenders to make sure you KNOW they are the best choice for you and your baby. 1. How long have you been photographing newborns? You want to ask how long they have

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Top 4 Frequently Asked Questions About Baby Sign Language

Jenni Lloyd, Mellow Baby January 14, 2021

Being able to communicate with others is second nature to me. I am fluent in English & French, and have known conversational Spanish since I was a kid. To imagine not being able to converse with someone, let alone communicate my basic needs, is somewhat frightening. That’s how baby feels when all they know how to do is cry to get what they want, which can eat at a parent’s sanity for sure! That is why my husband and I

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The Magic of Retouching | Perks Of A Full-Service Studio

Stephanie de Montigny December 27, 2020

When it comes to editing and retouching, there are so many misconceptions, myths, and magical things that come with it. Let’s jump straight into the details and clear it all up, including surprise photo-day acne! Then I’ll show you some before & after examples of what can be achieved. Retouching Myths Debunked MYTH: Newborns can hold themselves up (Uh, nope!) Babies don’t have the physical capabilities to do all of the poses you see online. Many of the ‘fancy’ poses

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Holiday Minis Roundup | 2020 | Ottawa Family Photographer

Stephanie de Montigny December 17, 2020

This year was a complete fluke for weather during our holiday minis and we ended up with TWENTY-degree weather in November, in Canada! I always hope for a fresh dusting of snow for Christmas and Winter minis, but this was better than I could have imagined—it was great for the toddlers and meant that I didn’t freeze either after a long day in the cold. Win, win, win! (Reminds me of why I love doing “Christmas in July” sessions!) The

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Newborn Baby Beau – 4 weeks new

Stephanie de Montigny December 9, 2020

Baby Beau came to visit the portrait studio for his newborn photography session at just over 4 weeks new, 30 days new to be exact. We lucked out that once he did settle into sleep, he slept through almost the entire session. This allowed for us to get quite a few setups captured with plenty of variety to fill their beautiful album. And if I do say so myself, these are some of my favourite family images at the studio; I

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Meet the MBDW Family | Barrhaven Photographer

Stephanie de Montigny December 5, 2020

This session is a little more sentimental to me because these lovely people are part of the family I married into and I am proud to consider them my own. I am especially honoured that they chose me to capture these important moments. We took advantage of the gorgeous fall season this year and adventured through Hogs Back Falls to take advantage of all of the beautiful bold colours. If you know me at all you know that my style

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Newborn Baby Romy – 2 weeks new

Stephanie de Montigny November 10, 2020

Baby Romy came to visit the portrait studio for her newborn photography session at 2 weeks new, 16 days new to be exact. We were able to get her into three different setups for her petite newborn session because she slept the entire time (in a diaper that she filled as soon as I had wrapped her up, go figure!). And since she was doing so well, we tried a fourth setup at the end that normally only gets done during

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Meet the McKellar Haynes Family | Barrhaven Photographer

Stephanie de Montigny October 29, 2020

I was introduced to this lovely family by a dear friend of mine, and I am so happy she did! I had a blast working with these three, and even though their little guy really made me work for those smiles, I was smiling the entire time. Acting like a blubbering fool has its perks! This location is a go-to for me because of the variety in backdrop throughout the year, and even a short walk away during the session

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Newborn Baby Aleena – 3 weeks new

Stephanie de Montigny October 24, 2020

Baby Aleena came to visit the portrait studio for her newborn photography session at 3 weeks new, exactly at 21 days. This little sweetheart was my first newborn in the studio since the pandemic began, and to say I was nervous would be an understatement (it had been almost 6 months since I had been ‘out of practice’ other than my product photo clients). She was an absolute DREAM baby to start things off on the right foot, her brother was

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2020 Outdoor Holiday Minis | Ottawa Family Photographer

Stephanie de Montigny October 17, 2020

This special offer has been specifically designed for capturing unique and timeless images of your family that you proudly want to hang in your home year-round, but with a few tweaks with simple props and outfit changes, can make for beautiful seasonal portraits to send along with holiday cards. Limited Edition Outdoor Holiday Minis WHEN?  Saturday November 7, 2020 AND Saturday, November 14, 2020 (or anytime as part of a full session) WHERE? Local Tree Farm in Ottawa, Ontario –> you will

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The differences between MINI vs PETITE vs FULL Photography Sessions

Stephanie de Montigny October 8, 2020

I get asked all of the time whether I offer mini sessions, and people are often shocked to find out what they are inquiring about isn’t actually what they want to book. Thankfully, I have exactly the perfect solution for them that simply goes by a different name: “The Petite”. Let me explain. Mini Sessions Mini sessions are great for themed shoots like around special days like Halloween or Christmas because you get a couple of photos captured to commemorate

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Now Booking Roadside Sessions for 2021 | Ottawa Family Photographer

Stephanie de Montigny October 1, 2020

What is a Roadside Session? A roadside session is exactly what it sounds like: a short & sweet photo session just off the main road. I can’t tell you how many times I have driven past beautiful scenery that would look amazing as the background for a family photo, but could not justify having a full session there (full sessions have more variety in the gallery, and especially with children who love to run around they don’t always have the

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Meet the Jenkinson Family | Ottawa Photographer

Stephanie de Montigny September 26, 2020

Most families who choose me to capture their family photos have no idea where they want them taken, just that they want something beautiful, and maybe they have a few preferences like neutrals-only or fall colours or near water. Ironically, this session took place at a park that had all three of those things, and the reason I bring it up is because this family has been taking daily walks there with their family since before their not-so-little boy was

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Meet the Dionne Family | Orleans Photographer

Stephanie de Montigny September 14, 2020

When a family chooses you over and over to capture their portraits, it is the biggest compliment a photographer can receive, and for that I am forever grateful. It has been a genuinely fun and enjoyable experience working with this trio for over a year now, and to capture their special journey through parenthood. We adventured through the Mer Bleu Bog this summer, once the worst of bug season was over, and captured some beautiful portraits of the family, and

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