San Antonio Newborn Photography Studio, Sarah Lake Photography

This past February, I was lucky enough to have some very special people fly to San Antonio to visit my family (and the studio!) My cousin and his sweet wife flew to TX from Michigan on a last-minute flight they booked during a crazy internet airfare sale. And I can’t believe their luck… 1: Because their airfare was an unbelievable steal- it’s the reason they actually decided to FLY to visit me in the studio! and 2: Because they safely made it back home literally just a couple of weeks before Covid-19 hit San Antonio. Lucky timing.

The real reason this was such a special trip, though, was they were bringing along their two sweet girls- Their 2 year old Elliot and her new baby sister Oaklynn- for Oaklynn’s newborn session in my studio! Anyone who’s travelled with a baby the first time knows how nerve-wracking it can be. But traveling with your second baby? Piece of cake. 😉 (Doesn’t everything seem easier the second time around??) They are such avid travelers, it was second nature to them to hop on a plane for a little adventure. And they’ve always wanted to visit Austin, which we’re only about an hour from. So it was the perfect reason to visit!

It really meant the world to me that they wanted me to be able to make Oaklynn’s newborn portraits- and that they flew across the country to do so. I grew up just a few couple houses away from my cousins, and I absolutely love getting together with them- even though with us being in two different states it’s rare.

When planning THIS newborn session, I knew immediately which special props and heirlooms I was going to incorporate in the images. One of my favorites, this wooden bowl, happens to have belonged to my Great-Grandma. It was, in fact, a butter bowl- and both my mom and my Aunt remember helping their Grandma make butter in it! Oaklynn won’t ever know her Great-Great Grandma, but both Ross and I remember her fondly. Having this connection for her is pretty cool.

The other people that is very special to me was made by my dad- just a few weeks before he passed away. He was an incredibly talented woodworker, and loved making special pieces to give as gifts for loved ones. For friends and loved ones getting married, it was often a handmade wood cross given as a wedding gift. For both me and my sister-in-law it was an absolutely beautiful handmade crib- given to us during our first baby showers! This was the last thing that he made for me… a little baby bed that I could use in my studio for newborns. There are a ton of newborn prop vendors out there, but this is far and away more special that anything I could ever buy.

I am overjoyed at the photos we made. Probably my favorites are of sweet Elliot and her baby sister- they absolutely take my breath away. I know these photos will become even more precious to their mom and dad each year that passes.