There are so many changes your newborn will undergo during the first weeks of his/her life. I've experienced this and I am here to tell you that it goes by SO so fast. Between the on demand feeds, to the never ending bottle washing, I want you to look back on those times and forget the chores, and instead remember the precious moments of having a newborn. The cuddles, the tiny fingers, the silly little hiccups. Let's help you make these moments last a lifetime.
Documenting brand new life
Orange County Newborn Photographer
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PEaceful and perfect in every way
Featured NEWBORN Galleries
If you love photos of your family AND solo photos of baby as much as I do, this gallery of baby Leon has it all!
From close up photos of baby's face, so you can remember all the little details, to photos of the whole family relaxing in the home with the cutest little furry friend, you can feel the love and the sweet little details of this home, all at the same time!
newborn Lifestyle and posed
What better way to commemorate the birth of your child than to show off a few of those newborn cuddling moments together with the family?
Your home may not be picture-perfect, but send me over some photos of your living spaces and you'd be surprised what I can do in most homes!
Lifestyle session
Baby Tyler
For the mom who can't decide whether she would rather have beautifully posed photos of baby or photos of baby with the family, the lifestyle + posed session has everything you would want to fully capture baby's first arrival.
Moms love this package the most because it has the best of both worlds, all in the comforts of their own home (because goodness knows having a newborn is hectic enough)!
Lifestyle + Posed Session
Baby KIRA
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Sweet • intimate • timeless
The Newborn Experience
Remember when you were still in school and the busy nights of cramming before a final felt like they would never end? But then they did somehow, in the snap of a finger?
Having a newborn is a little like that. The days and nights feel both long AND yet paradoxically short. But unlike your Chemistry (insert your worst college subject) final, these are moments you definitely want to remember years down the line. Moments you can share in photos with baby when he/she is grown up.
That's where I come in. From when you click to "say hello" down below, to when you bring your bundle of joy home, I am here to curate the sweet moments you want to remember of baby, so when you look back on these early days, instead of getting flashbacks like a veteran from 'Nam, you can't help but smile.
A baby makes love stronger, the days shorter, the nights longer, savings smaller, and a home happier.
Your experience all starts with you filling out the contact form down below to get started! For newborns, I recommend contacting me while you are still pregnant, ideally before 25 weeks (yes, that early!)
You will get an email from me soon after to talk about newborn photoshoot options or for me to answer any questions you may have about this whole process!
We can then book a quick 15 minute phone call to talk about the details of your photoshoot. Or if you'd rather just email or chat or book on the spot, that is ok too! Whatever works with your busy schedule!
1. Say Hello
Once we figure out whether you will be getting newborn photos done at home, at a studio, or the great outdoors we will then book a tentative photoshoot date. It will usually be within 1-2 weeks of your expected due date. That is one reason why I recommend booking early with me for newborn shoots because I take on a limited number of them a month to allow a little bit of wiggle room if baby comes early or late.
A contract will need to be signed and a non-refundable retainer paid, and then you are officially in the books!
2. Officially book!
During the weeks leading up to the photoshoot I will help look over any outfit choices you may be considering and we will either book the studio or figure out what room we will be shooting in at your home.
I also will send over a questionnaire to help me better get to know you and your needs, and then we will wait for baby to arrive!
Once you have given birth, I will have you send me a text on baby's status, and the date for the photoshoot will be finalized.
3. Planning it
You're now a proud mama of a little baby. Congrats!
If you have a home shoot, I will be coming over to set up your home and clean up any distracting items from the photoshoot location. I will bring some wraps and outfits for you to use as you'd like, and you can feel free to have your own unique items for the photoshoot also.
We will gather up the family for photos once baby is happy and asleep, and I'll take care of the rest! Just follow my lead!
4. Your Photoshoot
About 1-2 months later, your photos will be ready for you to download from a link. If you need some photos or all of them sooner, I have options for this!
Newborn photos are really special because by the time your gallery arrives, your newborn will already be looking different than you may have remembered. That's EXACTLY why we take these photos because in your sleepy daze of early motherhood, you will want to be able to look back and remember those early days.
It is during that time when you will have the opportunity to purchase more than your base set of photos and any prints and albums. And get ready, because most people do!
5. Your Photographs
AVERAGE INVESTMENT $1000-2000+
newborn PHOTOSHOOTS STARTING FROM $800
Photoshoots are on average 1-2.5 hours long
Packages include 15-25 photos
Investment includes a photoshoot for five family members
Photoshoots within Orange County are included, travel fee may apply to locations out of OC.
Artwork (like prints and albums) are purchased separately
Special discount applied if bundled with Maternity Photoshoot
The Investment Details
I loved her work, so when we found out we were pregnant, I knew Melanie would be our maternity and newborn photographer. The booking process was a breeze; Melanie worked with us to nail down the location, outfits, and sent us her recommendations to prepare us for the photoshoot. She is very sweet and personable and it was so much fun to work with her! The photos turned out amazing and we're so glad we chose Melanie to capture our new journey. I cannot wait to work with Melanie again for our newborn photoshoot and future family photoshoots. We love love love our photos and can't recommend melliemadephotography enough!
Maternity session
Vanseka & Alan
Melanie was very professional and personable as well. She always responded to any of my questions when I needed help and tips. I worried my kids would not cooperate, but she know how to create a fun atmosphere for them and the photoshoot turned out to be so much fun for them. They started out shy and ended up getting a little bit too excited. The photos turned out beautifully. Thank you Melanie!
Family Session
Kira
We saw what a beautiful job Melanie did for our cousin’s newborn photos that we decided to reach out to her when our son was born. She was quick to respond and has a great attention to detail. During these unprecedented times with Covid-19, she provided professional and flexible terms for the photo shoot that worked with our schedule. We are grateful for her patience and unique eye to capture our newest addition to the family. Don’t hesitate to contact her, you won’t be disappointed!
NEwborn Session
Wendy
I worked with Mel last year for our first annual family photoshoot. Melanie was so easy to work with from start to finish (booking appt to getting our photos back in record time). She was very responsive when I had any questions about our outfits and needed suggestion for a makeup artist when mine wasn’t available. She was very patient with the kids which made it easier on me. I already booked an appt for our shoot this year and can’t wait to see the new location and photos.
Maternity Session
An
My husband and I just got our photos back from a maternity shoot with Melanie and we couldn't be happier! She was very professional (wore a mask the entire time) and she was able to give me and hubby instructions during the shoot like where he should put his hand and where we should look. The photos turned out beautifully and very representative of the airy esthetic I saw on her Instagram. Highly recommend her!
maternity Session
Joyce
I highly recommend booking with Melanie! I had such a great experience working with her. I was very impressed with how professional but personable she was from beginning to end.
Our session might have been a disaster if she didn’t come to the rescue. Both my 2 year old and 4 year old had meltdowns (at the same time!) but that didn’t bother her. Somehow she got them to cooperate, made it work and captured some amazing moments! We love our photos and I look forward to working with her again in the future!
Family Session
Tuyen
By far one of my favorite photographers!
Melanie was so sweet, thorough and professional. It was such a pleasure working with her to take my newborn’s photos during a chaotic time. I loved so many of the photos that she took!! I would recommend her to anyone!
Newborn Session
Jenny
We had such a great experience with Melanie from start to finish. She was patient, kind, and sooo sweet with my kiddos. I had no idea how the photos would turn out but the outcome was better than expected! The hardest part was choosing our favorite photos.
Thank you, Melanie! Looking forward to doing our annual photos with your next year!
Family Session
Hannah
I highly recommend Melliemade Photography! My wife and I met her at a cute quaint place in Irvine for our maternity photo shoot. Melanie was very professional, prompt and well mannered. She instructed us on how to pose because we clearly did not know how to pose for photos. The park looked nice but our photos came out even nicer! Can’t believe how great they were! Would definitely do another photo shoot with Melliemade Photography!
Maternity Session
Dinh
Melanie is such a lovely person to work with! Her photos speak for themselves (just perfectly light and airy) but the BTS experience makes it 10/10. She is super prepared and gave us great info on how we could prepare ourselves. We did a mini session with our dog and it was better than we expected! We never met prior to our shoot but she’s so warm and friendly, it felt like we were friends. 100% recommend working with her!!
Family Session
Abby
My first photoshoot with someone else was a total disaster. After that experience, I was so horrified that I never wanted to do a baby photo shoot ever again! However, when I started to talk to Melanie, she listened to my concerns and worries, explained how she plans and manages the photoshoot, and encouraged me to try again. After talking to her, I decided to try and I am so grateful that I did. Melanie was very professional, personable, and had strong portrait skills. My baby loved Melanie, and she knew exactly how to handle unforeseen situations and manage babies. She also made me feel very comfortable so we got plenty of nice photos with natural laughs (both baby and me!). Thank you Melanie for such a precious and fun experience and memory!!!
Family Session
Insoon
Melanie was great. The pictures came out perfect. She had such great energy and made things easy with our little girl. Parents know how difficult it can be with the little ones but she is really great with how she guided her. I would definitely recommend Melanie.
Family Session
Roy
Melanie was wonderful to work with and made great recommendations to ensure our photos turned out exactly as we had hoped. She sent us a photography guide with suggested locations and poses. She also took the time to understand our vision prior to the shoot. Overall, she was very efficient and knowledgeable and we love the final product.
Maternity Session
Thomas
I found Mellie in my local mom Facebook group. I looked at her portfolio and loved what I saw. She was offering mini sessions which was exactly what I was looking for since my son was around 1 at the time and had no patience with standing still and posing for pictures. She made it fun for him and the pictures came out beautiful! I have one of them framed on top of the mantle and I highly doubt I’ll ever take it down.
Family Session
Sara
We had a terrific experience working with Melanie!!! Our newborn pics and family portraits turned out amazing! It was a miracle how she was able to put my two year old toddler at ease in front of the camera. Highly recommend!!!
Newborn Session
Ly
We’ve had the pleasure of working with Melanie twice for our maternity photo shoots. She’s super friendly and extremely easy to work with! We love her light and airy photography style for maternity photos. Melanie definitely tries to make it easy on you throughout the process and helps prepare you well in advance for the photo shoot. We would definitely recommend her if you’re looking for a photographer with a light and airy style!
Maternity Session
Andrew
It’s been years since my son and I had professional photos taken. He’s 26 now, and the challenge has been to have photos that won’t come out mushy, or that would come out couplish looking. One of my sisters has had her family photos and professional photos taken by Melanie, and I liked them. So I decided to contact her for a photo session.
First of all, I loved working with her on the day of our photo shoot! So easy to work with! And more importantly, I loved how our photos turned out! I have a few marked for printing and framing already! Surely a great investment, one that will last for years to come!
Family Session
Marou
Mel came to the rescue and delivered! Our original photographer canceled last minute two hours before our appointment and we were desperately thinking of other options. As Mel was leaving another shoot in Temecula a friend contacted her and she agreed to do our shoot! Thank goodness for great people like Mellie! She saved the day and I was able to do our family holiday photos. I am 100% pleased with the turn out. She was great with my crazy 2 year old and has a great eye! Thank you Mellie for making this happen. Don’t think twice. Book with her!
Family Session
Shawna
It was a pleasure working with Melanie for our maternity photoshoot!! I have been following Melliemade Photography for awhile now and have been waiting to work with her. In all of her pictures, she shows great attention to detail and has a very keen eye for anything esthetic. Melanie prepared us very well with her "photoshoot preparations and general advices" to get the most out of the photoshoot. She was very accommodating with my sunrise shoot desire even though it would mean she would have to wake up super early. Working with Melanie is a breeze because she is very professional, sweet and personable which makes everything fun and easy--perfect for husbands and children. Her work is amazing and the pictures turned out absolutely beautiful!! I cannot wait to work with her again for my future family photoshoots. I am already showing off my photos and recommending her to everyone!!
Maternity Session
Kim
Thank you Melanie for the pretty pictures! We had to reschedule our family photos to a later date and Mel was so accommodating despite her packed schedule. My one year old was sick on the day of the photo shoot. I was worried the picture wouldn't turn out well, but was so pleasantly surprised by how many smiling photos she got of our daughter. My husband is usually very camera shy, but he commented on how nice they were and comfortable he was around them. They were both so patient and took the time to get good photos of us! I highly recommend Melliemade Photography l to anyone looking for a photographer
Family Session
Hannah
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Note: Portrait packages start at $640
(Average Investment is $800-1600+)
