Conner James Photography is OPEN!

Conner James Photography is open for business! We have some new safety practices in place. Our clients are the number one priority. We have very limited booking spots available due to the safety measures in place.

While I miss my husband being home, I am so happy to be back to work. I have been cleaning and sanitizing the studio. I have hand sanitizer in the studio for use. I have a germicidal sanitation light to clean the studio. hospitals use this type of light to sanitize the hospital rooms. I will be wearing gloves and a face mask as well. No shoes will be allowed in the studio. The bathroom will be cleaned and sanitized before every session. If you have any questions please let me know. I would be happy to answer them.

I have outdoor sessions available as well. Natural Light Family Sessions and Child Mini Sessions are now booking. I am so excited about seeing everyone! I have missed seeing my amazing clients. During the stay at home order, I tried to keep busy with my kids and cleaning my house. We did a bunch of yard work too. I could not be a landscaper, the work is too hard for me. We did fix my garden. I now have 6 rose bushes. They are so pretty.

Thank goodness the homeschooling is over and now it is summer. I can not wait to swim. My kids have been telling me all about what they want to do when they are out of school. Lately we have been showing our kids the old classic movies and how to play some card games. It has been so nice to have so much family time.

Thank you so much for supporting me and my small business!

Oh, the Quarantine!

How is everyone doing during the quarantine? I hope you are healthy and safe. My family and I have been at home doing our part to flatten the curve. We have been home since Sunday. The studio has been deep cleaned, sanitized, and organized.

Our new normal is homeschooling and trying to make the best of out the situation we are in. Home school has been difficult with 3 kiddos in 3 different grades, but we are making it work. I created an at home school schedule to keep my children from fighting and going crazy. ( yes we are at that stage right now ) I have been taking my extra time to deep clean my house while trying to maintain my sanity. We have also been exercising as a family too. The kids are loving it. We try to do fun thing every day to make this time somewhat fun. It definitely has been a learning experience.

Please help support my small business! April only has 1 booking!
I still need to pay my cost of doing business and my business insurance! So.... APRIL SESSION SALE! 30% off all sessions booked for April.
The session must take place in April. Use code 30OFFAPRIL when booking.

We are all in this together. It’s not fun, but it’s necessary. Stay safe and healthy! Hang in there. You got this!

Thank you so much, 

Christine Kelly 

Conner James Photography

Client safety practices during Coronavirus and Flu Season

It’s cold/ flu season and with the Coronavirus going around I wanted to explain the safety steps Conner James Photography is taking to ensure your safety.

I have been a newborn photographer for 7 years. I always practice special precautions to make sure the studio is cleaned and sanitized properly before, during, and after each session. I regularly clean the studio. but especially during cold/flu season. Now with the Coronavirus going around I am taking extra precautions.

I do recommend that if you or your child is sick please contact me to reschedule your session. I do not mind rescheduling. it is better to be safe. If you do bring a sick child in my studio I will cancel the session without refund. Please don’t spread any kind of sickness. We want to keep everyone healthy.

I keep hand sanitizer in the studio. I wash my hands before the session and will use hand sanitizer during the session. I wash my backdrops/blankets before and after each session. I wipe down hard surfaces with Lysol cleaning wipes. I also wipe down and clean the bathroom including door handles, light switches and so on. I have hand sanitizer in the bathroom too. Please feel free to use the hand sanitizer.

For cake smashes I use white seamless paper. I buy the seamless paper new in packaging for each session. I also wash and clean my cake stand. I wipe down any props what we use with Lysol wipes too. I pride myself in making your child’s safety my first priority.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to ask. I would be happy to answer them. As always thank you so much for choosing Conner James Photography.

Now booking sessions for 2020!

Are you expecting? Do you need a photographer? I would love to be your photographer!

Did you know that newborn photography is my speciality? I specialize in newborn photography because I love it! I love working with newborns and creating memories that last forever. Newborn photography is my passion. Being a newborn photographer requires training, you should know information on the poses and on the newborn’s health. It’s so important to make sure the baby is healthy and safe during the session. I have photographed over 700 newborn session and counting.

I have photographed newborns from 3 lbs to 11 lbs, both healthy babies and NICU babies. I work with your newborn to pose them. I do not force them into the pose. I have a lot of patience. I take my time with posing and I like to use your nursery theme in the session while also keeping my classic looking poses. I use a variety of poses and use different angles to maximize my posing.

I have an in home studio fully stocked with props to use for the session. I take precautions in my studio to keep props clean and sanitized for sessions. I have headbands, wraps, hats and little stuffed animals. I also have beds, buckets, and bowls. I prepare for each session ahead of time and make sure each setup is perfect for your little precious baby.

I only take a limited number of sessions each month to ensure my focus and time for each session I book. I tend to book sessions months in advance to secure your session spot. This will also help me to prepare for the session. Sometimes I buy new props or items for the session and this will give me time to order the prop from my vendors. I am currently working on a Grow With Me package for Milestone sessions. I have received a lot of requests for that type of package and I am working my hardest to fulfill them.

I do recommend Milestone sessions. They are a great way to capture all of the achievements as your little one grows. You can do 3, 6, and 9 month sessions or even 4, 8, and 11 month sessions. If you wanted you could do just a 6 month session. Milestone sessions are a wonderful way to remember how little your baby was and to show how they have grow during their first year of life. I love these sessions! I love being able to see my little clients grow.

1st Birthday sessions are the best. I have so much fun with these. I will ask you what colors you would like to use, or I can give you some recommendations. We will start the session with some portraits. Then move to the cake smash part of the session. I will say that 80% of kids love to smash the cake. I think 1st Birthday sessions are a must. I still show my kiddos their 1st Birthday sessions. They cant believe how little they were and how funny their expressions use to be. I just love the memories. Memories are my favorite because they are priceless and you can’t get this time back. Although I wish I could get this time back because my kids just keep growing.

While I do offer sessions through the first year of life, I also offer Mini Sessions!! Did I say Mini Sessions? Why yes, I did! I love mini sessions. They are a great way to save money but also get your portraits updated as well. I offer different types of Mini Sessions throughout the year. My most popular Mini Sessions are Christmas Mini Sessions.

My mini sessions have been put on my schedule. You can find what types of mini sessions I am offering and when they are on my investment page on my website. I am so excited to be offering a wide selection of mini sessions. I can’t wait to see you this year! Thank you so much!

Your newborn's safety should be the only prioirty

As a newborn photographer I get asked a lot of questions. Sometimes I get new questions I haven’t heard of before but most of the time it’s the same questions. As parents you should be asking theses questions. I am always more than happy to answer them too.  

I always get asked when should you schedule the newborn session. My advice is to schedule your newborn session in your second trimester or as soon as you can. Life does happen and we all get busy. This way you will have it done and your session spot secured with your photographer. Another question I get asked is how long does the newborn session last. My newborn sessions last 2 hours. I would say most photographers newborn sessions last about 2 hours but does depend on their level of experience.

I like to make sure the sessions run smoothly and efficiently. I also send my clients a Newborn Session Parent Prep Guide. I want to make sure you get amazing images of your little one and make sure they are safe, healthy, and happy during the session. During my sessions, I tell you what poses I am doing and how I am taking precautions to make sure your newborn is safe. I do this because most parents, who are not photographers, do not really know that there are actual newborn poses versus laying a baby on a their back or in a basket.

These poses take skill and knowledge, which is why you should always hire a professional photographer skilled in the specific area that you need for your photos. If you need a wedding photographed hire a wedding photographer, if you need your house photograph, hire a real estate photographer. This will ensure the best outcome for your photos. 

Newborn photography is my passion. I love to create memories for families to cherish while keeping your little one safe during the session. If you need newborn photos done, please feel free to message me. I would love to talk with you. It would be my honor to photograph your family.

Why I became a Photographer!

Do you ever feel like there are never enough hours in the day to get things done? These last couple of weeks have been busy for me. I’ve been working my other job and still photographing on the weekends. Homework is also taking over my life too. Ha ha! 

No matter how busy I am, I still love my job photographing newborns and being behind the camera. I am greatly honored to be able to help families create memories that will last forever. My photography is my passion. I do my photography not just for the money, but for my son, Conner James. He is my reason I started my photography. 

Conner James passed away very suddenly at almost 3 months old while I was on vacation. His passing was very sudden. He was my second child. At the time, I had two children. Jordynne was 1 year old and Conner who was almost 3 months. I was a new mom of two, trying to buy a house. 

When Conner was born, we were still searching for a new house. We had brought him home to our old house and a month later we moved to a apartment. We couldn’t really afford newborn pictures. We had two kids in diapers, buying formula, and trying to save money for the new move. It was also hard to afford the hospital photos. 

When Jordynne was born we bought the hospital photos. We paid over $400.00 for the photos. The photos took a month to arrive at our door. When we received them, we notice that we didn’t order enough as we have a big family. We had to order more spending another $150.00 and waiting another month and half to receive them. The photos themselves we good quality but the posing of Jordynne we weren’t really happy with. But we were new parents and didn’t know any better.  

When we had Conner and with the anticipation of the move we decided to go a different route for newborn photos. We choose Walmart Picture Me Studios. They had a special going on for a package so we decided we would just go with them. A mistake I have regretted for years. After Conner passed, those photos are all I have left from when he was a newborn. 

I have some other photos I took of him while we were at home, and some at the hospital but not much else. I know we were busy with the move and taking care of two kids but now I wish and long for more photos of my little boy. He was a very sweet boy who loved to cuddle and be held. If you are a client, most likely I have told you what happened to him. I wouldn’t wish this for any mother. It will be 10 years this year since Conner has passed and my regret for the newborn photos still remains the same. 

I started my photography for my son, and for other families like mine who couldn’t possibly afford the price of $200 - $1000’s, that it could cost. For the new families just starting and for the families going through financial hardships, that they may have newborn photos done by someone who specializes in the field, creating special memories that they will cherish, and by someone who cares about their family. 

Watch out world, Baby Nolan has arrived!

On Sunday afternoon I photographed the sweetest family. I was so excited to meet their new precious baby boy, Nolan. From the moment the Andrews walked through my door, I could see the love radiating from them. Nolan’s big brother, Kenneth, was beyond excited to be photographed with Nolan. He was beaming with pride while smiling and holding baby Nolan. 

Baby Nolan already has a adoring personality. He only made a few noises during our session together. He did want to stop and have a milk snack but after that Nolan was ready for his debut. His session was a Full Newborn Session which included just Nolan being photographed along with family and sibling poses. 

I love posing families with their new baby.  There is nothing like seeing a family embracing their new little one and watching them create a memory that will last forever. For the Andrews, this was an amazing moment to be seen. I could see baby Nolan’s parents radiant with happiness and love that they have for their boys. Kenneth absolutely loved the sibling poses and I could really see he is going to be the best big brother ever! 

I want to thank the Andrews for giving me the opportunity to meet them and the honor of photographing them. From the bottom of my heart, thank you so much!  

When & Why to book your Newborn Session?

There are a couple questions I have been getting asked a lot by clients. When should I book my newborn session? Why should I book with a specialty Newborn Photographer? These are great questions to be asking. Your newborn baby deserves the very best & so do you. You are trusting your baby's safety with your photographer and want the very best outcome from the session.

When should you book your newborn session?

I say as soon as possible! Don't wait too long! I know I personally have had to turn away clients who inquired about a newborn session but had waited to long to book and I was already fully booked. Newborn Photographers usually only take a  limited  number of Newborn Sessions a month to ensure their complete focus and to make sure they will have a session spot for you. Booking early can help in a lot of ways. First, this will ensure you have a session spot. Second, most photographers’ schedules fill up bookings very fast. Third, this ensures that your photographer can personalize/customize the session to your Nursery theme or color scheme that you may want. Most photographers start planning your session soon after your booking, they want to make sure that your portraits are to your liking but also reflect the photographer’s artistic side/style. Also we may even need to buy a prop to coordinate with your session so we will need time to make that happen.

Why to hire a specialty newborn photography versus a regular photographer? 

Newborn babies are very precious. You want your newborn to be photographed but your other main concern is their safety. Most photographers care about your newborns safety but may not know the safe way to pose your newborn properly.  By hiring a specialty newborn photographer, this ensures they know what they are doing. They can pose your newborn in multiple poses while making sure your newborn is completely safe. They also know how to pose a newborn in one pose but at the same time, making sure to capture the best angles resulting in multiple images versus just one image from the pose. Also, your session time will be reasonable. Regular photographers take longer in posing as they are not fully trained in Newborn Photography. A non-specialist photographer can take up to 4 hours or more to photography a newborn session, as to where specialty newborn photographers can photograph a newborn session in 2 hours or less.

Summer days passing all too quickly

Life has been so busy for me. I have been photographing newborn’s, Milestone Sessions, and 1st Birthday Sessions. I also have been trying to teach my babies how to enjoy the summer and my youngest two babies how to read.  

Its has been wonderful swimming, watching movies, visiting with family and friends, going to fun places like the Science Center and Zoo.  This summer my oldest daughter, Jordynne, turned 10 years old, Conner James would be 9 years old and my youngest, Dylan, turned 6 years old.  We had lots of birthdays and lots of joy. We had so much fun and laughter. I am so lucky to be a mom.

As my children get older, I  can’t help but think of how much they have grown as a person through out the past year. I try to capture the moments both big and small while also trying to be present and in the moment.  I noticed now, that my children want me to capture them. They say “Take a picture mom!”.  I took a lot of pictures this summer and somehow managed to still work.   Lol

I will be blogging more once school starts back up. Right now, I am just trying to enjoy my babies and spend as much time with them as possible before school starts back up. I know I can’t be the only mom going crazy with buying school supplies for 3 kids in different grades, new clothes, new shoes and so on.  I know my children are anxious to find out what teacher they have and which friends are in their class, but I have mixed feelings. I want to be able to spend more time with them, but I am also looking forward to a possible nap during the day. 

If you are looking to schedule a session just let me know.  I would love to talk to you and hopefully capture your memories. Thank you so much!  

Summer is almost here!

Hey everyone, 

Who is ready for summer? I know I am. I am ready for swimming, barbecuing, and those long summer nights. My children are counting the days till school is out. I don’t blame them, it’s been a long year.  

We recently moved to Glen Carbon, IL. It feels so good to be back in Illinois. I am loving it. I love being in the Edwardsville/Glen Carbon area, small towns with friendly and caring people. It’s been amazing meeting my new neighbors, seeing old friends, and creating new ones. The feeling of community here is absolutely wonderful, and I am so appreciative of it. 

This summer I am offering mini sessions. Mini sessions are a great way to get updated photos of you and your little ones while saving money and having fun too. It’s great for kids too because it’s not a long session and it keeps kids interested in the session. I will be having Ice Cream Mini Sessions in June and 4th of July Mini Sessions in July.  

Every month I usually offer some type of mini sessions. Sometimes I offer simple mini sessions or sometimes I offer themed mini sessions.  

I am looking for models. I am looking for twins to model in the studio. I do look for models a couple times during the year for new types of sessions and/or to model new props/backdrops. 

Since summer is upon us, I want to get back outside and enjoy this gorgeous time of the year. I would like to offer more natural light sessions outdoors so you may see me advertise for these types of sessions.  

I hope I get the chance to see you soon!  

Thank you!