Why custom photography?
by Lori Wood Habiger - Photographer, Center Stage Photography

When my little boy was a newborn, we took him to one of those chain portrait studios for portraits with his 4-year-old sister. We had exactly 15 minutes with the photographer; and my 2-week-old son spent most of that time crying. The harried photographer would set up the shot, and I would hold a pacifier in my baby's mouth until it was time for her to take the picture, and then I would remove the pacifier and pray for two seconds of no crying so that we could get the newborn portraits we wanted so much.

We left the store with only two different portraits - one slightly out of focus but at least our baby wasn't crying in it. That was several years ago, before I became a portrait photographer, and when I didn't know anything about custom portraits created by private photographers.Contrast that to a recent portrait session at my studio. The baby was 10 days old, and like my baby, he needed to feed often. Because I am a custom photographer, I don't schedule back-to-back sessions, so we were able to take several breaks to allow the baby's mom to feed him. While she nursed him we were able to share some quiet moments talking, and enjoyed the break. The result was beautiful portraits of the baby, and a client mom and dad who feel comfortable with me, and who send me snapshots of the baby every week or so - and I love getting them.

This is the beauty of custom portrait photography. Custom photographers care very much about the portraits we create for you. We limit the number of session we schedule each week so that we can concentrate on you, and create beautiful portraits that you will treasure for a lifetime. We take care to build personal relationships
with you, and enjoy watching your children grow, and document that for you over the course of years.

Learn from my mistake when I was a new mom and knew nothing about custom photography - don't trust your maternity and newborn portraits to the workers at the chain store. Instead, research local custom photographers and make an appointment with one of us - you will never regret the experience or investment, and you will get portraits that are true works of art that beautifully tell the story of this precious time in your life - when you are building a family.


-- Photographer Lori Habiger creates custom portraits of babies, children and families, as well senior portraits and ballerina portraits, for clients in the Kansas City area. Her studio is located in Shawnee.