His eyes, closed. His little nose. Lips parted as he rests in his parents arms.
Welcome, Graham. You are home.
Boston Newborn Photography
It’s Boston newborn photography sessions like this that refuel me. And I am not ashamed to tell you that I need a little refueling these days.
Meeting Graham’s parents at their home was the breath of fresh year-end air that I needed. Their space exuded life: bright and vibrant colors, a love of plants, and a curious kitty.
Their first baby, a boy named Graham, came earlier that month and – per usual – lit up the room.
I love at-home newborn sessions because no two are ever alike. I don’t visit the home prior to the photography session, so when I arrive, I’m seeing a brand new location for the very first time. I love scouting the best spots for color, light and comfort. Hearing the stories of a new or growing family’s home, history and life is like reading a short story or listening to a fantastic podcast. I learn about YOU.
In doing so, I figure out how to use my camera to authentically tell your story.
Baby Graham’s grandmother is a knitter, so the house was filled with many items. I could only imagine how hard she worked on each and every one, just waiting for his arrival. Booties, a sweater, a hat. Graham will have plenty of handmade ways to keep the chilly air away this winter.
Cara Soulia specializes in Boston newborn photography, family photography, maternity photography and more. See more of Cara’s work on her blog or get in touch to schedule your session.
Life-changing moments. We all have them, but we may not recognize that they’re happening in real-time. Sometimes it takes reflection – months or even years later – to say: Wow, my life changed that day.
Bringing a child into the world is almost certainly one of the biggest – if not the biggest – life change one can experience. And with several months to prepare, it’s a life change that deserves to be relished.
Boston Maternity Photographer
Congratulations! You’re weeks away from welcoming a new little human into your life.
Maybe it’s for the first time. Maybe not. Perhaps this is your miracle baby or your surprise baby.
Whatever your story, as a Boston Maternity Photographer, I am here to make sure it’s captured forever.
Here’s my promise to you. This is all about YOU.
As a mom myself, I know you’re about to enter perhaps the most joyful – but also selfless – time of your life. I want to help create visual memories of your life leading up to that moment so you can always reflect on your own personal evolution.
How to Plan Your Boston Maternity Photo Session
We’ll work together imagine:
Location: The Boston Public Garden, a gorgeous local park, the city streets near your home, your backyard? I’m creative and well-versed in finding the perfect location for our photo session.
Vibe: Serene, urban, sunshine or sunset? I’ve done them all and know how to leverage a location’s vibe to create amazing images that reflect your persona and lifestyle.
Experience: This is your time. Let’s make sure we use it in the most enjoyable way possible. Does that mean your dog is coming? Fantastic. I love dogs.
Results: Your personal pregnancy story on film. Do you prefer bright and perky? Dramatic and artsy? Is your joy in your eyes, smile or both?
Together we’ll create authentic and beautiful images that you’ll treasure forever.
I want to capture YOU at this moment in time. My goal isn’t simply to capture how you look, but also how you FEEL.
Many of my clients request my dramatic approach to Boston Maternity Photography. See a few examples below.
Your maternity photos can – and should! – be a family event. Your partner, pet, other children and even grandparent(s) can join. I know that welcoming a new child is a gift to an entire family.
The most-asked question of any photographer, especially maternity clients:
What Should I Wear for a Maternity Photo Session?
Here’s the easy answer:
Fitted clothing. The goal is to showcase the pregnancy, so you want your belly to be obvious.
Solid bold colors usually work best. They really show off the figure and don’t blend into the background like black. A personal color really can make your image perfect.
Pattern-lovers, don’t despair. Patterns can work but nothing too crazy. Try to stick with a pattern with fewer colors.
Don’t want to be too fancy? That works? A fitted maternity top and jeans looks wonderfully.
Layers and textures can work well, too. Just stay simple with the color and pattern.
And, yes, I’m very comfortable showcasing your bare belly.
Cara Soulia is a Boston family and newborn photographer who captures the authentic, beautiful and meaningful lives of her clients. See more of Cara’s work on her blog or get in touch for more details.
I love this image of a Father and Son blowing kisses so much. I’m SO happy to kiss 2020 goodbye, aren’t you?
Maybe it’s the new year or maybe it’s the realities facing us in 2021, but I see – and feel – a lot more than usual when I reflect on the moment I captured this image in this Dad’s home office.
I see Presence.
Boston Family and Newborn Photographer
The last ten months have given us a LOT of togetherness. Surely everyone has had multiple moments of wanting (or needing) space, fresh air, and time away from all-family all-the-time.
But every week when I pack my bag and head off to a family, newborn or maternity photo session in the Boston area, I am overtaken by a strong sense of peace when I arrive at a client’s home, backyard, or our chosen destination.
What is influencing the joyful and emotionally peaceful experiences? I’m convinced it’s the Power of Presence.
Nowhere else to be. No massively overflowing long lists of to-do’s, meetings, errands, commutes, distractions and more.
Oh, sure, people are still busy. But, I’m finding there’s simply more time – or more time being made – to be present in each day, with each other, as parents and more.
I literally see the less frenetic mindset happening in front of me. Dads are getting even more engaged in family photo sessions than ever (see above)! I see jumping, smiles, squeals. I hear authentic laughs, jokes and more.
The experience is acceptance of life-as-it-is-right-now. And it’s so freeing.
Free from the confines of the “old way” or need to “keep up”, my photo sessions have become so much more creative. Beautiful locations spotted in small local parks, backyards, snow-filled fields and more. Families bring books, balls, pets and more. We capture life how it’s happening right now.
This is my daughter, Lillian, a few weeks ago when we visited a local holiday lights display. Yes, it is a fantastic image. I’m thrilled that I captured it, but not simply because it’s beautiful and striking, but because of the sheer fact that I was there and present to do so. I’m confident we’ll look back on this image years from now – after the pandemic finally ends and perhaps we’re back to busier lives – and remember that night.
So, as 2021 begins, here’s my promise to myself, my family and my clients: I Promise to be Present.
While we all want this pandemic to be over, it remains part of our lives for many more months. Rather than let it stifle my actions, relationships and growth, I choose to be present in the lives of those around me. As a Boston Family and Newborn Photographer, I strive to capture images of authentic people and their lives as they happen. Let’s work together to create a year of presence.
Contact me to schedule time for your snowy-filled winter session, your backyard joy, or any location you’d like to visit in the weeks ahead.
Cara Soulia is a Boston family and newborn photographer who captures the authentic, beautiful and meaningful lives of her clients. See more of Cara’s work on her blog or get in touch for more details.
I can hardly believe I am sitting down to write my “Best of” blog post already! It has been the longest year of our lives and yet somehow it feels surreal that we are already so close to the end!!
Preparing this blog post is always incredibly difficult and 2020 was no exception — I photographed over one hundred families in 2020 and created thousands and thousands of images! To choose my top 20 is like trying to choose my favorite child!! But sorting through the images, I could feel certain emotions emerging from the photographs that resonated with me the most: LOVE for your family, JOY for everything you have right now and HOPE for the future.
The images I chose for my Top 20 of 2020 are those that represent the overwhelming positive emotions that my clients felt despite the pandemic and despite the challenges we all faced during this very difficult year. Life was still happening. Women were expecting babies for the first time, newborns were being welcomed into the world, children were celebrating birthdays and loving their new pandemic puppies, and parents were taking more time to act silly with their kids (how many people can we fit in the treehouse anyway?!). Moms and Dads were hugging their babies tight, giving extra kisses and tickles and playing games in the backyard.
THANK YOU for sharing your LOVE and JOY with me. I do not take it for granted that I was there to witness some the very best moments of your year.
Best of Boston Newborn and Family Photography
And I had to throw in a bonus image…because in an election year, I just couldn’t leave it out 🙂
Cara Soulia is a Boston area newborn & family photographer who specializes in capturing authentic, emotive and colorful images. See more of Cara’s work or get in touch to find out more about documenting your family’s love in 2021!
Meet Shagun Sharma. She is the Founder of Naytra Couture based in Wellesley, MA. Naytra Couture produces hand crafted, wearable art in the form of tunics, blouses, and scarves.
All Photography by Cara Soulia, Boston Portrait Photographer
I was introduced to Shagun early in 2020 by a mutual friend. My first ‘meeting’ with her was over the phone. As Shagun told me the story of how her business was born, I could hear the incredible passion in her voice as she spoke about her business. I could completely relate to that feeling of being so invested in your business and so excited about the product you are creating that you think about it around the clock – sometimes to the point of ignoring your family! As she described the amazing process by which her garments come to life, I couldn’t wait to see them in person. From that first call, I knew Shagun would be an excellent candidate for my “A Mother’s Work” portrait series. Not only is her personal story fascinating, but the very long path she has been on to finally bring her idea to life is absolutely awe inspiring! Shagun transforms beautiful artwork from remote villages in India into timeless silk garments that anyone can wear. I am so proud to highlight her story on my blog.
A Mother’s Work: Shagun Sharma | Founder of Naytra
I grew up in a family of four in India — it was me, my mom, my dad and my younger sister. We were a very close-knit family, but I always had an especially close relationship with my dad. I was greatly influenced by him, and I know I am where I am today only because of him.
For instance, I always thought I was going to pursue something technical after college. I had studied math during my undergrad, and thought the next logical step was getting an MBA. My dad, however, never believed in being limited to one path. When he visited the National Institute of Technology (NIFT) in Delhi, he knew I was going to fall in love before I had even seen it myself – math degree or not. And he was right.
When I was at NIFT, I was introduced to Madhubani paintings while taking a course called “The Influence of Ancient Indian Art on Textiles and Fashion.” I had never seen artwork so beautiful, breathtaking, and intricate. I fell in love instantly and knew I had to find a way to share these magnificent designs with the world.
And then life happened. I met my husband Sanjeev, we got married, and before I knew it my daughter Diva was born. Then we moved to Canada in 2001, where we had our son Neil. It was then that I got my MBA Degree in Toronto like I always thought I would, with a focus on marketing and business strategy. From there, I went on to work for companies like Hallmark, and Walmart Canada, eventually moving to TJX Companies outside of Boston. I quit my job in 2015 to spend time with my kids before they left Boston and started their own lives. Now that my son Neil has left the nest and gone to college, my husband Sanjeev, encouraged me to follow my dream. Hence the birth of Naytra.
Tell me the story of how Naytra Couture was born (what the name means, your mission, etc).
Naytra means “eyes” in both Hindi and Sanskrit. My fascination with eyes goes back to my NIFT days, when I was introduced to Madhubani paintings. Madhubani is a folk art practiced by women in rural villages in India’s Mithila and Madhubani regions. This practice goes back centuries — 2,500 years to be exact. In the olden days, the women in these villages would paint the homes and buildings in town during festivals and special occasions. They would create these breathtaking masterpieces by using dyes from plants and vegetables in their gardens and suddenly these small villages would come alive.
Aside from the intricacy of the designs and the vivid colors, I have always been fascinated and intrigued by the way the eyes are emphasized in these paintings. All animal life is depicted with big, bold, striking eyes. These eyes always resonated with me as I believed then, as I still do now, in Shakespeare’s words, that one’s “eyes are the windows to your soul”. Our eyes are a window to our inner world —our feelings, thoughts and views of the universe.
Take me through the process of how your garments are made, from how make the design to how the fabric is created.
Our journey starts with the female artisans themselves – we work directly with female artisans in remote villages in India who create exclusive artwork for Naytra. After I receive the artwork, I have to conceptualize how to transfer the artwork from its current 2D form into a 3D context as a tunic, top, scarf, etc.
The next step is sending the artwork to the factories. These factories produce 100% mulberry silk with the highest level of certification possible for silk – OEKO-TEX standard 100 certified. Not only is this fabric free of any harmful substances, it is also environmentally friendly. Once the designs get to the factories, the designs are printed onto this silk It’s a slow, tedious, but extremely rewarding process.
Once printed, each piece is hand cut and hand-sewn – silk is extremely delicate and must be handled with the utmost case. Finally, after undergoing a rigorous quality check process the tunic, blouse, top and scarves are brought to the marketplace.
Tell me more about the philanthropic components of your business.
My brand and business are based on three pillars that I am very passionate about – women supporting women, sustainability, and giving the gift of eyesight.
Women supporting women: Supporting female artisans and their communities.
I began by reaching out to female folk artists living in remote Indian villages. The artwork they create is absolutely mesmerizing. I wanted to eliminate all middlemen and work with these artisans directly, make sure they were being paid a fair wage for their artwork and support them and their communities.
Sustainability: Taking care of our mother earth.
It is each of our responsibility to ensure the best future possible for our future generations. To do our part, we have adopted an absolutely no plastic policy. We use 100% pure mulberry silk – no man-made fiber at all. All the packaging material used is eco-friendly and your Naytra tunic or scarf will come in a special design cotton bag, with a recycled paper box and with hand-tags made out of recycled paper. These will be attached to the tunics with a silk or cotton ribbon.
Naytra: The gift of eyesight.
Did you know that there are 55 million people in the world who are visually impaired? These people cannot enjoy the riot of colors existing in nature, fashion, and art that you and I take for granted when we wake up every morning. While I was disheartened to learn this, a glimmer of hope stemmed from learning that 80% of these visually impaired people suffer from curable blindness. I was inspired knowing that there was something I could do to help. I aspire to work with you to cure blindness. Every time you purchase a piece from Naytra, you are giving someone the gift of eyesight. This is our gift to the world.
What is the most challenging thing about running your own business and raising a family at the same time and how do you manage it?
Well, the most challenging part about running your business is that the business becomes your baby — and in this process your other babies at home can feel neglected. The balancing act between the two is really challenging. I miss out on the little things, like being with my family and watching TV at the end of the day. I feel like I’m not present with them – even if I’m physically in the same room. Simple things like cooking for my family, which is so therapeutic for me, has taken a back seat. But I try my best to find a balance and enjoy every little bit of time that we spend together.
What is one of the best pieces of business advice that someone has given you?
I was a newly minted Assistant Production manager at the start of my career at an apparel manufacturing factory, and my manager was an old and highly experienced gentleman, who taught me invaluable lessons that I will always remember. One of these lessons was to never accept “no” as an answer. I learnt that it is very easy for people to say no when you ask them to do something. My manager taught me to challenge that “no” — to work, to fight, and to grind until I got what I wanted. It’s always an unnerving process but it is the best advice I have ever gotten – never to accept “no”.
Read more features from the A Mother’s Work series here!
Cara Soulia is a Boston Photographer who specializes in creating beautiful, natural images in a unique and artistic way. See more of Cara’s work here or get in touch to find out more about scheduling a photo session.
