Name: Erika Rigger Photography
Price range: $$

HOLIDAY IN-HOME CAROLINA BEACH NEWBORN PHOTOGRAPHY | BABY ELLERIE

October 19, 2022

Mom and dad with newborn baby girl and dog on couch

The holidays and the cold weather tend to bring a unique kind of warmth into the homes of families. And what better way to welcome in a new life than into the coziness of Christmas time? This special season holds a certain kind of magic, which is what I aimed to capture in this holiday in-home Carolina Beach newborn photography session.

Sweet Holiday In-Home Session

From the jump, I knew this shoot was going to be something spectacular. This couple welcomed me into their gorgeous Carolina Beach home to meet their adorable daughter Ellerie as well as their super sweet four legged friend. The colors in their home were bright and neutral. As a result, the natural light flowing in from the windows beamed on a beautiful cozy winter scene.

The Christmas tree was a perfect accent to this in-home newborn session. Positioned right next to a big and bright window, it gave us a gorgeous little holiday scene to work with. The colors on the tree worked in harmony with this couples’ beautiful attire. The ornaments and twinkling lights provided just the right amount of sparkle.

New mom and dad with newborn baby during in-home photography session

Dad holding his newborn and mom holding hew newborn in front of a Christmas tree

Newborn baby girl with Christmas tree during photography session in Carolina Beach

The Magic of In-Home Photography Sessions

In-home newborn photography sessions can be intimidating. I like to remind families that the idea is to capture the way things are, and the way the family behaves, as candidly as possible. I never expect a home to be “perfect” and actually prefer that they aren’t. This way, the photographs have a real sense of familiarity and realness to them. It is a huge perk of having an in-home session. I may open up some curtains or move some distracting things out of a backdrop, but I want to keep the home feeling like what it is – yours.

Newborn baby girl with family and nose to nose with dad during photography session

We finished off this holiday in-home Carolina Beach newborn photography session with some darling shots of Ellerie and her parents (and dog, of course!) snuggled up enjoying the coziness. I adore the way these parents gushed over their new baby. This session had a real softness to it. From the Christmas-time themes, to the textures and colors of the cozy home, to the sweet and loving expressions on these parents’ faces, capturing baby Ellerie was an absolute joy.

Family cudding with newborn baby girl in bed and on the couch

Since this shoot, I have returned for a family photo session and another newborn session with this wonderful family. It has been an honor to watch them grow.

Are you expecting? Now is a great time to book your newborn session to be sure you’ll remember the blur! Contact me for details.

Give Unique Photo Gifts for the Holidays

October 15, 2022

When it comes to holiday gift giving, portraits are a shining star. But how many pictures can you display in one house? Give unique photo gifts for the holidays, and combine the magic of portraits with a gift your relatives can use and enjoy.

Family Portraits Through the Years

Personalized family photo ornament for the holidays — Photo sourced from ht tps://www.mpix.com

Do you have a family portrait taken each year? Turn that session into a beautiful unique photo gift. You can have those photos made into ornaments for friends and family, for instance.

Mpix offers several different designs to choose from, and you can have your ornaments personalized with the year.

Your family will enjoy a collection of ornaments showing how you and your children have changed through the years.

Photo Gifts to Brag About

Personalized mini accordion photo album holiday gift — Photo sourced from https://www.mpix.com

What’s the best gift you can give to proud grandparents or doting aunts and uncles? You can give them the gift of being able to show their families off to their friends, acquaintances and even strangers on the street. Any one of these unique photo gifts will give a great excuse to brag about the family:

Pocket sized accordion books with several different photos
Keepsake boxes for holding treasures and trinkets
Calendars to place front and center in a spotlight space on the wall
A button to wear proudly around town

Small and Unique

Fridge magnet personalized with family photo for holiday gift — Photo sourced from https://www.etsy.com

Sometimes you need a small gift to stuff a stocking to give to a teacher, babysitter or other important people who are close to your family. Take a break from the classics and add in a unique photo gift for them to enjoy. Try one of these useful items:

A photo magnet to hold refrigerator art
A deck of cards for when it’s time to play
A photo statuette perfect for placement on a desk or shelf
A personalized photo coaster for a coffee table or side table

Give unique photo gifts for the holidays, and provide someone you love a treasured item that they can cherish for years to come. Are you in need of a refresh on your family portraits? Contact me or book now to schedule a session!

COLORFUL FALL FAMILY PHOTOGRAPHY AT THE ARBORETUM IN WILMINGTON

October 7, 2022

Family under gazebo at the New Hanover Arboretum in Wilmington, NC

Fall is here! And with the end of summer comes the perfect time of year for family photo sessions. This colorful fall family photography at the Arboretum in Wilmington showcases all the perks of autumn. From the changing leaves, to the shots of family snuggles, this family photography session truly has it all.

I was introduced to this gorgeous family through Rainbow Garden preschool in Hampstead. My children attended this school as well, and absolutely adored it. Once a year in the fall, I visit to do school pictures. This allows me to get to know the families a bit, and sometimes they book a family session afterwards.

NEW HANOVER ARBORETUM IN FALL

One of my favorite locations for this time of year is the New Hanover Arboretum in Wilmington. This gorgeous and scenic botanical garden is full of beautiful shrubs and trees that create the perfect backdrop for fall family photography sessions when their leaves begin to change. The Japanese Maple trees always end up being the star of the show with their gorgeous orange and red hues.

This family chose the perfect wardrobe for their colorful fall family photography session. The white outfits against the moody colors of the arboretum shined beautifully, and gave all three of them a gorgeous glow.

COLORFUL FALL PHOTOGRAPHY SESSIONS

Autumn serves as a breath of fresh air after the sticky, hot days of summer. This change is always welcome, especially in my fall photography sessions. The ability for children to run, for partners to snuggle, and families to enjoy getting close and cuddly, creates gorgeous and heartwarming shots. The love and adoration that pour from these photos is so easily achievable this time of year. The smiles on this family’s face say it all.

Creating a fun, relaxing session comes easy with the change of seasons. This colorful fall family photography at the Arboretum showcases the beauty of not only the gardens, but these three wonderful humans as well.

I am looking forward to capturing this family and all their love again, as they are expecting a new arrival soon! It warms my heart to watch these families grow, and photographing them throughout their journeys.

Mom dad and son at the New Hanover Arboretum in Wilmington

Family enjoying walk in the fall during photography session

Son running and playing with parents at the Arboretum in Wilmington, NC

Loving family during fall photography session

Fall is here and now is the time to book your family sessions! It is the perfect time of year to update your family photos for your holiday cards and gifts. Contact me or book now!

Fall is Family Photography Season

September 28, 2022

Fall is a particularly alluring time of year to capture families frolicking in nature. A North Carolina autumn never disappoints. The splendid colors that burst from trees and bushes create a backdrop that will surround your family with warmth and serenity. The beautiful setting and the mood it brings both play into why fall is family photography season. My family photography gallery displays how uniquely I portray each family I photograph.

Fall and Family Photography

As a lifestyle photographer, the magic of fall’s changing color palette provides the purity I am inspired to share with my clients. The essence of summer giving way to cool breezes creates a casually cheerful mood. The thought of crackling fires to come lends to a genuine playfulness.

I adore capturing giggling children as they stretch out their fingertips to grasp falling leaves. There is magic in the sparkling eyes of babies taking in the vast array of hues created by nature’s paintbrush. I snap those moments when parents view their children with intrinsic joy while fondly remembering their own childhood; in awe of how time evolves, yet somehow stays the same. Fall photography sessions are the perfect host for creating small but joyous moments to treasure.

North Carolina has no shortage of amazing fall backdrops for your session. I love to shoot at New Hanover Arboretum for their gorgeous Japanese maple trees. Abbey Nature Trails adjacent to Poplar Grove Plantation, and Long Leaf Park in Wilmington are some of my favorite local locations as well.

Mom and dad with kids during fall photography session

The Season of Love

Autumn brings the weather that lends itself to cozy cuddles with the loved ones. I feel that it always serves as a breath of fresh air after sticky summer days. The willingness to get snuggled up close returns, and creates beautiful moments in front of the camera. Fall is family photography season as I am able to capture all of the warm fuzzy feelings that come along with the changing weather.

A photograph-worthy setting occurs naturally when a family bounds into a giant pile of leaves. Picture playful sword-jousts with twigs and scrambling over tree roots while escaping tickle-hugs. I become the captive audience to these authentic moments. I then create a gift that your family will treasure for years to come. Fall photography sessions lend themselves to fun, laid back, and relaxing times for both the parents and the children.

Man and woman on bridge in front of fall trees

Couple posing behind fall leaves during photography session

I will bring this awe-inspiring scene into your home. Fall photography sessions create wonderful portraits for your walls and framed photos for your children’s grandparents. The holiday season will be here before we know it, so this is the perfect time of year contact me to book your family photography session.

PRECIOUS IN-HOME WILMINGTON NEWBORN PHOTOGRAPHY | BABY PARKER

September 22, 2022

How lucky am I to be able to spend my days helping welcome these new lives into the world? Meeting these babies and getting to experience the joys of new parenthood with the families I shoot truly never gets old. In this precious in-home Wilmington newborn photography session, I met Baby Parker.

This beautiful couple hired me for my Bump to Baby package. I first shot their maternity portraits on the beach in Surf City, N.C. After Parker’s arrival, I visited their Wilmington home for an in-home session.

IN-HOME WILMINGTON NEWBORN PHOTOGRAPHY

Baby Parker was sleepy as ever, and as a result, napped through most of this session. If his parents were low on sleep, you’d never know it from the photos. They looked stunning, and were taking the blur of new parenthood in stride. Doing this shoot in-home meant that Parker could stay comfy and cozy throughout. There’s no doubt that being cuddled up in his mom and dad’s lap made for a nice nap. Nestled in his swaddle, it was time to get to work.

The home and Parker’s nursery were gorgeous, and made for a relaxing session. Their home was quite dark, designed perfectly for sleepy babies. Because of this, I opened up all the curtains in the house to provide as much natural light as possible. The result was the light pouring in from outside which gave this precious in-home newborn session the perfect sleepy mood.

PRECIOUS NEWBORN MOMENTS

These adoring parents had no problem conveying the unconditional love they have for their new baby. These days fly by in the blink of an eye. My goal for my newborn sessions is to capture the raw moments that new parents experience in the day-to-day. A touch of noses or a kiss on the forehead would normally be a moment that passes without a second thought, but these are the photos that bring out the sweetness of having a newborn. These photos will forever tell the story of the bond being built between parents and baby in their first few days as a family.

Baby Parker will grow before his parents’ eyes. Before they know it, he will be a walking, talking ball of fire that will light up their life in all-new ways. My mission for this precious in-home Wilmington newborn photography session was to savor Parker at his tiniest. This way, above all, parents can look back on these photos to remember just how small and sweet their newest addition was in those first few days. One of the shots I love most from this session is Parker head-to-head with his dad. Fitting between his forehead and chest, it really encapsulates just how itty-bitty Parker is.

Newborn baby swaddled during photography session

Mom and Dad with newborn baby during photography session in Wilmington N.C.

Parents holding and kissing baby in nursery during in-home photography session

Baby with parents napping in the nursery

Loving parents with newborn baby boy in Wilmington home

Are you getting ready to welcome your newest addition? Now is a great time to book your newborn session, so you can always remember the blur of bringing home a new baby. Contact me for details.