Aarna’s Winnie the Pooh Styled Session – Elverta Styled Session Photographer

When Aarna’s mom contacted me about doing a Winnie the Pooh Styled session for her 2 year old – as usual, I jumped at the opportunity. I LOVE styled sessions, not only because they allow me to create specialty things for the session, but they push me to challenge myself to think outside of the box. I created the 100 Acre Woods sign by using a log that we were actually going to burn in our fire pit, and bought one fence panel, which I cut with a jigsaw to create the jagged look. I found a Winnie the Pooh font online, and printed out what I wanted the different panel pieces to say, and then traced it onto the wood with a chalk pencil and then followed with some paint that I got in a sample size from Home Depot.  I drilled a hole down in the stump with a hole saw (almost broke my wrist about 18 times) and then got a square post and attached the fence panels with some wood screws,  and I made the yellow paper lantern look like it had bees on it from some bee stickers that I purchased on Amazon. I picked up the balloons and sunflowers from Raley’s, and then arranged them into a little wooden box. I picked up the cake from Amy Lynn’s Cakes who I highly recommend and who I purchase many cakes through for different sessions and events. She is amazing and VERY professional! I borrowed some wood rounds and crates from It’s All in the Details, who always pulls through for me every time with great ideas and help, and then my client had all the stuffed animals.

When my client contacted me, we put a date on the calendar that would allow for us to order the things we needed, for me to make the items I was going to make, and for her to get the outfits that she wanted. The date of the original session came, and my client called and said that Aarna had fallen on her face and busted her lip open that morning and that they were on the way to the hospital!!! “OMG, POOR BABY”, was my first thought, and then I immediately suggested that we reschedule the session. Since we had already paid for the cake ,out of her styled session fee and the cake was ready to pick up, I picked up the cake and delivered it to my client at their home.

We decided to reschedule for 2 weeks out and re-ordered the same cake for the next session date. We were planning on doing our session at a popular park in Rocklin for that next date. I arrived at the park about 1 1/2 hours early, and realized that they were having a huge event, and there was no way our session would be able to happen there. Having the cake, the setup of all the items for the session, I kinda panicked. I contacted my client and I told her the situation. I sat in my car in a parking lot and started sending different location ideas from past clients. We agreed on Gibson Ranch in Elverta, which honestly, couldn’t have been a more perfect location! “Sometimes things fall apart so better things can fall together” – that quote couldn’t have been more perfect for what both my client and I were feeling.

We got there right about the same time and decided to do all the family photos first. This is one of the things that I love about styled sessions. Since we have up to 3 hours of shooting time, I can allow for different sets and scenes, and lots of different outfits. We took a walk around the property and tried to get Aarna to warm up to me, and I think we did a pretty okay job of that, by looking at the photos.

Even with a few hiccups to making this session happen, I think we got some great images for this beautiful family, and of Aarna for her second birthday.

I can’t wait to work with this family again. Here are some images from Aarna’s Styled Winnie the Pooh Session!