Happiest Baby Boy Family Photography Session in Delray Beach, FL

Click here to Meet my partner Lena who captures all these beautiful memories from maternity and newborn sessions exclusively for my birth clients leading up to and following their birth stories... 

I use to be so scared to schedule family photography sessions (and especially scared to schedule newborn photography sessions) outside of the 'golden hour' (1 hour before sunset), I would explain to clients that I don't have equipment to deal with the harsh south florida lighting, etc... and I have to say that it is thanks to my two kids over the last year and a half, I have been docmenting Kate and Emma's days, in the middle of any kind of light, no light, too much mid-day light, and now its all I do.

I ain't afraid of no harsh south florida sun.

It is amazing how my own girls have had such a huge impact on my life as a photographer :)

When these amazing moms asked if morning is ok because that's when their little man is happiest, I was like yeah of course! 

Baby photography is one of my favorites!!! But I always always insist that it has to be family portaits... even though all my families know that my work has been drifting into documentary photography sessions / photojournalism, and I do less and less portraiture and posing these days and allow my families to really spend quality time with their littles during my photoshoots. 

I think that can be tough to do as a beach photographer, especially when families are not regular beach goers. So I have gotten really creative with looking for new locations as a south florida newborn photographer, and family photographer. A few days ago I ventured out with this amazing little family of three into a local nature trail...

This family means so much to me. I was their birth photographer.  

I was with them for.... over 20 hours of labor, I love these two so so dearly and it felt crazy and amazing to see Easton after 7 months...

he is the sweetest, chunkiest, happiest little boy!!!

I hope you enjoy their 7 month baby boy family photographic pictures session in Delray Beach as much as I did!

Feel free to head on over to my birth stories photography page to see Easton's birthing day with Paulina Splechta Photography.

561-400-8383

Waiting on Girl #2 | Maternity & Pregnancy Family Documentary Session at the Dog Beach in Jupiter, FL

When I met Leslie and her family of three... soon to be family of four... I knew right away that we were going to be friends. I was really excited when Leslie emailed this to me:

"I'm not a "smile at the camera" gal. I love documentary, abstract type photos. I know you want to step out of your comfort zone and I am super excited to be part of this change for you." 

That was the coolest email I could have gotten ever! It said to me "I trust you, do whatever you want because what you're doing, I love"

I think it is quite possibly the most freeing feeling in the world when your client trusts you so much, and completely lets go and gives you creative freedom.

Here are some of my absolutely favorite images from their documentary lifestyle maternity and family session with their amazing daughter and two precious doggies. I hope you enjoy these photographic pictures as much as I did!

Birth of a first granddaughter | First time parents & first time grandmas

One of the parts of my job as a birth photographer that really brings me a lot of happiness and fulfillment is working with parents who I feel connected to, who I feel are like old time friends or family, from the first time I meet them. Vianey and Stefen are the epitome of this! I think I mentioned to them several times during our first meeting, their pregnancy and after the birth of their incredible little girl Penny, that I wish we were neighbors or lived 5 minutes away. 

We have so much in common and chatting feels effortless.

I had no idea how much love I'd have in my heart the day I joined them in their delivery room. Already there was a lot of love and a lot of family present during Vianey's labor, supporting her utterly and flawlessly.

There were a few things that kind of swept me off my feet. 

One... their birth plan changed, a few times. And each time, these first time parents met these changes with positivity, bravery and resilience.

Vianey's husband stood by her during her entire labor as the most vigilant and empathetic partner I have yet seen. 

Her family had this unspoken reverence for the young couple. An unspoken truth everyone knew about, that they went into this labor knowledgable, wise, prepared and they don't need guidance, advice, critique, rather they deserve the utmost kindness and support. Watching so many family members and also friends provide this incredible labor, birth and baby encouragement and support, even with Vianey breastfeeding the baby immediately following birth, well it was refreshing and inspiring and most of all, incredibly calming to me.

Some of these images happen to be some of my all time favorite pieces of work I have ever documented. I am thrilled that this 2017 family is now part of my birth families, that their journey has been one I have had the honor of capturing...

I love that this family fell deeply into the strong bond of trusting me to document the day their first born daughter came into this world... this is an honor that is not bestowed onto everyone and I will value their trust in me forever. 

PS. I absolutely love the twist ending with the fun proposal you'll see in the last few shots. I hope you enjoy these photographic pictures as much as I did!

Mommy & me in a Strawberry Patch | Saying Goodbye (for now)

The first time I met Brooklyn, she was already the fierce little girl she is now, just tinier.

I remember Brooklyn's mom and I met through a shared passion of breastfeeding. We both believed that breastfeeding is an amazing bond to have with our children (along with the plentitude of health benefits) and I can't believe that I had to go back three years and three hard drives to our first session together when B was a just this tiny peanut, nursing on the beach at sunrise...

This year, the family journeys out west to their new home and this session was blissful and also bittersweet as I said goodbye to one of my favorite families I've kept near and dear to my heart over the last three years.

Three mommy and me sessions and a family shoot together, I wanted to include some of my favorite shots from the last two years (find them below our session this spring 2017)

I have faith that our paths will cross again one day. It's just meant to be. Maybe one day I will venture out west to California, Arizona, Nevada, and we will have a western adventure together.

I send you my love, and lots of good blessings for your journey my dear friends. 

I hope you enjoy these photographic pictures as much as I did!

September 2014

March 2015

March 2016

Bedner's Farm Delray Beach Spring Family Photo Sessions & Some Maternity Shots!

There's something about open land that makes me feel happy and blissful. Fields, fresh air, wind, wild animals, plants, trees; Being around these things instantly puts me into a happy, care-free mood, it's almost like hypnosis. I instantly stop worrying about everything and feel as light as a feather. I visited Bedner's Farm in Delray Beach with both of my kids, my two girls, a few weeks back. My brother and his family were with us, and I brought my camera of course. We took pictures of each other with each other's kids. When I got home and looked over these pictures, they immediately relaxed me and I thought of what a wonderful, splendid easy day we had outside with our families. 

I decided I have to invite some of my favorite families out to Bedner's one weekend and do some spring family sessions with them. While the strawberries, tomatos and peppers are ripe and growing, it will be the perfect time to capture some gorgeous family photos. One of my dear, sweet families I invited is pregnant and expecting a new baby boy in a few weeks... I am so excited for them with a newborn just around the corner, we had to celebrate with a maternity session... we did a little bit of posing, but this gorgeous family has shot with me in the past and needed no direction :) 

And for the most part, we just had a lot of silly fun. They laughed, picked strawberries, ate them, got pretty messy, rolled around in the green strawberries patches, and shared lots of snuggles, hugs and kisses. I had a really sweet and fun time walking around them capturing all these adorable, intimate, candid - lifestyle moments while they had fun all on their own, they even forgot I was there at one point, or so it seems :) 

Enjoy! and go pick some strawberries of your own! Yum!!

DOCUMENTARY LIFESTYLE FAMILY SESSION AROUND MOM'S BEAUTIFUL BUMP IN DELRAY BEACH, FL

Click here to Meet my partner Lena who captures all these beautiful memories from maternity and newborn sessions exclusively for my birth clients leading up to and following their birth stories... 

We were so excited to do this documentary lifestyle family session for Loreley and her family. We spent weeks planning it! 

I met them back when her son Mikey was a tiny nursling. I can't believe that I blinked and suddenly Mikey is about to become a big brother! 

We met just before sundown in Delray Beach... my favorite beach is just off of Linton Boulevard and A1A... its called Atlantic Dunes Park and its kind of perfect for moody, documentary sessions. 

The late afternoon sun cast some toasty, moody shadows all over the boardwalk and the green trees and plant life transformed it into almost a North Carolina vibe... made my heart soar! I have been dreaming of going out of state to a mountainous town with the loveliest forests and fields and rolling hills. I'm always so joyful and bubbly when I catch one of my favorite tropical south Floridian locations acting like its all northerny :) 

I hope you enjoy these photographic pictures as much as I did!

documentary session following the ripley family from gulstream beach park in delray beach, florida

I met the Ripleys years ago. Before they were the Ripleys. Lindsey and I met back before we were moms, and even back before we were wives. 

Life fast forwarded.

Years later, we crossed paths and it turns out we had both become birth workers and we both had two daughters. Lindsey is a doula and co-owner of  The Doula Sisters of South Florida, and she's a pretty rad chick and amazing mother, balancing it all like a pro.

For Lindsey & her hubby John's family session, we decided to do something different. They were trusting and willing to take my hand and follow me on my path through growth and evolution from lifestyle and posed portraiture photography over to documentary family photography. For that I am ever so grateful. I have been documenting my own family since my first daughter was born 4 years ago. And long before that, I was always the one documenting my two older sisters, my big brother and my folks as a teen. I needed this break out session in the dark, so to say, to discover who I am and what I love. Portraiture photography has filled my heart over the years and served me well. I have respected and followed some of the great portraiture photographers over the year, and I am still awed to this day by their consistently fabulous, on-point work. Birth was my gateway into documentation. What I enjoyed about births was the beauty of the first day of life, the struggle and journey and empowerment of women, and most of all, everyone having and knowing their role, even if it to silently support and encourage mama in labor. Bringing my documentarist traits into family photography has always been a challenge for me. How do I prepare my families for this? When they're not quite sure how to act, what to do, what to bring with them. So I took a different approach with Lindsey and John and their two daughters. I had them invite me to a morning with their family at the playground, and I just followed them from there. 

You would never be able to guess that the Ripleys received nearly no direction or posing from me during their session. I think I maybe suggested something 2-3 times during their session, but the rest... is all... Ripley Family November 2016.

I hope you enjoy this documentary family session as much as I did, and that you will eagerly follow me into my journey in to family documentation as 2017 rolls around the corner...

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FAMILY DOCUMENTATION | The evolution of Family Photography with Paulina Splechta

My dad emigrated alone to the United States when I was a 4 week old baby in the 80s. He knew he would have to work really hard for the next few years, and the only communication he would have with the love of his life, his wife, and his children would be letters. The first five years of my life my brother and I grew up without a dad. My mom did a hell of a job raising me and my brother by herself. I often take care of the girls on my own and I struggle so much to stay positive and resilient and strong for them and for my family but I can't imagine having to do this for five years alone. I use to have this homemade video that my sister or my aunt recorded of my mom sending a message from us (my mom, me and my brother) to my dad in Florida. The last time I saw it was maybe when a teen on my parents old TV in our old house. I haven't seen it in all these years. I asked about it recently, because I was curious to see what I was like when I was 4 years old. I wanted to see if I acted anything like my older daughter, what I looked like 'in motion' what my facial expressions were like, how my voice sounded, but the tape is missing and theres a chance it got thrown out between moves from one home to another over the last decade. And now I'll never know, my curiosity about all these questions will never get sated, I'll never have a video to show my kids of me when I was their age. This is a moment when technology and cloud drives to back up the important moments you don't want to ever lose of your family is such a necessity. 

I wish I could see what my everyday life was when I was a child. With all its ups and downs. 

Whether I have my young kids now, or young adults in the future, I want to remember how they make me feel in this moment. Sometimes my oldest, Kate who is 4, she just says the silliest things that you just can't help but laugh. And when she becomes a mom one day, I want her to remember the now. I want her to see happy moments that we have together right now, when life is still a little simple and things are not yet too far complicated.  

One day, when I am in my 80s and I am looking at pictures from my life, what moments and giggles do I want to remember? I want to remember the real stuff. I want to remember breakfast, with my husband cooking bacon and eggs while I try my best to entertain the kids while drinking a strong coffee. I want to remember doing laundry while my kids make a mess all over the rest of our home. I want to remember bath time and all the water that always gets all over the floor and the tea parties Kate has with bath water. I want to remember how easily the baby gets worked up when Kate gives her way too many hugs and kisses... and the snuggles we have on the couch over pizza, the kids tantrums over clothes not fitting right and meals. I want to remember the meals that we always work so hard to put together that my kids won't ever eat. That's what I want to remember, because the real moments are what make my life worth it to me. 

Life is just going by too fast. I have missed so many moments because I was worrying about responsibilities, that suddenly, the little baby I just met is now a child with her own opinions and character.

I have evolved as I have become a mom to two children and in charge of many new and challenging responsibilities. And the time I have with my little children has become ever so precious and fleeting.

It has become utterly important for me to remember moments and feelings and who we really are as a family right now.

I hope you'll join me on this journey into family documentation.

The family pictured below was not directed or posed in anyway. This is the raw and real Ripley Family

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CONTACT PAULINA NOW TO INQUIRE ABOUT BOOKING YOUR FAMILY DOCUMENTARY

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SUGAR SAND PARK FAMILY PORTRAIT PHOTOGRAPHY SESSION - THE PRETTIEST FOREST IN BOCA RATON!

My Limited Edition Sessions are finally here!

Saturday November 12th 5:00pm

Sunday November 13th 5:00pm and 5:30pm

Sessions are $250 and include 5 digital images. An additional 5 images are $99. Other additional products available for purchase

Palm Beach Family Photographer | Picnic at Dawn

I met this family when our daughters Kate and Lela were around 14-18 months old. We originally met at the Spanish River Library in East Boca when I was working over the summer (a few summers ago) on getting some photos of local mamas nursing their littles.

I am so joyful and I simply can't express HOW joyful I am, that we became the closest friends.

This friendship means so much to me.

I love that I can be 100% myself.

Friendships like this one are what help me to remember that I love WHO I am. That I am proud of who I am. That I can boldly be who I am and find confidence in that. I think everyone deserves to have a friendship like this :)

I love doing this family's annual family photos. Every year we do something new and fun. And this year's session really goes to show that you don't need to dress up perfectly and smile at the camera to have memories that you absolutely adore of photos you want to print.

Some of these memories are some of my favorites family photos of all time, and they are not necessarily even paying attention to me being there for most of the session.

Mama had an idea to do a darker, moodier session starting just before sunrise, so we met at dawn and finished the session just as the sun was rising. I am in love. Enjoy!