Grow with me | Second Baby Girl Newborn Session in Fort Lauderdale

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 met Caroline & Chris a couple years ago when they were expecting their first baby girl. It has been really cool watching their oldest daughter grow and become a big sister. I couldn't wait to see how their girls are getting along in the beginning :)

I have my own two girls at home that are 2 years and 10 months apart, and I am so excited about them growing up and being best friends. I think that's been my favorite part of motherhood so far, watching my girls play and learn about each other. And the beginning is so great, all the focus is on big sis and her newly attained role, and on baby sis taking it all in.

When I pulled up to their new house in Fort Lauderdale on Saturday morning, I was really charmed! Fort Lauderdale has its fair share of eclectic and quirky homes, and its so refreshing from neighborhoods where theres maybe 3-4 variations of the same house design. 

I almost wished I could stay the whole day and document every nook and cranny of their house. I walked through the front gate of their fence that encompasses their entire yard (which I just LOVE!) your kids can run around the entire yard without worrying they'd get in the street, how cool is that? Grandma and Grandpa greeted me at the door along with dad. Grandma was rocking baby girl in her arms and she looked SO in love, as grandmas always do. 

I spent a little bit of time taking candid/lifestyle documentary photos in their eating room and kitchen, (I absolutely ADORE their pot hanging rack by the way and want to get one ASAP for my own kitchen! And their window cabinet doors are just my style!) I followed the family upstairs to the master bedroom overlooking their entire backyard. The wall of windows was a dream come true. I feel that natural light is a beautiful, moody gift, perfect for capturing every moment in your home. 

I hope you enjoy these photographic pictures as much as I did! Such a sweet Newborn Session with the entire family including their doggy in their Fort Lauderdale cozy house. I can't wait to continue to capture amazing moments with this family as their girls grow up big and turn into best friends! 

Cozy Newborn Home Lifestyle Session with a family of 6 including fur babies!

When my Emma was born, things were so, to be completely honest, chaotic!

Suddenly everyday tasks took over the whole day! I barely got around to getting more than 1 big thing done a day. So for me, to schedule time for a photoshoot, get my whole family dressed and get out to the beach, well, that thought sounded exhausting to me!!!

Don't get me wrong, I would have LOVED to do a gorgeous sunset session on the beach with my family, but that just wasn't going to happen! Having just had a baby, we mommies know that it isn't a walk in the park! There's some recovery time, both physical and emotional, and it varies for every woman of course, but how easy and how YOU is it to invite your photographer into your home and have them capture what your family is like right now, without waiting until your baby is crawling or walking.

I started documenting my own family on a weekly basis with my big camera once the baby was born. I learned a big lesson all on my own, I'm not in most of these pictures! Insert big sad face! 

I was so excited that it was important to Ana that I come back to her home after the birth of her daughter Victoria. The first weeks of what a lot of moms call the fourth trimester go by so fast and a lot of days run into each other. I love that this session took place in their home. It is cozy and it is so them.

If you are pregnant and expecting your little baby in January, February or even March of the new year 2017, it's not too early or too late to contact me about a newborn lifestyle or documentary session in your home! 

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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Peaceful Cesarean Birth at Good Samaritan Medical Center: Welcoming Thea in 2024

The serene atmosphere at Good Samaritan Medical Center in West Palm Beach set the stage for a truly peaceful cesarean birth. As a seasoned birth photographer, I've witnessed countless births, but the tranquility and connection shared by these parents during their daughter Thea's arrival was truly remarkable.

A Harmonious Birth Experience: Partners in Strength

Even amidst the anticipation of a cesarean, the parents' unwavering support for each other was palpable. Their teamwork and shared strength during each contraction were awe-inspiring. While doulas provide invaluable assistance, this birth showcased the profound connection between partners navigating labor together.

Capturing the Beauty: Cesarean Birth Photography in South Florida

I was deeply honored when the Good Samaritan medical staff allowed me into the operating room to document Thea's birth. It's a testament to the growing recognition of the importance of birth photography and videography, even in surgical settings. These images and videos become cherished keepsakes, capturing the first moments of a family's new chapter.

Expecting in 2025? Document Your Birth Story in Palm Beach County

Are you expecting a baby in early 2025? Whether you're planning a vaginal birth or a cesarean at Good Samaritan Medical Center or another hospital in Palm Beach County, I'm here to document your unique journey.

Boca Raton Birth Photographer: Preserving Your Precious Moments

As a dedicated birth photographer serving Boca Raton, Delray Beach, and surrounding areas, I specialize in capturing the raw emotions, intimate connections, and transformative power of childbirth.

Your Birth, Your Way: Compassionate & Discreet Documentation

I understand that birth is a deeply personal experience. My approach is gentle and unobtrusive, allowing you to focus on the moment while I create a beautiful visual narrative of your baby's arrival.

Contact Me Today: Limited Availability for Early 2025!

If you're due between January and June 2025, reach out soon to secure your birth photography session. Let's create a legacy of love that you and your family will cherish forever.

PREGNANCY PHOTOGRAPHY SESSION WITH MOM OF BOY NUMBER 3!

This is one of my favorite maternity sessions of all time. I love this beautiful mama who was expecting her third boy. 

FORT LAUDERDALE HOME NEWBORN FAMILY SESSION - FIRST TIME PARENTS

This is a continuation post from the maternity session I posted. These two incredible parents met their daughter for the first time just a few weeks after we did their pregnancy photo shoot. I am so excited to share this sweet, cozy family newborn lifestyle session from their home with you. Mom is now expecting baby number two, and I am thrilled to be able to share those photos with you in the coming months! If you would like to see their maternity photos please click here

DELRAY BEACH MATERNITY PHOTOGRAPHY SESSION WITH WIND, LOTS OF GOLDEN LIGHT, AND A FIRST TIME MOM AND DAD

I am posting this maternity photo session years later as I reminisce on the amazing journey this incredible mom and dad have been through from their first pregnancy with their little girl, as we approach their second maternity shoot this fall, I am so excited to put together their journey through the last two years going from a couple to a family of three to now soon, a family of four. 

I am so excited to share with you the upcoming sessions for this family over the next few months. Stay tuned!!

If you would like to view their newborn family session please click here

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

Photography Gear | Boca Raton Family Portrait Photographer

As I drift further and further into documentary photography (the real life, candid stuff) I find myself using my buttery smooth portrait lenses less frequently as I glide into the field of documentary lenses. I was so eager to to purchase this lens a year ago for all the breastfeeding sessions I do. Inspired by the incredible work of photographer Suzy Mead (of Portraits by Suzy) and her gorgeous work with the 135mm, I was so excited for it and you'll see why!! I worked with my 50mm 1.4 lens for about 8 years before I took a dive in the pond of the most shallow depth of field I've ever worked with on such a long focal lens. 

Those of you who know me professionally know how much care I put into my gear. Nothing I own has ever been dropped, scratched, dented. I am so excited to pass the baton to another photographer who is ready for the yummiest bokeh-filled portait sessions with this delightful 135mm 2.0L canon lens. 

Below are some of my examples of my work with the 135mm 2.0L