As the first month of 2025 comes to a close, we are excited to announce the winners of our December & 4th quarter 2024 contest. We invited our photographers to submit their best work in the “In Your Arms” category this quarter. The results were stunning. From the sweetest sibling snuggles to images that capture the essence of our clean, minimalist style, we invite you to celebrate this month’s winners with us! Plus, read on to see the stories behind these precious moments.
A few words from our December & 4th quarter 2024 contest winners
December 2024 Bella Baby
“These sweet twin girls stole my heart! Mom hand-crocheted both Santa hats and matching skirts for her new baby girls. Believe it or not, they both slept the entire time! Unheard of! I just got carried away posing these little angels and mom, dad, and grandma were oh so sweet! We even got a generational photo with grandma, mom, and baby girls at the end!” -Nancy Franz, Bella Baby 2nd place winner
“The story of this picture shows how extraordinary moments show up in everyday circumstances. It was just a normal work day at Bella Baby, a room with no fancy props, just a hospital swaddle. But as I went to take this picture baby smiled and his family gasped excitedly. Before I could move to another angle the smile was gone. But that sweet smile and memory exists in this picture!” -Lillian Lickona, Bella Baby honorable mention
December 2024 Bella Life
“It’s always exciting to capture the magic of a first child, especially during the holiday season. This family had such beautiful Christmas decorations, and their outfits coordinated perfectly, creating a warm and festive atmosphere. I was captivated by the baby’s stunning eyes and worked tirelessly to coax out a smile. While he was mostly serious throughout the session, that precious moment when he finally smiled made this photo truly special. It’s a joy to preserve such heartfelt memories.” -Toty Gutierrez, Bella Life 2nd place winner
4th Quarter 2024
“My favorite sessions are ones that are very minimalistic. Some gorgeous natural light, a simple neutral swaddle or outfit and a gentle touch showing the love and connection a family has for their precious new baby can mean so very much! My goal is to capture a feeling or connection in my images and keeping it simple goes a long way towards achieving that. This adorable babe was SO calm and content in Dad’s loving and protective hands.” -Aimee Reuter, 4th quarter 1st place winner
“The hospital features Bella Baby canvas photos of the nurses’ babies up and down the halls. Since this was her second baby and there was already a canvas of her husband holding her first baby in the hall, she asked if I would photograph her husband and second baby in front of the other photo. He stood in front of the photo and positioned himself and their newborn so they looked very similar to last time. Mom cried while we were taking it and when she saw the finished photo.” -Tonya McGue, 4th quarter honorable mention
Minimalistic and magical: that’s how we’d sum up the December & 4th quarter 2024 contest. Our photographers captured some beautiful memories for these families and we hope to celebrate your family with you in 2025! Contact us to find out if we have photographers available in your area.
