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The story of your baby's First Year - told beautifully,
forever.
The First Story Collective is an all-inclusive, deeply pampering portrait experience designed to document every breathtaking milestone of your baby’s first chapter. I handle every single detail—from wardrobe to custom framing—so you never have to worry about missing a moment, and you never have to carry the stress of planning it.
You do the loving. We do the preserving.
introducing
you are not alone
Does any of this sound familiar?
"I meant to book a newborn session, and before I knew it she was already three months old."
Time moves differently once a baby arrives. Weeks disappear. The fog is real - and suddenly those tiny newborn days are gone.
"I have thousands of blurry phone photos but nothing I'd ever actually hang on our walls."
iPhone snapshots capture the chaos. But they don't capture the feeling — the weight of them in your arms, the smell of their head, the way their hand curls around your finger.
"Getting ready, getting the baby ready, figuring out what to wear.. Sessions feel more stressful than special."
A portrait experience should feel like a gift, not another thing on your to-do list. You deserve to arrive, exhale, and just be present.
This is Exactly Why
The First Story Collective Exists.
So you can close your eyes someday, open a beautiful heirloom album, and be transported right back to the very beginning of your family's story.
the experience
More than a photo session. A legacy in the making.
The First Story Collective is a membership-style portrait experience created to document your baby through the biggest changes of their first year, with a plan that feels simple, supported, and easy to return to as they grow.
From wardrobe guidance and session planning to trusted hair and makeup recommendations if you’d like them, every part of the experience is thoughtfully considered. You bring the baby. I’ll help guide the rest, all the way to artwork made for your home.
your four chapters
Every chapter of year one, Beautifully Documented
Newborn
The wrinkly knees. The flaky skin. The way they curl perfectly into your chest. These details fade within weeks — we capture them forever.
6-8 Months
The gummy smiles. The belly laughs. The way they look at you like you're their whole world. This blissful baby stage is one you'll want to live in forever.
Maternity
Your story begins here. The glow, the anticipation, the quiet wonder of carrying new life — all of it deserves to be remembered.
One Year
Look how far you've both come. From a tiny newborn to a walking, babbling little person — celebrate this milestone in style.
what to expect
What your session day actually feels like
You walk into the studio with a plan already in place.
Your wardrobe has been chosen in advance from the studio collection, with pieces ready for you and your family. The session moves at a calm, thoughtful pace, with space for feeding, snuggles, breaks, and whatever your baby needs that day.
You are not left wondering what to wear, where to stand, or what to do with your hands. I’ll guide you through it all so you can settle in, be present, and enjoy this stage while it is still here.
Not rushed. Not overcomplicated. Just your family, thoughtfully photographed.
02
03
An unhurried, beautifully lit session focused on connection, storytelling, and the moments that matter most.
Your portrait session
04
Once your images are ready, you’ll see this stage come together in your finished gallery, then choose the portraits and keepsakes you love most.
The reveal
05
I’ll help you choose the pieces that make the most sense for your home, from framed portraits to albums and keepsake artwork, so your images do not stay forgotten in a folder.
Artwork Design Guidance
01
Before each session, we meet to select your wardrobe from our curated collection — coordinated for the whole family.
Your styling appointment
For clients who would like professional hair and makeup, I’ll share trusted recommendations before your session so you can schedule directly with an artist and arrive feeling polished, confident, and ready for portraits.
Hair & Makeup Referrals
what's included
Everything taken care of, at every session
This is a guided portrait experience from beginning to end. Motherhood already comes with a full mental load, and beautiful portraits should not require you to manage every detail alone. I’ll help with wardrobe planning, session guidance, and choosing what to do with your images afterward, so the process feels clear, supported, and easier to move through.
Here's what every Collective member receives:
Your wardrobe is selected together before your session from a curated studio collection of 100+ dresses and coordinating family pieces, giving you a clear, thoughtful plan for what everyone will wear.
01.
Wardrobe Styling
02.
Hair & Make-Up
If you would like professional hair and makeup, I’ll share trusted artist recommendations before your session. You can book directly, or I can help coordinate it so you arrive feeling polished, confident, and camera-ready.
Together we'll design the perfect artwork for your home — wall galleries, fine art albums, and heirloom pieces crafted to tell your family's story for generations
03.
Heirloom Artwork Design
04.
White-Glove Installation
Once your artwork is ready, we come to your home and install everything for you. No measuring, no guessing, no holes in the wrong places.
We track your milestones and reach out when it's time to book — so you never have to worry about missing a session or losing your spot.
05.
Priority Access & Reminders
06.
Album Credit
Every Collective member receives a credit toward a custom heirloom baby book — a tangible legacy to pass down through your family for years to come.
All inclusive investment
The First Story Collective
Membership includes:
Transparency matters, mama. You are stepping into a season where your time is your most precious resource. The families who choose The First Story Collective don’t just choose me for the portraits—they choose me to completely handle the logistics, so they can simply enjoy their baby.
At $5,150 for the entire year, you aren't just securing four luxury portrait sessions. You are buying absolute peace of mind. Knowing every milestone is already tracked, already styled, and already protected is the greatest gift you can give your future self.
- Four Complete Milestone Sessions: Maternity, Newborn, Sitter (6–8 months), and One Year Celebration.
- Over $1k in Savings compared to booking each portrait session individually.
- Full Client Wardrobe Access for the entire family at every single session.
- Complete Digital Gallery per session, featuring 50–100 hand-edited, high-resolution images.
- 10% Off all prints, custom albums, and physical heirloom products.
- Welcome Box, Priority Scheduling and automated milestone tracking.
$5150
Payment plans available upon request.
The Flexible Membership Experience
Your Flexible Membership Includes:
The Flexible Membership is $500 to join and gives you 18 months of session access with no additional creative fees. You can choose Mini Milestone, Petite, or Signature Sessions as your baby grows, depending on what fits each stage best.
Images, artwork, and collections are purchased after each session, so I’ve linked each pricing guide below to help you choose with clarity before joining.
- 18 Months of Session Access Book as many or as few sessions as you’d like during your membership, from maternity and newborn to sitter, first birthday, family updates, and seasonal milestones.
- No Additional Creative Fees Your membership cost covers the creative fees for your sessions for 18 months, with savings that add up quickly when booking multiple sessions.
- Full Client Wardrobe Access for the entire family at every single session.
- Your Choice of Session Type Choose between Mini Milestone, Petite, or Signature Sessions depending on what fits each stage best.
- Welcome Box, Priority Scheduling and automated milestone tracking.
$500
Please note: Images, artwork, and collections are purchased separately after each session, so you only choose what you love.
“I wanted to let you know how great it was working with you for our baby’s first year photos, and how appreciative we are of the amazing job you did. We’ve since moved out of state and, now that we’re expecting baby number two, we’re having such a hard time finding anyone that offers close to what you did. Thanks again for all of the memories.”
— Oeth Family
Client Love
“Michele made me feel comfortable and beautiful during my maternity session, so I booked her again when my daughter was 6 months old. Even with a fussy baby, Michele was patient and still created beautiful family photos.
I would book Michele for every milestone, family, maternity, and newborn session. She’s responsive, talented, and easy to work with.”
-julia
Client Love
Hi, I'm Michele
the person behind the lens
I believe baby’s first year deserves more than a camera roll full of photos you may or may not ever print.
I created The First Story Collective to give families a simple, thoughtful way to document the biggest changes of the first year, from newborn details to sitter milestones and first birthdays, with guidance through wardrobe, sessions, and what to do with the images afterward.
My work is rooted in connection, thoughtful storytelling, and helping families document the stages they know they’ll want back one day.
I’d be so happy to help document yours.
