Amanda Dams is one of the top-ranked newborn photographers in Vancouver, Richmond, Burnaby and Surrey. She is specialized in baby, cake smash and newborn photography.

04.30.21

Props and Planning Make the Photography!

When photographing in the studio, props and planning are very important!

Whether we are picking adorable outfits and backdrops for a newborn, or toys and cakes for a 1 year cake-smash – it doesn’t come together overnight and no 2 shoots are the same.

I encourage all of my clients to book well in advance, not only because my schedule fills up quickly, but because I put a lot of time and effort into planning each shoot so we can get the perfect shots.

Have a look through my galleries and when you book, let me know if there are any specific scenes that you would like to create on your day in the studio. I am always finding new, (and cute) props to work with and love seeing the final results!

Tiny toys and oversized hats are always a favourite with newborns, and when it comes to sitting sessions with slightly older kids, we can introduce larger props and busier backgrounds.

You can be confident that everything we use in our sessions has been sanitized and is clean for you and your baby to use. Contact me if you have any questions!

no comments

02.28.21

The 5 Best Baby Clothing Stores in Vancouver

by Ani Tchakarova

Shopping for babies and toddlers can be quite the struggle! Finding the right materials, the correct fit and the best quality (without breaking the bank) are all things that new parents grapple with in the first few years of parenthood. I’ve compiled a list of some of my favourite shops I’ve found in Vancouver!

Parade Organics – $$
They have a beautiful selection of colours and patterns in all sorts of styles. If you are looking for onesies and rompers made from organic, fair trade cotton, then Parade has you covered! They have a great online shop, or if you are looking to shop in store, they have locations in Gastown and Granville Island.
West Coast Kids – $$$$
With locations on Main Street and in Richmond, West Coast Kids is a trendy shop carrying only the best brands in baby apparel. (Jillian Harris Shops here apparently!)
Hip Baby – $$$
Located on West 4th, Hip Baby carries a great selection of baby brands. They are known for their excellent customer service and are the perfect place to go if you have any questions or are shopping for gifts!
Little Earth – $$
Offering both new and gently used clothing, Little Earth is possibly Vancouver’s best kept secret for parents. Their selection is incredible, the owner is super friendly and you can find some great deals on their consignment clothing! Located on the vibrant Commercial Drive.
Isola Bella Children’s Clothing and Shoe Boutique – $$$
Isola Bella is a unique boutique in Kerrisdale, carrying both established and up-and-coming European labels. A lot of their products can’t be found elsewhere, making it the perfect place for that special piece!

What are some others I am missing from my list? Comment below!

no comments

01.29.21

Fine Art Newborn Photography Studio | Ellie

by Amanda Dams

Sweet baby Ellie came to my studio when she was 1 month old. Although newborn are best photographed within 2 weeks after birth, I’m always happy to work with older babies and I always tell the parents that we might get only awake and wrapped shots, to set their expectations. Parents are usually ok with that because all they want are cute, sweet memories of their little one and they look cute anyways! Baby Ellie surprised us at the end of the session sleeping like a champ, so I was able to get the curly cute poses I get with younger babies. I love that we got a mix of sleeping poses and awake shots.

I absolutely love Ellie’s final gallery and she was such a beautiful baby girl.

2021 will be a busy year with COVID baby boom, so if you are planing to book your baby’s photo with us, make sure you book in advance!

{COVID-19 UPDATE}
There is no higher priority than the safety of our clients and we want you to feel confident coming to our session during the outbreak.

We always take cleanliness very seriously since we work with newborn and babies in our studio. These are some things we currently do at Amanda Dams Photography:

-We clean and sanitize the studio after each session as well as wash all blankets and accessories used during the session.
– Hands are washed and sanitized regularly
– Please leave your shoes at the door and sanitize your hands when coming to the studio

Extra steps that have been implemented for the safety of your family:

– We only book one session/client a day.
– Only the baby and parents (and siblings if they will be in the photos) are allowed in the studio. Please, no grandparents or any other family member at this time.
– Extra sanitizing and mask used by the photographer and assistant

no comments

05.25.20

Paint Session for Babies | Lucas

by Amanda Dams

Cake smash session is a great way to celebrate baby’s first birthday however, some parents are concerned about giving a 12-month-old sugar for the first time. There are many options for a cake smash alternative and all kind of foods that can be used during a birthday photo session that is cake-free!

If you don’t like your baby to have a cake for their cake smash session, you can choose any other food that you baby enjoy and that is sugar-free. Fruits (my favourites are watermelon, strawberry and orange), pizza, spaghetti, chicken wings, pancakes, you name it! There are many fun ways to celebrate and capture your baby’s birthday photography session.

Another alternative is a Paint Session! Babies put everything on their mouth, so you want to make sure that you don’t use real paint for these sessions. On the photos below from my son’s paint session done in my studio in Richmond BC, I used plain greek yogurt and added food colouring. Safe, yummy and so easy to make. You can also make this at home for your toddler to play with (hello if you are looking for some cool ideas to entertain your little one during quarantine!).

My son Lucas (and I) had so much fun during his paint session! It was very messy and he showed us the great artist he already is!

If you you are looking for a cake free birthday photo session for your little one, have a look at those photos below and let me know what you think!

Paint Sessions can also be done with younger or older babies and not only for birthdays. Lucas was 16 months when we did his paint photography session. Paint sessions are available in my studio in Richmond for babies from 6 months old and up. Contact me if you would like more info.

no comments

05.19.20

Studio Reopening – COVID 19 Update

by Amanda Dams

I’m so happy that we reopened the studio and I can snuggle babies all day again!

WE ARE NOW BOOKING JUNE 2020 AND BEYOND!

There is no higher priority than the safety of our clients and we want you to feel confident coming to our session during the outbreak.

We always take cleanliness very seriously since we work with newborn and babies in our studio. These are some things we currently do at Amanda Dams Photography:

We clean and sanitize the studio after each session as well as wash all blankets and accessories used during the session.
Hands are washed and sanitized regularly
Please leave your shoes at the door and sanitize your hands when coming to the studio

Extra steps that have been implemented for the safety of your family:

We only book one session/client a day.
Only the baby and parents (and siblings if they will be in the photos) are allowed in the studio. Please, no grandparents or any other family member at this time.
Extra sanitizing and mask used by the photographer and assistant
For older babies, the parents can pose them with my directions, so I can keep a distance.

Please contact me ASAP if your child or anyone in your family is ill to reschedule your session. A rescheduling fee is not required. Thank you for helping to keep my studio and my family healthy too, please remember I handle many newborns and young babies in my studio.