Nolan James | Chicago Newborn Photography » Heather Cook Elliott Photography

It’s a sunny early spring day in Chicago – one of the first truly nice ones after what felt like an interminable winter – and I’m walking into a cheery, modern condo I’ve been to before and memories of my other shoots with Meg and Dan come easily to mind. They invited me into their lives a little over two years ago to be their wedding photographer and I still vividly remember their engagement session spent beautifully dodging raindrops in Wicker Park and with their cats Big and Diggie. The cats aren’t so excited to see me today, but Meg is radiant and Dan is gracious as they introduce me to their sweet new human, Nolan James. I photograph him in his adorable, stylish, where-I-want-to-hang-out nursery and snuggled in his parents’ arms; he never once opens his eyes. As I photograph him on the fabrics of his new life – leather, cotton, shag, mama skin and a little kitty fur -I think often of my own 5 month old at home and wonder at how quickly babies grow in size and parents in confidence and love. I have no doubt Nolan will inspire an abundance of the latter in both Meg and Dan and perhaps, eventually in Big and Diggie, too. At just a few days old in these images I adore how impossibly tiny he looks next to his child sized furniture and how simply, perfectly at home he looks at the same time.

And because I know how awesome this nursery is here are a few of The Details ~