Valentine's Day Portraits | Charlotte, North Carolina Newborn Photographer | Krista Gantt Photography

Charlotte, North Carolina has been upping their art game over the past decade! I love seeing new murals popping up around the city… and of course I love it even more if it’s easy to get to and as beautiful as Evelyn Henson’s Confetti Hearts Wall in South End - and it doesn’t hurt when it’s beside Jeni’s!

I had blast photographing families, couples, and children last year for my first annual Valentine’s Heart Wall portraits! I couldn’t let this year go by without taking the opportunity to have new families strike a pose in front of this wall.

Evan was my first subject and he didn’t disappoint! I got some cute smiles and he had fun standing on the red box! Each year, I try to keep these sessions simple, without a lot of props. I don’t want to distract from the heart wall’s fun colors and design, or from you!

Comment below and tell me your favorite images from this year’s sessions!

2020 Valentine’s Day Portraits

Confetti Hearts Wall

1930 Camden Rd, Charlotte, NC 28203

Three Ways to Celebrate Valentine's Day with a Toddler | Charlotte, North Carolina | Krista Gantt Photography

Toddlers make all of the littlest holidays so much fun! If you’re at a loss for how to celebrate upcoming Valentine’s Day with your little one, I have a few ideas!

Crafts are always fun. Kids love scissors, glue, paint, stickers, and sparkles, of course! Depending on the level of messiness, I mean independence, you can do anything from assisting your child with turning their hand or prints into heart-shaped Valentines to putting some of their favorite treats in goody bags with personalized labels. For example, ‘You are the apple of my eye’ or ‘Orange you glad we are friends?’ Valentine’s Day treats don’t always have to be candy!

If crafts aren’t your thing (you can find the cutest store-bought Valentines at Target, Michael’s, and Hobby Lobby these days), you can still celebrate Valentine’s Day by doing some fun activities around the house. One thing you can do is create a list of people (friends and family) and have your toddler say one thing they love about each person and then write it on the list. The answers are typically both heartwarming and hilarious.

Personalized gifts are my favorite because it gives you a memento to look back on as your children grow. Creating valentines with your child’s face and a little ode to their personality is always a great option. In South End Charlotte, there is a Confetti Hearts Wall mural created to enhance the beauty of Charlotte and to create more joy. Who doesn’t want to spread love, joy, and kindness during Valentine’s Day? You can head over and take a peek at some of my previous Valentine’s Day sessions! I’ll be sharing the ones from this year soon!

What are your favorite Valentine’s Day activities to do with toddlers?

Valentine's Day Portraits | Charlotte, North Carolina Family Photographer | Krista Gantt Photography

What a fun start to 2019! Since I am slowing down a bit this year to spend time with Evan, I decided to offer Valentine’s Day mini sessions this year. I thought about offering various mini sessions throughout the year because I can choose the dates, which gives me a little more flexibility in my schedule. I have never offered mini sessions, but these were a complete success!

The reason these turned out so cute is thanks to Evelyn Henson! I don’t even remember where I saw her Confetti Hearts Wall for the first time, but I knew at that moment that I had to chose it as the backdrop for Valentine’s sessions. It is a 40ft wall with beautiful colorful hearts and phrases, and it was finished just in time for this event! I would love to see more public art like this around Charlotte, so make sure you follow Evelyn, visit the mural, and tag #confettiheartswall. The more excited we get about these, the more likely they are to start popping up around our communities.

I have so many favorites from each session that I wanted to share, so it was very hard to narrow it down. These sessions made for some fun family photos, mother-daughter photos, and sibling photos! Take a look at my favorites from each session below, and comment with your favorite!

Valentine’s Day Mini Sessions

Confetti Hearts Wall

“I love you more than I have ever found a way to say to you.” - Ben Folds

“I may not say much when I am with you, but all of me loves you all the time.” - Richard Nixon

“To love another person is to see the face of God.” - Les Miserables

“A hundred hearts would be too few. To carry all my love for you.”

“Love recognizes no barriers. It jumps hurdles, leaps fences, penetrates walls to arrive at its destination full of hope." - Maya Angelou 

"I love you more than yesterday, but less than tomorrow."

“There is only one happiness in life: to love and be loved.” - George Sand

“Your flaws are perfect for the heart that’s meant to love you.” - Trent Shelton