Brekken Wyatt Yuhre | Blue Wraps, Cowboy Boots & Newborn Portraits in Elk Grove
Some newborn sessions have a little bit of everything, and Brekken Wyatt Yuhre's was definitely one of them! From different shades of blue and handmade puppy stuffed animals to cowboy boots that belonged to his great-grandmother, Ashley had some wonderful ideas for her baby boy's first portraits.
Brekken was born on October 2, 2026, at 11:47, weighing 7 pounds, 6 ounces and measuring 20 inches long. He is the first child for Ashley and Blair Yuhre, and after years of trying to start their family, his arrival was especially important to them. He's also the first boy grandchild!
Ashley found me through Instagram and reached out about having Brekken's newborn portraits taken at my Elk Grove home studio. She had already saved inspiration photos and knew several things she wanted to include. Since this was her first baby, she was leaning into traditional baby boy colors, especially blues, along with some more personal ideas that had special connections to their family.
Shades of Blue and a Pair of Handmade Puppies
Ashley had mentioned how much she loved traditional blues for her baby boy, so we had plenty of those to work with! Brekken's portraits on the beanbag featured three different blue wraps, all photographed against a fluffy blue background.
After Ashley fed him, I got Brekken swaddled and comfortable, and he settled into sleep pretty quickly. We were able to work through several wrapped poses, including one with his little hands tucked beneath his chin and others that showed more of his arms, legs, and feet.
One of the personal touches Ashley wanted included was a pair of handmade puppy stuffed animals that a family member had made for Brekken. His nursery has a puppy theme, so these were a fun addition to his portraits. We photographed him with the puppies, a little white heart, and a wooden announcement sign that read, "Hello World, I'm Here!"
Brekken did wonderfully with all the wrapping. Every so often he'd get a little wiggly, but it didn't take much to settle him back down.
A Little Blue Bed and More Puppy Cuddles
The handmade puppies made another appearance when I photographed Brekken on a little wooden bed. This time, he was nestled into blue curly fur with a lighter blue wrap loosely tucked around him.
I also included a small blue teddy bear for him to hold, along with the puppies and a white heart. The wooden bed, textured burlap, and wood background gave these portraits a different look from the blue fur photographs while still keeping with Ashley's favorite colors.
Brekken slept through this entire series! His little hands rested around the teddy bear in one portrait, while others showed his curled-up legs and feet peeking out from the wrap. I was also able to get a close-up of his little toes with the white heart tucked between his feet.
Cowboy Boots With a Family Connection
This was my favorite part of Brekken's session!
Ashley had brought along a pair of green cowboy boots that belonged to Brekken's great-grandmother on Blair's side of the family. She specifically wanted to incorporate them as a tribute to her, and I thought they were such a personal addition to his newborn portraits.
Ashley also brought the cutest little blue jeans and white onesie for him to wear. I had a cowboy hat in the studio that we could use, and together they made for a pretty darling little cowboy.
We photographed Brekken on cream-colored fur with the boots beside him, including some poses where he was curled up between them. He was actually wide awake for part of this series, just lying there on his tummy. Eventually, he drifted back to sleep, and I even caught a little grin, although his onesie partially hid it!
I especially liked how these portraits combined a fun newborn theme with something that belonged to his family. Those green boots were more than just another prop, and I'm glad Ashley brought them along.
A Bible Verse, Little Baby Rolls, and One Big Smile
Ashley had two other portraits she especially wanted: Brekken resting on an open Bible displaying Psalm 139:13–16, and some unwrapped newborn photographs showing his little rolls and features.
Before starting these final portraits, we took a little break. After changing Brekken out of his cowboy outfit, he started getting fussy, and we realized he needed a diaper change. Ashley wrapped him in a blanket and gave him a bottle, which helped him settle before we continued.
Ashley had originally planned to bring a Bible from home but felt it was too small for the portrait she envisioned, so we used mine instead. We opened it to the scripture she'd requested and photographed Brekken resting on the pages.
Once he was settled, I photographed him on the large beanbag with a light blue background. With the space heater keeping him warm, Brekken was completely asleep, which made it possible to get those unwrapped poses Ashley had been hoping for.
We included a little teddy bear in some photographs, and I added a white knit hat and a loosely draped blue wrap for a few others. But one of my favorite moments came right near the end.
Throughout the session, Brekken had developed a funny little habit. Every time I'd set my camera down to adjust something or change his pose, he'd give me a smile in his sleep. Of course, as soon as I picked up the camera, the smile would disappear!
I kept hoping I'd catch one, and finally, during these last portraits, he gave me a big smile while I was ready with my camera. After missing those earlier smiles, I was pretty happy to finally get one!
Brekken Finally Gave Me That Smile!
One of the things I enjoyed most about Brekken's session was having Ashley and her mom, Kimberly, there together. They watched as I worked with him, chatting with me and commenting on how cute he looked in the different portraits. My assistant Emma and I both enjoyed getting to know them, and their friendly, talkative personalities made for such a fun morning in the studio.
Ashley had come in with some very specific ideas, and I'm happy we were able to include so many of them, especially the family items and the portraits she had been looking forward to.
Ashley and Blair, congratulations on your baby boy! Thank you for trusting me with Brekken's newborn portraits. Between those little cowboy jeans, his handmade puppies, and that smile he finally let me photograph, he certainly gave us plenty to remember from his session!
To see other Newborn Sessions, see below:
