Ashley Nielsen Studio

Ashley Nielsen Studio Motherhood, Lifestyle, portrait photography and film in Westbrook Connecticut. www.ashleynielsenstu

Ok...so maybe some tears.
08/27/2026

Ok...so maybe some tears.

When you love the boats, but the littles are little... the docks will do ⛵️Caitlin MasakayanOutfit: For Love & LemonsHMU...
08/25/2026

When you love the boats, but the littles are little... the docks will do ⛵️
Caitlin Masakayan
Outfit: For Love & Lemons
HMU: Rhiannon Mariani
Styled Session Host: Marie Tilkens | DC Newborn & Family Photographer | Educator
Location: High St. Art Gallery

Absolutely no fun was had here 😆
08/22/2026

Absolutely no fun was had here 😆

There is just something about a session on a sailboat that I am completely obsessed with.This one felt SO New England. V...
08/20/2026

There is just something about a session on a sailboat that I am completely obsessed with.
This one felt SO New England. Very nautical. Very classic. Very American in the best possible way. And honestly, I loved it.
I love when a session feels like it belongs to the people in it—not overly styled or trendy, just beautiful and a little bit unexpected. Put a beautiful mama on a sailboat with that gorgeous summer light and a bump? I’m in.
I cannot wait to do more sessions like this.

And a funny little personal note…all of the Nielsens are learning how to sail. 😂 (These images are obviously NOT of us, but there may be some we can share soon 😉)

So…are we a sailing family now?

I suppose now that we’re New Englanders, we need to start acting like it.
And as of today, my sailing husband is officially a permanent instructor at the CGA, which I guess means we’re really New Englanders for good.

I have a feeling there may be a lot more boats, salt air, and beautiful sessions on the horizon.

Kayla Balkin | DC MD VA Makeup Artist
Outfit: Lunemuse
HMU: Rhiannon Mariani
Styled Session Host: Marie Tilkens | DC Newborn & Family Photographer | Educator

The studio philosophy with toddlers - just let them be. That's the gallery you need- all the good stuff is in between. C...
08/19/2026

The studio philosophy with toddlers - just let them be. That's the gallery you need- all the good stuff is in between.
Connecticut Newborn Photographer

Maternity is my favorite. I love your babies. I really do. But there is something so damn special about photographing th...
08/16/2026

Maternity is my favorite.
I love your babies. I really do. But there is something so damn special about photographing that bump.
And while I absolutely LOVE my studio for maternity sessions - the light, the simplicity, the wardrobe—there’s something completely different about bringing your maternity session home.
An in-home maternity session can feel quieter and more intimate. Bare feet. Your favorite chair. The little corners of your home that you may not think are “photo-worthy,” but will mean everything to you years from now.
It’s about remembering you before everything changes.
So yes, I’ll always have a soft spot for my studio maternity sessions. But an in-home maternity session? That’s a pretty beautiful way to document the beginning of your family’s next chapter.
Kerry Ahearn Heil
Outfit: Quince
HMU: Rhiannon Mariani
Styled Session Host: Marie Tilkens | DC Newborn & Family Photographer | Educator
Location: High St. Art Gallery

I loved how quiet and intimate this session felt.Everything was soft—the light, the creamy colors, the little bits of sk...
08/13/2026

I loved how quiet and intimate this session felt.

Everything was soft—the light, the creamy colors, the little bits of skin and baby rolls, the way Mom held him so close. Just the two of them, wrapped up in all those milky, neutral tones.
Liz: Enchanté Edit
Outfit: For Love & Lemons
HMU: Rhiannon Mariani
Styled Session Host: Marie Tilkens | DC Newborn & Family Photographer | Educator
Location: High St. Art Gallery

Hydrangeas on the table, a little tea party in the kitchen, and a collection of seashells.This is the stuff I want you t...
08/11/2026

Hydrangeas on the table, a little tea party in the kitchen, and a collection of seashells.

This is the stuff I want you to remember.

The everyday things that don’t feel especially important while you’re in them, but somehow become the things you miss the most later.

The little conversations, the way they played together, the things they were so excited to show you, and just being together at home.

We spend so much time trying to make memories out of the big moments, but there is so much beauty in the ordinary ones too.

The kitchen. The tea parties. The flowers. The seashells. The little people you love growing right in front of you.
Caitlin: Caitlin Masakayan
Outfit: For Love & Lemons
HMU: Rhiannon Mariani
Styled Session Host: Marie Tilkens | DC Newborn & Family Photographer | Educator
Location: High St. Art Gallery

Sometimes you look back at a picture of your baby and remember the love.You remember the tiny fingers, the sleepy snuggl...
08/07/2026

Sometimes you look back at a picture of your baby and remember the love.

You remember the tiny fingers, the sleepy snuggles, the way you could stare at that little face for hours.

But sometimes, if you look a little longer, you remember something else, too.

You remember what you were going through.

The nights you barely slept.
The days you wondered if you were doing enough.
The moments your body felt unfamiliar.
The mental load that never seemed to turn off.
The anxiety, the exhaustion, the overwhelm.
The parts of motherhood that felt so hard you weren’t sure how you would make it through.

And yet… you did.

Your body carried you through pregnancy, birth, healing, feeding, holding, comforting, and countless days when you had nothing left to give.

Your mind carried you through the moments that felt impossible.

And somehow, little by little, you found your way through.

The funny thing about motherhood is that the hardest seasons can become blurry with time. The sleepless nights fade. The exhaustion softens. The details become harder to remember.

Until you see a photograph.

And suddenly, you don't just see the baby.

You see her.

The woman who was in that picture, too.

The woman who was figuring it out as she went. Who kept showing up. Who loved fiercely even when she was tired, touched out, overwhelmed, and unsure.

You see a warrior.

And maybe that's what I love most about photographs.

They don't just remind us of who our children were.

Sometimes, they remind us of who we were when we were raising them.

And now, somehow, you're here.

In a new season.

The baby is bigger. The days look different. Life has moved forward far faster than you ever imagined it would.

And you are okay.

Maybe not because it was easy.

But because you made it through.

So when you look back at those pictures, I hope you don't only see how beautiful your baby was.

I hope you see yourself, too.

And feel incredibly proud of the woman who got you both here. 🤍

If you've done a newborn session with me, you know exactly what's happening here. One smooth move... then click, click, ...
07/20/2026

If you've done a newborn session with me, you know exactly what's happening here. One smooth move... then click, click, click before the tiny babe realizes what's happened.
CT newborn photography

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Westbrook, CT
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