I've been photographing Babies and Families on the Central Coast for 34+ years.
I am a "Vintage" Photographer with a dreamland "boutique style" portrait studio located in the heart of the historical Village of Arroyo Grande.
I started this business shooting black and white film and hand tinting my portraits. Now that our world has gone digital, I have continued to collect vintage props for you to use during your sessions. On a personal note, I have a blended family that continues to grow. Children, Abrienne and Micah. Gifted to me, my daughter Emerald and Keira, and son Michael. Spouses Angie, Ian and Josh. Grandchildren, Jayce, Eden, Vivienne, Dustin and Stassi. Family is everything to me!
I absolutely LOVE what I do. I am a storyteller, and I shoot with my heart! I make good use of my camera time by capturing the beauty in each subject. I am about having fun and making sure you feel comfortable behind the lens with the smallest details in mind. I am not just a one time photographer, my families love me and so do the children, so I grow with these families and get to be a part of many special memories.
My biggest attribute to this photography business is that I truly love people and I care about your feelings on a personal level, so my goal is to bring you a blended amount of emotions when you see your photographs for the first time, happiness, laughter and tears at the same time!
I am on a personal level with my families, texting is welcomed. I tend to focus most of my time and energy into my sessions, so I have not been the best secretary at times, but then, that is not the main reason you have come to me, so please be patient with me if I have not responded right away. I get multiple variations of inquiries through email, social media, texts and voicemails, so sometimes I do not catch them right away. Being a busy photographer is a good thing for you as you know I must be good, right?
I look forward to telling your story through my lens,
- Robin Barnes
My wife and I didn't know that we wanted newborn photos until after our little one arrived. Robin was highly recommended by a friend and lived up to every great thing we heard. She was able to fit us into the schedule and spent the time needed to get truly great shots. Her dedication to her passion, skill behind the camera, and her eye for composition produces amazing photos. If a setup wasn't photographing well she would be honest with us and knew just how to improve the shot. She is kind, professional, and truly great at what she does. We felt comfortable and welcomed through the entire session. She even taught us the soothing power of the hair dryer which was a game changer in calming our little one during diaper and onesie changes. It was our first time working with her, and for sure not the last. Thank you, Robin!
Robin is truly operating in her God given gift as a baby photographer capturing THE MOST precious moments of your fearfully and wonderfully made itty bitty baby not to mention she is skilled with wrangling in toddlers and getting those older siblings to shine right alongside their newest family member! Her ability to create such beautiful backgrounds and put together outfits tailored to your hearts desire exceeded my expectations. She made the experience an unforgettable memory and really captured each of my children's little personalities perfectly! I cannot thank her enough and can't wait for her to continue capturing my growing babies for years to come! Don't hesitate, book you appt NOW :)
We recently had our third son’s newborn photo shoot with Robin. She is our go to when it comes to our little ones’ first photos. We have had such great experiences all three times. There are so many things we love about her and her studio.
First, we appreciate that she takes every precaution when it comes to handling babies. From simple things like washing hands to handling baby with extreme gentleness especially when posing them. Something my husband appreciated was her care with making sure baby didn’t touch his fire gear during our session. We also love that she makes every effort to keep baby warm and comfortable during the session.
Secondly, we appreciate the time she spends on the session and the inclusion of family. I never felt rushed and she was extremely patient with our older children. We love her studio because it is family friendly and our older boys had a room to hang out in after their photos were done.
Third, is the studio. We started working with Robin when she was still in her home studio. It was awesome, but her AG studio is amazing. The lighting is perfect and she has endless options when it comes to clothing & props. We do a lot of “repeat” photos, but because of the variety of items each shoot still felt tailored/personalized to each baby.
Lastly, her photos always turn out amazing. I absolutely love her timeless editing style. The focus is on the ones in the photo and not on a “filter” or trendy editing style. She is amazing at getting genuine smiles out of older kids and does the sweetest poses with families.
If you’re looking to invest in family or newborn photos I would highly recommend Robin. The years go by so quickly you’ll be glad you have these special photos to look back on!
I first met Robin in 2020 when she photographed my newborn in safari themed outfits. I was 100 percent sure that I wanted to return with my second baby. Robin graciously welcomed my family with open arms. She’s was amazing with my newborn and toddler. There was a special room equipped with a heater, chair and nursing pillow where I was able to feed comfortably. She kept my toddler entertained with toys, snacks and had a second room for watching movies. She truly thinks of everything. I cannot wait to come back for another family shoot.
I heard beforehand that Robin is the baby whisperer and it is absolutely true! Having a baby during a pandemic has been so stressful and at first I wasn’t sure if I wanted to get some newborn photos done but I am so glad we did! Robin went above and beyond with safety measures and sanitary. I felt completely safe the entire time and trusted her completely.
We thought the session would be long and painful with a newborn but Robin had so many tricks and made the experience peaceful and seamless. Thank you so much for capturing such a special time for us!
My husband and I had the BEST time watching Robin work her magic with our little one. The photos came out amazing... her props are to die for! Truly the best experience ❤
Robin has been taking my pictures for 12 years. I have a close bond with Robin. Robin makes you feel so comfortable and beautiful in front of the camera. When you get your pictures back you wont be disappointed.
She loves her babies! We had a remarkable experience in her home! Her work is outstanding! As a photographer she is exceptional but as a person she is absolutely magnificent!
Robin is such an incredible photographer! Not only is she so talented and creative but she is wonderful with babies and children! We have had both our boys’ newborn shoots with her and we just love every picture, I can’t ever choose just a few! I always look forward to getting our pictures done!
Robin is absolutely wonderful! She knew exactly how to calm my newborn, pose him in the most adorable settings and the pictures were stunning!! I will definitely use her again in the future!
Not only is she creative, talented, and thoughtful, she took her time and made us feel welcome in her home. We are truly thankful that she was able to capture our greatest memories!
Robin is the best in the business. She made our session so personable and went above and beyond to incorporate the memorabilia that defines our family best, in our son’s pictures. We will never use anyone else to capture the smiles of the people that I love most!
Our photo shoots for our engagement, wedding, and newborn pics with Robin were amazing! She made us feel so comfortable, and really made us feel at home. She knew exactly what to do to get great pictures of our little one while making it all seem easy. It was truly a great experience.
Our newborn session with Robin was smooth and easy. Her professional and personal approach made us feel so welcome and at ease. Her experience with newborns was evident from the start. She was so good with our daughter; allowing us to take a step back and embrace this very special time.
Robin made our vision come to life plus some! Safe to say my husband and I were thrilled with the pictures and the ease of having them taken. Robin is the baby whisperer! We can’t wait to have her be involved in all the stages of our sons life!
We have had the pleasure of working with Robin many times. She has continued to go above & beyond time and time again. My son loves Robin so much he remembers her each evening when we sing his goodnight song. She is the best and we love her.