This was an inspiring session. B is a dancer, so I wanted to be open to whatever she was feeling during this time in her life and attempt to offer some form of visual translation and narrative. The act of growing a human in her body sparked a connection between her and the earth, along with a fleeting feeling in regards to identity as it evolved.

I gave no instruction on wardrobe, except to basically follow your heart. I know there are the typical suggestions of the white button up shirt+jeans or the flowy dress, but sometimes I really love just letting people show up as they are; It opens the door to true authenticity right down to the day and moment. All that to say, I absolutely love this blazer look. B said she had been wearing this thing throughout most of the pregnancy, so I can only imagine it felt like a comfort blanket or shield and part of this era.

We started off by this area of boulders and rocks surrounded by trees, just following where we were drawn to first. The rocks were a grounding element to start off with and the shapes were lovely to work around.

This seemed like such an awkward angle and composition in the moment, but I made myself go there anyway. It ended up being a favorite of both of ours.

There are a lot of black and white images here. The color was rich and warm, but something about this set and all of the gestural moments really warranted being black and white.

I brought some fabric along to potentially play around with. I love a flowy fabric in the right hands; I think it can offer itself up as a metaphorical tool and a strong visual element.

The rain sprinkling and mostly holding off for us was starting to roll in stronger, so it was time to go. Before that happened, we had just enough time to get some wider shots in this vast/open landscape. It was the perfect ending to a beautiful experience.

I went over to my friend D’s house late morning for a relaxed at-home photo session with no pre-conceived expectations. I went in with an open mind and heart, leading with my presence instead of the camera, open to what would present itself before me. Just hanging out, catching up and grabbing images along the way sort of feel. Here is a sampling of that session…I really had to edit down for this post!

Normally, I’d be obsessive about wrist hair ties and couch clutter, but letting all of that go in the moment and embracing reality made this one of my favorite (and first) shots of the session. This is also when I was finishing my coffee and saying hellos.

She especially wanted some breast feeding shots, so I wanted to capture some additional angles and details showing that special connection.

I love a good black and white. I’ll always include the color version too though.

I asked, “What do you guys normally do?” and she mentioned that they like to sit on the porch and watch people, cars and trucks go by, so we did that.

The day was so nice that we decided to touch some grass…

I am trying to get more shots that don’t include the baby or child’s face, but still show the moment, emotion and connection. More people are opting to not include their child’s face on social media and the internet, but they may still want to post some beautiful photos of their family to share.

This was such a lovely session. It was relaxed, candid and authentic. I think as the years go by, this approach to family photography can really bring back the feeling of the earlier years as opposed to just seeing what everyone looked like at that time. Embracing the real moment, letting go of ‘imperfection’ and certainly not stressing out over making kids look at the camera and smile. Just relax, hang out, enjoy the experience and the moment, and let me do the rest.