The Morris family has been coming to see me for years from Bonney lake for newborn and baby photography. I remember when they found out they were expecting their second baby. I was so excited for them when I found out they would be having a boy. I can remember, just like it was yesterday, planning for his newborn session. I wanted it to be special, and to have some relevance to their family. I have followed Heidi and Greg on facebook for several years now and know that Greg is an avid fisherman. So the idea was born to tie the hobby of a father to the joy of having a son. The “fishing” theme has been incorporated into every one of Zac’s baby photograph sessions.
Fishing in a bucket
Playing with a fish
Fishing in the pond
It has been such a pleasure to work with their family and to get two know two beautiful, sweet children. I look forward to the time when I see that first photo show up on facebook of Dad and Zac fishing together. What a sweet experience it is to be a part of a family’s special moments! Happy Birthday Zac!!
Last Friday was pretty amazing. I had a beautiful family from Tacoma come to the studio for a newborn photography session. Zoe’s session was extra special because I had a special guest with me. Micah O’Keiley from epiem came to film a behind the scenes segment for me. Micah is pretty dang talented, and I feel supper fortunate to have his skills at work documenting Zoe’s session. Micah was such a professional. I really appreciated that he quietly went about his work. I have never worked with a videographer before. I was a little anxious before hand that having another professional in the room would mean interference or would distract from my client’s experience. It was everything but that. Micah was really wonderful. It makes me sad that I have waited so long to have a session filmed. I am so excited to see the magic Micah creates and to share that with this sweet princess’s parents. Here he is after a hard days work! I will totally need to have him come back when I am ready to shoot a full promo!
Here are some sneak peaks and a quick instagram pic that Micah capture from the day.
Behind the scenes with Micah O’Keiley from epiem
Little Zoe was pretty excited about all of the fun going on around her. She didn’t want to have anything to do with sleep. But she was such a good girl. Even wide awake I was able to get beautiful pictures of her because she was so relaxed. This one is my favorite from her session and possibly one of my all time favorites. I was taking her picture with a teddy bear and her Mom said she had just been given a small bunny and she had it with her in her purse. So we brought out the bunny Zoe’s Grandma had just bought for her and let her cuddle it instead of the bear. It makes it super special that this sweet stuffed friend is her own. How perfect is this? I am so excited to share the rest of her beautiful images with her mom and dad. And even more excited to share the video from their session with them and all of you.
Looking to hire a profession videographer? Check out Micah’s work at epiem.
Please follow Micah O’Keiley: website: http://www.micahokeiley.com
epiem: http://www.epiem.com
youtube: http://www.youtube.com/epiem
twitter: @micahokeiley
facebook: https://www.facebook.com/micah.okeiley
google+: https://plus.google.com/+micahokeiley
instagram: http://instagram.com/micahokeiley
How perfect that it is Brooklyn’s turn for me to put up a sneak peak from her cake smash photography session today. In honor of St. Patrick’s day I think I will post this beautiful portrait of Brooklyn who is getting to be all grown up and not so much a baby anymore. I can’t believe a year has already passed since we did her newborn photography session. This image is a perfect sneak peak share because it shows off her pretty little face, and her dazzling green eyes!
Heather came from Lakewood for her Maternity session. I love that I get to meet clients from all over Western Washington who come to see me for maternity and newborn photography. One of the the time periods I would visit in a heart beat if I had a time machine would be the Renaissance. I grew up in Italy witnessing the transformation in the arts that stemmed from those amazing years. I don’t think it is a mistake that at the same time that the arts were advancing medicine was also experiencing a boom. As men studied the human body and began to accomplish miracles in the medical field, artists were becoming more talented with truly representing the human form. It is astounding that art went from a boom in the 1300 with artist like Giotto (who revolutionized art himself as he began to really paint well the human form) to the works of the master Michelangelo. All of these great men were fascinated with the form of womanhood. I fall more and more in love with the art of maternity portraiture. There is so much to love artistically about the form of a pregnant woman. The play of light and shadow as they move across beautiful curves. I want to study more about art!
I love when clients book me for maternity photography sessions in addition to their newborn sessions. The story of a baby starts with a belly after all. Haley and Nathan came to see me from Renton, Washington. They were a pleasure to work with and I am so excited to share the images from their session with them.
Often times the intimate way in which I edit and the musical selection I have playing while editing combing to create a cathartic experience that overwhelms me emotionally. I can’t help but work who I am into how I am feeling about a woman, baby or child as I edit. For example. When I edit a woman’s maternity session I think about my days of pregnancy, how I felt, what I thought about etc….
As I was editing beautiful Haley’s maternity session I had one of those experiences. I was listening to the Pandora station to my Les Miserable channel. I was in the mood for Broadway tunes and grandeur! Phil Collins’ song, “You’ll Be In My Heart” came on. I haven’t heard this song in forever. It was on the Tarzan soundtrack. I remember watching the Tarzan credits in the theater and bawling my eyes out. The year before I had my first baby. It was overwhelming. Adjusting from full time school and work to being at home full time was very hard for me. My son had sever pain from an inguinal hernia that didn’t get diagnosed for months. He was a terrible nurser. I felt like I didn’t have any friends, we were young and money was a real struggle. He was my only child that I struggled with postpartum depression with. My future seemed so unsure, but I had a little person now. He was my strength and I was his. The song from the movie pulled HARD at my heart strings! It was written by a woman I swear it. The lyrics seemed to have been plucked right from my soul. I loved my new little son so much, fears of the future washed away as I thought about being strong for him. If you haven’t heard it, be sure to clink the link and grad a tissue:
)
While the song played and my daughter (who had just been bitten by the cat) sat on my lap I lost myself in those maternal feelings. Then my thoughts turned to Haley. All of those thoughts will soon be hers. Those feelings of wanting to protect, the desire to hold tight, wanting to keep a little one safe and warm, feeling a bond growing strong, witnessing your heart beswallowed up in love for another tinier heart, feelings of forever, wanting so much – everything for your child and the commitment to always be there. Those feelings and thoughts might be stirring within you now Haley, but the minute you hold your new baby in your arms they will wash over you like a warm tidal wave. They will reshape you.
Eden - I love this theme! Well done!
Heather Woodward - How fun!!!!
Melissa Berg - Adorable concept!!! Love them all. 🙂