a month of mamas: day 9 {oak park, il photo sessions}
“Love is that condition in which the happiness of another person is essential to your own.”
― Robert A. Heinlein
To the mamas adding to their stories…
“Sometimes,' said Pooh, 'the smallest things take up the most room in your heart.”
― A.A. Milne
It’s January 14 and my new year has been filled with new life.
My first clients of 2019 were a family of 4, whose newest member was a beautiful 6 week old boy. After that, I had the pleasure of photographing a long time client & her 3rd baby…a baby girl who was less than 24 hours old when I got to photograph her. Today, I got to photograph Tina Harle, a friend and fellow Oak Park photographer, and her family of 4, including her newest addition: a baby girl who was a little more than 24 hours old when I got to the hospital.
It’s always a little nerve-wracking when I’m photographing another photographer. You never know how it will all play out, especially when small children are involved. I know that my kids are terribly uncooperative with me, but they do ok with other photographers (usually). Tina and her family were amazing though…there’s nothing I love more than a client who tells me to do whatever I want & that nothing is off limits. I can just shoot what I see & document the moments as they happen.
Tina has a 6 year old who was there for the session. She was so sweet & caring towards her new baby sister…”teaching” her the alphabet, talking to her, combing her hair, and giving her lots of kisses. I was able to capture so many loving gazes from her…these were genuine moments! My newborn sessions aren’t staged, so what you see is what was occurring naturally. It was beyond adorable! It was not the experience that I had with my kids…Oliver wouldn’t go anywhere near Milo in those early days…I think he was terrified of him! HA! (We should all be a little terrified of Milo…just saying!)
It’s truly a gift to be invited into people’s lives, homes, and hospital rooms during these early, hazy, sleepless days. I do not take it lightly and I am so thankful that I get to be an observer of these real and special early days.
How’s your new year going?
“I don’t trust words. I trust pictures.”
-Gilles Peress
I'll never be accused of being the most eloquent person in the room.
Writing doesn't come easily for me.
The one place where I have always been comfortable is behind the camera, any camera. Put a person on the other side of the lens and it always feels right.
Quick shoots are great & I can almost always capture a great portrait, but I love nothing more than a slow, laid back lifestyle session. These are the sessions where I am able to relax, observe, and let the photo reveal itself to me. I can chat, engage, and help my client relax.
On the other side of these sessions, I am almost always in love with the images. They bring me joy and, hopefully, my client feels the same...