The very last session I shot before we all went into quarantine (and exactly a month before my son Ezra was born) was with this magic little love and her family at their home just a few towns over. I met her parents, Kristen and Russell, through another client of mine, and, as it happens, they are both documentary film producers. I couldn’t wait to work with them — it’s not often I get the chance to work with other documentary-minded creatives for their own kids!
Their session at home happened in an odd bit of transition time. Schools in our area had just announced that kids were being sent home (for who knew how long) and there was so much uncertainty in the air around how to keep everyone safe and well. But when I got to Kristen and Russell’s home, it felt totally zen. It was like arriving in a different universe — full of slow newborn days, endless hot coffee, and a whole lot of love. A breath of fresh air during that scary time, for sure.
Baby Zoey arrived earthside with a gorgeous mop of brown hair — so much for a teeny babe! She spent the session doing all the things that newborns and their parents do — napping, snuggling, diapering, (and even some reading!) on repeat. It seems so simple, but these rhythms and routines are what those first few weeks and months are made of, and they are so special, precisely because they won’t last forever.
The idea of having a photographer in your home just a few weeks (or months) after your little one arrives can initially feel overwhelming. But as I tell all my clients, you don’t have to do anything for me!
When I arrive for a session at home like this, we chat about what’s super important (are there family heirlooms that are part of baby’s life? Little things that baby does that you really want to capture?), and what’s off-limits (However you feed your baby, are you comfortable with me photographing that?) so you can take a deep breath as we work together and know you’re in good hands no matter what happens. And don’t worry, it’s my job to move around you as you move through your spaces – you’ll never need to create something or pose for me just so I can get a photo.
One of my favorite parts of this session was watching Russell and Kristen support each other as parents. Becoming a parent for the first time is a whole new world, and you have a chance to see your partner in a whole new way, too. Watching their kindness and care for one another, while caring for Zoey, was so lovely unto itself.
It’s always an honor to be invited into a family’s sacred space after the arrival of a new little one – and I’m so glad I had the chance to work with Kristen, Russell, and Zoey to document this magical time for the three of them!
