A Family Maternity Session at the Park
The sun disappeared. Rain started to fall. The weather forecast indicated clearing skies. Hoping that the rain would dissipate, we headed into Stephen's Lake Park. The Sweeney family is about to become a family of four. Stephanie, the mom to be, has truly been with me since the very start of my photography journey. Letting me photograph her and her family even when I may not have known what I was doing! đ But how else can you learn, right? Now, I feel like I can give back after years of experimentation making mistakes and becoming better at my craft. From her previous maternity session to today! Plus, it gives us a great excuse to get together and catch up. â¤ď¸ Watching their family grow has been the biggest honor, they are amazing parents.
Calvin, their first born, was born in March of 2020. By December, he is going to be promoted to BIG BROTHER! As with most one-year-olds, Calvin was more interested in exploring then getting his photo taken. đ Maybe we should have brought some cake?? He was a big fan on his first birthday shoot đ. Big shout out to Stephanie's parents who came along to help. We could not have done it without you! Calvin would proudly say "walk" and head off in whichever direction felt the best. He was on a mission. It wasn't until later in the session after eating some snacks that we got some smiles. Food makes all the difference lol.
Throughout the park, peeks of fall colors shined through the tree tops. Reds, yellows, and oranges. Fall foliage was later this year due to periods of drought. It wasn't until October that rain started to fall. Choosing our start location wisely, we headed onto the bridge that spanned across the pond. Hopping between each pavilion to get cover from heavier bouts of rain. Eventually, the rain ceased and we watched as the dark clouds moved to the east. From here, we made our way around the trail. Clouds parted in the sky. Warm orange light streamed across the park.
Golden hour had officially made an appearance. If you know me, this is my FAVORITE time to shoot. That beautiful light fills my heart with so much happiness. Feeling renewed inspiration, I had Michael and Stephanie walk across the bridge to get some of the more creative shots of the session. Michael turned to me about how excited he was about these pictures. Behind them in the distance was the hospital where Calvin was born, and sometime soon, their new baby. That information right there is what made this photo below, my all time favorite of the session. â¤ď¸â¤ď¸â¤ď¸â¤ď¸
The Sweeney Family
October 2021
The Dream Team
Hair: Jamie McDaniel
Makeup: Mary Piper
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