Maybe my favorite days, though, are ones like the day shown below — when I was welcomed into a beautiful bungalow in South St. Louis County for an in-home newborn session with Finnegan and his wonderful parents. The living room was bright enough, with several windows, but not so much direct light that rays of sunshine created overly bright spots. There were beautiful neutral tones in the furniture and decorations, accented by warm wood floors and accents. It was a really nice place to start photographing this sweet new family of three.
Cozy at Home on a Snowy Day: An In-Home, Lifestyle Newborn Photography Session in St. Louis
On my drive from my first newborn session over to this family’s home, the sleet and snow started falling. By the time I arrived, there was a dusting of white on the grass outside. But despite the cold and overcast day outside, the photos we made together inside this lovely family’s home were rich with warmth and color and love. Check out this beautiful family (doggo included) and the magic we made together.
Cozy, Laid-back, In-home Maternity Session in a Lovely St. Louis Loft
As I write this, I’m awaiting a text or phone call from this gorgeous, fun, easy-going couple to say that labor has begun and it’s time for me to get ready to photograph the birth of their baby girl.
But on the day these photos were taken, there was no hurry or pressure. We were able to relax and chat and get to know each other a bit.
It’s one of my favorite things about doing a maternity session with a couple who’s hired me to photograph their birth, too. Having the opportunity to get really comfortable with each other before I enter their birth space is truly a gift.
In-home maternity photo sessions really allow couples to feel relaxed and comfortable, as they are in their own space. And gives me a really good sense of who they are. Plus, it’s such an easy and fun way to honor this pregnancy and document the whole story of this amazing journey.
We get to document what their life feels like now — before a baby comes and changes everything about their days and nights. This is what a beautifully lazy Sunday morning looks like when it’s just two.
We get to capture them chilling on the couch together with a hot cup of coffee, playfully and lovingly baking cookies as a couple, playing with their current “Baby” (that’s their super-awesome dog’s name), casually strumming the guitar in the bedroom, and perusing some of the gifted and collected items for their new little bundle’s arrival with sweet anticipation of her actually using or wearing them oh-so-soon.
Life changes so drastically — and joyfully — after your baby is born.
Suddenly, your days are filled with caring for a tiny person’s basic needs. And when you aren’t doing that, you’re staring in wonder and adoration at this little human who you are more in love with than you ever could have anticipated.
Your days change. Your love grows. Your heart expands.
So having a record of these before days is a gift. Remembering what your relationship felt like… Reminiscing about the excitement you both felt at that growing belly and your growing family…
It’s a time you will never get back. And as incredible as the next chapter of your life will be, this one is worth documenting and remembering, too.
Stay tuned for a peek at the rest of this story. I couldn’t be more excited to document the birth of this baby who’s already so loved. And then I get to come back to their lovely home to see how that sweet newborn baby fits so beautifully into their lives. I can’t wait to watch the evolution of their days. And I’m so grateful they’ve asked me to document this journey.
Waiting for Baby... An In-Home Documentary Maternity Session
The classic maternity portrait is a beautiful tribute to the growing, stretching body, ripe with the promise of new life. But it forgets about the story that gets us there. I love maternity sessions that honor the life before baby arrives. The preparation, the anticipation, and the last weeks of life before a new chapter begins. So my documentary maternity sessions focus on telling that story.