What I love about maternity sessions is that through the photos, you are transported outside of your own discomfort and fear, and are somewhere on the outside, looking in at the most glorious parts. The way you grew that baby. The way your body grew the eyes you are yet to know, the feet that will touch the earth, the hands that will draw all over your bathtub with crayons, the mouth that will say the whole alphabet at 21 months. The way you didn’t know how to grow vital organs, but you did it anyways. The way you did your very best, even when you were convinced that you weren’t.

The thing I love about a maternity session is that it is true love, struggle, devotion and unconditional love… celebrated.
All you ladies growing people… You go girls. You grow those babies, you eat that chocolate, you cry, you laugh, you pee 25 times a night, you online shop, you cut your hair, you get a pedicure, and you celebrate you. Because you are awesome. Growing people is no small matter, and YOU should be celebrated.

Can’t wait to share Bridget and Jeremy’s beautiful baby photos {check back on Monday}.
Their New Years baby Ben, has already arrived. {and he is INCREDIBLE}
for now… here is their maternity session with their gorgeous Newfoundland pup Maggie.
xo

As human beings, generally… we don’t really know the first thing about actually growing a baby. I don’t know how to make eyes, or hair, or more importantly vital organs, but apparently our bodies do. Women’s bodies just know, and without any input from the brain, or logic or reason… a baby is created. That, in itself is incredible, and absolutely deserves to be celebrated. One thing I know for sure about pregnancy now, after going through the experience myself is that there are a whole lot of NOT very glamorous moments involved. It isn’t just beautiful photos of a gorgeous belly and then a perfect little baby a month later. There is a lot of struggle, there are emotions, there are countless physical challenges, nervous breakdowns, tears, endless fears, worries and an amazing amount of ‘firsts’. I absolutely get it.

More than ever, I now appreciate and realize the intense value in maternity photos. In capturing a glimpse of the beauty of growing a baby. The magic in setting aside the struggles and challenges, and just simply appreciating the beauty of what is happening within the female body. Not to mention, allowing a woman going through so much, to see herself in a different light… my lights.

There are big miracles in life, medical miracles, and unbelievable stories of survival against all odds. Its no secret that pregnancy is a miracle. But I also believe it is a miracle that we fall asleep at night and wake up breathing in the morning. That our bodies carry us around in this world day after day, put up with our clumsiness, bad habits and keep that heart beating and oxygen flowing, all without any intellectual input from us. We think we are cool, or in control, or clever… but at the end of the day we are nothing without our little beating hearts. So, along the same lines when carrying a baby inside your belly you can try and read as many books as possible, you can be the smartest in your prenatal class, know all the terms… but when it really comes down to it, we have very little control over our pregnancies. Our bodies will grow these babies, and then deliver them. Wild.

Here are some of my beautiful friend and her husband a month before their due date. I’m so excited to meet your little one, and see what a marvel you’ve created together.

From the moment we met… there was magic.
I first met Lori and her amazing crew at a wedding I was photographing some years ago. Her little one Mikaela and I hit it off even in her baby stages, and I’ve loved every shoot since! Including NOW! Such a strong, wise and amazing bunch. Love truly oozes out of them, and I’m so grateful to have been a part. Mikaela is honestly something spectacular as well. She is such an old soul, always trying to fly, always so vibrant… and so uniquely wonderful. (and she said I was a ‘real cutie’) so big time brownie points right there!
Wishing them all the best in the next phase of their lives.
Meet the incredible Garsons.

I have known Maritte since before I was able to walk. We have gone through many firsts together… first steps, first grade, first peeing of pants due to hysterical laughter, first loves, first BAD breakups, first traveling experiences…. She in fact isn’t even a friend… she is family. She has been on more Wallis family roadtrips than anyone aught to, she gets all the really bad inside jokes, we know the same silly songs, I think she even held my baby sister before me (urg)… and according to my brother, she was way more fun to play with than me.

So, to my delight, on her wedding day (where I was not only her Maid of Honor, but also her photographer)… she married another very good friend of mine… (in fact, I introduced them when I told her ‘husband to be’ Eduardo, that Maritte would be walking down with us for our high school graduation) Eduardo has always been a wonderful friend to me, and in fact, we treat each other more like siblings than friends… Maritte has given up on trying to get us not to fight… we tend to be at each other frequently… But I love him like a brother none the less.

Fast forward to the birth of their first child.
I was working away with Princess Cruises, bobbing around the seas, attempting to quiet my restless pirate heart… Maritte was due soon…. I knew that… I was having pain…. cramping… couldn’t stop thinking about Maritte.. I looked at a friend on board the ship… ‘My friend Marittey is having her baby’, and she was… right at that very time. I felt so far away, yet still so purely connected to her and her family.

I couldn’t be happier to be able to be here, and capture these maternity memories with them, and really look forward to meeting the newest addition to this love fueled wild bunch.
I love you all so very much.
ox

Eduardo took this photo of Leola and I (which I love)

I do not believe you can NOT love this face!

and then we headed out for some outdoorsy fun images…
I love this image.

Just giving mom some snuggles

And who can resist the run away shot… look at her little legs!!!

This post is all about Sheena and Trevor and their maternity session last week! I love so many of their images, that it truly is hard for me to decide which to post.

Something about tattoos and bellies and black and white, that I just find incredibly beautiful. Maybe its the stereo typing that commonly goes along with tattoos, being hard, being tough or rough… and then the soft, romantic light… the beautiful, magnificent power of a woman carrying a baby inside of her… and then the love that created the little one in the first place, protectively holding onto the belly.

Whatever it is about this shoot. I love it.