Sara, Joe, and little E’s heartfelt maternity session in the studio

It’s been a true joy to help Sara and Joe document several big life chapters in their family story. I photographed Sara and Joe’s maternity session when Sara was pregnant with their daughter E, as well as their newborn session after E was born. Most recently, I photographed them for another maternity session, as Sara and Joe are expecting a little one later this spring! Sara and Joe share my awe for how photography can create little time capsules, helping us honor and remember significant moments in our lives. It felt so special to create art with them to capture the preciousness of life as a family of three and the joy of anticipating their family’s growth.  

Sara and Joe love being parents, and during our planning session they shared how special it has been to watch their daughter E grow from the sleepy newborn I met several years ago to the curious, snuggly, and lover of dress-twirling kiddo she is today. They opted to hold the photoshoot in my studio, which can be a really nice choice for families who don’t want the pressure of preparing their home for a session but still want the portraits to have a candid, homey vibe.

I photographed them reading on the couch together, cuddling on the bed, and playing together as a family. I took some portraits of just E, some with E and each of her parents, and some of them together as a family. All of the portraits portray a beautiful balance of tender celebration for Sara and Joe’s attuned relationship with E and their excitement to see E as a big sister. 

One of my favorite portraits captures Sara and Joe snuggled around E, kissing her cheeks. E has a smile of pure joy spread across her face. You can feel how adored she is, and how much she loves being adored! 

E loves getting big hugs from her parents. Getting to document her sweet smile as her dad embraces and then dances with her felt so special.

A sweet story to share

When Sara was pregnant with E, it was the height of the pandemic, so for the sake of keeping each other safe, Sara and Joe weren’t able to spend much time in person with their families. Sara is very close to her mom, so it has been incredibly special for her to have her mom present for this pregnancy. Sara’s mom joined the maternity session, helping to entertain E when Sara and Joe had their portraits taken. I also took several family portraits with Sara’s mom. The love and gratitude present in the room during these moments truly brought tears to my eyes.