Dec
11
2011My baby boy Sedryn will be 8 weeks old on Wednesday and I’m finally starting to come out of my new baby fog. (I still need to finish editing his newborn sessions… soon… I promise!)
As I was browsing Facebook and saw one of my photos used as my dear friend Julia’s profile picture, I realized that I never blogged her impromptu session.
Julia and I met via our personal blogs. My twin girls are almost 6 months older than hers and we bonded over sleep issues and a commitment to raising our girls to love Jesus. Pretty soon we started doing a book/bible study together (we really need to finish it, Julia! When Sedryn sleeps through the night and I can manage to read again…) and next thing you know we’re exploring true beauty together.
Julia is definitely one of my best friends 🙂
Her quirky, hysterical, and squishy (it had to be said!) husband Brad planned a surprise trip for Julia to come visit us here. It was a perfect week of hugging my dear friend and watching our girls chase each other around.
And refuse to sit still for one decent photo!
Julia’s family is so beautiful and the setting for this impromptu session couldn’t have been more perfect.
Hadley is such an intense little girl. She reminds me of her momma: very focused and generally super content. I just loved watching her explore.
Brynne is a lot like my Bronwyn. They both enjoy order and routine to an extreme. She looks just like her daddy and their bond is just so beautiful.
Brynne is pretty famous for her open-mouthed kisses and Hadley just loves to show affection with kisses. I was so excited to capture one of these special kisses.
It’s no wonder Brynne and Hadley love kisses so much: Brad and Julia must model kisses for them daily.
Doesn’t this image just make you want to be swept off your feet? Sigh…
Brad, Julia, Brynne, and Hadley, I love sharing life with you. You’re one of the graces I count daily.
Aug
23
2011It’s been a very long few months here in the Quiet Graces household and I’ve seriously been neglecting this little corner of the internet!
In May, I had a sweet session with a local harpist named Sarah Northrop. Sarah performs at weddings and other events and needed some images for the website she’s building. If you’re in need of some beautiful music for your event, please visit: www.SarahNorthrop.com.
Here are some of my favorite images from this session:
I love how well Sarah and her harp lent themselves to being displayed in Sepia tones. I love Sepia so much from my years in the darkroom, but rarely find a place where it looks so appropriate.
Sarah was so relaxed and natural in the session. You’d never know that it was around 80 degrees and we were hauling her harp from location to location on foot.
I learned a little about harp strings: some are nylon, some are metal based, and some are natural gut. I loved their colors and variation.
This playful shot illustrates a wonderful part of Sarah’s sweet personality. This young lady loves to laugh!
This is probably my favorite image from the session. I love how her eyes just shine.
Sarah, I pray that your business venture will be blessed and you will be able to bless others through your beautiful music.
May
02
2011
Ryan Elizabeth was my oldest newborn yet at 2+ weeks! However, she was super sleepy and allowed me to finally nail some of the more difficult poses. Her sweet mom Carrie worked extra hard to make sure she was tired and it paid off!
I can’t believe how relaxed Carrie and Micheal are as new parents. They took my arrival as an opportunity to rest and snuggle while I took photos of Ryan. They would check on me if they heard Ryan fussing, but otherwise they allowed me to do my job in peace and quiet. I really appreciated the freedom to just photograph and pose to my heart’s content.
Carrie and Micheal had the most beautifully decorated bedroom complete with a white bed. I couldn’t resist the opportunity to catch a few photographs in such a beautiful backdrop.
Micheal came to hold Ryan at one point while I was changing backdrops. I’ve never seen a father so natural and so dearly in love with his little girl. He kissed and cuddled and just enjoyed little Ryan to the fullest. I think the following image just completely captures his wonder with his new daughter.
One of Carrie’s requests for this session was a storyboard capturing all the little details of sweet Ryan’s form. I’m really pleased with the result since I love taking and displaying detail images. Thank you, Carrie, for making this request; I’m sure it will continue to spark my creativity in future sessions.
Micheal and Carrie, I pray that you would continue to cherish these early days with Ryan. I love how relaxed and centered your parenting is and I hope to see you again as Ryan grows.
Mar
16
2011
Precious Charlotte came for her portraits at 8 days old. She was so petite and just loved to suck on her hands.
The first time the P family came, it was a very overcast day. I had so many problems with the light that I went back to their home 5 days later to complete the session. I’m so glad I did! The photos from Charlotte’s nursery turned out beautifully! The light from her window was amazing.
Charlotte has the distinction of being the first newborn to yawn for my camera. Precious.
Mom and dad brought this adorable hat. I think it’s perfect for her sweet little face.
Charlotte definitely loves snuggling with her mommy. I think it might be her favorite thing to do.
Daddy can’t wait to introduce ‘Charlie’ to football season. She’s already the Chicago Bear’s tiniest fan.
Feb
28
201117 Months ago I gave birth to the two most amazing identical twin girls. They are the sweetest quirkiest bundles of joy I’ve ever met.
But their entrance into this world left me stretched physically and emotionally.
I have struggled with body image in a new way since their birth. No one prepares a woman for the toll having a child takes on your body. Hardly anyone talks about finding beauty in your new form. For 17 months I’ve wrestled with the weight of extra skin hanging, tiger claw stretch marks, and clothing that will never be flattering again.
And in one quiet moment as I contorted my body to capture this image with my new lens, I discovered that the beauty I mourned is even more present in my body that sustained and nourished two little lives.
