Aug
22
2013When I spoke to Sarah in our pre-session consult about the story she wanted me to tell as her Greenville SC Maternity Photographer, I knew I had found my ideal couple. The story they have to tell about their little boy is nothing short of a miracle (I’ll share more after their newborn session!), but what drew me to Sarah was her laugh. And we laughed hard and long for this session.
Sarah and Justin allowed me the privilege of doing a Beloved Style Maternity Session. Beloved Photography is a genre that seeks to capture honest raw emotion through the use of verbal prompts to create an experience that is simultaneously photographed. Basically, I take my clients to a location, find the light, pose them loosely, and then give them something to do or talk about. As a girl with a degree in experiential education, this type of experiential documentary-style photography is my heart strings. I don’t know why I didn’t try it sooner.
I asked Sarah and Justin to write little love notes to share at the beginning of the session. I had them telling knock-knock jokes. I asked them to dream about who they wanted their son to be. And I had Justin tell Sarah just how much he would love her still even though pregnancy will change her body.
That last one may have brought bubbly always laughing Sarah as close to tears as I think she’ll admit.
The beauty of a Beloved Session is that it helps a couple grow closer and have an experience they won’t forget while creating images that will help them relive the whole experience every time they look at their art. The photographer is far enough away, that he/she can’t really hear the things they are sharing, but close enough to create beautiful images and give a new experience prompt when needed.
I’m pretty sure that I’ll be doing maternity sessions in the Beloved Style from now on. I can’t believe the raw emotion and the authentic expressions we captured in just over an hour.
Sarah and Justin, thank you so much for trusting me with this much anticipated season of your life. I can’t wait to meet and snuggle your little boy in October.
Aug
29
2012Sarah just went live with her website. I photographed her last year for this project.
Her webpage is spectacular! It’s so wonderful to see my work being used so beautifully!
If you need a harpist for your event, this extraordinary young lady would be the best choice!
May
24
2012I’ll be honest, I was a little anxious going into this session. Skye has a big brother Ashton who turned 2 in February. I really felt like the classic sibling shot was going to be a miracle, especially since I don’t think I have a single beautiful image of my own Sedryn with his sisters from the newborn stage. But we got our miracle! (Thanks to a promise that daddy would find Ashton a ‘special treat’!)
Skye Eliana was just beautiful. She had the perfect newborn skin just felt so tiny compared to my 7 month old almost 20lb hulk!
However, Skye did not want to sleep! We rocked and patted and bounced and fed her for nearly 3 hours! Finally, she drifted into a deep sleep for about 20 minutes of blissful photographing. Just goes to show that the newborn always calls the shots during a session!
Heather, Mike, and Ashton, enjoy these early days with beautiful Skye. They drift by so quickly!
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.
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.
