A few months back, I scheduled a maternity session for Jennifer. It was a beautiful, overcast, west coast day. We walked around Porpoise Bay Park, I photographed her in many different areas of scenery; the green of the forest, the coolness and tranquility of the bay, the beautiful ivy covered trees.

Jennifer had scheduled a three session package deal with me; maternity, birth and newborn. Her due date was April 16, and I was ready to photograph her birth at a moments notice! However, things went differently than we had expected. I mean, do births ever go the way you plan? On the evening of Thursday, April the 7th, the mama to be texted me around 11:00 pm to say that she was starting to time her contractions. I told Jenny to get her husband Michael to call me once they were headed to the hospital. Well, at about 12:15 am Jenny text me and said, “Ok we’re going to the hospital now!” I let her know to call me when she was 6cm dilated and I would zip right down, as I lived a few minutes away from the hospital. A couple of hours passed and I remember laying there, not able to sleep, thinking “I hope everything is going ok, I know they’re busy but I hope they will call me!”

Around 3:20 am I receive a text message: “Well, our little man entered the world within an hour of arriving at the hospital. We are the proud parents of one little man.” I felt awful for missing the moment but she informed me that the birth went so quickly once they arrived at the hospital. She said that everything went the way it was supposed to. It was probably for the best that I hadn’t been there for the birth.

We decided that doing a “Fresh 48” session would be just as special for them, if not more relaxed. Jenny was able to get some sleep that night and we planned to start the session at 10:00 am the following day. I really enjoyed photographing his sweet, precious “freshness” as he was barely 12 hours old. It was really special to be a part of Jackson’s first few hours in the world and it was seriously so sweet watching my daughter Olivia meet her cousin, as well.

I have to add that there is one photo of their daughter Lillyanna running into the room that is out of focus but I just can’t handle how special that moment was to capture for my cousin and his wife.

I hope you enjoy the photos,

Laura