I think most people know that I absolutely adore shooting newborn sessions.  I love family sessions (especially on the beach!), babies, first birthdays, and just about every sessions I shoot, but there’s something so special about newborn sessions. Whether they’re a lifestyle session or a posed session in my studio, I love them all. Being a part of the first weeks of a new life is a privilege I’ll never take for granted. I’ve spent a lot of time (and, let’s be honest, money) learning newborn posing and safety. I’ve spent countless hours reading about newborn posing, posting for others to critique, and fine tuning my posing. The little details make all the difference. I’m certainly not perfect, and definitely have plenty of room for growth in my work, but I learn a little bit from every newborn session I shoot, and I love the challenges that each newborn presents!

I really love when clients also schedule maternity sessions. I so regret that I have almost no pictures of me pregnant with my oldest. Not professional, hardly even any snapshots. When it’s a new client, a maternity session gives me a chance to get to know you ahead of your newborn session. Even if we’ve already shot 15 sessions together, a maternity session is so wonderful because it captures this time in your life that is fleeting. While some pregnancies feel like they last forever (especially those last couple weeks, where every day feels like it lasts 100 years) they’re over before you know it, and you won’t regret having memories of your pregnancy!

I was excited to shoot this maternity session at a new location, Gettysburg National Battlefield. I hadn’t been there in ages…probably since middle or high school. It’s easy to take for granted how much amazing history we have within driving distance of Maryland!  A few weeks after their maternity session, I met Lincoln (get the Gettysburg connection now?) and we shot his newborn session in my studio.