I could feel the excitement through the phone when this first-time mama and I had our pre-session consultation. There was such joy in her voice! 
I arrived at the session, stepped out of the car into the frigid air and realized that I had such tunnel vision making sure the session was going to be perfect that I had completely forgotten my jacket. And not only did I not have a jacket, I was just wearing a plain cotton tee shirt and ripped jeans. Ha! I felt so much regret. 
But when I saw that mama-and-daddy-to-be step out of their car and I saw those big smiles, I really quickly forgot how cold I was. 

The tide was pretty high and it was really windy. Our normally calm bay was rolling with white capped waves. 
Don't worry, I told the mama. 
This windswept look will be beautiful. Let's just go with it. Trust me. 
And I pulled out a lens that gives a really special, soft, dreamlike effect. I knew exactly in that moment what I wanted these images to look like. 

The bright sun, forceful wind, and restless waves made for beautifully unique photographs full of texture and life. Although cold and without a jacket, I wouldn't have traded this artistic maternity session for anything. 
​It really was perfect. 

Hey friends, I'm so full of gratitude for this year of business. Ya'll have made it my best year yet! 
To celebrate, I am going to offer the best Black Friday and Small Business Saturday promotion that I have ever done! 
Here's everything you need to know:

• Every type of session I offer, including those iconic 8-hour Day in the Life Sessions, are going to be 20% off! 
• There will only be 2 discounts per session type available. Once those 2 are booked, that promotion is off the table. Act fast!
• A signed contract and non-refundable retainer is required to claim your session. 
• Sessions must be used by 12/31/24.
• Offer not valid on sessions already in the works or booked. 
• Offer expires Sunday, 11/26/23.

Folks, I'm not going to lie to you. I'm gonna give it to you straight. I was a little nervous about the weather for this session. You see, with in-home sessions, I don't worry about the weather too much. We're inside! It may be a little darker than normal, but nothing I can't go with. 
But I've lived in Hampton Roads long enough to know that the weather changes on a whim...on a second by second basis. So I decided to keep the session as planned and we would go for it during a little break in the rain. Sometimes evenings like these can really have some incredible sunsets... but we won't know til we try, right?

So, we grabbed our rain jackets and our beach toys (and snacks too!) and headed for the beach. I am so glad we did. 
This definitely goes down as a win in my book.
The family played catch together (another softball fam! Yasssss!), we found beautiful shells, they practiced a little musical theater, and we just hung out all evening. And had snacks! Clearly, that's my favorite part!

I'm so thankful we stuck it out, because the photographs are absolutely lovely. They are unique, the sky is a bit moody, and we had the beach almost to ourselves. It was truly beautiful. I'm so thankful we live in an area where we are surrounded by so much beauty. 
If you are thinking that you'd like a session for your own family, let's talk. Fill out my Contact Form here and let's talk about what your family session can look like. I can't wait to hear from you.