Room to Grow | Norfolk, Virginia | Jess Nicole Photography

Once upon a time, there was a family of seven, in a charming home with room to grow, on a quiet and quaint street in Norfolk, Virginia, waiting on the eighth member of their family to arrive. And there was a little dog named Lou, too.

Every corner of the house whispered love and little preparations for baby were tucked here and there. A banner of birth affirmations made by treasured friends and loved ones hung above the pool he will be brought Earthside in. A stack of tiny diapers folded neatly on a shelf waits quietly for a wiggly baby boy. Nearby on the changing table, a picture is waiting to greet him that was carefully crafted and drawn by his big sister.

I watched the children play and carry on with their day, all while gratefully relishing in the fact that they allowed me and my camera to tag along. My job is usually to stay quiet and be a silent fly on the wall- but I was drawn in by them. I was drawn into a world of creativity and wonder; a place where one was building whimsical homes for her "am-in-als" with the most perfect details, one was fearlessly swinging from a tree branch, one was tucked away reading Jane Eyre, one was exploring a creek and gathering materials for his project, and one was doing a little bit of everything. And there were two parents inside soaking up the few minutes of silence. I could have stayed there all day.
There are so many beautiful moments to be seen and stories to be told in an ordinary life, on an ordinary and overcast day. These are their last days being a family of seven and that chapter will close. Soon, a miracle will be born and one more birthday will be made. Their hearts will grow bigger with love and eight will be their new number. A whole new beautiful and complex story will unfold, right before our very eyes. But for now, they will patiently wait.

This is life ya'll. And ain't it grand?

"Be still, and know that I am God" Ps. 46:10


Documentary style photography is the art of the unscripted, sometimes forgotten moments. Does photography that tells a story speak to you, like it does to me? To book your own documentary style session (maternity, newborn, family, or Day In The Life) please use this contact form , by emailing jessnicolephotography@gmail.com , or by finding me on Facebook.