I am happy to be able to share with you some of my favorite images from Rachelle and Sean’s maternity session a couple weeks ago. This adorable couple is expecting their 4th baby together next month and I am so excited to be there to document sweet Kenley’s home birth! You may remember I recently blogged their family session HERE. It was a cold and rainy day when our schedules aligned and we went downtown Kansas City to find some little nooks and crannies. We found some time away from the kiddos (rare!) and really just took our time and enjoyed hanging out. I hope I finally convinced my beautiful friend Rachelle how beautiful she is, especially pregnant. She is GLOWING! And Sean, what a proud proud papa, I can’t wait to see him with his newest daughter next month (last time he delivered  unassisted as the baby beat the midwife!). Hopefully when Rachelle’s in labor, I beat everyone! Ha!

I have to say, I am loving the switch to Nikon. Shooting inside used to make me cringe, especially without flash. But now, oh my, I LOVE IT. All of these images were shot using available light, minimal ISO on my Nikon D700, and switching between a Nikon 50 1.4 lens and a Nikon 24-70 lens. I shoot 100% in manual mode without a flash (the only time I use a flash is at a wedding reception). I firmly believe that less is more and am really enjoying the direction my photography is taking me.

Without further a-du, here are some of my faves! Thank you Rachelle and Sean for spending the afternoon with me, I had oh so much fun!

First, let me start with this. ONE WORD for Rachelle… FIERCE!!!

Yes my friends, she’s that GORGEOUS with baby NUMBER 4 and 6 weeks to go!!!

More say you? Ok!

SO, for sweet baby Kenley’s birth (and you know, I just have to say, I kind of suggested that name to Rachelle and she LOVED IT! Heehee!), STAY TUNED… If you follow me on Facebook (and if you don’t you should!), you’ll be sure to get updates when KENLEY makes her grand entrance!!

Thanks Rachelle & Sean!! Had SO MUCH FUN!

First thing I figured out, the sessions have to be done at my home in Overland Park where I have all South and West facing windows for delicious light all day long. We tried going back and forth between my house and Rylee’s house in Olathe and the lighting was just too inconsistent month to month. Plus having them done at my house keeps the cost down versus me having to charge more if I travel to baby’s home.

Time. It only takes 10-15 minutes each session, very quick get in and get out.

The white blanket worked great for every session. I swear every time we put Rylee on it, this little miss knew to turn on the charm. I will digress, sometimes it took a little bit of charming to get the charm to come out, BUT we always prevailed!

It doesn’t have to be on the exact same day every month. The first two weekends after the monthiversarie will work just fine.

Oh yes, there is a reason why this is the ultimate baby plan! So what’s included? A 12×12 canvas gallery wrap (upgradeable to 16×20), a Baby’s 1st Year album (includes various images from each monthly session), Mommy 411 Play Date Cards (available at 6 months), a CAKE SMASH at the 12 month session, and of course, the custom onesies to keep! Trust me, you don’t want to miss this for your sweet babe!

50% downpayment due at booking, remaining 50% due at 6 month session. CONTACT ME FOR MORE DETAILS!!

Here is a sample of Rylee’s wall piece. I’ll include product sample images when they come in.

I also think about how different I had imagined it would all be for us, Daniel & me. Like every other couple, we imagined we would experience the miracle of birth with a biological child. We talked for years of what our birth plan would be. What it would be like to see life come out of me. In fact I think I dreamed of it more than I ever dreamed of my wedding and like most little girls, I dreamed of my wedding A LOT. A wedding & the birth of a child are rites of passage. But the reality is that my wedding was nothing like it was in my dreams. I WAS blessed to marry the man of my dreams, and though it didn’t happen like I dreamed, it never once mattered because Daniel & I had each other and we are madly crazy in love.

So I think about how we are to create our family. We can’t seem to do it the way we thought we would, the way we dreamed for so long. I may never experience with Daniel the physical act of birthing our child. It’s been a grieving process. But we seem to be the kind of people who always have to take the road less travelled & while the journey is different the destination is the same. Witnessing & photographing the birth of babes has given me such a special vantage point because I have a knowledge of what our future birth family will be experiencing. The only difference is that I can’t imagine the depth of sacrifice our future birth parents will embrace as they entrust their child to us. I try to but I can’t imagine how that moment will feel for us. It is a different way to labor for a child but when they say not born of my body but born of my heart it’s so true. And though it won’t happen like how we once dreamed, it will never matter because we will all have each other and we will be so madly crazy in love with our child. Plus our extended family will grow too!

I don’t know if this makes sense but my thumb does hurt. Time to go have a baby! Can’t wait to share!

A couple months ago, I received an email wondering if I would be interested in participating in an article on birth photography for Professional Photographer Magazine. I was absolutely floored. You have to understand, this is the Creme de la Creme of photographer magazines, huge huge deal and it was the first time they had done an article on birth photography. I asked the writer how she heard of me as there are other birth photographers who have been around much longer than myself and apparently, not to toot my own horn, her editor follows my work! (THANK YOU EDITOR! I HEART YOU!) I had the honor of being featured in the article with two other extremely talented birth photographers Rachael of Rachael May Photography and Kim of Kim Charie Photography who are both located on the West Coast.

The concept of birth photography is rather “new”, it’s gaining popularity as women are realizing how private and tastefully it is done, as well as, and I must add this, how EMPOWERING it is to have the birth of your child documented forever in a way that not only shows the entrance of this little being in the world, but also shows how incredibly moving an experience it is for a woman to go outside of herself to bring life into the world. To be able to hold a photograph in your hands of an experience that without that little big reminder can and often does become incredibly hazy over time. As a photographer I love being able to give the images to parents that makes them weak in the knees over how stunningly beautiful their child’s entrance into the world really and absolutely was. It’s indescribable.

*Please note that each of us photographers had 3 images published, so not every image in the article is mine. The two in color are mine, Gemma’s birth center water birth and Carson’s hospital birth, and the one of the little guy with his fist in his mouth (close up shot provided) is my sweetheart Cade from his home birth.

The article is a pretty basic introduction to birth photography. I hope that it inspires others to look more into birth photography but I must stress, it’s not as easy as it looks! It requires so much expertise and dedication. I was in business for 3 years before I even started to add birth photography to my focus because birth isn’t something you practice on to learn photography. This is real life, as real as it gets, and there are absolutely no dress rehearsals. Clients who invite you into this most intimate space to document the most emotional day of their lives, welcoming their child, deserve nothing short of the absolute best. Please don’t jump into it thinking it’s all warm fuzzies, because those warm fuzzies would very quickly vanish if you don’t know what you are doing. This is much much more stressful than photographing any wedding day.

Being published online is one thing, but seeing my images in a top international magazine… wow. The only thing that I could ever want more is the cover. One day. =0) If you want to read the full article, it can be found HERE. Want to know more about my birth packages? Check out HERE. I do require my birth clients to book both maternity and newborn sessions with me in order to be able to book me for their birth. This is imperative to developing the bond in which I feel is need to truly evoke your emotions in your photographs. Doing the maternity session together is similar to why you do an engagement session before the wedding, for you and the photographer to get to know each other and feel comfortable with the camera out, to get excited over baby’s arrival together. The newborn session is a beautiful way to wrap up the experience after the intensity of the birth by me coming to your home and documenting the new family. It’s a triangle, all three pieces are essential to the whole birth experience. And it is absolutely beautiful.

Professional Photographer Magazine, published by Professional Photographers of America (PPA), February 2012 issue.

THANK YOU everyone for all of your support. Thank you, Thank You, Thank you!! Thank you to my sweet babies who were featured, Gemma, Carson, and Cade, photographing your births has forever left little imprints on my heart and I pray for you and all of the babies whose births I photograph and witness all the time. THANK YOU to the families who invite me into their secret place and allow me to know you so sweetly. It is impossible not to have some love for you guys!!

When we met up one beautiful evening in June in Leawood for some traditional portraits. It was 95 degrees out and under a heat warning but this was the only time we could all get together. I thought Rachelle did a beautiful job coordinating colors and outfits! The kids were really such troopers, especially the littles who just really pushed through the heat. While we were walking around and taking water breaks for the kids, I was joking to Rachelle and Sean that they make such beautiful babies they should have another one! They thought I was insane and I laughed at them and said these 3 little words to them, “JUST YOU WAIT.”

3 weeks after these photos were taken, Rachelle called me up to tell me she was pregnant. I about died laughing. More to come on that story in the maternity/birth/and newborn pictures of their new little girl making her debut soon enough.

Hope the greens and the bright colors brightens up your night! I just love this family so so much!

Enjoy!

I love photographing babies and families! If you would like to book me to photograph yours and by doing so support our adoption to grow ours, please contact me through the CONTACT link above!

As always, NICU sessions are completely complimentary and any family who currently has a baby (or two or three!) qualifies. I only allow for a limited number of these sessions a month and due to my location in the metro, I am only able to go to Shawnee Mission Medical Center, Overland Park Regional Medical Center, St Luke’s Hospital, Menorah Medical Center, St Joseph Medical Center, Children’s Mercy, and KU Medical Center.

Here is a small sample from our session, enjoy!

I love photographing babies and families! If you would like to book me to photograph yours and by doing so support our adoption to grow ours, please contact me through the CONTACT link above!

Nickie writes: “Jess, thank you for the B-E-A-U-T-I-F-U-L pictures of my boy’s! They turned out better then I had expected because they don’t like getting their pictures taken, EVER. They had so much fun with you and really enjoyed you doing their pictures. After all, You have dinosaurs living in your camera! The session was very laid back, they weren’t rushed and they were able to be their spunky little selves. Also, Thank you for being patience with my little Cooper for every time you took the picture he said, “let me see that one” and you would stop and let him see the picture on your camera. It was one of the best experiences we have had getting their pictures taken and the next time I get them done I am, for sure, going to call you! Thanks again!”

Here’s a small sample of their beautiful session!

I love photographing babies and families! If you would like to book me to photograph yours and by doing so support our adoption to grow ours, please contact me through the CONTACT link above!

As always, NICU sessions are completely complimentary and any family who currently has a baby (or two or three!) qualifies. I only allow for a limited number of these sessions a month and due to my location in the metro, I am only able to go to Shawnee Mission Medical Center, Overland Park Regional Medical Center, St Luke’s Hospital, Menorah Medical Center, St Joseph Medical Center, Children’s Mercy, and KU Medical Center.

Here is a small sample from our session, enjoy!

I love photographing babies and families! If you would like to book me to photograph yours and by doing so support our adoption to grow ours, please contact me through the CONTACT link above!

As always, NICU sessions are completely complimentary and any family who currently has a baby (or two or three!) qualifies. I only allow for a limited number of these sessions a month and due to my location in the metro, I am only able to go to Shawnee Mission Medical Center, Overland Park Regional Medical Center, St Luke’s Hospital, Menorah Medical Center, St Joseph Medical Center, Children’s Mercy, and KU Medical Center.

Here is a small sample from our session, enjoy!

I love photographing babies and families! If you would like to book me to photograph yours and by doing so support our adoption to grow ours, please contact me through the CONTACT link above!