Moraine State Park Maternity Session: Sharing the Love by the Lake

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I tend to walk a lot when photographing people at a park and for this maternity session at Moraine State Park, we had the extra benefit of cool sand for this mama’s sore feet. Some of the best shots took place at or near the water. But before getting our feet wet, we walked along the bike trail and for some of the beautiful natural surroundings by Lake Arthur.

just off the bike trail

The bike trail at this park provides a great way to get into the woods while wearing sandals and a dress. This mama looked amazing, but she certainly did not come dressed for a hike, so the paved bike trail was a blessing!

kisses for mama

Love close-ups of the bump, especially through the leaves!

the bump

Here they talked sweetly to the baby, they are so ready for this!

talking to the baby

And as the sun began to set, we headed to the beach.

Nose-to-nose

stopping for a kiss in the water

and more kissing on the water's edge

admiring her belly

I’m singing “kissing on the dock of the lake, waisting time” followed by a whistle interlude…

kissing on the dock of the lake

It was a gorgeous evening spent with these soon-to-be parents. Congrats and blessings to you both!

soon-to-be parents

Maternity Session at Hartwood Acres

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When I received an email from Sara asking about scheduling a maternity session, my heart swelled. I photographed Sara and Nick’s wedding and love the opportunity to get to extend the story of their growing family through photography. They are such a sweet couple and their baby is one blessed child. I’m just catching up on some long overdue blogging and this precious baby is already a few months old. More of his newborn session to come!

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I love Sara’s dress and sandals.

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Hartwood Acres was particularly busy with photoshoots that day, but we all worked together and took turns.

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These two are real sweethearts!

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This garden is beautiful and very well protected with an electric fence. I only brushed against it and got a little zap!

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Below is my favorite shot from the session. It was right outside the parking lot, so I could easily grab my step ladder and change the perspective. Who doesn’t like being photographed from above?

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Cozy In-home Maternity Session: Ronnie and Brad

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When it comes to spending time away from my main job as a mama, there are few things I enjoy more than photographing growing families. This in-home session with Ronnie and Brad was no exception, because I love to document the time before a baby arrives. I feel like you can see all of the hopes and dreams in the eyes of expectant parents.

dad newborn photography

It’s fun to see all of the details they pull together to celebrate their baby on the way!

Pittsburgh maternity photography

This photo above reminds me of a sonogram image because of the pattern of white surrounding them as they sit in the corner of this window seat. If it’s just me, I chalk it up to staring at the images as I was narrowing down my choices to share in this post.

expectant parents and dog

If you’re a dog owner, then you know that no session is complete without a shot of the fuzzy child with four legs.

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Isn’t she glowing?

in-home maternity photo

And here’s one last detail that I just can’t resist sharing – daddy serenading his baby.

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Photos of their sweet baby girl are up next!

Sentimental Maternity Session: Megan and Rick

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I’m always pleased to received referrals from past clients and when Megan and Rick called, it was clear I was in for a special treat. They recently bought a farm and are in the middle of restoring it and then some! And they wanted their maternity photos to take place in the space that’s most special to them, where they are making plans to raise their son.

Here’s a belly shot that we did by the window in their bedroom.

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We scheduled for June, about five- to six-weeks before Megan’s due date. The majority of the session took place outdoors and Megan was a trooper, navigating the terrain in the heat. And Rick was so attentive, driving us from location to location and helping us in and out of the SUV. They had some locations in mind and we went for it. Here are a few favorites from their session.

husband and wife maternity portrait

This next image was my idea, we were driving from one location to the next and I was struck by the beauty of the woods. Plus, I love walking shots!

outdoor maternity session

And here they are in their rye field. How cool will it be for them to look back at this someday? I love how snuggly they are with each other.

expectant parents portrait

More to come from their newborn session in the future!

If you or someone you know is interested in maternity or newborn photography, please contact me. I’d love to hear from you!

In-Home Maternity Session: Janelle and Andre

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I mentioned photographing Janelle and Andre’s engagement session in a previous post about Janelle and Andre’s newborn session. I’m a bit out of order with this post because this session took place during the holidays at their home in Point Breeze, just two weeks before baby Lucas was born! I know they had a lot going on amidst the holiday hustle and bustle, but Andre was intent on making this session happen. He loved Janelle’s baby belly and wanted to be sure they’d have images to remember it by. Isn’t that sweet?

husband and wife maternity portrait

Let Your Love Show
In my post about baby Lucas, I recalled loving photographing Janelle and Andre’s engagement session. They’re just so comfortable with each other. So it’s easy to capture that natural emotion because they’re not afraid to be affectionate in front of the camera. Take this next shot as an example.

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Bedrooms Are a Great Place for Maternity Sessions
We did most of these shots in a bedroom upstairs. And I wanted to show a bit of the gorgeous trees outside their window, so I mixed in some light with the natural light in the room.

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Gosh, they’re so cute.

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Belly Shots
Pregnant bellies are beautiful and these images are a great way to show children where they came from and that they were loved even before they were born.

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dad kissing the baby belly

Getting Ready for the Baby
 When you’re expecting your first, there’s no doubt you’re going to accumulate lots of sweet details for your baby. Here are just a few items that are special to Andre and Janelle. They might not be able to hold onto the items themselves over the years, but a photo is a great way to hold on to these sweet sentiments.

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baby bear hat and booties

It’s easy to see, this baby is loved like crazy.

If you’re looking for a maternity or newborn photographer, let me know. I’d love to hear from you!