Natalie has been a really good friend of my wife since college. In fact, she was a bridesmaid at our wedding an delivered the toasting speech alongside my wife’s cousin with hilarious results. Since meeting Natalie, she’s become endeared not just to me, but also my family. My mom just loves her and is really excited that Natalie’s family will be growing by one. We’re excited too because this couple is awesome and can bring a smile to any room they enter.
Fast forward to a few weeks ago, where Natalie says she would like to celebrate this milestone in her life with maternity photography. “That’s a really great idea,” I said, hoping that she didn’t have me in mind but fully knowing she did.
“I was wondering if you could do it … If you do that sort of photography,” she said.
I was bluntly honest with her. I have done maternity photography before.
Once. Seven years ago.
I told her she would be the first one since then. Her faith in me wasn’t shaken by this fact and it really reassured me. And by “reassured” I mean: caused a small internalized panic attack that I deftly concealed with a “no problem!”
We discussed what she wanted to do, how she felt about being and becoming a mother, and what she would like the photographs to convey. We got pretty excited.
She’s never had a baby before and I’ve practically never done maternity photography before. It’ll be fun, right? Right?
It was. It was a blast.
Natalie and her husband, Matthew, drove over an hour in traffic from Columbia, MD to me and arrived ready to work and have fun. And with these two, it’s always gut-busting.
I’d like to say that the smiling, giggling shots were my idea but it was Matthew’s commentary that kept her ensnared with laughter. I almost fell of the ottoman I was using a stepladder a few times because we were all laughing so hard.
We went a wee bit over our scheduled time, but time flies when you’re having fun. Here’s what we got between laughs.
