Brooke and Dillon are about to celebrate their 2nd wedding anniversary, and they are still so much in love with each other it’s disgusting.  Ok, so it’s not really disgusting, but you feel me.

Their wedding day was filled – and I mean filled – with rain.  They embraced it though and their photos were beautiful, but their photographer had her work cut out for her!  Shortly after their wedding, on a bright, warm sun-shiney day, I took them out for a small formal session so they could have some photos of the two of them in their wedding attire, dry. 

Today, we took them out again to capture their growth after two years of marriage.  Their hair styles and clothing may have changed, but these two are clearly still very much in love and super giddy about each other.  I just adore them!

There’s this new group here in town call the Let’s Click Society, and it’s going to be pretty rad.  OK, so maybe it’s already pretty rad, but I can tell it’s going to become radder.  Is that even a word?

Let’s Click Society is ran by two local photograpHERs who strongly support #communityovercompetition.  Last night, they put on their very first styled shoot, and I tagged along.  Let me just tell you, last night was suuuuper hot!  We’re talkin’ melt-the-bottom-of-your-special-Old-Navy-flip-flops-to-the-asphault hot.  But that didn’t stop us.

Sponsered by Bohme, our models were pretty decked out.  And today, all I’ve wanted to do was go shopping!

If you are a professional photographer – local to Saint George or not – be sure to check out Let’s Click Society.  You don’t want to miss out!

Since I’ve been on maternity leave, I haven’t shot as much as I would normally, and it’s starting to really tear me apart.  I miss my camera.  I miss the thrill of getting the shot.  I miss how giddy I get when everything is going just as I imagine.  I miss…photography.

Don’t get me wrong, I love – love – this little babe of mine more than words can say, I just need to get out and be creative and let my juices fly!

So, I did.  And I am loving every single bit of this session!  The hike into Snow Canyon Park was a bit hot (note to self: scope out the location before dragging the model along!), but it was worth it in the end.  Miss Nikki is a natural in front of the camera.  And her eyes – hello! Her make up was done by the fabulous MaskCara and was absolutely flawless, even after a 30 minute hike in the hot sun! And that bouquet…ohhh…that bouquet!  Jocelyn’s Floral knocked it out of the park with this one! The dress (which is actually my maternity dress!  The fabric is so lovely and stretchy, that it even fits Nikki’s tiny body.) is from Sew Trendy Accessories.

Check it.

Oh…Miss Jaycie.  Doesn’t she just look stunning? It’s her red hair.  I love red hair.  Or maybe it’s the dress custom designed by My Amazing Wedding Dress?  Or perhaps it’s the sunset?  No wait.  It’s that lovely bouquet from Southern Blossoms Floral.  No, no…it’s that yummy golden sun light.  Awwwee, heck.  Whatever it is that sets this look over the edge doesn’t really matter.  It’s just plain lovely.

In just five short weeks, our family will be completed.  One last little #miniminnick will enter our lives.

I’ve never been one to have maternity photos taken of myself with my previous pregnancies, and honestly, wasn’t fully on board with hopping in front of the camera this time either.  I bought a dress on a whim about two months ago, and let it sit in the closet of my office until yesterday, when my dear friend Jordin talked me into putting it on.  We left our kiddies with the hubster, and went to the grocery store to pick up some flowers, then drove until we found a field.  My gas light was on, and a part of me prayed the car would die before finding a location!

Now that my session is over with and I am still breathing, I suppose I can admit I am glad I agreed to it.  This will be the last time I will ever have a baby belly.  My last bun in the oven.  Even after only a few short hours of having maternity photos done, I know that had I not, I would have regret it.

I’m a photographer and I know the importance and the value of having photos.  Because, face it, our memories fade.  But trust when I tell you, I did not want to have my maternity photos taken!  Regardless of people telling me how cute I am as an expecting mother, or how I possess that glow of pregnancy, I just feel…gross.  My face is covered in zits, my skin tones are uneven, and even though my belly is full of a growing baby, I feel fat.  I have a double chin, my wedding rings don’t fit my fingers and have to be worn around my neck.  My hair doesn’t sit right, and my heartburn (although unseen by my friends) is raging and extremely uncomfortable.  The last thing I wanted to do was document all of this.  I have never been one to push anyone into taking photos they didn’t want to take for whatever reason (pregnant or not), but this session was definitely a lesson learned for me.  Looking at these photos, I realize how beautiful this miracle of a fat, zit covered, red-toned, kankle sportin’, heart-burnin’ body really is.

And I feel beautiful. There will never be another version of me like this one.

Five weeks.  I still haven’t been able to fully wrap my head around it.  In just five weeks, I will be the mother of three – three –  kids.  Most people think I’m nuts to be so anxious about this, but three kids really seems overwhelming to me…

And I know it will be.  My life will be overwhelmed with love.  And I will be overwhelmed with happiness.

And I will look back on these photos and tell my former self thank you.  Thank you for not being a pansy and getting in front of that camera.  Thank you for deciding to dive into a third baby.  Thank you for being…you.

If you are ever wanting to have photos done for whatever reason (it’s been six years since our last family photo!) but have your own insecurities as to why not to do it, please don’t let that be a deterrent – pregnant or not.  Photos really are important.  Capturing memories – moments in time – are priceless.  Life is too short and your world changes so quickly.  Don’t let it slip by.  Realize how beautiful life – AND YOU – really are.

In case anyone is interested, my gown was purchased from Sew Trendy Accessories.  It is the Miriam gown, and is super lovely.

 

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