pregnant! // MALLORY // CHARLOTTE, NC

Maternity is quickly becoming my favorite (well, one of them) things to shoot. Mallory is due in the next couple of months and is looking radiant. Seriously, how great does this mama-to-be look? She did her own hair and makeup and we discussed locations and outfits prior to the shoot. She wanted a beautiful backdrop for these simple portraits.

Huge congratulations to Mallory and Will - you two will be wonderful parents. Best of luck in the big move to NYC and on the birth of your beautiful baby boy!

pregnant! // LIZ // DAVIDSON, NC

I am so, so happy to finally have Liz and her beautiful (not quite here yet little one) up on the blog! My sweet friend Nicci (who you might remember from this blog post) introduced me to Liz a couple of months back. Nicci and her sweet babe Junie (who will be making their appearance next week on the blog) were going to model for me because I was renting a new lens, and Liz joined us!

It's easy to become quick friends with Liz. She's so genuine, kind hearted, intentional and a wonderful soul. I can tell just from knowing her a short time that she's going to be a ridiculously awesome mom. And after meeting her husband Jeff, I can tell that he's also super genuine and funny - and seeing him interact with such patience with Junie?.... they're gonna be a kickass team.

Maternity is quickly becoming one of my favorite things to shoot. I think at a time in your life when you don't necessarily feel the most beautiful, it's important to have someone show you just how gorgeous you really are. I hope you feel as beautiful as you look, Liz!

Liz runs an awesome place called The Art Room - where kids can go for the day and unlock their creativity! Mama's of little ones - GO check out their website!

// WEBSITE // FACEBOOK //

CHRISTINA // MINI MATERNITY SESSION

// Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you.  Before you were born, I set you apart. // Jeremiah 1:5

I am an odd bird. I'm one of those people who saves conversations until there's time to really discuss. I hate eating my dinner in the car, I have to be sitting down at home in sweatpants. I don't like writing e-mails on my cell because I prefer to have a keyboard to type them out on.

That being said, I was literally hiding this session because I am so in love with it (which doesn't make any sense). I wasn't planning on sharing this until mid-March, but I knew I had to once I heard that sweet Christina finally gave birth to a very healthy and beautiful little girl!

World, welcome sweet Marlowe Pearl!! And a round of applause for Christina to look this gorgeous after giving birth?!

(Christina.. please don't think I'm creepy. I just had to share this!)

I am so blessed to call Christina a friend. We haven't known each other long, but I have such immense respect for her as both a mother and a photographer. She's always been an encouragement to me with my work, and I've always appreciated her honesty.. she's absolutely hilarious and you can tell she has a phenomenal heart for her family. She didn't do maternity sessions for her other two boys (who are, by the way, the definition of adorable) and I'm so glad she chose me to document this special time in her life.

If you can't tell already, she's gorgeous and glowing and we had so much fun galavanting around this secret spot. We managed to laugh pretty much the entire time, between dodging mice in the field and battling the wind (which was actually a great thing for her and her gorgeous hair) and it has made me want to pursue more and more maternity portraits. I hope she feels as gorgeous as she looked when she shares these with Marlowe in the years to come!

Christina, I can't wait to do the family portraits for you and your brood. Massive amounts of love and congratulations to you and your boys!!

^ these four are my favorite from the session. Mama, you're killin it! 

// I love thee to the depth and breadth and height my soul can reach. //  Elizabeth Barrett Browning

BREANNA // MINI MATERNITY SESSION

I still remember when I was sitting in a Photoshop class, back in the spring of 2010. I was a junior in College and me and a couple of my friends weren't paying attention to the lecture. Instead, we were discussing "business pages" on Facebook. I made one, thinking nobody would everrrrrrr like my page. Well, one girl did. And her name is Breanna... and I'm so grateful to call her friend! Since the beginning, she has always been a huge "fan" of mine. For as long as I can remember, I've been receiving little encouraging messages from her, and our friendship has grown and grown. She got married, and as bummed as I was that it didn't work out for me to photograph it, once she got pregnant, we knew that it was time for a collaboration.

Meeting Breanna in person was just like seeing a friend I hadn't seen in forever. She's super sweet, and down for anything (which we all know that I love) - so we met in Davidson, NC and headed to an abandoned house with a little field near it. Let me also mention that this was in December and it was super cold. Like... freezing. Her and her husband, Lucas are such troopers!

I can't say enough amazing things about these two. They're so in love and so excited for the arrival of their first little babe, Eden... which should be any minute now!