I have been so excited to share this session! While my clients primarily choose to have their maternity sessions photographed at the studio, in the field, or in the garden, I do have a few clients who request entirely different locations. I am happy to go wherever my clients ask and for this particular session, I photographed this beautiful expectant couple in the nursery they designed just for their sweet little girl.
There are so many elements to this birth story at Virginia Baptist Hospital that have made it one of my all-time favorite birth experiences I've ever captured. I was connected to this family through another amazing photographer, Kristen. Parents, L & J, booked me literally days before labor started. Mama was admitted into the hospital just months after the painful loss of her sweet girl, Gabrielle and I arrived shortly after they had settled into triage. Arriving while they were still in triage gave us a wonderful window of time to get to know one another. We laughed, prayed, and waited patiently. After a few hours of minimal progress, they decided to go home and get some rest. Before we knew it, we were back again, and labor was in full swing!
This was mama's first epidural-free delivery! It was also the first time, after four other healthy deliveries, that she did not know the gender of the baby making his or her arrival. This was also the longest gestational period she had experienced as well. Whew - what a wait!
Observing this birth story unfold was both bittersweet and absolutely beautiful. I have such admiration for L and her love for her family. She was nothing but eager to hold her littlest baby, and her lack of hesitation throughout the painful process was an absolute inspiration to me. There were so many unique elements to this story and at one point, the nurse who was present during the birth of Gabrielle came in to greet this mama and hug her. Whew boy, the tears just started flowing! By the time mama delivered her baby boy, both the midwife and the nurse who were present during Gabrielle's birth were present in the room, helping her to safely deliver her beautiful rainbow baby.
Amazing, right? See for yourself through the pictures. <3
Are you expecting and considering hiring a birth photographer? I am currently booking births for late summer and early fall of 2017. I book a very limited number of births, so if you are considering hiring a birth photographer, please get in touch soon. If you would like to meet in person, birth consultations at the studio are free of charge and carry no obligation. I don't want anyone to miss out on the opportunity to have this short and sweet season of life documented. Contact me today to reserve your birth month.
This beautiful mama contacted me a few weeks after her sweet little lady made her arrival. Even though I recommend clients book their newborn sessions before their baby is born, I always do my best to squeeze last minute bookings in when I can. And I am always so grateful when I do have space on the calendar! This sweet little lady was about six weeks old when I finally met her, and what a beauty she is!! Mama opted to have her hair and make-up done by our HMUA team and was able to nurse little L at the same time.
Aren't they a beautiful family?
Are you expecting and ready to book your newborn session? I am already reserving sessions as far out as August 2017. Newborn sessions are best scheduled between 8-21 days old during the hours of 10AM-2PM. If you have waited until the last minute, please contact me - if I am able to fit you in, I will! I don't want you to miss out on the opportunity to have this short and sweet season of life documented. Contact me today to reserve your session.
When Michelle reached out to me to shoot her maternity session, she mentioned she was a photographer herself. I was honored to have been her choice of a maternity photographer! Michelle and her family traveled from Roanoke for their session. I love the jewel tones she selected for their fall session - they were perfect! Here are a few of my favorite pictures from our time together!
I had the honor of meeting this family for their maternity session back in October. Imagine how excited I was to receive an email from them about shooting their newborn session! I'll be honest, as we wrapped up their maternity session, I gave them a genuine recommendation to find a different photographer closer to home for their newborn session. Traveling 4 hours with a newborn can be challenging and I wanted to help them find beautiful images without having to make that trip.
But, they refused! :)
“Liz Cook is an incredibly talented and attentive professional. Her sweet and gentle countenance is paired with her ability to capture the most tender and joyful moments of the births that she photographs. Liz’s photos will bring you years of enjoyment as they draw you back to the delight and bliss of your birth experience.”
