Beach Maternity Session | Esther and family

When I was first starting out in the Gloucester/Rockport MA area as a photographer, I began to look around at other local photographers to see if I could start to make connections. Almost immediately, I came across Esther's website (because she's fabulous and super talented !) and a blog post on her site about the importance of showing a collaborative spirit with competitors. When I reached out to her, she was super supportive and friendly so it didn't take long for us to become friends.

I think our friendship really cemented itself, though, when we discovered that we were both pregnant with due dates only days apart from each other! It's always comforting to be able to commiserate with someone who is going through the same experience as you at the same time. (Ultimately, I delivered about a month earlier as I have twins who needed to be induced.)

Anyway, it was pretty much a no-brainer that we exchanged our maternity pictures.  Take a scroll through Esther and Dan's maternity session on the coast at Bass Rocks in Gloucester and at Good Harbor Beach. Be sure to check out that super-moon at the end!

Courtney & Glenn | Malden, MA maternity and family portrait photography

Winter photography isn't easy for a portrait photographer.  It's cold. (Red, runny noses anyone?).  The lighting stinks. (Sun sets at 4.) And there is an ever present threat of the weather going ahead and ruining a scheduled shoot. (Especially in New England.)  Not surprisingly, most portrait photographers slow down during the winter time.  But do you know who waits for no one?  Babies!  You can never be sure when those little things will pop out.

So when Courtney asked me to take her maternity photos, I was excited at the opportunity, and eager to get started.  Her due date was about 2 1/2 weeks away during this shoot!

It had just snowed a couple of days prior, so we got to take advantage of a snow-covered landscape.  Expecting mommas run hot, apparently, but it was also unseasonably warm that day!

Drake popped in for some fun too!  I photographed Courtney during her first pregnancy with Drake, too, so that made this maternity shoot even more special for me!

We took advantage of the light for as long as we could, but did I mention that this was the day before the SHORTEST DAY OF THE YEAR?? Um yea.  Light was fleeting.  Time to get creative.  

I brought my flash along with me for this shoot, anticipating that lighting would be working against us.  For this shot, I bounced the flash off the snow. Instant reflector! Score!

Shortly after, we went back to their place to take a few more pictures of the family together.  I wanted to focus on relationships and interactions here, so I went for a "lifestyle" portrait feel.  All this basically means is that I let Court and Glenn interact naturally with each other and with Drake while I was busy perched on top of the couch snapping away. I think you can really feel the love in these pictures.  Oh the heat!

I'd love to hear your thoughts on this maternity and lifestyle portrait photography shoot. Leave your comments below!