You think weather can stop us?!?!?! US?!?!?! Absolutely not, I LOVE a dramatic weather backdrop. My favorite art era has always been the Romantic Era, I love it for how people and nature interact. For the way humanity is portrayed small and in wonder of the wild world around us. This session reminded me of that era. In this blog post you will find: gorgeous photos of this darling family taken at Mount Roosevelt Tower in Deadwood, South Dakota, some hopes for each of them <3, and at the end of the post you will find some tips for a successful maternity session if you are planning one yourself!

With snow that blew in so hard I was convinced it was hail, fog, and the backdrop of the beautiful Black Hills of South Dakota, you would think the view would steal the show….but Courtney with her radiant bump with her son growing inside, Brayden and their darling doggo Ranger were even more breathtaking.

Spring weather is so unpredictable in the Black Hills area, we rescheduled a few times and then decided it was fate to have moody clouds. Our hands may have gone numb, but I love the photographs so much, I hope they are treasured by this sweet family forever, that when their dear boy is growing and looks at these they can tell him what an adventure the capturing of these images was, how special this time of waiting for him was, and how much love already existed for him <3

A hope for Beckett: May you find beauty and warmth in any weather <3

A hope for Courtney and Brayden: May you continue to find comfort in each other in any storm <3

A hope for Ranger: May you teach your baby brother how to play well and with abandon <3

A hope for myself: May I never stop being lucky enough to photograph such lovely people in such lovely places <3

Some tips for a successful maternity session! Courtney and Brayden were so perfectly prepared for their session that I thought it would be nice to share some of the things that they did so well in case you are preparing for a maternity session of your own!

• A long, flowing dress is a classic for maternity photos for a reason! It is easy to hold in a way that accentuates your beautiful growing bump, it provides lots of movement and visual interest in the images, and it is flattering! When better then your maternity pictures to feel like the absolute queen you are?! Courtney’s had lace which was so lovely and added a nice subtle texture.
• A few thoughtful props can be a way to root your images in memories that will extend into babyhood. They brought the sweetest wooden blocks that spelled out their baby’s name and I keep picturing those blocks in his sleep space, then being played with when his hands have become the chubby, exploring hands of toddlerhood, then being packed away in a box of memories that will be occasionally gone through well into his adulthood.
• Be willing to go off the beaten path to beauty. This location was a bit of a walk in and was a bit of a drive for them, but the effort was well worth it. Going the extra mile (literally) to get to the view makes the photos much more artful and special.
• Roll with the hard things. The weather was not ideal, but embracing the dramatic sky created gorgeous and unique images! No session will ever feel like it went perfectly how you envisioned, embracing the things that push the session into new directions is often what creates imagery that feels extraordinary rather then run of the mill.
• Come as you are! Courtney and Brayden were so sweet, so loving, so supportive of each other, and all that came through in a way that felt touching and beyond lovely because they were willing to be vulnerable in front of the camera. Also, we had a ton of fun laughing and getting to know each other which helped us forget our numbing hands, haha!
• Time of day! With the clouds, this didn’t matter AS much, but still it made a big difference to photograph this session close to sunset time. Good light is a huge factor in good photos (arguably, the biggest factor)

Are you expecting a precious baby of your own and want to have artful photos that you can use for your whole lifeto transport you back to this gorgeous time of waiting? I would love to chat! Fill out my contact form and let’s make some magic.