It's a Boy! Welcome Drew Burton Belsky!

On Wednesday evening I had the priveledge of becoming an honorary member of the Belsky family.  When I opened the door to Kelly's room just four hours after Drew was born, I heard, "Hi Nadia!"  I recognized Carter's voice even before I saw her smiling face.  She led me over to her new baby brother and beamed up at me.  Wrapped up tightly in his blanket was Andy and Kelly's fourth child and only son.  There was a tangible glow of happiness floating through the room.  I took a deep breath, just hoping that I could capture even a fraction of the feelings that were written across the faces of this family.

"I'm already so in love with him," Kelly whispered as I snapped my first picture.  I could see why.  Surrounded by her beautiful daughters, and the overwhelming support of her husband and parents...Kelly couldn't help but see the newness, the difference, the unique experience of this little boy.   

Unmoved by the flash of my camera, the disturbance of having his (just too big) hat being removed and replaced, his sisters taking turns holding him carefully in their laps, his blanket being unwound from his little body, Drew peered up with sweet eyes and became a part of his first photo shoot.  Before I left for the evening, I showed Kelly a few of the moments that I captured. True to her personality, all she could say was, "STOP IT!" The moment was surreal - - - she was looking at pictures, at proof, that she had just given birth to their son.

I left that evening feeling like I had been a part of something sacred.  I had been invited to witness the most miraculous experience - the first moments of a newborn child becoming a part of his family.  I kissed Drew on his forehead and silently thanked him for bringing me such joy.  I hugged every member of the Belsky clan and when I got to Kelly she sincerely thanked me for being a part of this time in her life.  What she doesn't realize is that I was the one who had reason to be grateful.

Imposing Beauty

I've never been so nervous for a shoot before. I didn't want to let her down. What if I wasn't creative enough? What if the lighting was bad? What if we didn't connect? What if I couldn't convey to others what I see for myself every day?  What if I couldn't make them understand that, to me, Leigh Sterrett is so much more than muscular...she's strength. There is beauty in her dedication, her discipline, her stoic demeanor. If you take the time to see it, behind her quiet eyes...you'll know too.

Beauty is all around us. If you don't see it, you're not looking...not paying attention...not living with your eyes open. Beauty is a sunrise, ocean waves, a midday rainbow.  Beauty is a child's sly grin, the sparkle of an eye, a loving touch.  Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Beauty is skin deep. Sometimes beauty is captured...in a jar, in a vase, through a lens. Beauty is all consuming, overwhelming, awe inspiring.

Beauty is fragile; beauty is pure; beauty is strong.

I asked her to let her guard down, to let me in...not an easy task when you're hanging off of railroad tracks in a sports bra.  I snapped pictures while she stood, crunched, sat perfectly still, held poses, climbed a rope, walked along a brick wall and ran sprints.  She smiled, didn't smile, glanced, turned her head, laughed, looked down, looked up, looked away.  At the end of the shoot she had changed clothes five times, put her hair up, and down and then up again...she was covered in tar, covered in lipstick, covered in a fine layer of sweat and dust. 

She was still beautiful.  I know, because I was there.  I was looking.  I did see it.  I was paying attention.  I was lucky to capture it.

Reflections

This is Addison... 

She is me, or rather I was her...about 20 years ago. From start to finish this session was chock full of sarcasm, quick wit and endearing complications. All I could do was laugh, because I'm certain that if I asked my mom to describe what I was like at twelve years old, she would have told a story of a precocious young lady much like the one I was photographing. "I can't get dressed yet - - my clothes are still wet! I have to go to the bathroom...I didn't have to go when we were at the house! There are bugs here...oh my gosh is that a snake!? I don't want to go there...why do we have to go there!?"  Secretly she was enjoying being the star, and it shows.  From sly grins to eye rolls, her personality shines through in every shot. 

There's a good chance that she will look back one day and remember being a child who was so eager to be a "grown up."  She may remember feeling defiant, pushing the boundaries, knowing it all...being stuck in that age where you're neither a child or an adult.  I remember that time.  Spending the afternoon with Addison brought those memories back to me like a flood.  I sat back behind the camera watching her, and seeing myself.  I felt like I should call my mom and thank her, share a laugh, apologize?  Instead I looked over at Addison's mom Mandy, and promised her that there was hope for her sweet, smart, clever, overwhelming pre-teen.  After all, look how well I turned out. ;)

Little Miss Madelyn

Meet Madelyn, the youngest of three beautiful little girls.  She loves singing, picking flowers, purple jelly beans, butterflies, hide and go seek, playing in the dirt, feeling the grass between her toes, following after her sisters, and she absolutely LOVES having her picture taken.

 

"Bees!" she shouted, with equal parts fear and intrigue.  She stood her ground until they buzzed away.  "Come Nadia," she commanded as we headed off toward the barn.  Once we got there she peered through every hole, shuffled through the dusty dirt piles, and glanced back every now and then to make sure that I was still snapping photos.  

 

After all of the clover and buttercups, fence climbing, itsy bitsy spider, counting behind trees, and rolling in the grass, I had made a new friend.  By the end of our session, she was full of snacks and exhausted from being the center of attention.  She cuddled up with mom, kissed her belly (there's a baby boy in there) and dropped her head down on her shoulder.  Being a star is hard work :) 

Sweet Dreams Caitlin

Today I had the pleasure of spending the morning with the McGowan family.  It was an action packed couple of hours.  Not only did I get to hunt for snails and centipedes with Liam, but I also had the chance to photograph one precious little newborn - Caitlin. 

After family pictures under the Dogwood blossoms, climbing trees, digging in the dirt, playing with the dog, squinting in the sun and quality baby sister time...mom and I retreated to Caitlin's nursery and waited for her to fall asleep. 

We waited...eyes wide open, we waited...hiccups, we waited...cold little toes, we waited as 5, 10, 20 minutes went by...and...then her little eyelids dropped.  Quickly we undressed her, redressed her, posed her sweet little feet, changed headbands and bows and ribbons, moved her from couch to mom to blanket to mom again...and just before she woke up...the shoot was complete.  I'm sure as soon as I left, she slept for hours!  I had a great time, and couldn't have asked for a better newborn and family to spend my Sunday morning with.  After all, I got to practice patience and good things come to those who wait.

Bubbles

Last Wednesday evening, a good friend of mine brought me a bottle of bubbles.  As she handed it to me, she told me that one of her preschool students had brought it to school and instructed her to give it to someone whom she loved.  Despite the obvious age limit marked on the bottle and the princess wands that came with it, I was touched. 

I took my bubbles home that night and looked at them, chuckling...considering which neighborhood child I would regift them to.  When I got home on Thursday afternoon it was beautiful outside - a perfect day for pictures.  I grabbed my camera bag and headed out in search of adventure.  After snapping a few photos, my battery light began to blink and my adventure was over as quickly as it had begun.  On my way home I remembered my bubbles...I started to wonder how the sunlight would play against the iridescent spheres. 

While my battery charged, I poured a thick puddle of liquid soap into the small pink tray.  A new adventure then ensued.  I carefully selected an intricate castle shaped wand and gently blew into the air.  With each dip, a new shape, a new color, a new pattern, a new reflection.  Once my camera was thinly coated in soapy residue, I twisted the lid back on...feeling intrigued, imaginative, inspired.