ERIN+ANTHONY | crunchy snow, trusty evergreens

Shooting outside in the winter in Minnesota can be a real risk to life and limb, but miraculously the conditions aligned that we all finished this maternity session with all our fingers intact! My favorite way to take pictures in the bleak grey months is to find those trusty evergreens that always looks fresh and full of life. There’s a reason the pine tree emoji is always in my ‘recently used’ section!!!

SEE ALSO
TESS + CECIL | respect the uggs
KAYLEY+JAKE | if the Von Trapps really went to Switzerland

LISA+TAYLOR | when life hands you big fat purple wildflowers

"OLDIE GOODIE" is my father-in-law's expression that means "vintage" or "retro". I don't know when that started or why, but I sure do like it. These pictures here are a bit of an OLDIE GOODIE of mine - they are from 2014!!! I rediscovered them the other day and they made me go, "Ugh! THOSE FLOWERS!!!!"

Big, fat, radiant, purple wildflowers! I didn't say "Ugh!" because of any negative feelings towards those majestic blossoms. I said it because for literally years (YEARS!) following this shoot, I returned to this spot and tried to find this meadow again. And I never. ever. did. 

I would look back at my files to see the exact date of Lisa and Taylor's shoot, estimate in my head "Is this a warmer or cooler summer?" to consider if they'd blossom earlier or later, plan accordingly, show up, and...... nada. I never found them again! But luckily my efforts did have their reward. If I hadn't have gone looking for these purple flowers, I never would have found these OTHER wildflowers up on the mountaintop  or these yellow ones just a little bit further down the road.

So there you go. When life hands you wildflowers and then takes them away, life might just hand you.. some.. other, different wildflowers. And that's just beautiful.

SEE ALSO
DEIRDRE+JASON | when the wildflower mountaintop gives you decision paralysis
ALLISON+TIM | good light great horses but one snake

KAYLA+DAN | springtime is for babies and musicals with quilt skirts and baby goats

I just really like the idea of springtime and maternity pictures together. It feels right!! I don't know how else to explain it other than telling you that one of my favorite movies is Seven Brides for Seven Brothers and I'm just thinking a lot about THIS song at the moment. Gosh I want one of those baby goats!!! And quilt skirts!!!

Here's a few favorites from a maternity shoot with Kayla and Dan. When I explained that I "treat maternity pictures pretty much exactly like any other anniversary session, just with a baby belly!" they were very much on board. I don't do many cheesy baby-belly-focused poses (looking at you, Pinterest); I just love photographing a couple one more time before they become a family of three! It's happy and fun and I just like that a lot. 

SEE ALSO
ALLISON+TIM | good light great horses but one snake
STACEY+WOODY | old folks deserve pictures too