The Moore Family | Fresh 48 Session | Lake Forest Family Photographer

As a photographer, my favorite sessions are the raw, real life, no frills ones. I’m naturally drawn to a documentary style of photography. I’m a realist at heart and in my life. I was never in to sci-fi, and would rather watch a documentary than anything else. I don’t wear make up and I rarely do anything to my way too long hair. Anything that involves being fake or show-y, I’m not into, except for my nails, but that’s a story for another time. What you see is what you get.

With that, comes the love for documenting real life events, milestones, and truly authentic, intimate moments.

Don’t get me wrong; I love a good perfectly posed newborn session as much as the next person, but this…this is where it’s at. Fresh 48 sessions, or in this case, Fresh 16, I was given the honor to capture Reese’s first few hours in this world.

Trinity texted me at about 10am on this day saying that Reese has arrived and I was welcome to come whenever I was free to photograph them. I was ironically at a newborn session when I got the text, and headed right on over to Lake Forest Hospital as soon as I was finished. I arrived at about 11:30am and Shawn met me downstairs to walk me up to the room. He told me how he was already completely smitten and in love with his daughter. I got proof of that when I saw how bonded they already were. She felt so safe and calm in his arms, and he was at peace with her. Trinity sort of joked that Shawn was more of a natural with Reese than she was, but I quickly reminded her that he had more practice than her!

She also told me the birth was a breeze and Reese had already been nursing like a champ! I’m always so happy to hear when things go so smooth for moms, but especially for first time moms. Shawn kept trying to get a photo on his phone of Reese sticking her tongue out because she kept doing it, and it’s still her trade mark even now, 2 months later. Trinity looked beautiful as ever, even after just having given birth. I can only imagine what I would look like 16 hours after pushing a baby out!

That being said, I am eternally grateful for clients who allow me in to the most raw, vulnerable, intimate moments of their lives, and with a camera, because they truly value the importance of documenting these once in a lifetime memories.

Luckily I arrived before Reese’s two big brothers to the hospital, as I wanted to capture the moment they met their baby sister. Shawn’s two sons, who are the absolute sweetest, most polite young men I have ever met, are Logan and Charlie. Logan being the oldest, he was actually more nervous than Charlie to hold their baby sister because he was scared that he would drop her and he didn’t want to hurt her. Charlie on the other hand came in the hospital room, arms wide open, ready to hold baby Reese oh so tight. Great Grandma of course seized the opportunity to swoop in and meet Reese while the boys washed their hands. The boys then sat down on the sofa with Shawn as he passed Reese into Charlie’s arms. The look on his face was of pure joy and pride. He loved looking at all of her tiny features, especially those little toes!! Logan warmed up and decided to take a turn holding his sister. The boys talked about how they were going to be the best big brothers and they couldn’t wait for her to get a little older so they could play with her.

I’m totally in love with this family and their oversized hearts.