Connell Family Adventure in Blowing Rock, NC | Maternity Photography | Boone NC Photographer

Ali & Stu have a tradition of escaping to the mountains of North Carolina every year after Thanksgiving to kick off the holiday season. They travel all the way from Jacksonville, FL (my hometown) to Blowing Rock, NC because it is one of their favorite places to getaway together.

Last year, I photographed them for their one-year anniversary and this year I had the honor of being their maternity photographer as they transition to becoming a family of three. I met up with the couple in downtown Blowing Rock again where we roamed around Main Street for the first half of their maternity photo session.

There's no better backdrop for photos than a place that you love to spend time when you're away from home on vacation. Working with adventurous families is something that I love, so it's a special treat when I have the opportunity to photograph a family while they are on an adventure in a place that they love!

This year, it was a whole lot warmer than the weather we experienced in December of 2013. There was zero snow lingering on the ground this time, but I'm not complaining because the weather we did have was incredible! Too bad I dressed all wrong for the temperature. I was burning up because I wore too many layers, although I was happy that we didn't have to deal with bitter cold and wind again.

The last half of our session took place at Bass Lake where the three of us took a leisurely stroll around the loop. I was surprised to learn that the couple had never been to this spot before during their annual trip to Blowing Rock, but I'm glad I got to take them on a new adventure to stretch their legs before the 7-hour car ride home.

It was a beautiful day for a walk in nature which, of course, made such a lovely setting for their outdoor maternity pictures. I'm pretty sure that in the pic below that Stu was whispering to Ali that he was DONE taking pictures. hehehe

CONGRATULATIONS to Ali & Stu! Y'all are just too cute together. You are going to be phenomenal parents and I am so happy about the adventures that are ahead for your growing family! You guys were such a blast to work with. Thank you so much for choosing me to be your family photographer again this year. It means the world to me that you entrust me to capture these precious memories.

In other news: I have LAUNCHED my new wedding photography website (http://www.wayfaringwanderer.com)! If you would like to see the transformation, I encourage you to visit the page AND also sign-up for the Weekly Wander to get notifications because I’m hosting some fun giveaways for the holidays over the next few weeks! Subscribe here » bit.ly/weekly-wander

Hi! My name is Jessica a.k.a. Wayfaring Wanderer and I reside in the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains here in Boone, NC. I'm a free-spirited wedding, engagement, and lifestyle photographer who loves working with couples, families, and individuals who are committed to travel, adventure, and laid-back lifestyles. If you think we might be kindreds, I invite you to join the WW tribe by signing up [ HERE ] for weekly updates & get connected to the [ WW Facebook page ] to join the conversation! | Website www.wayfaringwanderer.com

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Sharon & Mike's Maternity Session {Boone Maternity Photographer}

 

Approximately 2 1/2 weeks ago I had the pleasure of shooting my very first maternity photo session. This was a huge deal for me, especially since this is something I would like to continue to do. I am extremely grateful that my friends Sharon and Mike gave me the opportunity to capture this special time in their lives. The fact that they put their trust and faith in me to do a good job really does mean the world to me. Before I took their photos, I didn't really have anything to show since I primarily shoot nature and travel type photography these days, so they were going off the fact that they like my other photos and believed that I could produce something just as well for them. Just thinking about that makes me all warm and fuzzy.

I did my absolute best to be as prepared as I could possibly be, because I definitely didn't want to let them down. The weeks leading up to the big shoot had me scouring the internet for posing ideas. I even drove by their house around 6pm (the time we planned to shoot) to get an idea of where the light was hitting and what areas around their home we could use for backdrops. I felt pretty stealthy doing my drive-by, good thing neighbors didn't see me passing through three different times back-to-back. The many ideas I generated prior to the shoot were all written down, so I wouldn't forget anything. Even with the loads of preparation I did before the shoot, the worst problem to overcome were my fears of not leaving the shoot with images that they would love.

I reminded myself over and over that I know how to use my camera and that I am pretty adept at how to utilize light to my advantage, but I still felt slightly overwhelmed by the fact that these precious memories were in my hands. I imagined the process step-by-step, how I would guide them, where we would go and I comforted myself with the notion that they would probably be just as nervous as I was. What made the process a little easier was the fact that they were my friends and I already knew them as a couple. However, that still didn't change the fact that I had some major emotional hurdles to overcome.

The night before the shoot, I gathered all my gear, made sure my lenses were clean and my batteries were charged. I planned the following day to be as stress-less as I possibly could, so that I wouldn't be all worked up come the appointment time. Cody was an exceptionally wonderful cheerleader throughout this whole process as well. I'm a lucky lady to have a Cody :D

For the most part, I felt pretty calm and relaxed when I arrived at their home for the photo shoot. Once they were all ready we went outside where I lead them to one of the locations I had scouted out a few days before. I held back with the crazy shooting and really tried to carefully consider exactly what I was capturing before clicking the shutter. Seriously, I didn't want to leave there with 500 pictures to sort through! 

While I may have felt apprehensive about telling them how to pose and where to move this hand or that hand, I definitely found my groove and tried to keep things moving. It was also my goal to keep them happy and laughing throughout the course of the shoot as well. They were a lot of fun to work with, as I knew they would be. I really couldn't have asked for a better couple to work with for my first time.

All in all, I ended up with approximately 14 photos to present them with that I was very proud to share. It was quite an experience to say the least, one that I hope to have the opportunity to do again in the very near future. Even though I over-prepared for this photo shoot, I still learned quite a lot during and after shooting that no amount of preparation could have taught me. My preparation beforehand made things so much easier, though, and I felt like some things could have spiraled out of control very easily had I not done so. It was an extremely scary, but deeply fulfilling experience that will definitely help me going forward when the next person decides to place their faith in me.

I must have done something right, because I was invited back 2 1/2 weeks later to take pictures of their precious newborn baby! The newborn photo session was this past Friday and it went splendidly, too. I'm feeling pretty official since he christened me with his urine. Yup, I got peed on. It was awesome :D haha Newborn photos coming soon (maybe tomorrow)!

Related Link:

• James Allen Newborn Session