From Baby Bump to Newborn Bliss: A North Shore Maternity Session to Arnold Arboretum Newborn Portrait Story
There’s something incredibly special about being invited back to document a couple’s story as it unfolds through different seasons of their life. I first photographed Shiyao and Jun back in 2019 on their wedding day, and this past year, I had the joy of reconnecting with them as they stepped into a beautiful new chapter — parenthood.
Shiyao and Jun during their Cambridge City Hall Wedding back in 2019.
In August, we met at Long Beach in Rockport, MA, on the North Shore of Boston for their maternity session. The warm summer light, the sound of the ocean, and the quiet anticipation of welcoming their little one made the evening feel peaceful and full of promise. Just a few weeks later in September, I had the honor of photographing their newborn session at the Arnold Arboretum of Harvard University in Boston. As a bonus, Shiyao’s parents were still in town visiting, so we got to include the proud grandparents as well!
As a photographer, there’s nothing more meaningful than being trusted to continue telling the story — from “I do” to the moment they cradle their first child in their arms. Watching my couples grow into families and capturing each milestone along the way is one of the greatest gifts of this work.
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A surprise proposal in Brockton, ma
Surprise proposals always get my heart racing with excitement and nervousness! I’m not sure who was more anxious—me or Marlon, the one proposing. Marlon chose D.W. Field Park in Brockton, MA, by a pond at sunset to ask Naveta to marry him. The plan was a photo session with friends and family for Marlon’s dad’s birthday. Soon, Naveta noticed Marlon and quickly understood what was happening! When he got down on one knee, she couldn’t have said yes any faster. It was so special to have their close friends and family there to see this important moment. I love that my job lets me capture such beautiful memories!
Maternity and newborn session
I had the opportunity to meet a new couple who were pregnant with their second child and wanted some maternity photos and also hired me to eventually shoot some newborn photos at their home. For the maternity session, they wanted photos with evergreen trees, so off to my favorite location, The Arnold Arboretum of Harvard University in Boston we went! This location is just a gem with the wide variety of plant and tree life. For the newborn photos, we had an at-home session in the Brookline, MA home. I love at-home sessions. The photos resonate so well because the location is so meaningful, being it’s the client’s home! It also works so well because clients, especially little children feel comfortable in their own spaces, which translates to warm, happy photos. If you haven’t had an at-home session, I highly recommend doing one. A consistency between the two sessions was the client had her parents and sister present for photos. So it was fun including the aunt and grandparents of the new child.
