I love maternity photos and do not get to do them as often as I like.  I really think every pregnant woman should do maternity photos at least once. It is such an amazing time, your body is doing this incredible thing. Your baby is living inside of you. I know it is hard sometimes, because women tend not to feel as beautiful as Katarina looks, right? I gained 55lbs in my last pregnancy, and somehow managed to still take amazing photos with no photoshop. Here are my maternity photos, if you are interested (super personal, but hey!). I actually felt sexy and beautiful after I saw them. The pregnant body is art, and so that is what I try to capture.

So, anyways, back in Boulder! My photography conference was so amazing. I learned so much from the very best photographers and even got to spend some time with some of the really great ones, like Me Ra Koh, who is the sweetest woman in the world. If you don’t know, she has a scholarship program for aspiring photographers. Since I get so many emails from mother’s wanting to learn photography or learn how to become professional photographers, I thought it would help to mention this. Basically, you get everything you need to start out-a camera from Sony, lenses, business coaching, a custom website, and on and on.

Because photography has been such a traditionally male field, Me Ra Koh is trying to empower woman to get out there and follow their dreams. And you know the interesting thing? Out of over 15,000 photographers at my conference, 65% of them were woman. It is the power of moms with cameras that have that special gift to know and see the essence of a baby, or to really relate to and understand the way a bride and groom look at each other. So, if this is something you are interested, please apply! I *wanted* to mentor an aspiring photographer some time back, and then LIFE just was too much for me and could not handle what I already had on my plate. I will soon, I am sure, but for now I just need to catch up with it all. So this would be a great opportunity for all of you wanting to do photography for a living.

Anyways, so nice to be back in Boulder. Las Vegas is not the place that I would choose to have a conference, but it works. I won $100 at Texas Hold em’, but lost my smart phone (for the second time this month, plus I dropped a third phone into the bath tub). So right now I am phoneless, but have voicemail. Jeesh!

Lots of shoots scheduled, I can’t wait for all these warm weather sessions coming up!

xoxo stacey

y doing a magical thing

We *almost* rescheduled this session. ANOTHER Boulder wild fire started yesterday. So scary. In the morning, I smelled a little bit of a campfire, and then I went out mid morning to the doctor and as soon as I hit 28th and Iris the whole town was covered in a blanket of smoke. If you remember, the one last month was so bad-our house was filled with smoke for days and almost 200 homes were destroyed.

So, I drove by Wonderland Lake later in the day to see if it was ok. It was a little hazy, but not smokey. I actually love the magical feel the haze ended up giving to the photos. I shot there again tonight, and as far as I can tell, the fire has almost completely died down. Go Boulder firemen! You guys are amazing, and I can not thank you enough for the work that you have done for us this year. Thank you for keeping my family safe.

I always feel this mix of fear, love and excitement when there is a fire. Fear, because we live just at the foothills in Boulder, and the fire could jump into town at any moment. I want my babies to always be safe. I do not like staying up late worrying about them. Love, because we have such a strong community here. It was just hours before the women in my mom’s group were organizing places for the evacuees to stay and gathering items for them to replace those that they had lost. And of course the firemen, who work such long hours in such hard conditions to put the fire out. And then excitement-I can’t help it. It reminds me of my dad packing me into the car to chase tornadoes when I was a kid. Any kind of event like this just stirs me, wakes me up. It is good to be woken up, I need it. I am not saying it is right to love that excitement in the air, but when all the light around me turns a hazey red and everything just *feels* different, my mind just wakes up, and I remember that I am alive, and there is something to cherish.

Anyways, is this not the most beautiful pregnant woman you have ever seen? She is has such a calm, loving energy. Her baby is a lucky one. And so kind. I had gotten the flu shot just before this session. So I am going to blame that for me losing my car keys during this session. My only beeper key, so now when I lock my car door it does that annoying security beep whenever I unlock it, grrr. But thanks for spending so much time searching with me and then driving me home guys! I never did find my keys, but luckily found my spare key so I have my car safe at home now:) Can’t wait to meet baby S!

I just love doing pregnancy photos. The pregnant body is so beautiful-we are creating life. It never fails to amaze me. This mother was so stunning, too, and her and her husband just glow when they talk about the new baby. Beautiful!

Just one for tonight as I am  headed off to bed-Adam has been out of town and we JUST night-weened Amelia. So, no fun for mama. It means no sleeping. Ironically, the first night he was gone she………big build up……….SLEPT THROUGH THE NIGHT.  I couldn’t believe it. I still woke up three times for Elijah and 3 more times just on my own out of habit, but Amelia slept from 8:30pm until 6:30am. This is unheard of. Ridiculous. I am not sure why on earth I thought she would do this two nights in a row. I was sorely-sorely disappointed last night when she woke up for long stretches of time multiple times. Advice for you with new babies-never expect anything to go well with sleep. Just be pleasantly surprised if it does.

Well, I *really* loved shooting this maternity session. It is the best when the couples I shoot are so in love, like this one. They just adored each other. Sigh. That is the way it should be. When I was 39 weeks, my hormones were through the roof, I was battling 100 degree weather, and was ready to just get the baby OUT. This couple, however, were so calm and happy and just ready to meet their baby. They were so laid back and relaxed, and it was such a nice afternoon just hanging out with them and talking. I did this shoot a couple weeks ago, and can’t wait to hear if the little one has arrived! I bet he (or she!) will be so beautiful! I can not wait! Newborn photos to come!

p.s-isn’t this the most perfect belly you have ever seen?

Just wanted to get one photo up for this beautiful mama before she has her little boy! She is 39 weeks here, so she is going to meet this little guy any day. I just loved that throughout the session her belly took on different shapes as he was poking and moving around. I love sessions like these. The pregnant belly is the most beautiful thing to me and I love being able to take photos that help us appreciate it in a different way. And this mama was so beautiful! Can’t wait to meet him soon!

I am SUPER late in posting this “sneak peek.”  Like 5 months too late. I think the baby in that belly is 4 months old now! I am sure you have all seen her birth photos and newborn photos. But, it is my very dear friend and fellow photographer Kim’s family. Aren’t they gorgeous? And I love their clothes! Bright, tons of layers-they brought so much personailty to these photos. Anyways, here you go Kim! Love ya!

I love shoots like this! Really, my best clients are ones who love their baby (to be), love each other so much that is shows, and love photography:). After planning on doing this weeks ago, we finally got a day that was sunny and warm-48 degrees today!

There is nothing more miraculous, beautiful, AMAZING, wonderful, and inspiring as watching a woman give birth. When I was 22 I became a doula, just bc I loved pregnancy, birth, and newborns THAT much. There is nothing more exhilarating than watching a brand new life push its way into the world. Kim, a fellow photographer, did my daughter’s birth photos just a few months ago ( my baby is already 3 months!!!). I promise that someday (soon) I will post a few of those. They are just incredible.  So, last night I got to photograph her birth. The anesthesiologist could not make it in time, so she did not get the epidural until just before she pushed. Go Kim! Your rocked it naturally! Now you can imagine what I felt like during Amelia’s birth when I got my clothes and my shoes on and said I was going to the hospital to get an epidural (I had a homebirth)! I am so proud of you, and Teagan is just gorgeous! I can’t wait to photograph her! Those lips! That sweet tiny face! Anyways, I am always up for photographing/doulaing births, so if you are interested give me a call:)

Two beautiful mamas. I wish someone looked at me the way that Kay looks at Molly. They are so lucky to have each other and this little baby is lucky to have them. It was such a beautiful day spent shooting. We spent the morning in the studio and then after lunch headed up to Chautauqua for some outdoor shots. Molly was just glowing the entire time.