A few weeks ago I had the privilege of shooting the birth of my niece, Sophia Leilani. (Yep, they even named her after me!)  This was such an incredible experience.  When they first announced the pregnancy, they asked me if I would be willing to do it… I emphatically answered with a “YES”!  And put it in my calendar.  I really, really love lifestyle photography and I don’t get many opportunities to capture people in the “raw” so to speak, but I think they make the most wonderful images.  Photojournalism… the images say so much.  They hold so much emotion. They are so REAL.  I really, really hope to be able to do this again!!! (Funny, right on the heels of the wedding experience that I am still on the fence over) It is hard to say though, how much of the joy I found in this experience was due to it being my niece that was born.  I will say however – and anyone who knows me personally can vouch for this – I am a sucker for babies.  Truly, truly I am.  So I don’t think I loved this JUST because it was the birth of my niece. I love all babies. I love kids as a matter of fact.  And in my humble opinion I think it really shows in my work.

{welcome to the world, sophia… on the day you were born the earth turned, the moon pulled, the sun flared, and, then, with a push, you slipped out of the dark quiet where suddenly you could hear… a circle of people singing with voices loud and clear… welcome tot he spinning world, the people sang, as they washed your new, tiny hands.  welcome to the green earth, the people sang, as they wrapped your wet, slippery body.  and as they held you close they whispered into your open, curving ear, we are so glad you’ve come!}