Ember Jewel - {Utah Newborn Photography}
Well, it's been a minute since I have blogged. I always have great intentions, but then life gets busy, and I am out of time! And since I have both Facebook and Instagram to show of a lot of my images, I always feel like my blog is just redundant.
But my blog is more of my photography journal, where I can put down more of my thoughts, feelings, and all the cool things that happen in the life of a photographer. And it's also good for SEO, I've been told, lol. So, here I am once again!
Actually, this is a great moment to blog something, since this session is extra special. When my brother and his wife announced that they were pregnant with baby #3, it was pretty exciting. They have had a TOUGH journey with infertility, struggling for years to get both of their boys. There was a time they worried they would never be able to conceive a child of their own.
It's something I know all too well myself. I had a miscarriage before getting pregnant with my son, and after he was born, I was never able to get pregnant again. We tried everything we could, short of IVF. We even looked in to adoption and foster care. Nothing panned out. After years and years of trying, we finally decided to keep our family a little unit of three. I am okay now, but for a long time there was a deep pain there. A sense of failure. I was raised in a fundamentalist conservative home where I was taught that my ultimate duty was to have children. And I couldn't do it. Well, yes. I did have my son. And I have never taken him for granted, not even for a second. He is my light and my life. But even so, I felt like I had failed at the one thing I was supposed to do. Brutal.
So, when my bro announced that his wife was pregnant relatively soon after having her second child, it was both exciting and just a touch heart-breaking for me. Anyone who has ever been through infertility knows that feeling. You are thrilled for those who can have children, but that little ache in the heart can't help but twinge a bit. The funny thing is, I don't actually want more children at this point. I am really REALLY happy with my little family. It is not just something I have accepted, it is something I have come to revel in. Still, there was that old ache again. Just for a moment. And then it passed, and I could really be happy for them.
With both of their boys, I was able to photograph them as newborns. I wasn't sure if that would be possible with this one. They live way out in California, and I couldn't afford to fly out there this time. Fortunately, they were able to come up with the funds themselves, and invited me out to do Ember's first photos. YAY!!
It was so fun seeing my nephews again, too! The last time I saw them, Ronan, now 2, was a newborn himself. Sometimes it's hard when family lives far away. But the boys were so excited to see me, tell me all the things going on in their life, and begging me to play with them from the moment I stepped in the door. How can a person not just burst with love?
And meeting Ember!! They named her Ember Jewel, which is the prettiest name ever! She is the spitting image of my mom, which is kinda funny. Ember is adorable, so does that mean my mom is adorable? LOL She has perfect chubby cheeks, and gorgeous hair with natural highlights that just make you want to swoon.
We did the session in two parts. They love the more natural look of Lifestyle portraits, which is not really my strength, but I always give it my best. We kept it simple, which is good, because the two year old was NOT excited about doing photos, lol. A toddler not loving photos? Who would have thunk it? Fortunately, we were able to get the whole family session done in about an hour.
We spent the rest of the afternoon focusing just on Ember, with the more posed Studio-style portraits that I excell at. But this was HARD! I was at their home, without my regular props for posing. I had to make do with using a bed, but it was pretty high. I am a SHORT person, so this made it extra tricky for me. And figuring out how to create my usual artistic images on bed was a major challenge. I wish I had thought to do a pull-back shot, because it was actually rather funny. I had pillows, chairs, and all manner of things propped up on the bed and around the room to help give me the look I wanted. Lighting was another issue. It was really just challenge after challenge, but 13+ years of experience did not go to waste! No problem too big or small, right? Ember was PERFECT, sleeping through everything, which made it all so much easier, and so worth it! I am so thrilled with all of the images. In fact, I think some of them may be my new favorites! Yeah, yeah, I might be biased, but whatev. I really do think they are great images, and I am so glad I was able to do them for my bro and his family.
Okay, enough talking. On to the photos!!
But my blog is more of my photography journal, where I can put down more of my thoughts, feelings, and all the cool things that happen in the life of a photographer. And it's also good for SEO, I've been told, lol. So, here I am once again!
Actually, this is a great moment to blog something, since this session is extra special. When my brother and his wife announced that they were pregnant with baby #3, it was pretty exciting. They have had a TOUGH journey with infertility, struggling for years to get both of their boys. There was a time they worried they would never be able to conceive a child of their own.
It's something I know all too well myself. I had a miscarriage before getting pregnant with my son, and after he was born, I was never able to get pregnant again. We tried everything we could, short of IVF. We even looked in to adoption and foster care. Nothing panned out. After years and years of trying, we finally decided to keep our family a little unit of three. I am okay now, but for a long time there was a deep pain there. A sense of failure. I was raised in a fundamentalist conservative home where I was taught that my ultimate duty was to have children. And I couldn't do it. Well, yes. I did have my son. And I have never taken him for granted, not even for a second. He is my light and my life. But even so, I felt like I had failed at the one thing I was supposed to do. Brutal.
So, when my bro announced that his wife was pregnant relatively soon after having her second child, it was both exciting and just a touch heart-breaking for me. Anyone who has ever been through infertility knows that feeling. You are thrilled for those who can have children, but that little ache in the heart can't help but twinge a bit. The funny thing is, I don't actually want more children at this point. I am really REALLY happy with my little family. It is not just something I have accepted, it is something I have come to revel in. Still, there was that old ache again. Just for a moment. And then it passed, and I could really be happy for them.
With both of their boys, I was able to photograph them as newborns. I wasn't sure if that would be possible with this one. They live way out in California, and I couldn't afford to fly out there this time. Fortunately, they were able to come up with the funds themselves, and invited me out to do Ember's first photos. YAY!!
It was so fun seeing my nephews again, too! The last time I saw them, Ronan, now 2, was a newborn himself. Sometimes it's hard when family lives far away. But the boys were so excited to see me, tell me all the things going on in their life, and begging me to play with them from the moment I stepped in the door. How can a person not just burst with love?
And meeting Ember!! They named her Ember Jewel, which is the prettiest name ever! She is the spitting image of my mom, which is kinda funny. Ember is adorable, so does that mean my mom is adorable? LOL She has perfect chubby cheeks, and gorgeous hair with natural highlights that just make you want to swoon.
We did the session in two parts. They love the more natural look of Lifestyle portraits, which is not really my strength, but I always give it my best. We kept it simple, which is good, because the two year old was NOT excited about doing photos, lol. A toddler not loving photos? Who would have thunk it? Fortunately, we were able to get the whole family session done in about an hour.
We spent the rest of the afternoon focusing just on Ember, with the more posed Studio-style portraits that I excell at. But this was HARD! I was at their home, without my regular props for posing. I had to make do with using a bed, but it was pretty high. I am a SHORT person, so this made it extra tricky for me. And figuring out how to create my usual artistic images on bed was a major challenge. I wish I had thought to do a pull-back shot, because it was actually rather funny. I had pillows, chairs, and all manner of things propped up on the bed and around the room to help give me the look I wanted. Lighting was another issue. It was really just challenge after challenge, but 13+ years of experience did not go to waste! No problem too big or small, right? Ember was PERFECT, sleeping through everything, which made it all so much easier, and so worth it! I am so thrilled with all of the images. In fact, I think some of them may be my new favorites! Yeah, yeah, I might be biased, but whatev. I really do think they are great images, and I am so glad I was able to do them for my bro and his family.
Okay, enough talking. On to the photos!!
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| Ronan and Ember. I can't believe it has been two years since I have seen this little boy! |
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| Levi and Ember. He is SUCH a loving big brother, to both his siblings! |
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| Aww, my heart!! |
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| Christina was so excited to finally have a daughter! |
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| So much love between them! |
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| A father with his baby girl is always a beautiful thing |
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| Three generations of beautiful ladies! |
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| Check out this hair!! Look at those gorgeous natural highlights!! |
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| Her name is Ember Jewel. And I happened to have a real ember jewel in my possession, lol. It is a piece of coal that has been fired to produce some really cool colors. |
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| Those eyes! She slept so much the whole time I was there, I think this was the only time I actually saw her awake! |
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| She's a little princess! |
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| Look at this little doll! She was born just before Christmas, so the red and white was perfect! |
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| Her mom made the dress. Pretty incredible, right? I am super impressed! |
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| I had to do a little composite. These ornaments actually hang on my own tree every year, but they made for a perfect wintery background! |
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| Just because, I needed one of my with my sweet little niece. I think she had more hair than me! LOL |
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