Before anything else, I'm Jessica Peterson, wife of Trevor, and mama to Abigail and Waldron. I've been a whole lot of things in my life (waitress, middle school teacher, Barnes & Noble bookseller, blackjack dealer…), but this is what I was meant to be doing. I always wanted to be an artist – I had that burning something inside telling me to CREATE, but I couldn't draw or paint or sculpt. Photography had been a hobby since college, but it wasn’t until my daughter was born that I really embraced it as a creative outlet.
Before setting out on my own, I worked for one of those busy photo studio chains. There were things I liked and things I didn't, but I learned a lot about what is really important to me as a photographer. (Hint: it's not about getting the perfect smile.) I've also learned that while I can't draw, I CAN see. My artistic gift is my vision, and it's made even stronger as a mother. There is beauty in everything – in eyes and details and gestures and glances. I'd love to share some of what I see with you.
Last Saturday I got to photograph one-year-old Blair and her mama, Shay. With some mighty help from bubbles, and from Omi, whose dangling pacifier trick worked wonders, I think we got something for everyone. Our session happened inside and around Blair’s grandparernts’ home, which is gorgeous. As you walk in the front door, there’s a wall of old family photographs going back for more generations than I could count. I think this first image of Blair in her tutu would fit on that wall. It feels very classic to me. And of course, with a December birthday, we had to doll her up in her Christmas finest. The shot with the bubble screams Christmas Wonder. The image below as Blair is about to suck on the window appeals to my mama heart. And then you have the series of shots outside in her orange jacket that are just plain beautiful. You know I’m partial to the serious, porcelain doll shot. Thank you for sharing your gorgeous little one with me, Shay. And congratulations on making it through her first year!
A year ago I photographed Lukas at eleven days old. Now he’s one! We celebrated by doing some photos of Lukas and his family. The first part of our session occurred in Lukas’ home. The second part happened a week later at Farmer Brown’s Christmas Tree Farm , my favorite tree farm yet. Sometimes, when dealing with babies and young children, you just have to break a session up. I love the variety that gave us. Enjoy!
OK, first time mamas (well, really all mamas) who are considering natural birth, this post is for you! Jordan gave birth to Wyatt Brady, her first child, back on November 6th. I want women to know about Jordan’s birth experience so they can see that first births can be natural births and they can be wonderful. When you are pregnant and considering a natural birth, you can face a lot of naysayers, a lot of doubters, and a LOT of birth horror stories. That is NOT what you need to be filling your head with. You need to hear positive stories about birth and see beautiful images and see (as close to first hand as you can get) that it can be done. And (gasp!) that it is normal! So come back to this post often and look at the joy and wonder on Jordan’s face as she holds her baby for the first time. See how her support (husband, mom, best friend, doula, midwife and photographer!) surrounded her and gave her comfort and strength. See the struggle and the reward and be encouraged. That is my hope for those who watch Wyatt’s birth slideshow.
I wrote quite a lot of Jordan’s birth story here, so here I’ll just share a few things I loved about this birth.
A prepared mama. Jordan enjoyed and was present for every minute of her pregnancy (at least that’s how it seemed). She kept a blog of letters to her unborn son that will be such a gift when he’s older. How cool to know what your mama was thinking while pregnant with you! Jordan did her research, chose a midwife (Christine Thain) and doula (Kristin Dibeh) and learned all she could about birth. She was ready.
A natural timeline. Her water broke early Saturday morning, and labor didn’t really pick up until later that evening. And then it stopped the next morning. If Jordan had been under the care of an OB, she more than likely would have been admitted and induced. But because she was cared for by a midwife, her body was allowed to do what it needed to do to get ready for the big event Sunday night.
A fabulous support team. Jordan’s mom, Korbi, and her best friend, Annie, were constantly at Jordan’s side. They stroked her hair, gave her hugs, and were a powerfully positive presence in the room. Ty had to leave for a bit to take their dogs out, but he returned just as Jordan started pushing, and that was the perfect time for him to be front and center. Jordan held on to Ty as she squatted in the pool, and it was obvious that he was giving her strength. I could go on and on about what each person offered to Jordan. The bottom line is that she was surrounded by love.
Fast progression. When she arrived at the birth center and was checked she was less than two centimeters dilated. Three hours later…baby!
Champagne! Birth is triumph and celebration and I love when the birth team can toast together. That’s a good birth day!
And now here are a few images from Wyatt’s birth day.
I have to thank Moriah for doing some major legwork for me and finding this fabulous location for us to photograph her family. Your persistence paid off! I love the colors and textures of the barn and train caboose. And even though it was cold, we got lots of smiles from Ben and Adeline. And I had to throw in the sibling kiss shot, as well as the disgusted, wiping the kiss off shot. Classic! So many of these images make me giggle with happiness. Moriah and Mark, it was a pleasure!
Continuing with my mini blogs of recent (or not so) sessions. Christopher and my Abby were have been in school together since Toddlers, and now Mike and Kim’s Abby is in Toddlers with Wally. This has got to be one of the most gorgeous families out there. The lashes on both Christopher and Abby are OUT OF CONTROL. Seriously crazy beautiful. Kim’s mom, Jackie, also joined us for the session and it was so fun to watch her interactions with them all. Such a great session!
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