2019: a year in review

I can't believe 2019 is already coming to a close! It's been such a full and great] year! I'm excited to see what 2020 has in store; if it's going to be half as good as 2019 was, I'll be happy! Since I've been slacking on my blog posts for 2019 (again... BUSY year!) I figured I'd share a big THANK YOU to all my wonderful clients from 2019. And what better way to say thank you thank sharing some of my favorite images from each session.

As many of my friends and clients already know, photography is a big passion of mine but I'm only able to dedicate part of my time to it. I have a full-time job and a now 1 year old to take care of, so while I don't offer many sessions throughout the year, I'm incredibly thankful for the families I get to meet for the first time and the ones I get to see year after year! Y'all are the real MVPs!

2019 brought some beautiful expecting mamas and babies into this world (including my own, but he just got his own post!) I absolutely love photographing mamas-to-be. If you know me, you know that when I was pregnant I was initially so apprehensive about getting my own maternity photos taken. I felt huge, uncomfortable, and not at all pretty enough to preserve that memory. But looking back, I'm SO HAPPY I ended up hiring a photographer for my portraits so I have something beautiful to look back on capturing the joy of carrying my baby! Here's some of my favorite maternity and newborn photos from the year:

Babies make my heart sing and I love being able to capture sweet moments like these! But it's not always easy spending 2-3 hours soothing a baby who wants nothing to do with you and just wants to be sleeping in mom or dad's arms (I totally feel you, babies!) But this the reason why I love photographing newborns - because even when babies end up awake for part of the session (ahem, look up) and the parents are exhausted and terrified they're going home with a grumpy baby and no pictures, I'm usually able to surprise them in a few weeks and the response is usually "wow, I cannot believe you actually got any photos!"

We all know that "first comes loves and then comes marriage", right? Well, maybe not always 😜 But couples and engagement photos are some of my favorite photos to capture (I think I say this about everything I shoot) Here are some of my favorite couples/ engagement - and wedding - photos from this year!

Last but not least, family sessions are typically my most popular session throughout the year. Many of my family clients are repeat clients, and most of them are my friends, which I love because it makes "working" so much easier! Most of the time, it doesn't even feel like work - it's more like we're just hanging out, making jokes while I ask you to do silly things, and me capturing some genuine moments!

Thank you to everyone for helping me make 2019 a great year - I hope to see everyone next year for more photos and fun! CHEERS to 2020!

-Jess