When Cara reached out to me saying that she wanted a combo family and maternity session I was excited, but even more excited when she said that she wanted to do it in their San Francisco home. I love photographing someone in their space, in the very place that they call home. Not only that, but homes of this era in San Francisco photograph so, so beautifully. Light steams in from the large, oversized windows even on dark rainy days (like it was for our session). Cara was pregnant with their second child, a baby girl, and simply glowing. Together she and her family played, laughed, and had some quiet moments in between. There is something special about savoring those last few weeks as a family of three before a new baby changes everything. It's for the better, of course, but documenting their son's time as an only child is something special.
Your home doesn't need to be as beautifully decorated as Cara's to be a perfect setting for a session (I mean, I think West Elm should totally use some of these in their catalogue but I'm bias). Feeling comfortable is so important and where else do you feel more comfortable than in your home?
Sessions like this remind me why I am a photographer. It's not just a maternity session, it's not just a family session, it's documenting a fleeting moment in someone's life. I love that.