I got a call from Nkululeko, father-to-be, just under a month before his wife’s due date. Normally I don’t schedule maternity sessions on such short notice, but after chatting with him on the phone I knew I needed to find a way to fit them in. Our photoshoot ended up being very close to the due date, but thankfully baby was still nice and tucked in.
We met during golden hour at Idylwood Park in Redmond, Washington, on a beautiful early October day in the Pacific Northwest. We’d planned a few outfit changes, including one of the maternity dresses from my client wardrobe. Even though we had already met over video during their pre-session consultation, seeing them in person, I’m struck by their presence. They are radiant together. Londiwe is stunning and confident, wearing her pregnancy gracefully, and Nkululeko is attentive, grounded, and clearly smitten. I’m excited!
For our first look, Londiwe wears a beautiful, flowing baby-blue dress. To help them warm up and have some fun, I ask Nkululeko to grab the train of her dress, toss it into the air, and then sprint out of the frame as quickly as he can. Immediately the two of them are laughing. Any timidness is now in the past – they are relaxed and fully enjoying this moment together where they are connecting, playing and simply celebrating the of anticipation of the arrival of their baby boy.
As the sun continues its descent, we wander over to the beach area, stopping at the restrooms for her first outfit change. Londiwe is now wearing a fitted, black maternity dress and it’s incredibly flattering on her – both elegant and sexy.
By now we’re heading late into the sunset bordering twilight. The sky starts to glow radiant pinks and oranges that are in turn reflected against the reflection off Lake Sammamish – the perfect backdrop for this dramatic black dress. We play some more with movement and silhouettes and the results are outstanding – photographs that feel both cinematic and intimate.
One “flaw” of working with me I suppose is that my sessions tend to go long. When I’m inspired, I can happily keep shooting and lose track of time. And so, before we know it, the bright moon is watching us from the night sky. For our final look of the evening, the couple change into cozy tracksuits. We move over to the dock area where the mood now shifts from romantic sunset to cinematic and bold. Still the same couple, still connected, but the streetwear together with the moonlight sky backdrop allowed me to capture a different facet of their story.
Behind the scenes of this maternity photoshoot session at Lake Sammamish
It was an honor to photograph this young couple and the arrival of their first baby. I’m thrilled that they can now relive this exciting milestone with these photograph heirlooms that can be treasured as part of their family legacy for generations to come.
And so ends this maternity photoshoot session on Seattle’s Eastside. As I do with all my clients, a preview gallery is sent out from which they get to choose their favorites. Below is the full preview gallery for this beautiful couple, better with sound on!
