Celebrating a Mom Who Takes Up Space in Her Own Story

After our boudoir session, IS was ready to celebrate her family, too. This shoot reminded me why I love working with moms who choose to be in the frame—not just behind the camera, but there part of the memory.

There's something powerful about a mother who takes up space in her own family's story. Who loves fiercely and also honors herself. It's not always easy to balance it all, but IS does it with such grace.

IS has become a friend through this process. She's been through so much—pregnancy, birth, postpartum—and she's come out the other side strong, soft, and unapologetically herself. One badass woman, truly.

Her family? Just as warm and wonderful. Her little guy kept lifting his shirt to show me his belly, which was basically the cutest thing ever. I’m obsessed with him.

Like many of the families I photograph, IS and her partner prefer to keep their child's face off the internet—and I'm here for that. So what you'll see here are sneak peeks that honor their privacy while still celebrating the love and connection we captured together.