I know it's been a while since I've updated, but that's not for lack of material. Sadly, I've just been so busy with life that posting my work has kind of fallen by the wayside. But to anyone who truly cares, I promise I'm trying to get better.
But the real reason I'm here today is to share a few (read: TONS) of photos I took exactly one year ago.
As you may remember, I had the pleasure of shooting a sweet maternity session for my friends, Stephanie and Casey back in August of 2015. Well, on September 5, 2015, I had the privilege of joining the McClure family at the hospital during their labor.
It was my first ever labor/birthing session, and the first time I'd ever witnessed a live birth. As a photographer, I sometimes worry that when I'm shooting for a client my photographs won't always look or reflect what they envision. However, Sally Mann once said that if you photograph what you love, you can never go wrong.
Well, I love the McClure family with my entire being, so this was quite the journey for me emotionally and personally.
Stephanie and Casey asked me early into her pregnancy if I would be willing to photograph their labor. My biggest concern, however, was the logistic side of it.
Because I'd recently made the transition into teaching full-time, it was (and still is) hard to balance work, a social calendar, and keep time open for my writing and photography schedule. If you can't tell, it's a lot to keep track of, so I worried that I wouldn't be able to make the trip to the hospital.
That said, it seemed that Iris wanted to be in front of the camera as much as her sister, Evelyn, has been.
The Thursday before Labor Day weekend, Stephanie found out that she was having some pregnancy-related health issues and her doctor made the decision to induce her. Though it was still three weeks ahead of her due date, it was a relief to have time on our side.
Stephanie was admitted to the hospital on Friday, September 4, and was in labor for over a full day before Iris decided to come. However with the luck of her fantastic medical team, Iris came into a world full of people already in love with her.
Iris Marie McClure was born on September 5, 2015 at 5:17pm. She weighed in at 6 pounds, 12 ounces.
To say I was emotional was an understatement. I vividly remember telling Steph that I wasn't sure how this would work - how could I possibly love someone as much as I loved their older daughter, Evey?
It's true what they say, though. As soon as you see that baby, it's hard to imagine the world before they were in it. Somehow, my insides shifted, and my heart grew to a fullness of love. Watching Steph and Casey share the joy of their newborn was just as magical as her entry into the world.
The McClures live in Washington now, and I haven't had the chance to get Iris in front of the camera; it's something I'll have to do when they come to visit this week. I do have a million photos of Iris on my phone, but I really just wanted to share these and remember the magic of this day.
