i stayed with them for a three days and saw the ins and outs of what it means to be new parents of a two week old little baby.
to watch them collaborate on how to calm him down, who was going to put him to sleep, who was going to make dinner, when bathtime was going to be......... it all felt so ordinary yet so alive.
yes it was the daily, but the newness of a human life brought this special tone that i didn't expect.
being here with them slowed me down and brought me deep joy.
yeah, this felt like sacred space.
most images explain themselves,
but you need to know that this is christen covering his ears from the fire alarm. sweet little tiny eardrums,
and this one..............
i went downstairs to get a new battery and came back upstairs to see samuel in his crib and tony & christen here,
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
baby onesie,
,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, the light,,
------ the light again. beauty.
somehow one of the most sacred and awe-inducing moments for me------------- bathing,
and then tony figuring out the new ergo baby carrier dealie,
-- we took a small outing to lake michigan.
i told them, "oh we don't need to go. it's fine."
but they said i needed to see it,
and they were right.
stunning.
awe-inspiring.
majestic,,
yay for tony being one of those awesome dads who carries the baby.
through the window. (cold but worth it.)
beautiful.
i liked doing this so much that i'm open to doing more, if any families would be open. this felt somewhat like shine** but for a family. discovering the essence of who you are together instead of on your own.
book a session by clicking here.
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Comments
Aren't babies magical??? I feel like I have seen that pink chair somewhere before.....
(12.19.11 @ 08:03 PM)i have always believed in you and known you were so blessed - but SHAN. i have chills looking at this. wow. i can't wait to see more SHINERS. AMEN AMEN AMEN!
(12.19.11 @ 08:33 PM)Tony = Kc
(12.19.11 @ 09:04 PM)Gently sweet. Love the rainbow catch on the staircase
(12.19.11 @ 09:16 PM)shannon,,,,,, wow.
just, wow.
(12.19.11 @ 09:35 PM)the next time i have a baby... you will be in Naches, WA pronto! :)
(12.19.11 @ 10:32 PM)LOVE these pictures, Shan! So beautiful! You are awesome! Way to go with these!
(12.19.11 @ 10:59 PM)You're right - this IS like shine for families. And I happen to think it is the most beautiful way to capture a family. You may find this photographer inspiring and like-minded. He photographs families essentially the same way as you did this one. So real, authentic, tender. How the two of you "see" has a lot of similarities to me. http://www.timcoulson.com/
(12.20.11 @ 06:49 AM)You're right - this IS like shine for families. And I happen to think it is the most beautiful way to capture a family. You may find this photographer inspiring and like-minded. He photographs families essentially the same way as you did this one. So real, authentic, tender. How the two of you "see" families has a lot of similarities to me. http://www.timcoulson.com/
(12.20.11 @ 06:51 AM)You're right - this IS like shine for families. And I happen to think it is the most beautiful way to capture a family. You may find this photographer inspiring and like-minded. He photographs families essentially the same way as you did this one. So real, authentic, tender. How the two of you "see" has a lot of similarities to me. http://www.timcoulson.com/
(12.20.11 @ 07:02 AM)I will treasure these images for the rest of my life. Of course my baby would look cute all posed while sleeping in a bowl but I wanted to capture the authentic him and who we are together as a family- my messy hair and all. ;) These photographs document the honest moments we shared in our earliest days as a family... even with the extra supplemental feedings necessary to help him regain full health. I will always be grateful for the three days you stepped in to our home and delighted in Samuel with us. I LOVE LOVE LOVE the images of Samuel with Tony! You truly saw with your lens the many reasons I have fallen in love with my husband all over again. We are SOO grateful we could spend a few days with you, the friend and you, the photographer. ;) Thank you, thank you, thank you.
(12.20.11 @ 07:58 AM)ah.. love. i think your style blends so well into documenting a new family. also love that you were able to see lake michigan. it is amazing and a huge reason why we moved to west michigan. come back in the summertime and travel north along the coast.. it is so wonderful! :)
(12.20.11 @ 08:09 AM)Incredible job here. Wow. Makes me feel like I'm sitting in the corner, smiling.
(12.20.11 @ 12:25 PM)xila
(12.20.11 @ 02:16 PM)love these! and yes-lake michigan is a pretty amazing thing.
(12.21.11 @ 08:21 AM)love these! and yes-lake michigan is a pretty amazing thing.
(12.21.11 @ 08:22 AM)so so so precious, Shannon.
(12.21.11 @ 10:23 AM)so so so so so so so so so sooooooo special and meaningful and utterly fantastic.
(12.30.11 @ 01:13 AM)Such an amazing capture of such a precious time. I know they will cherish those images and I am thankful to see them because it brings back that amazing time to me. I remember my first time seeing Lake Michigan, I remember taking my first baby to the beach a week old. I remember every moment you show here. Breathtakingly beautiful and REAL
(01.09.12 @ 10:17 PM)