Kristen and Kevin welcomed their sweet baby boy into this world this past Friday. I was so honored to document part of their story before they knew whether their babe was a boy or a girl. We decided to meet halfway between where we lived, and finally settled on James Madison’s Montpelier. It was an absolutely gorgeous location with so many areas to capture.

We started in the formal garden, where I am fairly certain we stumbled upon a secret society meeting (cue the random twenty-somethings in long dresses and sport coats carrying lanterns…). After wandering around and climbing behind some trees to get the perfect shot, we decided we should probably let them be. So we mozied around to the main house to take in the front lawn where I had to capture Kristen’s glow—seriously she is gorgeous. I had Kevin [very carefully] twirl Kristen before we finally landed in an open pasture on the opposite side of the parking lot that I’m not totally sure was part of Montpelier. I am so thankful that they were willing to explore with me. Pretty much all of my sessions have a moment where I’m like, “Let’s try this; just trust me.” And my clients’ trust means the world to me.

Kristen and I first met in elementary school, I think. I say I think because I know I knew her brother in Kindergarten…we were boyfriend and girlfriend, and I would leave him Jeff Gordon trading cards in his cubby (it was true love, obviously). But I cannot remember if I met Kristen then. We did, however, run track in high school and I witnessed her break our school’s 4×4 record! It is so cool to be included in the lives of my friends from my hometowns as we start our lives and families!

Some of my favorite parts of sessions are at the very end, when the sun is pretty much gone, and we just can’t stop talking. Those conversations are the best because the couple has just documented a crucial chapter in their lives and now it’s time to relax and reflect. This particular post-session conversation was filled with potential baby names and birth stories in anticipation of their baby’s arrival. Henry Michael Jamerson has now arrived safely into this world, and Kristen and Kevin are without a doubt in love.