Hawkesbury Fresh 48 Photos
If you’ve been following my posts over the last couple of years, you’ll know that Kristin holds a very special place in my heart. She joined my team with enthusiasm and humility, and my opinion of her understanding of humanity has only strengthened since I’ve gotten to know her better.
When Kristin told me she was pregnant, I honestly couldn’t have been more thrilled for her. I couldn’t wait to see the little human that she and Steve would devote their love, attention and time to over their lifetime, but I also couldn’t wait to see her blossom in her role as a mom. When you meet a person who sees the good in everyone, it’s exciting to know that they’re going to meet someone in whom they’ll only ever see the best.
Kristin’s request to have me join her and Steve in Hawkesbury for a Fresh 48 session immediately after the birth of their first child was touching. Documenting those first moments as parents realise they are now a family of three is a privilege every time, but being in that role for someone I love as much as Kristin made it extra special – and really put the pressure on to deliver my absolute best. ;) If you’re unfamiliar with the term, a Fresh 48 session is a documentary session done within the baby’s first 48 hours. It often involves at least a portion of the photos taking place at the hospital, and can include some at home if the session is done on the day that the family is transitioning home with their new little one.
Mairyn decided to “test the water” toes first but, despite her hesitant pose, she was in a big hurry, which meant that Kristin was under general anaesthetic during the birth. As a result, I joined Steve as he cuddled his sweet baby girl before a name was even decided. He sat quietly with her in the corner of Kristin’s hospital room, murmuring little reassurances to this new little person he was now responsible for and marveling at each little detail. We had over an hour together, just the three of us, before Kris was wheeled up from recovery, keen to meet her child. Spending so much time alone with a new dad and his baby was a new experience for me. It felt like I was witnessing something truly extraordinary and exceptionally private. He had all of this time to get comfortable; to get acquainted not only with the physical weight of his daughter, but also the weight of his new role.
Kristin’s joy at seeing her daughter was palpable. Her excitement over finally getting to hold Mairyn, her satisfaction in learning to breastfeed, her contentment in exploring the fingers and toes and face of this little person she’d been working so hard at growing all these months – each of these was so evident that it was as if there was a billboard flashing above her bed.
There are so many special little details from my time with the Grant gang… The sense of calm in the air as I walked into the hospital room and found Steve relishing that skin-to-skin time with his baby girl. The look on Kristin’s face as Steve folded down the edge of the blanket so that she could see Mairyn’s pudgy pink face. Watching Steve recount the story of looking through the OR window as the doctor held Mairyn up in the air for him to see. Seeing Kristin reach out to touch Mairyn for the first time while the nurse was still holding her. The look of peace that spread over Kristin’s face as she settled in and held her baby girl. Steve’s expression as he sat back and watched his wife magically transform into a Mom right before his eyes.
And then their family arrived.
There’s so much that I hope for when photographing families. Tenderness, love, small gestures of affection, expressive personalities…. Not every family dynamic includes all – or any – of these details.
I got ALLLLL of it that morning.
Kristin and Steve had decided not to learn the baby’s gender during the pregnancy, and they also decided to keep the name and gender a secret until family had come to visit them. Talk about extra motivation to get grandmas and grandpas out to the hospital! When family arrived, Mairyn was being weighed and measured; they were asked to wait in the hall so that there were no distracting things happening when they got to meet their newest family member. Mairyn let out a holler when her back touched the measuring mat. The resulting gleeful squeals coming from the grandmas in the hallway as they heard their grandchild for the first time through the curtain were just priceless.
Kristin’s Mom had been sure throughout the pregnancy that the baby was a boy. The look on Margaret’s face as she registered the pink hat (and on Aly’s face a short while later) and the look on Jane’s face as she realised that they were meeting baby girl Grant – well, those moments will stay with me for a long time to come.
I never get tired of documenting birth stories in whatever form they take. Knowing that I get to meet a new person in their first moments of life makes me feel particularly honoured to be present each time I get to tell someone’s story. I’d be lying, though, if I said that this one wasn’t especially wonderful.
Mairyn, my darling, you made my friend into a Mom and I’ll be forever thankful for that.
I’m Ang – a photographer with a passion for capturing light and photographing natural moments in life as they happen. My goal is to capture memories that you will cherish once your children are too grown up to curl into your lap for cuddles and the house seems oddly quiet at night. I love meeting new families in their natural environment and getting in amongst the bedlam so that I can document the perfectly imperfect realities of daily life. Whether you’re looking for Winchester Hospital birth photography, an Ottawa Fresh 48 session for your own new arrival or hoping to document life with your teens before they leave for university, please explore more of www.momentusstudio.com to see more examples of my documentary family photography.
