2020 Favourites: Families + Newborns

I started shooting family session about a year after I started weddings, and honestly, I have loved every minute of it! Not only do I get to work with some of the best families and most hilarious kiddos, but I get to see our couples and families as they start and grow their families over the years! It really is such a treat to be able to watch these tiny babes grow into super fun kids full of spunk and personality! So with that all said, I think it is only fitting to wrap-up the 2020 year that was filled with so many wonderful family sessions!

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Petrie Island Maternity Session: The Legaults

Dave and I went coat shopping on Sunday. We originally headed out to get a coat for him, but ended up both getting new winter gear. This turned out to be a very, very good thing as the next morning I had an extremely cold session in the blustering wind. But, I mean, I got to wear my big heavy coat, warm toque and just loads of layers, so I was pretty good. Chantal + Mathieu, and their adorable little girl Mila, on the other hand, had to bear the cold with far less protection and they were such champs about the whole thing!!

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Ottawa Ornamental Gardens Lifestyle Maternity Session: The Radulovics

Where do I even start with this one?! Seriously I don’t know. Samantha + Damjan are honest-to-goodness two of the nicest, most thoughtful people Dave + I have ever had the pleasure of working with. Their engagement session took my breath away and their wedding day was one of the most touching and heart-warming celebrations we have gotten to be a part of. So when Damjan reached out to me about their maternity session, I was so ridiculously excited – and even more so because it was all a complete surprise for Sam!!

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Ornamental Gardens Greenhouse Maternity Session: Antonietta + Matthew

Ornamental-Gardens-Greenhouses-Maternity-Session-Stephanie-Beach-PhotographyI often tell inquiring clients about the time we shot three weddings in one weekend, and it usually starts with how bad of an idea it was (because it was definitely not a good idea, that’s for sure!). We were absolutely exhausted after the first let alone the second, and come the morning of third I really wanted to throw in the towel and just stay in bed. Lucky for us, that third wedding was for two of the kindest, funniest souls out there and it was an absolute blast! Honestly, to this day Matt + T’s wedding day was one of the most fun times we have had at a wedding, and despite how completely and utterly worn out we were, I am still really happy with what we were able to capture it all for them (that was also when I learned that sparklers, lighters and very drunk people don’t really mix – or at least they probably shouldn’t). And as an even better bonus, we ended up gaining two new amazing friends in the process.

So of course, the idea of getting to capture this new stage in their lives together was so wonderful! It was actually such a great sounding idea that Dave even tagged along to the session, because who wouldn’t want to spend a couples hours walking around the greenhouses with these two awesome people?!

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Rockcliffe Park Maternity Session: Chantal

Rockcliffe-Park-Ottawa-Maternity-Session-Stephanie-Beach-PhotographyI used to arrive to every session with a set shot list. I knew exactly where I was going to walk around, what spots I would stop at, and each photo I would take. It helped me feel comfortable throughout the session and ensure I got the right photos during it too. I have shot a lot of session since those days and I no longer go in with my mind so set on everything. In fact, I noticed the other day during an engagement session that I now just follow the light around. Sure I still show up early and take a gander at what Mother Nature is providing that day in terms of nature, weather, and most importantly light. And I typically make up some sort of rough game plan, but for the most part I just follow the light around the location.

And that is exactly what happened during Chantal’s maternity session. The light streaming through the late summer/early fall leaves was absolutely mesmerizing and of course, Chantal was completely stunning!!

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