yael & eli | maternity session | marin photographer

This may be the middle of wedding season, but I wanted to share something a little different today…some beautiful belly portraits featuring soon-to-be first time parents. Yael and Eli are good friends of ours and I was so honored that they asked me to document such a special stage in their lives. Both Yael and Eli are incredibly creative people, as Yael is a talented photographer and Eli is co-founder and a head designer for Freewaters footwear, so it was really inspiring to collaborate with two people who were up for anything and who had granted complete creative freedom. We started in Muir Woods where they love to go hiking, found a few sun drenched fields and then headed out to Muir Beach for sunset. It was one of those truly magical days, and one that ended with lingering excitement for the what the future holds for these two. I think these have to be my favorite maternity photos I’ve ever shot, and full credit goes to the soulful personalities that Yael and Eli possess and that the natural beauty of Northern California.

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mara & frankie | maternity & newborn | santa cruz photographer

I’ve known Mara since before she became a mother for the first time, over 5 years ago, and she’s become one of my dearest friends here in Santa Cruz. Mara is one of the most magnetic people I’ve ever met and she seems to be constantly surrounded by great people, great beauty and great fun. She is exactly the kind of woman who was meant to bring new life into this world more than once because the world could definitely use a few more content souls raised by a bold, brave and incredibly loving woman. All that personality and the girl is drop dead gorgeous on top of that, so you think she might be up for having a few photos taken of herself, but I seriously had to force her in front of the camera and she gave me all of about 5 bashful minutes to photograph her and her beautiful belly. She went 10 days past her due date and then, finally, she gave birth at home to one of the cutest newborns I’ve ever met and has since named her Frankie Luella (but is putting Fiona on her birth certificate in case she wants a more feminine option.) I met Frankie when she was 2 days old and of course I had to bring along my camera to do another mini photo shoot to capture her in all her newborn perfection. Mara I’m so happy for you and your whole (and now complete) family, and Frankie, I can’t wait to watch you grow and get to know the woman who you will become.

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russell-brown | family portrait session | santa cruz maternity photographer

I love my job, that’s all I have to say. It doesn’t get much better than a portrait session with an empty beach, a radiant mama-to-be, an awesome dad, an adorable daughter and an attentive dog. This family is as down to earth as they are photogenic, and I would hang out with them every day if they let me, seriously. The sun came out just in time for our session which brought all the silhouette photos to life, and mama was even able to bare her beautiful belly in the December cold. I loved going to their beach house afterwards and seeing the whole family together on the sofa, including two birds and a cat. Whole lotta love in this sweet family….this is going to be one lucky baby for sure.

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