capturing life one image at a time
I think Avery’s big brother perfectly captures the range of emotions that come when a new baby joins the family. We love to cuddle them and show them off. But then sometimes we just feel tired of all the attention they need and get. I get it. I’m the oldest of my siblings. But trust me little man… the older you get, the more thankful you will be for those siblings.
To God be the glory, great things he hath done!
2020 was tough. But the year was also filled with unexpected blessings. Neighbors became friends. Lots of books were read. Time with friends and family took on a whole new level of precious.
I’m feeling particularly thankful for the time I was able to be behind the camera in 2020. A special thank you to all of the mamas and daddys who invited me into your holiday season! Getting to spend time capturing these, and so many more, faces was truly a highlight of 2020 for me.
Happy New Year!
*rachel
This mama schedules a photo shoot every year for her daughter’s birthday. I love that tradition! They will always have these pictures to look back on and remember their spirited and spunky daughter on her fourth birthday. This year she surprised her now-4-year-old with a sparkly new dress during our session. Her little face is full of pure joy!
I recently had the opportunity to participate in a fundraiser for Adoption Support Alliance. ASA is a Charlotte based non-profit that provides support and services to local adoptive families. They offer adoption support groups, educational classes, and counseling. Through the work of ASA, adoptive families in the Charlotte region are better able to connect to one another and get the needed support to navigate the complexities of being an adoptive family.
Our family has been richly blessed by ASA. The classes we have been able to attend and the families we have been able to meet have encouraged and equipped us to boldly move forward in our own family’s adoption journey. So I was eager to say yes when they asked for my help.
In the fall, ASA hosts a family photography fundraiser. Each family that purchases a ticket receives a 20-minute photography session with a local photographer. All the proceeds go to fund the work that ASA is doing year round. I’m incredibly thankful to all the families that came out to have their pictures taken!
Since the day she was born, we have called her Baby Anne. It feels like she’s outgrown that name now that she has celebrated her first birthday! This precious girl has the sweetest demeanor. So we were all a little surprised when tasting her birthday cake sent her into a crying fit. Big sister didn’t seem to mind though, because that just meant more cake for her.
Happy First Birthday to you Anne!
A rainbow mobile meticulously crafted by her mama. A vintage truck carefully restored by her daddy. And a springbok hide from her grandparent’s home country. This session was filled to the brim with thoughtful details and special mementos.
Your house is the place where you feed your family. It’s where you fold laundry and binge-watch The Office. In these last few months, our homes have also become our offices, our schools, and our playgrounds. It feels like every single aspect of our lives is now happening within the walls of our homes. For each of us, our house is the setting for the story of our pandemic experience. What better way to capture a memory of this crazy season than with a family “porchrait” at your home?!
Social distancing and quarantine have nothing on Lucy! This little lady turned 7 and she wasn’t going to let a global pandemic stop her from partying. Her friends showed up in big numbers to parade in front of her house, from the safety of their cars, and show Lucy how much they love her. This will certainly be a birthday to remember.
While so many aspects of our lives have been put on hold during quarantine, there are good things growing in this time too. For me, one of the sweet fruits of quarantine has been more opportunity to see my neighbors. We are all home all the time, lots of us with little kids, and we just need to get outside the walls of our homes. So we go outside and we walk and we play. The kids ride bikes and swing from the trees while the parents stand a safe distance apart and enjoy the chance to talk to another adult.
I’m really thankful for the families who have found their way to the same little neighborhood we ended up in. It’s fun to live life beside these precious people.
rachel baughman photo 