A little more than 8 years ago, I was sitting in a hospital room with my camera, my aunt, my cousin, and her man. I didn't sleep or eat or move for over 24 hours for fear of missing a single moment. Then she was here! On this day I captured my very first birth, and who knew it would be my own cousin, and her daughter that changed everyone's lives.
Fast forward many yearly birthday shoots, family shoots, and party shoots, to a quiet Sunday morning a couple weeks ago in downtown LIncolnton. I picked up an almost 8 year old Sophie at her house, and told her this time was different. She'd me having a session alone just me and her. She was allowed to pick out her own outfit, her mama helped with her hair of course. I loaded Sophie in my bronco, and went off to downtown Lincolnton. When we got there I said " alright girl! This is the moment you've been waiting for! No rules! You walk us anywhere you want, stop where you want, pose however you want, this is YOUR session."
We walked back and forth around town for over an hour. Stopping an everything Sophie thought was beautiful. We even ran into her aunt and uncle who were in town staying at the luxuryloft121, and they brought us up to take photos on the roof! A special view in town I hadn't gotten to see before! By the end of the hour we were both tired and I of course insisted we make a starbies stop on our way home! Girl only wanted a cake pop and some water! I have a lot to teach her still lol.
Our journey together from birth til now has been a fun one for sure, but this session might have been my favorite. To watch this little girl be born, have many shoots where she couldn't even talk, to one where she ran the show and we had the best talks walking through our little town was priceless.
Here is one from where we started and some of my favorites from her 8 year old session!
