a few months after i met cat + ricky for their elopement in brooklyn and a few weeks after we saw each other for their maternity session, we once again met up. but this time in their home and with a new member of the family. the beautiful rio.

this was rio’s first photoshoot in the outside world but not her first photoshoot. i had previously met her twice. once when her parents got married and once when we were celebrating the wait for her. so her and i are practically life long friends already.

the original intention for the shoot was for it to be only of rio. that isn’t quite what ended up happening, as babies needs always take the lead. while trying to get the ideal images of her calm, we took a break or two for her to feed. we didn’t get very far before she started getting fussy again, so i told cat + ricky that we didn’t need to stop shooting when rio is feeding or being changed.

as always, cat + ricky trusted me and it quickly became a whole family photoshoot.

the beauty of letting the photoshoot become what is most comfortable for you always results in magic.

rather than the shoot being posed and proper, we got a glimpse into their daily life and everything that comes with it. from rio breastfeeding, to ricky having to sit and bounce on an exercise ball to make her happy, to keeping adele’s album on repeat because it keeps her from crying. those are the details that at the end of the day, matter. and by the end of the shoot, rio was grateful to have spent all that time with her mom and dad that she was happy to sit by herself for a few minute to get some photos of just her.

the joy and memories lie within the in-between moments. the little giggles, the small smiles, the kicking feet, the delicate wrinkles.

12. 5. 21

read cat + ricky’s testimonial here