Fresh 48

I had the honor of photographing Sydney and her beautiful family for my first Fresh 48. Since starting this journey, I knew I wanted to pursue motherhood and all it’s beauty. Sydney was amazing enough to take me up on my offer, as her original photographer fell through. She reached out to me a few days before her scheduled c-section at Sharp Grossmont in San Diego, California and I was able to make it work to be there for her Fresh 48. Sydney kept her baby a secret for the entire pregnancy – you heard that right! Everything was a surprise from the baby, to the gender and the name. Baby Kamden arrived on May 15, 2024 and he was as sweet as can be. I got to photograph Sydney, her husband Nick, older son Krew, and baby Kamden.

There is something so special and so intimate about those first few days with a new baby. They don’t call it a “Fresh” 48 for nothing. Everything is so fresh, so new, so beautiful, so raw and untouched. It’s all about the details. The toes, the fingers, the sweet noises, that baby smell… it made me think back on the time when my son was that little. Oh how I miss it! It goes by WAY too fast and you truly don’t understand just how fast it goes until you watch your own children grow up. It makes every moment bittersweet.

When you schedule a Fresh 48, once you hit the 38 week mark, I put you “on-call.” Meaning, baby can come at any time so I’m on alert and I make sure to always keep my phone close to me. We don’t want to miss anything! Whether you’re giving birth in the hospital or at home, we want to capture those first few days. Depending on your labor, some hospital stays can be super short and some can be longer. Communication is key with these sessions. Make sure to always keep me in the loop during your pregnancy and after every prenatal visit. Sometimes things change and if there is an induction or c-section that gets scheduled, I can be sure to schedule our session ahead of time to ensure we capture within the 48-hour window.

During Fresh 48’s, they are as natural as possible. I am merely a spectator in the room. I want everything to be as natural as possible. You’ll notice I don’t “pose” a lot during Fresh 48’s. Instead, I tell you to go about your normal routine, pretend I’m not there almost. I love when momma’s feel comfortable enough in front of me to breastfeed for photos, they turn into some of my favorites! I, myself, had a challenging breastfeeding journey and am always in awe of the female body and all that it is capable of! Breastfeeding is truly beautiful in every way and if you do decide to breastfeed and want photos, don’t hesitate to feed your baby while I am there. Your breastfeeding journey, no matter how long, deserves to be honored. I will always ask for your permission before sharing nude or unclothed photos – I respect your boundaries always! I will ask for some poses during the session but none that are uncomfortable or harsh on the mom freshly post-partum. Baby’s first bath would be a good option for a candid photo op as well if you are up for that, otherwise I will just go about the room while you’re soaking in your new bundle of joy.

This is one session I wish I had done after my son was born and regret not having it done.