Beach Maternity Session

Every once in awhile I connect with an incredible couple. Sometimes I am even more blessed because I get to become really good friends with them. Such is the case with Jalline & Tino, who I first met back in 2010. I was lucky enough to shoot their engagement session, and their wedding and now I’ve been blessed with being able to capture their first pregnancy for them.  I don’t normally maternity sessions, but honestly, I’d shoot anything for these guys. I puffy heart love them big time. When Jalline first told me she was expecting a little girl this May I was just over the freakin’ moon. I don’t know if I know two people more fit to become parents than these two (alongside their bloodhound Madden, of course.)

Jalline & Tino tied the knot at Stearman Beach in West Vancouver back in 2011, and were the first beach wedding I had ever shot. For their portraits we headed up into the nearby cliffs and shot some brilliant images near this tree I had found a few weeks earlier. Fast forward to this morning, after I begrudgingly dragged my butt out of bed at 4am, I felt a lot of excitement build as we headed back to the same beach where they tied the knot to shoot their maternity session. The sunrise this morning was incredible, and the beach was completely empty other than for us and my camera. I shot some of my best work yet down there, and I’m super stoked to share it – but if I’m being honest what I’m most proud of today is the work I shot up at that little tree in the cliffs.

When we arrived that little tree was covered in sprouting pink cherry blossoms, which I honestly couldn’t imagine to be more fitting for a maternity shoot for a couple expecting a little girl. But here’s the stupendous part: That tree was in full sunlight. Which if you are a photographer, may scare the absolute hell out of you. Direct sunlight certainly isn’t the most flattering light known to man, and it can be difficult to work with, but for the first time ever I didn’t even think twice about it. I was like challenge accepted, sun, and like a photo-ninja I just dug in and started shooting straight from the heart. And when I got home to review the images my heart skipped a beat.

Here’s what I captured: