Welcoming Liam | A Birth Story

December 14th, 2011 § 0 comments § permalink

I know we have been a bit quiet around here this year. We have been focusing on our wedding films, as well as simply taking on less to better focus on what is important to us. Which brings me to this project. Billy and Joyce were one of our beloved wedding couples a few years ago. When Joyce approached me earlier this year to photograph the birth of their child, I jumped at the chance. I had never documented a birth before. Weddings are wonderful and such an important moment in a person’s life, but mostly organized and predictable. Births are not so much organized or predictable. Now that I have experienced what it is to give birth myself; it’s just an entirely new world after that. The opportunity to document that moment in the lives of those dear to us.. it wasn’t even a question.

Liam had an exciting delivery as he was scheduled to arrive at the New Birth Company in Overland Park. He had other plans however, and we ended up at Shawnee Mission Medical Center many, many hours later. After a long day and night, Billy and Joyce welcomed their healthy son at 3:39am. For the first time ever, I wept a little behind my lens. The energy and emotion in the room at the birth of a new person is overwhelming. So much joy. To have the opportunity to document that, amazing. Here are a few of my favorites.

Joyce calls her loved ones after arriving at the birth center.


Enjoying a smoothie


The midwives enjoy a peek at Joyce’s pregnancy album


Joyce was a trooper. She endured nearly 24 hours of laboring before meeting her son.

Something that stuck with me the entire day — the image of Billy and Joyce as a couple, a team. They depended on one another and were such a beautiful example of strength.


Then, at 3:39am after nearly 24 hours of labor, Liam joined us.


My favorite image of the day – the embrace of newly anointed parents.

I cannot express how honored I am to have been given witness to these moments. Welcome, Liam, to the universe.

Normal days

October 11th, 2011 § 1 comment § permalink

Some of you may be aware, but we have a personal project that has been going on for more than year. We wish we had started it at her birth, but a few months after she was born we began taking at least a photo a day of our daughter. Sometimes a hurried cell phone pic, sometimes a slurry of images from an afternoon at the zoo, or a dance party in the living room. As visual artists, every day is filled with moments. Some extraordinary, some not. All important. This quote I feel says it best–

Normal day, let me be aware of the treasure you are… Let me not pass you by in quest of some rare and perfect Tomorrow. One day I shall dig my nails into the earth, or bury my face in my pillow, or stretch myself taut, or raise my hands to the sky and want, more than all the world, your return.
- Mary Jean Iron

Here are a few normal day images of our daughter (and us) over the last few months. Hold those normal days close and cherish them.

Summertime

August 3rd, 2011 § 0 comments § permalink

Took a short trip to the Nelson & Loose Park last weekend, and we ended up  “nigh night” on the bench in front of the American Art section. I can understand, it’s tiring being introduced to so much art!

Gonna start posting more personal work here as well as some other things (from both of us, though Brandon took most of these as we take photos of our daughter every single day for a personal project). Look forward to seeing some changes around here very soon.









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