Ashley almost skipped maternity photos


Ashley wasn’t exactly counting down the days until someone pointed a camera at her. Pregnancy had her feeling uncomfortable and unsure she’d like how she looked in photos. Milton wanted to remember this time, though, and after Ashley saw my work, they decided to make the trip from Jacksonville to Driftwood Beach.


I’m so glad they did.
Expectant parents laughing and playing in the shallow surf at sunset on Jekyll Island.
Expectant parents’ hands resting together on her belly in the warm evening light.
Expectant parents sharing a quiet moment beneath the trees during their maternity photo session.
Expectant parents laughing and playing in the shallow surf at sunset on Jekyll Island.
Expectant mother leaning against driftwood and looking down at her belly.
Expectant couple embracing among the driftwood at Jekyll Island’s Driftwood Beach.

Driftwood, sunset, and a whole lot of laughing

We planned for soft, flowy clothes and an evening on Jekyll Island. I gave Ashley and Milton some soft direction, but mostly we kept moving, talking, and playing around. There were sweet, close moments, and there were moments when the three of us were laughing so hard my cheeks hurt.


Ashley later told me she “immediately felt less awkward and nervous.” Milton put it even more simply: “The whole session stood out to me because we just had fun!”


That’s exactly what I want a maternity session to feel like. You don’t have to arrive knowing what to do with your hands. We’ll figure that out together!

Expectant mother standing barefoot at the water’s edge during a Jekyll Island maternity session.
Close-up of an expectant mother cradling her belly during a beach maternity session.
Expectant parents walking hand in hand along Driftwood Beach in a black-and-white maternity portrait.

The photos they brought home


At their Reveal, Ashley and Milton watched their photographs in a slideshow, then we went through their favorites together. They chose prints and digital images to keep while they prepared for a move to a new home before baby's arrival.


Since their shoot, Baby is here now. Someday, he’ll get to see what his parents looked like when they were waiting to meet him!

Expectant mother in a flowing green dress beside the driftwood trees at Jekyll Island.