It’s Like Rain on Your Maternity Photos Day
That morning I called Ashley and, with quite a bit of uncertainty, I asked her if she wanted to move forward with photos that evening. The day prior, the forecast looked fine, but that morning it was looking a little… dreary come photo time. In most cases, rescheduling isn’t a big deal, but she was visiting from out of town, and obviously, because this is maternity, time was of the essence. If that baby decided to make an early arrival, well, such photos would be impossible.
We decided to move forward and hope for the best.
As any Kansan knows: the weather is fickle, and the forecast is unreliable. Goodness, just the day prior it didn’t even call for rain, so really, anything was possible. Maybe things would clear up, and we’d have a gorgeous situation on our hands. It did seem like clouds were an inevitability, though, so we moved the session up by about an hour to allow for brighter light.
We initially started at the Governor’s Mansion in Topeka, as they shared their proposal there. Having photos in significant locations just gives them a bit more meaning, and I love the opportunity to do so whenever possible. Minutes into beginning, though, the rain really started to fall. It did not seem like it was letting up anytime soon, so we had to think on our feet and find an alternate option. While Topeka has no shortage of beautiful photography locations, finding an area that was both aesthetically pleasing and sheltered from the rain was a bit of a trick. With a lit map-perusing, that was what led us to Ward-Meade Park.
It’s a historic location, landscaped to perfection, with towering white columns surrounding a large covered porch -- a porch high enough to stand under and not even know you’re covered if photographed from the right angles. My goodness, I couldn’t think of a better scenario. If you look at the first two pictures in this set, you’ll see the concrete floor of the porch behind them is soaked, and that’s because it was actively raining, but they were protected by the porch roof.
The porch was large enough, that we could shoot at different angles, getting different backdrops and color-scapes, all while staying cozy and dry. Not only that, but our eyes and hearts both were delighted upon seeing this oasis of beauty amidst a downpour.
When I realized they brought an umbrella, I was overjoyed, because that meant we could get some classic walking-in-the-rain romantic images, which was right in line with Ashley’s vibe.
Maternity is a fleeting season that feels like an eternity while it’s happening. Maternity… eternity.. their rhyming nature can’t be a coincidence. It’s full of unknowns, really uncomfortable, and just… different… from any other time in life. It’s incredible though. It’s uniquely beautiful and a celebration filled with anticipation. Ashley somehow seems to beam all the positive parts of pregnancy, with her glow only enhanced by the love poured on her by her sweet husband, Kirk.
I’ll be praying for you all in these final days before life gets a whole lot better.
I told Ashley, “I know this pose is a little corny, but I think you like corny.” So when I asked Kirk to kiss her belly, the expression on her face said it all. Sometimes, corny is a good thing.
