Cormac’s Newborn Session at Home in Renton

The calm that greeted me walking into Courtney and Con’s home for their newborn session astonished me. I assumed that with a newborn and a toddler in the middle of a pandemic, I’d encounter frazzled parents or at least a low level of chaos. Instead, Con’s sweet Irish parents greeted me with smiles and soon Courtney came out with newborn Cormac, the picture of grace and love.

As a mom of only one, I’m constantly overwhelmed, I had to ask Courtney about this magic.  “Cormac being our second, I somewhat knew what to expect than with Kieran. I knew my body would return to (nearly) its original shape, I knew the sleepless nights would end, I knew the feelings of being completely overwhelmed or anxious over almost nothing would subside.”  The pandemic led to some additional small gifts. Con was home and able to relieve Courtney of newborn duty more often and simply be available.

Let’s talk about Con, the most enthusiastic father I have ever photographed. Excited to have photos taken of his family, and obviously in love with his wife and kids. The affection and smiles were non-stop. Con’s parenting was honestly delightful to capture with my camera.

Because I have photographed their family before, they were immediately at ease. We moved around the house, seeking window light as two-year-old Kieran kissed the baby and cracked himself up with his own antics. Their house is filled with framed family photos, as Courtney feels that being surrounded with family photos brings her back to those moments and fills her with love. 

“Not sure if it’s a mom thing or just an us thing, but I find that 99% of the time, I’m the one behind the camera, on the outside,” she said. “It feels luxurious to be in the moment, in the photo with the people I love most.” Court, it is not just you! 

This in-home session was pretty close to perfect. I love a combination of offering direction and setting up a scene to gently fall apart organically, as I fade into the background and document.