The weirdest + coolest thing happened to me two days ago (okay, two weeks ago now that I’m making this blog post today). I FINALLY had the opportunity to do a “Fresh 48” shoot. If you’re not familiar with what this is, it’s when a photographer goes to the hospital after a mama gives birth to photograph the first few hours together. They’re different than your typical newborn shoot with the whole “baby in a basket on a bed of flowers and tiny crotched hat”. Don’t get me wrong, I can totally appreciate those photos, they can be absolutely beautiful but they never really screamed “ME”. Heading to the hospital to document the raw emotions + moments - how your hands shake a bit while changing their clothes, Grandma’s (and luckily enough in this case Great Grandma/pa’s) proud smile, the feeling of exhaustion, joy and relief all intertwined together, their wrinkly, crusty toes - seemed more like “my style”.
So why haven’t I done a shoot like this before? If I’m being completely honest with myself, I kind of half-ass-ishly would offer this session by posting on social media every once in a while. I had a few people tell me they were interested, but it never worked out due to canceling last minute, me being out of the country, them choosing a different photographer, etc. I was usually pretty bummed when it didn’t work out, but then again, I wasn’t really putting myself ALL the way out there because, well, the rejection scared the hell out of me. I realize now, that I just wasn’t ready. And then this day happened. Here’s a little bit of the nearly 5 paragraph long text that I sent my amazing friend, travel partner, Spanish studying amiga, photography mentor, giggle buddy, hero, and bottle-of-vino-tinto-sharer, Aminda.
“I don’t know if it was the new lens, all of the studying that I did in Nicaragua, the knowledge and energy that I gained from you or what, but when I started editing those photos, man - something clicked. I actually felt like a Photographer for the first time. Like really for the first time. Like I can finally say ‘Soy fotografa’ and be confident about it… That probably sounds so silly, but I needed that shift.” It was the first time in a long time that I was actually proud of myself. Which for me, is life-changing.
Here are a few of my favorites from that day. I was realllllly feeling the black and white. Imagine that…😂
