Besties, Blooms and Bubbly | Showering Marin

My family and friends threw Marin and I TWO stunning showers last Fall. They were both filled with women who have brought so much wisdom, fulfillment, and joy to my life over the past thirty years. From the love and support to the heartfelt and helpful gifts, I'm overjoyed to watch the ways these women will leave their own special mark on my girl.

The past few months of preparing for and adjusting to motherhood have been a whirlwind of emotion, but I'm FINALLY finding the time and routine in our lives to share all of the good that's been happenin' around here! Here are a few snapshots taken by Kayla of Wildhive Photography from one of Marin’s beautiful throw-downs with some of my most favorite ladies before she arrived.

From a fresh flower bar to the most mouth-watering spread, every detail was just so; and as I looked around, I just soaked in the love + support Marin and I were surrounded by.

All of the bites were made by my sweet friends who hosted the shower and the cake was from The Cocoa Bean.

Marin | Newborn Days

“Several realities play themselves out at once on the inner landscape of a new mother. Meanwhile, she is often hidden from society and--lets be honest--far too tired to adequately explain the miraculous and painstaking labyrinth she has suddenly found herself living within.”

Brave New Mama, Vicki Rivard

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When your job is to glorify motherhood, as it deservedly should be, yet you’re in the throes of new motherhood…let me tell you, it’s a weeeee bit intimidating to get back to work. While these past three months have abso-f**cking-lutely been glorious, they’ve been disheveled and messy. They’ve been sleepless and cranky, and full of a type of love sprinkled down straight from unicorns and fairies.

Nothing and everything prepares you for motherhood. Raising a human takes everything you’ve ever known, combines it with a dump truck of random, yet vitally important things you couldn’t have possibly known, then motivates you with the cutest little cooing, smiling face to put it all together and be the best possible version of yourself. It’s the most beautiful and welcomed chaos I’ve ever been a part of.

Thankfully, amidst the fog that is the first weeks with a newborn, my dear friend Lauren encouraged me to let her snap a few photographs of Marin and I. You see, I had a full newborn session booked with another friend as well, but we had to cancel due to sickness, then never rescheduled during those first days. I had all of the plans to take every little cutesy, cuddly photo of Marin with me and Cory. Surely, as it’s my bread and butter to document this season of life for other women, I thought I’d document this season with my girl so beautifully. I preach it ALL OF THE TIME as I observe and photograph motherhood for my clients, but those days pass by even more quickly than I’d imagined.

Here’s a little glimpse into one of our perfectly imperfect first days. My hair was in a braid because the thought of actually fixing it was more than laughable. My makeup was thrown on in minutes in between cries and nursing attempts to soothe a fussy baby. My dress, the first thing I grabbed out of my closet that I thought might fit. Being on camera felt like a gross bother to me and all I wanted to do in those sleepy, early days was admire my baby on my couch. But oh, my cooing, laughing baby. My baby who already doesn’t want me to hold her like a baby when awake. My quickly growing baby, how I will cherish these blurry, emotional, sleepy first days and the snapshots that will remind me of a little you’ll never be again.

And for all of the mamas out there, I now understand more than ever before, you are the superheroes, GOAT, rockstars, and the real MVPs.

As I mentioned, my good friend Lauren took the above photos for me when Marin was just a few days old.

Here are a few snapshots I took of my girl today, because she is THREE MONTHS OLD. Wah!

Now Offering Birth Photography! | New Orleans Motherhood Photographer

For anyone who keeps up with my posts regularly, you know the strong pull my heart has always had towards capturing the essence and experience of women. I cannot fully explain it, only that I know in the depths of my soul when I photograph a woman who opens up to me or lets me peer a little into her vulnerability, that there is no other place in the Universe I'm supposed to be more in that moment. Whether it's a high school senior, a bride, a boss girl, or an expecting mama, the women and stories that have found themselves in front of my lens over the course of my career have left me impacted in the most unusual and profound ways. For much of my career, I'd never had any stronger pull to any particular type of womanly experience--and while I still very much love photographing ALL types of milestones, I've noticed an ever-growing tug in my gut over the past year or so. During this time, I've noticed a particular and welcomed shift to clients desiring me to document their journey through motherhood. (This is in addition to weddings, of course, which I still very much photograph). Perhaps, and likely, this has to do with my age and place in my own life (no, I'm not quite ready to be a mama just yet), but, this particularly strong pull towards motherhood portraiture and the intensity of emotion captured through the experience is something I know I'm meant to delve into deeper.

After years of inquiries, pleas, and suggestions that I fearfully turned down, I have now decided it's time for me and this camera of mine to extend my services to include birth photography and/or hospital photography. 

Motherhood photography encompasses a wide scope of experiences. Currently, I document many mama moments from maternity, newborn, to growth and regular family lifestyle portraiture sessions and have many clients who purchase my Motherhood Collective which allows comprehensive documentation of these. With this, I'll now be offering the option to add birth photography or the option to hire me exclusively for your birth experience or time in the hospital with new baby.

Many families are interested in documenting their birth experience; however, some instead prefer to have the experience documented during the first few moments of life after the birth. Whether you'd like me to document the pushes, tears, and intense emotion of your birth or the tender moments together within the first 48 hours following, I am available for either form of documentation.

As this is a brand new venture for me, I'm offering introductory pricing to the first 5 bookings for Birth Photography or "Fresh 48" After-Birth Photography. If you are interested in having me document this part of life for you, please contact me at kali@kalinorton.com for more detailed information + pricing.