From Bump to Baby | Maryland Maternity and Newborn Photographer

It is such an honor to document new beginnings for others, be it weddings or births or new business ventures or even a new hair cut. The excitement of the time cannot be contained and I get the pleasure of capturing each magic moment all the while, cheering you on from behind my camera! 

My lovely friend Kelsey *hi Kelsey* and her middle school sweetheart, Derrick, were recently welcomed into parenthood and I got the awesome privilege of documenting a number of their milestones (maternity, baby shower, fresh 48 and a formal newborn session). 

Here are a few of my faves of these awesome new parents and their bundle of joy.

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Teri & Larry | Blushing Maryland Waterfront Wedding

A few weeks ago I was invited to second shoot with Elena from Belle Imagery Portraits for a deeply loving couple, Teri & Larry, at The Oaks Waterfront Inn and Events and it was breathtaking.  The bride and groom kept a nautical theme with accents of the color brush throughout the day. Here are some of my favorite images: 

Shainna & Marcus | Beautiful Baltimore Elopement

For Shainna and Marcus, their wedding date was no coincidence. The stunning couple chose the date of July 7, 2017 (7-7-17) for the luckiness of the triple 7 and the biblical meaning of completeness and perfection. No luck was needed and their day was nothing short of perfect. The two decided on an intimate courthouse elopement in Baltimore with 7 of their closest family and friends (they were even blessed with additional luck as they received the letter 'G' -7th letter in the alphabet, as their place holder.)

Shainna and Marcus' love story dates back to December 2014 when they were introduced to one another through their separate work colleagues who are married. Marcus, as single father, had seen a group photo that his to be wife was in and was attracted to her instantly; Shainna reciprocated the feeling and began to correspond with Marcus. They courted for some time but the pair officially began dating months later. Shainna and Marcus' courtship began during the 2015 Baltimore Uprising and sparked out of the concern she had for him in the line of duty.  Marcus noticed her loving nature and has been head over heels since then. 

Marcus proposed to Shainna immediately after commencement of her Masters Degree from Bowie State University in May of 2016; she was in complete shock! 

#TheJoysOfMotherhood - Maryland Maternity Milk Bath Photography

When Charlyn discovered that she was being blessed with a baby boy after her two princesses, she decided to have an intimate in-home maternity session with a little extra!  We worked together to develop a mood board that would capture all the things she would want (Gotta love Pinterest!) We came across such gorgeous images and then we saw stunning Milk Bath Maternity images. Charlyn fell in love! With a little help from Google we found a simple way to get the perfect recipe! 

1. Fill the tub up with warm water to your desired level - water gets displaced when you step into it. (make sure it is warm enough for the client and that it can balance out the coolness of the milk)
2. Add a gallon of whole milk.
3. Add coffee creamer or powder milk for you desired color and opacity. Whisk it around to remove the chunks.
4. Step into the tub.
5. Have the photographer strategically place real flowers of your choice around you. It's important to have real flowers because they float in the milky water.
6. Last step, be flawless and enjoy this nourishing bath like the Goddess you are :) 

Here are some of favorite images of her session and of course featuring her milk bath

#IssaCelebration

Hi Lovies!!! 

It's Gemini Season! So this past Thursday was my birthday and I'm so blessed to see another year! Birthdays are such a big deal to me because it's an opportunity for a rebirth or rebranding and a celebration of your journey from the year before. I actually love my birthdate (6/1) because it's smack dab in the middle of the year, so I get to evaluate the previous months and make a plan for the ones ahead. And did i mention that I share my special say with two iconic American figures: Marilyn Monroe and Morgan Freeman! 

For my birthday this year I took off from my 9-5, participated in a boot camp class and spent time with my beautiful family; but I also took a moment to reflect on the year. In 2016, 3 Major moments happened to me. 

In 2016 I celebrated being a mom for a full year-that in itself is major. People always say parenting will change your life and if totally has! It's been a challenging and eye opening experience with much reward. I have learned so much from my little guy and I'm truly blessed by his presence

The love of my life and my best friend, proposed to me and asked for my hand in marriage! It was such an an intimate and meaningful experience and yes, planning has commenced! (I'd love to hear what you all are planning for your big day)

Last but definitely not least, I started Radiant Imagery by Jocelyn Renae! This moment was a giant step in fulfilling the desires of my heart. Photography has been a passion of mine for a loooonnnggg time and having the courage and the support of my family pushed me to follow my dreams. In this short time in business I have met some amazing people who have given me a chance and trusted me with the magical moments in their life and I'm so appreciative of them. 

I indulged myself with a couple of self portraits and yummy macaroons !

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