Carina and Ryan are anticipating the arrival of their baby girl, any day now! A few weeks ago, I had the privilege of capturing this time of their lives with maternity photos at Autumn Ridge Farm. The folks there on the farm let us come very early for the best light right after sunrise. They have fields of colorful cosmos flowers and several sunflower fields! There wasn’t a cloud in the sky which made shooting there after sunrise a little challenging – no one wants to stare at the sun during their photos. Not even me. Haha But we made it work and I absolutely love these pictures!
Maternity photos before your first child comes along are so special because it’s the last photos of just the two of you. Trust me though, adding another human to your family only makes life even sweeter.
If you’re thinking that Carina looks awfully familiar, it’s probably because she looks just like her sister Bethany, who’s maternity & family photos I have photographed many times in the last few years! I also photographed Carina & Ryan’s engagement and wedding photos at Deep Creek Lake last year!
You see, Carina and Ryan love Deep Creek, probably as much as I do. And that makes me so excited to know that their kids are going to grow up the same way that I did. Lake life is the best life! But that’s not our only connection. Carina’s family and my family were neighbors growing up. Her oldest sister was my childhood best friend. And so every time I have photographed them, it’s been like rekindling old friendships. To top it all off, Carina and Ryan just purchased property next to my parent’s property, and so in a few years, once they build their dream home, they’ll once again be neighbors to my family. And since I’m at my parent’s house all the time, I hope that means our kids will play together. It’s like Déjà vu, in an exciting way!
Seriously, can you feel my excitement? 😀
Congratulations Carina & Ryan! I am so excited to watch you two become amazing parents! I can’t wait to meet your little girl!
Lasting Memories by Ellen – Photos taken in Scottdale, PA
