I’m in love with this early fall light. The way it filters through the trees. It’s golden glow illuminating everything. Long, late day shadows. And when you put these three in that light, it’s just magic.
Motherhood
I can hardly contain my excitement in sharing this session with you. It’s something I’ve been wanting to do for a while and to see it come to life is simply amazing. The journey of motherhood is unlike anything else. However it comes to you, in whatever form it takes, it’s life changing in indescribable ways. Nothing, and I mean nothing, can prepare you for it.
As a mother, you experience such a range and depth of emotions. Overwhelming love, insane pride, laughter, joy, fear, doubt, loneliness, anger. The path that we walk along side our little ones can feel long and isolating and confusing. And it’s so easy to lose yourself in those early years in making your babies the focus of your world.
And we can shy away from being with them, in activities, in videos and in pictures because of time and insecurity and business and just being so.very.tired, but mama’s, they want us there. No, they need us there. Need to have memories of us getting down in the dirt and making mud pies, splashing in the ocean, squeezing them tight as you watch the stars come out.
That’s why I’ve wanted to do Motherhood Sessions for a long time. To give all of you a chance to connect, to relax, to forget about the grocery list, the laundry that needs to be folded, the work that has to be done and just be present with your children. To allow you to see your beauty reflected both in picture and in the eyes and smiles of your children.
Give me an hour of your time, we’ll put you in a beautiful outfit, and all you have to do is laugh, kiss, cuddle and play with your babies. That’s it. And I promise you, it will be worth every minute. Not just for the memories that will be captured, but also to give you a chance to exhale and be in the moment with your kids. This is what I want for you. Email me at hello@melissaortendahlphotography.com to schedule your session.
Campfire and S’mores
I’ve been focusing this year on telling the story of our family. Taking some time to really capture us doing what we do when we’re together. And that ranges from the boys riding bikes, to watching them wrestle, going to the beach, taking a hike; our unposed family story.
If you think about looking through your parents or grandparents photo albums, that’s what they were filled with – in-the-moment pictures or your family being together, laughing, playing, being goofy – just being, well, yourselves. That’s not to say that there isn’t a place for a beautiful family portrait (of course there is), but it’s also important to give your kids pictures to look back on that weren’t posed and perfect that showed the true emotion and connection of simply being together.
The boys have been asking all summer to have a campfire and since I can’t have a campfire without s’mores – well, they were all too happy to consume the marshmallowy and chocolate graham cracker goodness. So here’s a glimpse into our family’s story. Our time together. Us.
Coming to Life
I had the idea for this session in my head at the start of spring. I drove by an abandoned building every day on the way to drop my kids off to school and it just drew me in. Inspired me. I can’t quite explain it – I needed to attempt to put into images what was swirling inside my head. I had to get it out there. I knew I wanted to do two different set-ups, almost opposite ends of the spectrum from one another. To challenge myself. To explore the light. To refresh my creativity. To do something that was just for me. We lucked out that we had incredible light on the day of this session, the model being drop dead gorgeous didn’t hurt either. And it was everything I hoped it would be. I am so incredibly excited to share these images with you. This is my art, my heart. 
Charlotte Rae – Lifestyle Newborn
About 7 weeks ago, I went to Julie and Rich’s home for their maternity session as they awaited the arrival of their second baby and their first daughter. They have a lovely family and their son, Landon is just the sweetest thing.
Just a little over two weeks ago, Charlotte entered into the world and I had the great joy of capturing this brand new family of four. And what a beautiful family they are.
Small Adventures
I needed to get out. Out of the house. Out of our routine. Out of my own head. It was one of those weeks. You know what I’m talking about. Where you can’t put your finger on it, but you are just in a funk. Where you feel like you’re going to jump out of your skin if you have to spend one more second standing where you are. We were being teased with warm weather one day, then cold and rain the next, which wasn’t helping at all. There was a trail that I passed everyday, twice a day on my to and from pre-school. I thought about stopping with the boys there but it just never happened. On this particular day, we were having work done at our house, and I needed to leave to pick up my twins from school. I threw my camera in my bag, and left the workers, told them I might be a while, and left to go pick them up. It was going to rain. You could see the storm coming. But, that didn’t phase me at all. I pulled into the dirt parking lot, took the boys out of the car and took a deep breath. I was only 15 minutes from home, but it felt like a vacation.
The boys ran. I followed behind. And we played until the rain drops fell.
New York
I went to New York City at the beginning of the month to see Waitress (starring Sara Bareilles!!!) with my mom. The show was freaking phenomenal. They bake pies in the lobby of the theater. Pies. That you can eat. It was just incredible – the cast was out-of-this-world. So here’s my plug for the show – go! Go see it!
I’ve been to New York before, but it was mostly a quick bus ride in – go to see a show – leave right after types of visits. But even with that, I haven’t been to the city in 8 years. So I really wanted to take it in when I was there – even though it was a day visit. I remember feeling overwhelmed the first few times I was there, enjoyed my time but was happy to leave the hustle and bustle.
This time was different. I felt vibrant, invigorated, electric. The city felt smaller, less hectic than I remember, yet so very much alive. And I didn’t want to leave. I could have stayed there all night, walking around, just feeling the vibrations and energy it was producing. I brought my camera, but honestly, didn’t use it a whole lot, I wanted to be in the moment.
In looking at these images now, a few weeks later, I felt that the images spoke the most in black and white. It somehow lowered the volume, but helped to retain the intensity of the city. Cleared the static, so I could see more clearly. I can’t wait to go back.
Protected: Feeling Good
Noah – Lifestyle Newborn
I met Noah when he was just about 6 weeks old. He was alert, awake and super chubby and absolutely adorable! I love newborns, don’t get me wrong, but at almost 2 months old, when a little handsome fella is making eye contact with me and giving sweet little smiles..well, how does it get better than that?
In the Frame
As a photographer, I always make sure I get pictures of my moms with their children. So frequently, as the moms, we’re behind the camera. So I always take time in my sessions to get 1:1 pictures of mom with all her kiddos and then all of them together in the frame. I want them to see the family they brought into the world. I want their kids to have those moments with their mom. I do a great job of this with my clients.
I’m pretty much always the one taking pictures of my family, but I realized as I looked back across all the pictures I took last year, that I was hardly in any pictures with my kids. And I thought to myself, how will they know I was there? What will they remember when they’re all grown up? So this year, as part of my 365 project, I have been intentional about getting in the frame with my boys. Me with each one of them, me with all of them, me alone. Because I am here. And when they look back on these photos, I want them to see me, see me with them, see our every day, see how much I love them, see them through my eyes.
So, today, we just played. And we were together. And it was perfect.
Melissa Ortendahl Photography 