“When planning this session, Arbor Hills Nature Preserve came to mind. It’s a place I used to “escape” to back in college when I was home visiting. I live in a big city and this place is a secluded piece of paradise filled with wildflowers, trees, and tall grass. I have always felt a sense of peace and a sense of new life here as I am constantly seeing new life here. My vision for this particular session was to capture the mother’s natural and earthy instincts with baby Lachlan. Having known the mother since before a baby was ever in the picture, I have always admired how perfectly natural it came to her. Lachlan is at such a sweet stage in life (10 months old) where he’s babbling and fascinated by what he sees around him and I wanted to be able to document that on film during a season of new growth. What better place to take a new family than this place?

This situation is unique to me in the sense that I knew the Mother before she was a Mother and before she was a wife. It is always so beautiful to me to see how women transition into becoming a Mother. For so many it comes naturally and for others it may be slow and thats completely fine. I think the most important part is to enjoy every bit of the journey.  

As a mother myself, this season of life is by far one of the most rewarding to capture. Often times we hear that the days are long but the years are short and this holds true to so many. Motherhood is filled with so much joy and laughter, it does indeed fly by. Moments in time can be preserved through photography though and my goal is exactly that ~ that some day, whenever it may be, these families can look back at this moment in time and remember exactly how it felt in that very moment. Oh motherhood, it can be messy too, oh yes, but such a beautiful mess indeed.” Monica, Photographer

MONICA ALBERTY PHOTOGRAPHY