I’m back!
Honestly, I just want to shout it from the rooftops: I’m back behind the camera, and it feels so good. In case you missed it, I recently had my first baby and took maternity leave. Between a rough third trimester and wanting to be intentional with my energy, I stepped away from shooting for a while. Looking back, I’m so glad I gave myself that space because I truly didn’t have the capacity to give clients my best self during those months.
But wow… not creating for that long was hard. It wasn’t until after labor, delivery, and the whirlwind of newborn life that I realized just how much I’d missed photography. Those first weeks at home, where life slowed down to endless contact naps and nursing sessions, gave me time I hadn’t had in years to simply be still. And in that stillness, creativity came rushing back.
I’d be rocking my newborn and suddenly have ten new ideas for photoshoots. I’d find myself daydreaming about creative setups, bold senior portraits, and ways I could bring fresh, editorial-style sessions to life here in Nashville. During one of those daydreams, I was reminded of a thought I had years and years ago, about how I thought being a photographer would be boring because it’s just the same thing over and over (such a 17-year-old way of thinking) to now feeling like there will never be enough time in my life to make every idea real. The spark is back, and it’s brighter than ever.
There’s a phrase I heard a while ago, “get your pink back.” It comes from the idea that flamingos lose their pink coloring when they give birth but gradually regain it. For new moms, it became a metaphor about finding yourself again after pregnancy and postpartum. For me, photography is that pink. It’s the thing that makes me feel most like myself, and losing it temporarily made me realize just how much it’s a part of who I am.
Coming back to photography after maternity leave feels like coming home. It reminded me that creativity isn’t something you either have or don’t, it’s a skill you strengthen by using it. The more you create, the more creative you become. That season of rest showed me that my creativity is still alive and waiting, and now I’m diving back in with more passion than ever.
This next season looks different, balancing life as a new mom while also stepping fully back into my work, but I’ve never felt more committed. Stepping back into creating feels both familiar and brand new, and I can’t wait to see what comes from it.
If you’re in Nashville and dreaming up your own senior portraits or creative photoshoot, just know, I’ve never been more ready. This season is about leaning into creativity, scrappy ideas, and bold visions, and I’d love to help bring yours to life.
