I met Barbara while photographing a local pickleball tournament here in Miami, and to say she stood out would be an understatement. She was seven months pregnant and competing! Her team won, by the way. I remember being so impressed by her energy and presence. As we got to talking, she mentioned she had been looking for a maternity photographer but hadn’t quite found the right fit and was starting to feel like she might have missed her window. We ended up connecting right there, and not long after, she reached out to have me capture this moment for her and her husband, Mario.

She mentioned wanting a beach shoot so we kept things easy, heading to South Beach at sunrise. She thought she would be awkward in front of the lens but personally, I thought she was a natural, flowing seamlessly with every prompt I gave her. When I asked if she’d be up for getting in the water, she didn’t hesitate. “Of course, I’m not made of sugar.” That might be my all time favorite response to that question.

There was something so effortless about the way the two of them moved together, playful, grounded, fully present. We left with a gallery full of gorgeous images and one I’m genuinely so proud of.

Ocean Sunrise Maternity Session