Well, I had an amazing opportunity the other day. I was asked to take my good friends Sarah and Jaren's pregnancy announcement pics. I was rather excited when she asked. I was even more excited (and a bit nervous) taking the pictures, but with my little assistant Adaline, I calmed down and felt rather in my element. :) I am but an amateur photographer. Actually, photographer sounds a bit too professional for what I do. I'm just a photo hobbiest and while I feel it leaks through in the technicality of my photos, I'm still rather pleased with them; considering this was my first maternity shoot.
With that said, I also had a great time editing these photos. While I did the editing very late into the night and ended very early the next morning, I found I've some kind of obsession with editing because I didn't even care about the unnatural hours. The dreamy look with the boots and feet were created using a couple of tutorials; adjusting RGB curves and adding image overlays in different blending modes. I'm rather pleased with the result. The other edits were just some classic edits I like to do. I really like adding a vignette to my photos. It lends a professional tone and enhances the emotionality it seems. The designs were actually put together harum-scarum (pell-mell). I was just trying stuff, liked it, moved on to the next one, didn't like it, moved on to the next one. I usually am much more meticulous in my editing but I was trying to do these quickly so I could catch a quick nap before work that morning. In fact, I was editing/designing so hurriedly, I typed the due date in the wrong year (2012). Yup. Thought I should fix that one before they went up to the public. Might have caused a little confusion. :P 
And, as excited as I was about the pictures, I was even more so excited for little Sarah, whom I've known for years. I even went on her and her husbands first date (I think it was the first? either way, there in the beginning) with her on a group date and can't believe how far they've come and how much more awaits them in the future! It's so inspiring for this love critic! :) As I was editing the hands pictures, it dawned on me just what this all meant and I teared up, . . . okay okay I was crying, realizing how touching an unborn child can be! I think the closer a pregnancy is to you, the more you feel its significance. Being the mother and the father, I can't even imagine how much awe surrounds them each day as they try and wrap their minds around the idea of them having a child, being parents, what it all means. The creation of one heart from two hearts beating. It was this thought that gave rise to the short saying I used with the pictures of their hands (in the collage above). It sounded cheesy I will admit but it was rather early when I though of it and I like it. So, I really didn't care. :PAll in all, a very wonderful experience with Sarah and Jaren and I'm grateful they let me be apart of it. And, just one week later my best friend called with a surprise, another baby!! Yes, I've two friends who are going to have their babies at the same time! More pictures! I'm rather excited. For the baby too. :P ha ha, I'm just kidding. I am very exciting for all the new life coming into this world and what it will mean for the lives they touch! :)
LINKS
Sarah and Jaren's Blog 9.13.12
Breathtaking Dreamy Vintage Photoshop Tutorial
Curvy Cross Processing
