A Year Later on the Porch | Quinn’s First Birthday Session with Rachel in the Motherhood Porch Studio

A year ago, Rachel bundled up her family and came over during a January snowstorm so I could test out a new camera lens after I hadn’t picked up my camera in years. She was in her third trimester with Quinn at the time and graciously agreed to model for me while snow quietly fell around us. I remember standing there in the cold thinking about how much I had missed photographing mothers, even after taking time away from my camera.

It feels especially meaningful now that a year later, Rachel was the very first mama to step into my new Motherhood Porch Studio — this time with Quinn on her hip, celebrating her first birthday.

There was something really full-circle about it. A year ago we were documenting the anticipation of Quinn’s arrival. Now she was here, bright-eyed and curious, pointing at the world around her and laughing the way only a one-year-old can.

Some stories just have a beautiful way of coming back around.

A One-Year-Old Discovering the World

Quinn spent most of the session proudly showing off her newest favorite skill: the pointer finger.

Every little movement caught her attention. The curtains shifting softly in the breeze. The plants nearby. The way the light moved across the porch floor. She would point with such determination as if she had just discovered something magical, then look back at Rachel to make sure she saw it too.

Rachel stood close beside her the entire time, smiling and soaking in every little moment. There’s something so special about photographing this stage of motherhood — when babies are just beginning to explore the world while still reaching instinctively for their mothers.

It’s a season full of curiosity and closeness at the same time.

At one point Rachel paused, looked around the space, and said quietly, “The porch is glowing.”

And honestly, that was exactly the feeling I hoped this little studio would hold.

The Dream Behind the Motherhood Porch Studio

This porch has been living in my imagination for a long time.

I wanted to create a space that felt soft, calm, and full of life — somewhere mothers could come with their babies and simply be together. Flowing sheer curtains that catch the breeze. Trailing plants. Vintage textures. Natural light pouring through every corner.

A space that feels a little bit like stepping into a dream.

What I love most about the porch is that it feels alive. The fresh air moves through the curtains, the light changes throughout the session, and babies are free to notice everything around them. It creates a feeling of movement and softness that you can’t quite recreate indoors.

Seeing Quinn experience the space for the first time — watching the curtains move and pointing excitedly at everything — made it feel like the porch was doing exactly what it was meant to do.

Vintage Pieces and the Client Closet

Rachel and Quinn both wore pieces from my thrifted client closet, something I’ve been slowly building over time with carefully chosen dresses, fabrics, and vintage baby pieces. Every item has been found intentionally. I love hunting for pieces that feel timeless and soft — things that photograph beautifully but also feel comfortable for mothers to hold their babies in. Quinn wore a few of my favorite dresses from my growing vintage baby collection, and seeing them come to life on the porch made me so excited for the future of these sessions. Pieces like these get to circulate through the studio, worn by many babies and mothers over time, each one adding their own story to it. There’s something really special about clothing that carries a little history with it.

A Note from Me

Photographing mothers and babies will always feel deeply personal to me. There is something incredibly meaningful about witnessing the passage of time through motherhood — pregnancy, birth, newborn days, and then suddenly you blink and that baby is turning one. Rachel trusted me to document several beautiful chapters of Quinn’s story throughout the year already, and it means so much to me that her daughter was the very first to fill this new porch studio with life. Watching Quinn laugh and point at everything around her felt like the most joyful way to open this space. Happy first birthday, sweet Quinn. What a beautiful way to celebrate your very first year.

Motherhood Porch Studio Sessions in Richmond, Virginia

The Motherhood Porch Studio is a natural light portrait space designed specifically for mothers and their babies. Located in the Forest Hill area of Richmond, Virginia, the porch is filled with soft textures, flowing curtains, vintage details, and fresh air that moves gently through the space.

These sessions are relaxed and child-led, allowing babies and toddlers to explore naturally while mothers hold them close. The environment creates images that feel both timeless and alive — full of movement, softness, and connection.

Motherhood Porch Studio sessions are perfect for maternity portraits, newborn sessions, and milestone moments like first birthdays.

Richmond Maternity Session FAQ