This mama was such a joy to capture during the last days of her pregnancy! Her and I met well before the sun even crossed the horizon, in the quiet of her home, as she finished up her hair and makeup. She told me about her other 3 children, about the days they came into the world, and also how she had almost woke them all up to take pictures with her that morning. She showed me her dresses, and told me how much this maternity session meant to her; that she had always wanted to do a shoot at the Salt Flats, and about previous attempts never quite working out. I was grateful to be a part of the one time it would work out for her.

As we packed up in her car and begin the two hour drive to the Salt Flats, the sky was still dark. As we got to know each other, the light peaked out from behind the mountains, and slowly we began to see the scenery around us – just as, slowly, we began to see each other for the women and mothers we were.

When we arrived at the Salt Flats, the predicted rain had held off. We were able to get the perfect start to our session. With the freezing temperatures, the salt was packed solid and we had no problem driving out onto it in her sporty mama mini-van. We both laughed and felt exhilaration at being out on the sand and feeling like we could drive for hours without ever reaching the mountains in the distance. We stopped at one spot, and dashed out for portraits. Julie, of course, was positively glowing. We hopped back in the car and drove in a random direction for a random amount of time and distance, and were so happy to find the tiniest reflection pool. Just enough to give us that reflection of the mountains that the Salt Flats are so famous for. That’s when the rain stopped waiting, and began to drizzle on us.

We did one quick outfit change, to make sure we got the green dress, too, and carried the umbrella and tossed it away just as I snapped the photo. The rain brought a steeper chill with it, so we didn’t last much longer after the rain began to fall. But we had captured exactly enough. Exactly the emotions and beauty that Julie possessed at this stage in her pregnancy. Now, the baby is here and she has regained a piece of her own back to herself, but I am glad she will always have these photos to remember the time that her and her baby, drove out to the Salt Flats to celebrate their shared space.